John 15:7

John 15:7 . If ye abide in me, &c. — Our Lord having laid before his disciples the awful consequences of falling from grace, now proceeds to point out some of the peculiar advantages which should accrue from a contrary spirit and conduct; the first of which is that all their prayers should be heard and answered. If ye abide in me — Through a faith working by love; and my words abide in you — Practically and experimentally; if you adhere steadfastly to the doctrine which I have taught you, firmly believing my declarations, conscientiously obeying my precepts, and affectionately embracing and relying on my promises; ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you — Two things are implied in this promise: 1st, That the true disciples of Christ, who abide in him, and in whom his word abides, as above explained, will not ask any thing but what is proper to be done for them, and according to the will of God, 1 John 5:14-15 . They will, especially, ask spiritual blessings, which they know it is his will they should ask and receive; and will ask them in the way which he hath prescribed, namely, sincerely, earnestly, importunately, and perseveringly; and in the way of repentance, faith, and new obedience; and, in the name of Christ, relying for the success of their petitions on the mediation of Christ, and the mercy and promise of God through him.

And, with respect to temporal blessings, they will ask them conditionally, and with entire resignation, desiring to receive them only so far as God foresees will be for their good and his glory. 2d, That they shall always have such an interest in Christ’s sacrifice and intercession, and in God’s favour through him, that all their prayers shall be accepted, and their petitions granted in the degree, time, and manner in which they themselves desire they should be granted, namely, when and as far as God sees will be for their good: which is all they desire; for they would not wish their requests to be granted to their own hurt, the hurt of others, or God’s dishonour. Thus the desire of the righteous shall be granted, and God will fulfil the desire of them that truly and consistently fear him: he also will hear their prayer, and will save them, Proverbs 10:24 ; Psalm 145:19 . To this purpose this apostle speaks, 1 John 5:14-15 , If we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us, and we have the petitions that we desired of him, and whatsoever we ask we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. Dr.

John 15:7 . From the fate of those who do not abide in Him, Jesus turns to the results of faithful adherence— ἐὰν μείνητε … ὑμῖν . The expression is altered from that of John 15:3 ; John 15:5 , instead of “and I in you,” we now have “and my words abide in you”; it is by means of His teaching and His commandments that Christ abides in His people, and by His word they are fitted for fruit-bearing, John 15:3 . Not that His words are a substitute for His personal presence, but its medium. But His presence is not to energise in them as if they were machines; they are to consider the exigencies that arise, and, giving play to judgment and conscience, are to ask for appropriate manifestations of grace: ὃ ἐὰν θέλητε αἰτήσασθε , “ask what ye will”. Petitions thus prompted by the indwelling word of Christ will necessarily be answered: καὶ γενήσεται ὑμῖν .

7. If ye abide in me, and my words … in you—Mark the change from the inhabitation of Himself to that of His words, paving the way for the subsequent exhortations (Joh 15:9, 10). ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you—because this indwelling of His words in them would secure the harmony of their askings with the divine will.

Here our Lord expounds what he meaneth by that abiding in him which he before mentioned by another phrase, and my words abide in you, my precepts and promises; so its you by faith embrace the promises, and by obedience live up to the precepts which I have given you: for without these, though the words of Christ may come unto men in the preaching of the gospel, their ears may receive the sound of them, yet the word doth not dwell and abide in the soul: but if the word abides in the souls of men and women, then they may in prayer ask of God what they will, keeping to the conditions and limitations elsewhere required in holy writ, according to God’s will, 1Jo 5:14 , believing, Matthew 21:22 , in the name of Christ, John 14:13,14 , for the honour and glory of God, (to which end all our actions must be directed), and they shall be granted to them.

John 15:7 . Τὰ ῥήματά μου ) My words , which impart cleanness; “ and if I Myself abide in you” [comp. John 15:4 ]. The correlatives are, the words of Jesus which are obeyed, and the prayers of the believing which are hearkened to.— αἰτήσεσθε ) ye shall ask : ye shall be able and also shall have the will to ask. Prayer itself is a fruit, and increases our fruit.

7 . my words ] Better, My sayings : see on John 15:3 and John 5:47 . ye shall ask what ye will ] The better reading gives, ask whatsoever ye will , in the imperative. The promise is similar to that in John 14:13-14 both in its comprehensiveness and in its limitation. One who abides in Christ and has His words abiding in him cannot ask amiss.

(7) If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you . . . —He is now passing from the figure, which recurs again only in John 15:8 ; John 15:16 . We should have expected here, “and I abide in you” ( John 15:4 ); but His abiding in them necessarily accompanies their abiding in Him. The abiding of His words in them is the means by which, and the proof that they do abide in Him. (Comp. John 14:15 ; John 14:23-24 .) Ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.—The reading is not certain, but the first verb should probably be imperative, “Ask what ye will . . .” The promise in all its width is the same as that in John 14:13-14 (see Note there), and it is attended by the same condition, for they who abide in Christ, and in whom Christ’s words abide, cannot pray otherwise than in His name.

My words - My doctrine; my commandments. Abide in you - Not only are remembered, but are suffered to remain in you as a living principle, to regulate your affections and life. Ye shall ask ... - See John 14:13. This promise had particular reference to the apostles. It is applicable to other Christians only so far as they are in circumstances similar to the apostles, and only so far as they possess their spirit. We learn from it that it is only when we keep the commandments of Christ - only when we live by faith in him, and his words are suffered to control our conduct and affections, that our prayers will be heard. Were we perfect in all things, he would always hear us, and we should be kept from making an improper petition; but just so far as men regard iniquity in their heart, the Lord will not hear them, Psalm 66:18.