Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
Christ's love in laying down His life is matchless: while they were His enemies, He held friendly respect toward them and never ceased until He had brought them into covenant friendship with Himself. Life is the greatest earthly blessing; to give it is love's highest expression.
AI summary
Christ means for us to taste by faith how inestimably delightful His goodness is, then to be inflamed by His example to love the brethren. God could have redeemed us by a word, but instead spared not His own Son, that we might know the measure of His care for our salvation. Hearts not softened by such Divine love must be harder than stone.
AI summary
Christ's friends are all who love Him, believe in Him, and obey Him. By laying down His life for them He made them friends; they prove themselves so not through their obedience earning His favor, but by obeying His commands from love, constrained by sense of what He paid for them.
AI summary