In this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be my disciples.
All Commentaries on John 15:8 Go To John 15
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
In this is My Father glorified, &c.—That Isaiah , is about shortly to be glorified after My death and the coming of the Holy Ghost. This is the fifth reason by which Christ urges His disciples to abide in Him and His love, because, that Isaiah , it will conduce to the great glory of God. "Abide in Me and My love, because by so doing God the Father will be glorified, that ye may bear much fruit," that being used in the sense of if. Abiding in Me, ye will bring forth much fruit, even a mighty harvest of souls, and the conversion of the whole world. And that so ye may be made My disciples, namely, perfect and exemplary disciples. For they were already Christ"s disciples, but novices, and imperfect. He means, Ye shall glorify God the Father if ye abide in Me, and preach My faith to the whole world. For by this means ye shall take away the idolatry of all nations, and bring in everywhere the worship of one God in true holiness. And this will be the greatest ignominy to Satan, and the greatest glory to God. For the conversion of the nations will not be your work, but God"s, who will bring it about by His grace. "For by whom shall we bring forth fruit, except by Him whose mercy preventeth us?" saith S. Augustine.
Again, that ye may become My disciples, may mean my imitators in zeal and preaching the Gospel. A disciple is put for an imitator, because it is the part of a disciple to imitate his master. And so the disciples did imitate Christ, by giving themselves up even unto death to preach the Gospel.
