The passage
      v9. In the parable of the vine, Jesus describes himself as the vine and we as the branches. He makes the point that as long as the branch abides in the vine it bears forth fruit. Jesus' application is simple, we are to remain in him, or better, "continue with" him. Our continuing with Christ is best understood as a faith act: a believing in him, a living by faith, a reliant journeying through life with Christ. Jesus now draws out the idea of continuing with him; we are to continue in his love. Christ's love for us finds its focus in his death and resurrection on our behalf. Our faith in Christ rests on the grace of God expedited in the cross and empty tomb.
      v10. Christ's commands are God's commands, in summary: "this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another", 1 John 3:23. A continued faith in Christ involves a continued reliance on Christ's act of love, namely, his death and resurrection on our behalf.
      v11. Jesus has told us to continue with him through faith and to bear the fruit of love. This reliance on Christ confirms our relationship with God; we find ourselves at peace with God, a friend of God. Happy is the person who knows they are God's friend.
      v12-14. Christ's paramount command is that we remain in his love, rest on him, trust him, believe in him. As a consequence, our faith in Christ will prompt the fruit of love, or as Jesus puts it, his friends do what he asks. This fruit is the substance of his command, "love one another"; his command is that we love our brothers and sisters in Christ. The nature of this love is self-giving compassion, an example set by Christ himself. So, in our passage for study Jesus has redefined the command that we love God and love our neighbor.
      v15. "A servant does not share his master's confidence", but friends do. Jesus calls us friends because he treats us as friends. He has revealed the mysteries of the universe to us in the good news of the kingdom.
      v16-17. Of course, our friendship with Jesus is one sided. He has done everything, even in giving his own life, to make it possible for us to abide in him and so become part of God's eternal elect people. In response, it is our task to bear the fruit of love, the kind of fruit that is eternal. Since the fruit of love is a promised consequence of faith in Christ, we have Jesus' authority to pray for the compelling indwelling compassion of Christ to take root and grow in our lives. What the Father promises to give us, he will give us when we ask in prayer. So then, let us "keep on loving one another."

Friends
      We get by with a little help from our friends, or so John Lennon tells us, and it seems that Jesus agrees.
      It's very easy to miss a unique idea found in this passage. It's a commonplace idea and so it doesn't impact on us. Yet consider, where else are we told that we mere mortals can be friends with God's unique Son, friends with the creative Word of God, friends with the promised Messiah, friends with the risen and reigning Christ who at this moment sits at the right hand of the Ancient of Days bathed in glory. No religion, that I am aware of, speaks of a relationship with the divine in terms of friendship. The divine is usually awesome, not friendly.
      So, here we are confronted with the amazing idea that Jesus can be our friend. The idea that it is possible to find intimacy with the divine is mind blowing, but it is also easily understood. In fact, there is probably no better way to explain a relationship with God than in terms of being Jesus' friend. Even a child understands what it means to be someone's friend. So then, what does this passage tell us about friendship with God through Jesus?
      First of all, our relationship with Jesus brings us joy, that calm, warm, uplifting and exhilarating peace that only rarely touches us in our life's journey. How wonderful it is to rest easily in the presence of God.
      Second, our relationship with Jesus is totally one sided. Jesus virtually does everything to make the relationship possible. Jesus loves us with unquestioning active divine love, a love with which the Father loves Jesus. It is a love that takes Jesus to the cross on our behalf - there is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends; it is a love which drives Jesus to reveal the hidden mysteries of the universe to us; it is a love which supports us in our life's journey and answers the prayer of faith; it is a love which incorporates us into the elect children of God, the eternal people who will reign with Christ in eternity.
      Third, a relationship with Jesus has its demands. There are two demands, the first being that we abide in Christ's love and the second that we love one another. Interestingly, the second is actually a consequence of the first. If we abide we will bear the fruit of love.
      The instruction to abide in God's love comes down to believing, believing that the enlivening consequences of Christ's life, death, resurrection, ascension and heavenly rule are freely ours for the asking. Abiding is believing; it is faith in Christ.
      As for the instruction to love one another, this fruit of love involves acting with merciful compassion toward our brothers and sisters in Christ. Seeing that our faith in Christ generates love, Christ's instruction to us is more a "be what we are", than a "dream the impossible dream."
      How wonderful it is that Jesus calls us friends.

v9
      kaqwV "as" - as, just as, insomuch as. Brown suggests the causative, rather than comparative sense here; "inasmuch as." The Father's love for the Son, shapes the Son's love for us.
      hgaphsa (agapaw) aor. "loved" - The aorist possibly points to a singular act of love, namely, Christ's sacrifice on our behalf.
      kagw "so" - and, also, even. In unison with kathws the consequential "so" is best, although it would be possible to translate it as a connective, "as the Father loves me and I love you, ..."
      meinate (meinw) aor. imp. "remain" - remain, abide, continue [in the love of me]. The aorist may be ingressive, "start abiding / believing", or gnomic, universal (Carson), or possibly dramatic, for emphasis. The sense is "continue to be part of", "live in fellowship with", "remain in union with." Abiding in Christ's love, as with abiding in him and abiding in his word, all amount to much the same thing. "Abide" is probably best understood as a faith act toward Christ: trusting him and his word, resting on him, walking with him, relying on him and his death and resurrection on our behalf. This, of course, is God's primary command to broken humanity, "that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ." "Continue in my love."
      th/ agaph th/ emh/ "in my love" - the love for/to me. Not "your love for me, but rather, "my love for you", Barrett.

v10
      ean + subj. "if" - Conditional clause, 3rd class, where the condition is assumed true. An appositional translation of the conditional clause makes better sense, "to obey my commands is to remain in my love", Barclay.
      thrhshte (threw) aor. subj. "obey" - keep, guard, observe. Possibly "fulfill". "If you heed my commands", REB.
      taV entolaV (h) "commands" - This injunction is repeated a number of times in chapter 14. Fulfilling the commands probably means much the same as allowing "my words abide in you", v7. It is "commands" plural; believe and love?
      meneite (menw) fut. "you will remain" - The person who continues with Christ ("remains in me"), ie., a person who maintains a saving relationship with Christ through faith, is a person who continues in Christ's love, ie., through faith lives under grace and receives the benefits of Christ's love, his death, resurrection and reign on our behalf.
      tethrhka (threw) perf. "I have obeyed" - I have kept. The perfect tense indicating past action with ongoing consequences. Probably referring to Christ's act of obedience on the cross.
      menw "remain [in his love]" - I remain. Butlman suggests that Christ's remaining in the Father's love involves "being for" the Father.

v11
      lelalhka (lalew) perf. "I have told [you]" - I have spoken
      tauta pro. pl. "this" - these things. What things? Possibly the command to believe and love.
      iJna + subj. "so that" - that, in order that. Purpose clause. Jesus' instruction has as its purpose, the acquiring of a Christ-like happiness. Possibly a similar idea to "peace." The firming of a relationship with the divine is most likely the sense here, rather than some existential feeling brought on by obedience, Spirit baptism, etc. It is unlikely that Jesus is speaking about a future heavenly joy. "I have told you this to make you completely happy as I am", CEV.
      hJ cara (h) "joy" - joy, happiness, gladness.
      plhrwqh/ (plhrow) aor. pas. subj. "may be complete" - may be made full, complete. "So that you may be completely joyful", TH.

v12
      hJ entolh (h) "command" - the command, instruction. Now singular, so is there only one command? Barrett suggests that the singular nature of the command indicates that the love is toward both the divine and humanity; Carson, that it is the love of the brotherhood, but that by nature it presupposes a love of the divine. Surely both positions are a bit finicky. The command is that we love God and love our neighbor. Jesus defines love of God in terms of belief in him, and defines love of neighbor as love of the brotherhood, a love that is generated by faith in Christ. What we have in this verse is the other half of the command.
      iJna + subj. ":" - that. Introducing an appositional clause, "my command is this, namely ....", possibly epexegetic, explaining the nature of the command.
      agapate (agapaw) pres. subj. "love" - The subjunctive is hortatory, while the present tense indicates ongoing action; "keep on loving your brothers and sisters in the Lord."
      kaqwV "as" - just as, as, in like manner.
      hgaphsa (agapaw) aor. "I have loved" - l loved. The aorist indicating a singular act of love, obviously looking toward the cross.

v13
      meizona (megaV) adj. comp. "greater" - The use of the negative with the comparative produces a superlative so, "the greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them", CEV.
      iJna + subj. "that" - As v12, although more likely epexegetic, introducing a clause explaining the nature of the love.
      qh/ (tiqhmi) aor. subj. "he lay down" - he put down. Idiomatic sense "give up one's life / die" for "lay down one's life."
      uJper + gen. "for" - for, on behalf of. The same preposition is used of Jesus giving up his life "for many", Mk.14:24. Morris concludes that the preposition used here and elsewhere, is referring to Jesus death and carries with it "substitutionary force."
      twn filwn "friends" - Brown suggests that "friend' in English is not strong enough, so "for those he loves"; "those whom he loves", Barrett. In actual face, Christ gives his life for enemies, strangers within the gate, the lost, yet enemies who have reached out to him in faith, so "those he loves" is a bit misleading. Jesus gives his life for those who seek to be God's friend, and in seeking, are regarded as friends.

v14
      uJmeiV "you" - Emphatic position, "you (my disciples), and not the world in general", Morris.
      ean + subj. "if" - if [you do the things which I command you]. Expressing a condition; if a person believes in Jesus (abides) and loves the brotherhood (bears fruit), they are one of God's friends. Commentators constantly link both faith and love as requirements for friendship, but love is a product of faith, not a requirement in itself. The person who abides in Christ (by grace through faith) will bear (imperfectly) the fruit of love. The imperative (v12, hortatory subjunctive) rests on the indicative.

v15
      doulouV (oV) "servants" - slaves, servants. Williams opts for "slaves". It does heighten the contrast, but is probably too harsh.
      ti poiei autou oJ kurioV "his master's business" - what his Lord does. "A servant does not share his master's confidence", Phillips.
      oJti "because" - because, for. Usually taken here as introducing a causal clause. Jesus calls his disciples friends because he treats them like friends.
      panta adj. "everything" - all, every. Clearly not everything of the divine knowledge possessed by the exalted Christ, but the knowledge revealed to the human Jesus by the Father. In taking on human flesh, ("emptied himself", ?) Jesus necessarily takes on human limitations. To that extent, functioning as a prophet, Jesus has fulfilled his revelatory mission completely.
      egnwrisa (gnwrizw) aor. "I have made known" - I made known. The aorist indicates a completed revelation. "Used of the completed work of Christ. It is the revelation of the whole `hour' that changes the disciples status, not simply the words of the last discourse", Brown. Brown also makes the point that this divine revelation is complete, and that the Spirit only develops this knowledge, he "gives greater insight into what Jesus has revealed." Surely, the thought is that Jesus has revealed all the information necessary for the disciples at this point in time, although "this knowledge is not as yet exhaustive", Morris. Through the ministry of the Paraclete, divine revelation will continue to flow to the disciples, Jn.16:12.

v16
      umeiV .... all egw "you .... but I" - The pronouns take emphatic positions with a contrasting conjunction and a strong negative, setting up a "how much more" between the two personal pronouns. We are best to understand the comparison in terms of the effort that Jesus has expended to establish the relationship, as compared to our meagre effort. "You didn't take me on as a friend as much as I took you on."
      exelexasqe (eklegomai) aor. "choose" - select, choose, prefer. The word "choose" does not necessarily refer to the effectual call of reformed theology, given that the election of a new Israel does necessarily imply the election of individuals to membership. One's theological predisposition will obviously influence the interpretation of "choose".
      eqhka (tiqhmi) aor. "appointed" - put, place, lay down, make, appoint. Barrett suggests the word reflects the Hebrew "close / join" = "to lay the hand on [the head of]", "to ordain"; set aside for a special task, "commissioned", JB. The word is also used of Jesus laying down his life for his friends. "If this is no accident, it emphasizes, indirectly, that it is the Lord's redemptive death which enables and empowers the disciples to undertake their work", R.H. Lightfoot.
      iJna + subj. "to" - in order that [you may go and bear fruit]. Usually taken as introducing a purpose clause, although consecutive (result) is possible.
      uJpaghte (uJagw) pres. subj. "to go" - may go. Possibly redundant, or could reflect the apostolic commission to go into all the world and preach the gospel.
      kai oJ karpoV uJmwn menh/ "- fruit that will last" - and (in order that) the fruit of you remains. The kai is continuative, so "so that their fruit may abide"; "the kind of fruit that endures", TEV. Given the context, one would assume that the "fruit of love" is intended, although Carson suggests "new converts", also: Westcott, Beasley-Murray, Barrett...
      iJna + subj. "then" - so that. This second hina clause is usually taken here as a consequential clause dependent upon "go and bear fruit", expressing the result of going and bearing. It could possibly be a coordinate clause, "I selected and commissioned you in order that you go and bear fruit, in order that your fruit may abide, and in order that the certain thing you ask of the Father ......", cf. Carson.
      oJ ti an + subj. "whatever" - what certain if. "Whatever / anything you ask" is a broadening of "the certain if", which, given the context, is "the fruit of love." Given that the fruit of love is the promised consequence of abiding in faith, then we may properly pray for the fruit and rightly expect the prayer to be answered.
      en tw/ onomati mou "in my name" - in the name of me. The "name", of course, encapsulates the substance of the person, which is why it is unwise to utter the divine name flippantly. The sense here may be "with/by my authority", "with/by my power", "because you are in a relationship with me / are mine / belong to me / are my followers."