Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
What does John 15:13 mean?
Those whom God loves as a Father, may despise the hatred of all the world. As the Father loved Christ, who was most worthy, so he loved his disciples, who were unworthy.
Key themes
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Keep this verse inside John 15:12-13 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on John 15:13
Greater love hath ... - No higher expression of love could be given. Life is the most valuable object we possess; and when a man is willing to lay that down for his friends or his country, it shows the utmost extent of love. Even this love for friends has been rarely witnessed. A very few cases like that of Damon and Pythias have occurred where a man was willing to save the life of his friend by giving his own.
Key words
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Greater love hath no man than this,.
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Greater love hath no man than this,.
Context in John 15
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John 15 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as farewell discourse. John presents Jesus in contemplative, symbolic, and theological richness as the Word, Lamb, Light, Bread, Shepherd, Resurrection, Way, Vine, and Son. Read this chapter with the wider themes of incarnation, life, and light in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
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Passages on loyal friendship, the value of true companions, the wounds of a friend, and the Bible's vision of faithful human bonds.
A guided collection of passages on God’s love, neighbor-love, steadfast covenant love, and the shape of love in Christian life.
Passages on trusting God, receiving Christ, persevering without sight, and the relation between faith and lived obedience.
Passages on the nature of truth, honesty, deception, the word of God as truth, and Jesus' claim to be the truth.
Who quoted John 15:13?
Find out who used John 15:13 in their speeches and writings. Which famous people quoted John 15:13?
Harry S Truman used John 15:13 in Address in Philadelphia at the Dedication of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains..
APP: Address in Philadelphia at the Dedication of the Chapel of the Four Chaplains. »
Donald J. Trump (1st Term) used John 15:13 in Press Briefing by Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Quotes found on Wikiquote (match for «greater love hath no man than this»):
Alexander Vandegrift · Christian anarchism · Christian pacifism · Dorothy Day · John McCain