FRUIT BEARING FRIENDS OF CHRIST

FRUIT BEARING FRIENDS OF CHRIST

“Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.”

John 15:15

 

THE FRUIT-BEARING FRIENDS OF JESUS were here elevated very tenderly and beautifully as He told them of the new name He was now giving to them. "No longer do I call you bond-slaves, but friends; for the bond-slave knoweth not what his lord doeth; but I have called you friends." I am interpreting to you the things from My Father; and because you are coming into an understanding, you will be My friends. I call you friends. The servant is elevated by the Master through communion of revelation (all things). See John 17:21.

This verse gives us the answer to the question raised by John 13:3 concerning "all things."

The "all things" has just obviously been told to these men in the last chapters. There are a number of things contained there that were things which the Father had Christ tell them exactly as Christ had heard them from Him (John 12:49-50). Among those things was a new commandment concerning three-fold communion. By which a true servant is revealed (John 13:16-17)

                A servant was one who gave unquestioned submission and blind obedience to their master, but Christ here calls His disciples friends who submit because they are informed and obedient because of their intelligence. This is an intimacy of inner secrets. This is no longer blind obedience where the slave has to imagine what the master is doing, but the friend knows what the Lord is doing. To His Servant, Jehovah had made known His secrets; He had revealed to Him, not only the experiences awaiting Him, but the meaning and purpose of them.  See John 17:21.

Observe the progressive intimacy between the Lord and His disciples, as recorded in John's Gospel: (1) servants (John 13:13, 16); (2) friends (John 15:15); and (3) brothers (John 20:17).