Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter (May 6, 2021) Joh 15:9-11

9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

2 He said,

“The Lord came from Sinai

and dawned from Seir upon us;

he shone forth from Mount Paran;

he came from the ten thousands of holy ones,

with flaming fire at his right hand.

Rashi

He said, “The Lord came from Sinai”—Moses began his blessing by praising the Omnipresent, and then he addressed the needs of Israel. The praise with which Moses began, mentions the merit of Israel. All this was a way of intercession, as though to say, “These people are worthy that a blessing should rest upon them” (Sifrei Devarim 343:1).

Came from Sinai—He came out to meet them when they came to stand at the foot of the mountain, as a bridegroom goes forth to welcome his bride, as it is said (Exo 19:17), “And Moses brought the people forth to meet God”: this teaches us that He (God) came out to meet them (cf. Mekhilta d’Rabbi Yishmael 19:17:1 and Rashi on the verse quoted).

And dawned from Seir upon us (the Israelites), because he first offered the sons of Esau (the inhabitants of Seir) that they should accept the law, but they refused.

He shone forth—To them Israel.

From Mount Paran, because he went there and offered the sons of Ishmael (who dwelt in Paran, see Gen 21:21) to accept it and they also refused (Avodah Zarah 2b; Sifrei Devarim 343:6).

He came to Israel.

From the ten thousands of holy ones—With him were ten thousands of the holy angels, and not all of them and not even the majority of them: not as is the way of a human being who displays all the splendour of his riches and magnificence on his marriage day (Sifrei Devarim 343:11).

Flaming fire—The law which had been written before him from olden times in black fire upon white fire (Midrash Tanchuma, Bereshit 1). He gave to them upon the tablets the writing of his right hand (cf. Jerusalem Talmud Shekalim 9:1). Another explanation: As the Targum renders it, that he gave it to them from amidst the fire.

3 Yes, he loved his people,

all his holy ones were in his hand;

so they followed in your steps,

receiving direction from you, DEU 33:2-3

Bava Batra 8a:3

You have transgressed the words of the law, as it is written: “Even when he loves his people, all his holy ones were in his hand” (Deu 33:3), which is understood to mean that Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be he: Master of the universe, even when you hold the other nations dear and grant them dominion over Israel, let “all his holy ones,” meaning the law scholars, be exclusively in your hand and free from the authority of the nations, and therefore be exempt from pay-ing taxes. The continuation of that verse can also be understood as referring to law scholars, as it states: “So they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you” (Deu 33:3), and Rav Yosef teaches: These are law scholars who pound their feet from city to city and from country to country to study the law; “receiving direction from you,” to discuss the utterances of God.

John Gill

Yes, he loved his people—The people of Israel, of which his giving the law to them in such a glorious manner was an instance, and was a distinguishing blessing which other nations were not favoured with, see Deu 4:6, 8; Psa 147:19-20; Rom 9:4; how much more is the love of God shown to his spiritual Israel and special people, by giving them his gospel, the precious truths, promises, and ordinances of it, and, above all, in giving them his Son to be the Redeemer and Savior of them, as revealed therein! these he embraces in his arms and in his bosom, as the word here signifies; admitting them to great nearness and familiarity with him, to commune with Father, Son, and Spirit, to a participation of all the blessings of grace here, and to the enjoyment of glory hereafter:

All his holy ones were in his hand—Not the sons of Levi, who were round about the ark, as Aben Ezra interprets it; rather all the people of Israel, who were chosen to be an holy people to the Lord above all people, and who were the care of his providence, protected by his power, and guided with his right hand; and were in a wonderful manner kept and preserved by him, both at the time of the giving of the law, and in their passage through the wilderness; it is eminently true of the chosen people of God, who are given to Christ, and made his care and charge, as all such who are sanctified and set apart by God the Father are, they are preserved in Christ (Jud 1:1); and these are sanctified in and by Christ, and by the Spirit of Christ, and so may be truly called his saints; and they are in the hands of Christ, as dear to him as his right hand, highly valued by him, held in his right hand; they are in his possession, are his peculiar people, portion, and inheritance, they are at his dispose, under his guidance and direction; and are in his custody and under his protection, and where they are safe from every enemy, and can never be snatched, taken, or removed from thence; see Joh 10:28-29; here they are put by the Father, as an instance of his love to them, and care of them, though not without the consent and desire of the Son, and this was done in eternity, when they were chosen in him:

So they followed in your steps—Which may respect the position of the Israelites at the bottom of Mount Sinai, while the law was giving, which may be said to be the feet of the Lord, he being on the top of the mount, see Exo 19:17-18; 24:10; all the Targums interpret it of the feet of the cloud of glory, they pitching their tents where that rested (Num 9:17-18); some think it an allusion to scholars sitting at the feet of their masters to receive instructions from them, see Act 22:3; so the disciples and followers of Christ sit at his feet, attending on his word and ordinances with calmness and serenity of mind, with much spiritual pleasure and delight, and where they continue and abide; and which may denote their modesty and humility, their subjection to his ordinances, and readiness to receive his doctrines, and their perseverance in them, see Son 2:3; Mar 5:15; Luk 10:39; the word signifies, in the Arabic language, to sit down at a table, and so the word is used in the Arabic version of Mat 8:11; Luk 11:37; and the ancient manner being reclining, the guests might be said to sit at the feet of each, especially at the feet of the master; so Christ sits at his table, and his people with him at his feet (Son 1:12);

Receiving direction from you—Of the words of the law, as the Israelites, who heard them and promised obedience to them (Exo 24:7); and would hear and receive them again (Jos 8:34-35); and so Christ’s disciples, everyone of them that hath heard and learned of the Father, and comes to him, and believes in him, receives the words or doctrines given him by the Father (Joh 17:8); so as to understand them, approve of them, love them, believe them, and act according to them; these they receive into their hearts as well as into their heads, with all readiness, gladness, and meekness; even everyone of the persons before described or loved by the Lord, are in the hands of Christ and sitting at his feet.

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.

John Gill

If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love—Not that their continuance in the heart’s love and affection of Christ depended upon their observation of his commands; for as the keeping of them is not the cause or reason of the saints having an interest in the love of Christ, so it is not the cause or reason of their abiding in it; but to such that observe the commandments of Christ he will continue to make further discoveries of his love, and let them see more clearly and largely what a value he has for them, and how much he loves them: or the sense is, that by keeping the commandments of Christ, his disciples and followers show that they love him, and continue in their affection to him:

Just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love—The commandments of the Father kept by Christ were not only the precepts of the moral law, and the rites of the ceremonial one, which he strictly observed; but the preaching of the gospel, and submitting to the ordinances of it, doing of miracles, and laying down his life for his people; in performing which, as his Father testified his approbation of them, and how strongly he was affected to him, what an abiding he had in his love; so Christ hereby showed his constant and continued love to his Father; and which was done by him, that the world, as well as his disciples, might know how much he loved him; see Joh 14:31.

8 Then I said, “Behold, I have come;

in the scroll of the book it is written of me:

9 I delight to do your will, O my God;

your law is within my heart.” PSA 40:8-9

John Gill

I delight to do your will, O my God—This he came down from heaven to do, and this he did do, by preaching the gospel, and working miracles; and above all by obtaining eternal redemption for his people, which he effected by fulfilling the law, becoming a sacrifice, and suffering and dying in their room; all which were the will of God, and grateful to him, and in doing which Christ took the utmost delight and pleasure (Luk 12:50; Joh 4:34);

Your law is within my heart—Either the whole moral law, under which he was, as man, and the surety of his people; and which was written upon his heart, and which he perfectly obeyed; or that particular law, injunction, and command laid upon him by his Father, to offer himself a sacrifice, and lay down his life for men; which he agreed to, had it in his mind, his heart was set upon it, and he cheerfully complied with it (Joh 10:18; 14:31).

11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

You shall no more be termed Forsaken,

and your land shall no more be termed Desolate,

but you shall be called My Delight Is in Her,

and your land Married;

for the Lord delights in you,

and your land shall be married. ISA 62:4

John Gill

You shall no more be termed Forsaken—That is, of the Lord her God, as she had seemed to be to others, and thought to be so by herself (Isa 49:14), not having so much of his gracious presence as is desirable; sensible communion with him being withheld; the word and ordinances not owned and blessed, or very little; and few souls converted; and the interest of Christ, labouring under many difficulties and discouragements, under the reproaches and persecutions of men, and so looked as if forsaken of God; but in the latter day all these complaints shall be removed; and the presence of God will be very manifest in his churches, and among his people; and they will appear to be his care and charge; see Isa 60:15:

And your land shall no more be termed Desolate—As the Gentile world was before the preaching of the gospel in it; and as the land of Israel now is, and the Jewish people are, having rejected the Messiah, and continuing in impenitence and unbelief; and as the church of Christ is, when the word and ordinances are neglected, or little success attends them; but now more shall be the children of the desolate than of the married wife; many souls shall be born again in Zion, and many sons and daughters brought there, and brought up there, and therefore shall not be called desolate (Isa 49:19-21; 54:1):

But you shall be called My Delight Is in Her, and your land Married—The former of these was the name of Hezekiah’s mother (2Ki 21:1) and a fit name for the church of Christ, who is pleasant to him for delights (Son 7:7) and the latter well agrees with her being married to Christ. The meaning of these names is explained in the next clause; or the reason of their being given:

For the Lord delights in you, and your land is married—Christ delighted in his church from everlasting, as they were the objects of his own and his Father’s love; as chosen in him, and given to him as his spouse and bride (Pro 8:31), and he delights in them in time, as clothed with his righteousness, washed in his blood, and adorned with the graces of his Spirit; he delights in their company, to hear their voice, and see their countenance; they are the excellent in the earth, in whom is all his delight (Psa 16:2), and he will delight in them hereafter, in the spiritual reign, when he will glorify and beautify them, and make them an eternal excellency (Isa 60:7, 13, 15), and in the personal reign, when they shall be as a bride adorned for her husband, and his tabernacle shall be among them, and he will reign with them, and they with him; during which time he will be presenting them to himself, and delighting in them, as a glorious church, without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing (Eph 5:27; Rev 21:2-3), and in heaven to all eternity. The latter clause explains “married,” as the church secretly was to Christ from all eternity; in the latter day the wedding of her to him will be more open and manifest; then the marriage of the Lamb will be come, and it will more clearly appear that she is in such a state, by the numerous converts in her, or sons and daughters that will be born in her to Christ, both of Jews and Gentiles (Isa 66:8; Rev 19:7-8).