The reading of this verse of Holy Scripture has sometimes raised a question in the minds of believers as to why the statement that the Lord loved His disciples “to the end” should have been inserted here. From the words which He spoke to them and from His gracious ways with them, might we not have concluded that His love to them would abide always the same? Had He not said “I give unto My sheep eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of My hand”? When they were in distress and apparent danger on the storm-tossed lake, did He not arise and, rebuking the winds and the sea, say “Peace, be still”? Could it be that love such as He displayed would at last cease towards them?
Why then is it stated “He loved them to the end”? The reason seems evident if we recall events that took place shortly before the Lord’s crucifixion. We read how Peter denied with oaths and curses that he even knew the Lord, and of all the disciples we are told they “forsook Him and fled.” Yet in spite of this failure on their part “He loved them,” “He loved them to the end.” He went to the cross to bear in His own body their sins and to suffer the judgment of God. How truly He loved to the end.
Was there ever a greater test of the blessed Saviour’s love? And may we not believe that His love to us, despite our waywardness, is as great as was His love to those erring and unfaithful disciples? We may indeed. And to look forward into the bright future we may say, to quote the words of another, “His love towards us is the same now as it will be when we are with Him in the Father’s house; it is a love that cannot be diminished and that cannot be increased; it is unchanging, it is perfect.”
The One now seated in the heavens follows with truest interest the pathway and experience of each lamb and sheep of His flock, and He is able both to keep and to save to the uttermost.
It is sad if by sin and unfaithfulness we grieve and dishonor Him who has so fully proved His love. We who live in days of ease and little persecution are, if unfaithful, quite inexcusable. But to be faithful we need courage and wisdom and purpose of heart to serve and follow Him. These gracious qualities can only be obtained at the throne of grace. May His love and our acknowledged weakness bring us by prayer constantly and humbly into His presence.
For our Lord loves to be trusted. And who, we may ask, is so worthy of trust? It gives joy to Him to minister to our needs and to be consulted about our difficulties. He cares about our small matters as well as the larger ones, and if we would be pleasing to Him in all things, we should be dependent always upon Him about them. We shall never be losers by so doing, because the promise is that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)). Indeed the test as to whether we “love God” is how far we seek His will instead of our own.
May it be the portion of each believer to walk with Him as Enoch did, while we await translation to His presence.
G. H.