Kenny Wayne Shepherd: Blue On Black

Fathers Nolan’s and Brown’s Commentary on John 15:9-17

Joh 15:9  As the Father hath loved me, I also have loved you. Abide in my love.

As ( καθως = kathos) expresses not equality, but resemblance. The resemblance consists in this, that as the Father loved Christ’s humanity gratuitously, without any previous merit on its part, and united it with the
Person of the Word, so Christ loved the disciples gratuitously, and united them with Himself. So Toletus, following St. Aug. Then Christ adds as a practical conclusion: Take care to remain in the enjoyment of that love of Mine for you. Or the meaning of the whole verse according to the Greek text
may be: as the Father hath loved Me, and as I have loved you, so abide ye in the enjoyment of that love of Mine for you.

Joh 15:10  If you keep my commandments, you shall abide in my love: as I also have kept my Father’s commandments and do abide in his love.

Here He points out how they are to continue to enjoy His love: it is by keeping His commandments.

Joh 15:11  These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be filled.

The meaning is: these things, namely, that you should keep My commandments and continue to retain My love, I have spoken in order that
My joy on account of youmay continue (the true reading is η, not μεινη, but does not alter the sense), and your joy may be perfected.

Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.

He had just said that the observance of His commandments is a necessary condition to be fulfilled by those who would retain His love, and now He goes on to point to one commandment that in a special manner is His, the " new commandment (John 13:34), to which they must attend.

Joh 15:13  Greater love than this no man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

In this verse He explains what sort is that love of His upon which theirs must be modelled (comp. 1 John 3:16). The meaning is, that no greater proof of love for a friend can be given than to lay down one s life for him. This He was about to do for them.  The comparison is not between dying for a friend and dying for an enemy, but between the different proofs of love for a friend.

Joh 15:14  You are my friends, if you do the things that I command you.

Here He shows that in speaking of laying down His life for His friends, He means laying it down for the Apostles.

Joh 15:15  I will not now call you servants: for the servant knoweth not what his lord doth. But I have called you friends. because all things, whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you.

He has referred to them as friends, and will do so in future. Formerly, indeed, He had referred to them as His servants (John 12:26, 13:16), but now after He has taken them so fully into His confidence, told them of His speedy departure from them (Jn 13:33), pointed out to them His consubstantiality with the Father (Jn 14:7-11), and instructed them that the Holy Ghost was to come to them (Jn 1416, 17), He will no longer speak of them as servants, but as friends.

All things whatsoever I have heard of my Father, I have made known to you. That is to say, all the know ledge which was communicated
to Him, together with His Divine nature, in His eternal generation by the Father; all this, as far as they were cap able (John 16:12), and it was useful for them, He had communicated to them.

Joh 15:16  You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you; and have appointed you, that you should go and should bring forth fruit; and your fruit should remain: that whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

You have not chosen me: but I have chosen you. Or more exactly; it was not you that chose Me, but I chose you, where the aorist refers back to the definite act of selecting and calling the Apostles. Not only then was
His love for them most intense, as was signified in verse 13, but it was also gratuitous , unmerited: and this is now pointed out. You did not choose Me as your friend, but I chose you as My special friends, My Apostles; and set you up as such, in order that, you should go into the whole world (Mark 16:15), and bear fruit in yourselves and others, and that this fruit should remain unto eternal life.

That (ινα) whatsoever you shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. Some as Maldonado, and Lapide take ινα here to denote a consequence: if you bring forth the fruit for which I have chosen you, it will come to pass that whatsoever, &c. Others think ινα. may retain its usual
telic force: I appointed you in order that . . . your fruit should remain, and that whatsoever in reference to thatfruit you shall ask, &c. On what is meant by asking the Father in Christ s name, see above on John 14:13.

Joh 15:17  These things I command you, that you love one another.

Some take the meaning to be: these things, namely, the greatness and gratuitousness of My love for you I insist upon, to the end that you may love one another. Others as Maldonado, and Patriz. take the meaning to be the same as in verse 1 1: this is what I command you, namely, that you love one an other. The use of ταυτα (Latine: haec) and not ταυτο (Latin: hoc) is rather
against the latter view, but it is replied that the plural demonstrative followed by the single precept is intended to signify that charity is the fulfilment of
the whole law.

Father Callan’s Commentary on Acts 1:15-17, 20-26

Text in red are my additions.

15. In those days Peter rising up in the midst of the brethren said: (now the number of persons together was about an hundred and twenty:)

In those days; i.e., between the Ascension and Pentecost, while they were persevering in prayer, Peter rising up, thus assuming his position as chief of the Apostles. Cf. Matth 16:16-19; Luke 22:31, 32; John 21:15-17.

Now the number of persons together was about an hundred and twenty. According to some ancient Jewish writing 120 people were necessary to start a synagogue in a city.  The event narrated in these verses is very much concerned with the theme of numbers (see verse 17); though the generic word ὄχλος (ochlos) is used here rather than κατηριθμημενος (katarithmenos). See my note on verse 17.

16. Men, brethren, the scripture must needs be fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was the leader of them that apprehended Jesus:

The scripture, which is quoted in verses 19, 20.

17. Who was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry.

Who was numbered, etc.; i.e., who was among the Apostles chosen by our Lord, and to whom had been allotted (κληρον) a place in the ministerial work which Christ had freely given them.

The Greek κατηριθμημενος (katarithmenos = numbered) is meant to recall the reference to Judas’ treachery in Luke 22:3 (And Satan entered into Judas, who was surnamed Iscariot, one [αριθμου = arithmos] of the twelve). The events leading to the choice of Matthias were intended to reestablish “the Twelve” who would judge the “twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22:30)

20. For it is written in the book of Psalms: Let their habitation become desolate, and let there be none to dwell therein. And his bishopric let another take,

It is written, etc. ; i.e., in Psalms 69:26 and 109:8. Most of the Greek MSS., the Itala and the Syriac versions, as well as some of the Fathers, have ” his habitation,” instead of ” their habitation.” This would make clearer the application to Judas. The Psalms, of course, refer directly to the punishments in store for the enemies of the Psalmist, and only indirectly to the treason and punishment of Judas.

His bishopric; i.e., his office of an Apostle. Literally the word επισκοπην means an ”inspector,” an “overseer.”

21. Wherefore of these men who have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus came in and went out among us,
22. Beginning from the baptism of John, until the day wherein he was taken up from us, one of these must be made a witness with us of his resurrection.

Of these men, etc. St. Peter understood from the prophecy cited that it was necessary to choose another to fill the place of Judas. Thie qualifications for such an office were that the candidate should have been familiar with the whole public life of our Lord. The men referred to were perhaps the seventy-two, spoken of in Luke 10:1.

Of his resurrection. It was necessary that the Apostles should be witnesses, not alone of the public life of our Lord, but in a special manner of His Resurrection. This latter miracle was the greatest argument for our Lord’s divinity, and the one to which He Himself made particular appeal. See 1 Cor. 15:12-22; Acts 3:15; 10:40; Matt 12:39, 40; John 2:19. Thus from the first days of the Apostolic preaching down to the present day the Resurrection of
Christ has been the great argument in favor of the divinity and truth of the Christian Revelation. The Resurrection is a manifest proof of the Divinity of Jesus, of the divine authority of His teachings, and of the Church which He established. Likewise the miracles performed by the Apostles and first disciples according to the prediction of Christ, and in confirmation of their preaching, were most convincing proofs of the truth of the doctrines they taught.

23. And they appointed two, Joseph, called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias.

They appointed two; i.e., those present took part with the Apostles in selecting the two to be voted on. In the early Church the faithful were thus often consulted in selecting Bishops, but the appointment, as in the present instance (verse 24) was always from God. Barsabas means the son of Sabas. Matthias is the same name as Matthew, which means “gift of God.” As it was necessary that these candidates should be familiar with the public life of Jesus, the opinion of Eusebius {Hist. Eccl i. 12) seems probable, which says that the two here mentioned were the Joseph and Matthias of the seventy-two disciples.

24. And praying, they said: Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,

The disciples knew that it belonged to Christ to appoint His Apostles; they also knew that He had already made His choice, and now they prayed that He should manifest it.

25. To take the place of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas hath by transgression fallen, that he might go to his own place.

That he might go, etc. ; i.e., to the abode of the damned, the place of punishment, which his sin and unrepentance deserved.

26. And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

They gave them lots; i.e., they gave their lots. This was done probably by writing the names of the two on small tablets to be cast into an urn, the first drawn of which would be regarded as God’s choice. This method of ascertaining God’s will in important matters was often used in the Old Testament (Lev 16:8, 9; Num 26:55; Joshua 7:14; 1 Kings 10:20; 1 Chron 25:8).

Friday, May 13: Today’s Posts and Links

Because today’s first reading deals with the conversion of St Paul I’ve decided to provide many links to resources relating to his life, conversion, and letters. These follow the resources on today’s readings.

Today’s Mass Readings.

Today’s Divine Office.

Father Callan on Today’s First Reading (Acts 9:1-20).

St John Chrysostom on Today’s First Reading.

Aquinas’ Catena Aurea on Today’s Gospel (John 6:52-59).

Aquinas’ Lecture on Today’s Gospel. Scroll down and read lectures 6 and 7.

St Augustine’s Tractate 26 on John’s Gospel. Read paragraph numbers 14-20.

Free Online Resources Relating to St Paul. I originally published this list of links for the Feast of the Conversion of St Paul. Lots of stuff, including online audio studies of some of his Epistles. By now some of the links may no longer be available.

Video: Lecture 1 On St Paul

Video: Lecture 2 On St Paul

Video: Lecture 3 On St Paul.

Video: Lecture 4 On St Paul.

Video: Lecture 5 On St Paul.

A Life of Paul: Introduction. This and the following two links are a VERY rough draft of a talk I gave on St Paul to some members of my parish church.  Sadly, I was unable to save the finished product due to a computer failure.

A Life of St Paul: From Persecutor to Convert.

A Life of St Paul: From Convert to Missionary. Sorry about the odd text size of this post, my computer was going screwy.

Yesterday’s Posts and Links.

The Answer To This Question Is No.