The Second Passover Commandments ~ John 15

[Shimshon]

As we are finding, within the context of John during the second Passover. We see Jesus as our Passover Lamb who is about to shed His blood over the doorposts of the whole house of Israel. As such, He is giving instructions and commandments to His own, just like God gave them through Moses to the children of Israel in Egypt. These words are to be followed or the Spirit will not passover your sins. So the Father prunes the disciples through Jesus words and deeds. Cleaning them for the Passover that is about to commence. The same way Moses was commanded to circumcise the physical flesh of God’s children, Jesus circumcises our hearts with His Word, and prepares us for the forgiving of our sins. The passing over of our judgment. Having followed His Words we have placed ourselves ‘in Him’. We entered the house who’s blood was shed for our sins. The house of Yeshua. Who covers all our sins with His blood.

So the message Jesus has been giving to the disciples was ‘be united in Me’, when we are united as one with Jesus through the Spirit, and so love others, we are following the words and commands He gave.

John 15
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
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The fruit is love. Love of God, and love for others. Impossible to achieve without the indwelling of the Spirit and the unity with Jesus and God the Father. Your love is worthless if it does not flow from this source. In fact it’s no love at all.

He tells the disciples they are ‘already’ clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Nowhere does it imply nor state this means the Torah given Moses. This would be doing a disservice to the text. Because you have to read it into the text. The ‘only’ point Jesus has been making during this time is to believe the words He is speaking to them. And in so doing He gives commandments, as we see here below.

 

[Shimshon]

John 15
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.
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These are the words Yeshua has been speaking to them in person.

John 15
8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
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The command is to abide the love of the vine. Jesus is the vine, He commands us to be ‘in’ Him, and to Love. He states here that if we are united with Jesus through love we are keeping the Fathers commandments that He spoke through Jesus. In Messiah we live by love as a commandment. It is His commandment to live united with Jesus through love. Jesus remained united with the Father through love, and commands us to remain united with Jesus through love.

The Father is glorified when we are united with Jesus in love. It proves we are His disciples.

 

[Shimshon]

John 15
11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy maybe in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
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This is the second time Jesus has giving a direct Commandment. And again it requires we love each other. Implying ‘If you love me, keep my commandments’ means the Law given Moses completely begs the question. The fact is, Jesus was giving commandments and telling them to keep them.

John 15
13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
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These are all present tense statements. “You are my friends (now) if you do what I command you (now). “I have called you friends (now), all that I have heard from my Father I have made know to you (now).

John 15
16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.
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Here is the key verse to all of this. John 15:17 states that Jesus commanded them to love one another. That all these commandments were so that we will love one another. Abide in Jesus who abides in the Father, in love. This is the commandment, and is proved through the Torah and the prophets.

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[Shimshon]

John 15
18 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
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We are not of the world, our commandments are not about worldly observances and rituals. So those who believe they are about these things hate us who have been freed from them. The older hates the younger.

John 15
20 Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. 21 But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.
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These words are current words, not a repeat of Moses. If Jesus did not come to speak “now” to them, even though they had the Torah they would have no excuse for their sin. Jesus is needed APART from the Law for forgiveness of sins. The law will not forgive your sins. The law does not bring sinlessness. Nor does it keep you sinless. ONLY Jesus words do that. So why would He lead people back to words that can not free?

 

[Shimshon]

No sir, Jesus has the Words of freedom. A freedom apart from the Law. Of Faith and Love. A freedom brought about by abiding in Jesus. Being in Him. Dead to the world but alive in Messiah. In His Love.

John 15
23 Whoever hates me hates my Father also. 24 If I had not done among them the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father. 25 But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 26 “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me. 27 And you also will bear witness, because you have been with me from the beginning.

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Jesus did works among us that NO ONE ELSE did. He made the way possible for God to dwell within us. And now because all have see it, those who do not believe in the words and works of Jesus are guilty of sin. The Spirit bears witness about Yeshua, not Moses. The Apostles also bear witness about Jesus, not Moses, because they have been with Him from the beginning.

The witness’s showed and told about being one with God through Faith in Messiah. Becoming one with God through the indwelling of His Spirit. The words and commandments witness to this truth. We are one with God, He is our Father who lives and breaths through us as we have our being ‘in’ Messiah. Who is the Word of God made flesh. He lives within us. We witness to this truth, His words He gave from above. Making us the fullness of His creation.

 

[2Timothy2:15]

Jesus as our Passover Lamb who is about to shed His blood over the doorposts of the whole house of Israel.

Jesus shed his blood for all, not just Israel.

 

[Shimshon]

Jesus shed his blood for all, not just Israel.

Very true, but your missing the imagery. Jesus blood is about to be applied to the doors of Israel. All who enter the house are circumcised within and covered by the blood for the remission of all sins. This happened 'first' with Israel and is offered to the world. This happened in the beginning with Moses and was offered to all Egypt.

Not just Israel, but beginning within and among her. Matthew 10:6, Matthew 15:24

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." Acts 2:36