Christ refers to this when He says: “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” These words are those concerning His death and resurrection, not the word of Moses or the Ten Commandments. These ought also to be reverenced and obeyed, as God aforetime ordered it, but they contain not the consolation of the Gospel; they do not pacify the conscience, but rather increase the dread and fear of God’s displeasure; and this in proportion as we realize our weakness and transgressions. The Word of our Lord Jesus Christ, however, is the greatest and best gift. Christ says of those who possess this treasure and firmly hold to it under all circumstances, that the Father will love them.
It is a peculiarity of St. John, which is not so perceptible in the other Evangelists, to direct people first to Christ, and then through Him to the Father. And thus it must be, as Christ Himself says in our text. We must first know Jesus and love Him; we must have full confidence in His condescension and loving kindness. Where this love and confidence prevail, there there can be no doubt as to the love of the Father toward us. We will then disregard everything else that might disturb us, being assured that God is gracious to us through Christ. We will fear neither sin, the devil nor death, because God loves us, inasmuch as we love Christ. (Luther’s House Postil, Second Sermon for Pentecost, Volume 2, p. 600)
