"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. 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." John 15:13-15

George MacDonald said in an address, "The longer I live, the more I am assured that the business of life, is to understand the Lord Jesus Christ." If this is true, whatever sheds even a little light on the character or life of Christ, is worth while.

Nothing reveals a man's heart, better than his friendships. The kind of friend he is–tells the kind of man he is. The personal friendships of Jesus reveal many tender and beautiful things in his character. They show us also what is possible for us in divine friendship; for the heart of Jesus is the same yesterday, and today, and forever.

These chapters are only suggestive–not exhaustive. If they make the way into close personal friendship with Jesus any plainer for those who hunger for such blessed intimacy–that will be reward enough.