He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me: and he that loves me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Read Chapter 14
Cyril of Alexandria
AD 444
Our Saviour here says that the revelation of the mystery in us will then be clearest when we see ourselves living in conformity with His likeness. For as I live, He says, ye shall live also; the mind of each being fulfilled as it were not with what he has heard and believed merely, but rather with what he actually enjoys, when he has reached the completion of the promise. For experience is more powerful than language in ability to convince and satisfy. That we may not think that all without distinction are endowed with the power to partake of so holy a blessing, even though they be not good men and illuminated by the fear of God, He has added at once to His speech the qualification, "they that love Me;" clearly showing thereby that no others will be allowed to choose so incomparable a grace, but those who have chosen to live most righteously: for they would be "those that love Him." For even if it be the fact that Christ raises the bodies of all men, for there will be a resurrection of...
Now that Christ in this place speaks only of this imperfect union of affection, appears by the following words: he that keepeth my commandments, loveth me: and he that loveth me, shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself to him: that is, by particular graces and favours, and by a recompense of glory in the next life. (Witham)
It is not enough merely to have them, we need also an exact keeping of them. But why does He frequently say the same thing to them? As, If you love Me, you will keep My commandments John 14:15; and, He that has My commandments and keeps them; and, If any one hears My word and keeps it, he it is that loves Me— he that hears not My words, loves Me not. John 14:24 I think that He alluded to their despondency; for since He had uttered many wise sayings to them concerning death, saying, He that hates his life in this world shall save it unto life eternal John 12:25; and, Unless a man take his cross and follow Me, he is not worthy of Me Matthew 10:38; and is about to say other things besides, rebuking them, He says, Think ye that you suffer sorrow from love? The not sorrowing would be a sign of love. And because He wished all along to establish this, as He went on He summed up His discourse in this same point; If you loved Me, He says, ye would have rejoiced, because— I go to M...
