John 15:9-17
Jesus Calls His Disciples Friends
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command. 15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. 17 This is my command: Love each other.
Friendship is a mutual attachment and close relationship among two or more people...This attachment is about loving to be around those you have this mutual agreement with or this relationship with...And most friendships are based on being around people that you have a common interest with...Friends share in their common interests, by having a common path...Jesus teaches us that over time, we make known to our friends what we know...So we talk and tell our friends about our beliefs and how we feel...Good friends are not controlling and give their friendships free will...
Jesus before His arrest calls His Disciples friends...He sort of qualifies this friendship by saying, "You are My friends if you do what I command...I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know His Master’s business...Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you...You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in My name the Father will give you...This is My command: Love each other."...
Jesus was close to His Twelve Disciples...But one thing I am not sure of with Jesus...Did He have a common interest with all His Disciples?...We know that Judas would betray Him...And Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him...So Jesus knew the outcome of the relationship between Him and Judas...Jesus shows us who we really are...Nothing is hidden from Him...And He brings out the best and in Judas' case the fate that would lead him to betraying His Master...But because Jesus was a Man, He knew how man thinks and feels...So maybe He had more common interests with Judas, because He was this Divine Man...Jesus knew the flaws of Judas, just as He knows the flaws of each of us...