If Anyone Loves Me, He Will Keep My Word

When Jesus said, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word," what did he mean by word?  Is it something specific that he said shortly before?  Is it all the things he said that we have recorded in the gospels?  What did he mean when he said, "and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me?" Here are the complete verses.  (Greek and a Hebrew translation from the Greek are in parenthesis following the yellow highlighted phrases.)

John 14:23 NKJV – Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word (τον λογον μου – ton logon mou / ‏את דברי – et d'vari); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. 24 He who does not love Me does not keep My words (τους λογους μου – tous logous mou / ‏את דברי – et d'varai); and the word (και ο λογος – kai o logos / ‏והדבר – v'hadavar) which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

In this text, word is a translation of the Greek logos (λογος – G3056).  Logos is a common word in the Greek New Testament; it is translated in the King James Version as word 218 times, saying 50 times, account 8 times, speech 8 times, and thing 5 times.  It is also translated as Word, meaning Jesus, 7 times.

Would these words have suggested any special meaning to his first-century Jewish listeners— a meaning beyond ordinary words and everyday speech or sayings?

The phrase translated as "does not keep my words" (τους λογους μου ου τηρει – tous logous mou ou terei) has a parallel in the Greek translation of the Old Testament— the Septuagint.  The phrase is found in 1 Samuel 15:11 and is "tous logous mou ouk eteresen" (τους λογους μου ουκ ετηρησεν) which is translated in the KJV as "hath not performed my commandments."  The word terei (τηρει), translated as keep in John 14:24 NKJV, and eteresen (ετηρησεν), translated as perform in 1 Samuel 15:11 NKJV and kept in the Brenton Septuagint translation, are the same Greek word, but a different tense.

1 Sam 15:10 NKJV – Now the word of the LORD (‏דבר־יהוה – d'var YHWH) came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” (‏ואת־דברי לא הקים – v'et d'varai lo heqim) And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night.

1 Sam 15:11 Brenton Septuagint translation – I have repented that I have made Saul to be king: for he has turned back from following me, and has not kept my word. And Samuel was grieved, and cried to the Lord all night.

Young's Literal Translation has "My words he hath not performed" for this phrase.  Here are a few other translations that use word rather than commandment in this phrase:

• Darby Translation — hath not fulfilled my words
• Wycliffe Translation — fillide not my wordis in werk
• Reina-Valera 1960 (Spanish) – no ha cumplido mis palabras (words)
• NETS (translation from Greek Septuagint) –  has not kept my words

The Hebrew original is d'varai (דברי) which we would literally translate as my words; it is the same word d'var (דבר – H1697) that is translated as "word of the LORD" in verse ten.  The Septuagint is consistent with the Hebrew in using logos (word) to translate this text.

Jesus said that "These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me" (NIV).

The use of word (d'var in Hebrew, logos in Greek) in describing God's instructions and commands is common in the Old Testament.  The phrase translated "ten commandments" in Exodus 34:28 is aseret had'varim (the ten words) in Hebrew and tous deka logous (the ten words) in the Greek Septuagint.  We get the word decalogue from the Greek deka logous.

When God is the subject, many of the occurrences of words (logous (λογους) in Greek,  d'varim (דברים) in Hebrew) in the Old Testament, are linked in the text with a command or commandment or some other word that indicates that the hearer is to do something.  In the following texts, the phrase with words/logous/d'varim is in bold and is highlighted in yellow.  The word or phrase that contains something about a command or commandment is highlighted in orange.  A few texts that do not use the Greek word logos to translate d'var are highlighted in blue.  Notice in the following texts, that the words are associated with a command.

Exod 4:28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD (λογους κυριου – logous kyriou / ‏דברי יהוה – divrei YHWH) who had sent him, and all the signs which he had commanded him. 

Exod 19:7 And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words (λογους – logous / ‏הדברים – had'varim) which the LORD commanded him.

Exodus 20 begins, "And God spake all these words," and then follows it with a list of commands— the "ten commandments."

Exod 20:1 And God spake all these words (λογους – logous / ‏הדברים – had'varim), saying, 2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me....

Exod 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD (ρηματα του θεου – remata tou theou / ‏דברי יהוה – divrei YHWH), and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words (λογους – logous / ‏הדברים – had'varim) which the LORD hath said will we do.

Exod 24:8 And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words (λογων – logon / הדברים – had'varim).

Exod 34:27 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write thou these words (ρηματα – remata / הדברים – had'varim): for after the tenor of these words (λογων – logon / הדברים – had'varim) I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.

The Hebrew eseret had'varim (deka logous in Greek) in Exodus 34:28 is often translated as the ten commandments, but it is more literally translated as the ten words.  There are a few versions that have chosen to use the more literal translation.

Exod 34:28 And he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights; he did neither eat bread, nor drink water. And he wrote upon the tables the words of the covenant (ρηματα ... διαθηκης – remata ... diathekes / ‏דברי הברית – divrei hab'rit), the ten commandments (δεκα λογους – deka logous / ‏עשׂרת הדברים – aseret had'varim).

• Douay-Rheims – he wrote upon the tables the ten words of the covenant
• Darby – he wrote on the tables the words of the covenant, the ten words
• Young's Literal Translation – he writeth on the tables the matters of the covenant -- the ten matters
• Tyndale – he wrote in the tables the wordes of the couenaunt: euen ten verses
• Wycliffe – he wroot in tablys ten wordis of the boond of pees
• Reina-Valera 1909 (Spanish) – scribió en tablas las palabras de la alianza, las diez palabras
• The Message – he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words 

Notice in the following texts how many of the words are associated with a command.

Exod 35:1 And Moses gathered all the congregation of the children of Israel together, and said unto them, These are the words (λογοι – logoi / ‏הדברים – had'varim) which the LORD hath commanded, that ye should do them.

Lev 8:36 So Aaron and his sons did all things (λογους – logous / הדברים – had'varim) which the LORD commanded by the hand of Moses.

Num 12:6 And he said, Hear now my words (λογων μου – logon mou / ‏דברי – d'varai): If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

Deut 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words (λογοι – logoi / ‏הדברים – had'varim), which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.

Deut 12:28 Observe and hear all these words (λογους – logous / הדברים – had'varim) which I command thee, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee for ever, when thou doest that which is good and right in the sight of the LORD thy God.

Deut 27:1 And Moses with the elders of Israel commanded the people, saying, Keep all the commandments which I command you this day. 2 And it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over Jordan unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, that thou shalt set thee up great stones, and plaister them with plaister: 3 And thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law (παντας τους λογους του νομου τουτου – pantas tous logous tou nomou toutou / ‏את־כל־דברי התורה הזאת – et kol divrei hatorah hazot), when thou art passed over, that thou mayest go in unto the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, a land that floweth with milk and honey; as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee.

Deut 29:1 These are the words of the covenant (οι λογοι της διαθηκης – oi logoi tes diathekes / ‏אלה דברי הברית – eleh divrei habrit), which the LORD commanded Moses to make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab, beside the covenant which he made with them in Horeb.

Deut 31:12 Gather the people together, men, and women, and children, and thy stranger that is within thy gates, that they may hear, and that they may learn, and fear the LORD your God, and observe to do all the words of this law (παντας τους λογους του νομου τουτου – pantas tous logous tou nomou toutou / ‏את־כל־דברי התורה הזאת – et kol divrei hatorah hazot):

2 Kgs 22:13 Go ye, enquire of the LORD for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning the words of this book (των λογων του βιβλιου – ton logon tou bibliou / ‏דברי הספר – divrei hasefer) that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book (των λογων του βιβλιου τουτου – ton logon tou bibliou toutou / ‏דברי הספר הזה – divrei hasefer haze), to do according unto all that which is written concerning us.

2 Kgs 23:2 And the king went up into the house of the LORD, and all the men of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem with him, and the priests, and the prophets, and all the people, both small and great: and he read in their ears all the words of the book of the covenant (παντας τους λογους του βιβλιου της διαθηκης – pantas tous logous tou bibliou tes diathekes / ‏את־כל־דברי ספר הברית – et kol divrei sefer habrit) which was found in the house of the LORD. 3 And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant (τους λογους της διαθηκης ταυτης – tous logous tes diathekes tautes / ‏את־דברי הברית הזאת – et divrei habrit hazot) that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

2 Kgs 23:24 Moreover the workers with familiar spirits, and the wizards, and the images, and the idols, and all the abominations that were spied in the land of Judah and in Jerusalem, did Josiah put away, that he might perform the words of the law (τους λογους του νομου – tous logous tou nomou / ‏את־דברי התורה – et divrei hatorah) which were written in the book that Hilkiah the priest found in the house of the LORD.

2 Chr 34:21 Go, enquire of the LORD for me, and for them that are left in Israel and in Judah, concerning the words of the book (των λογων του βιβλιου – ton logon tou bibliou / ‏דברי הספר – divrei hasefer) that is found: for great is the wrath of the LORD that is poured out upon us, because our fathers have not kept the word of the LORD (των λογων κυριου – ton logon kyriou / ‏את־דבר יהוה – et d'var YHWH), to do after all that is written in this book.

Ezra 7:11 Now this is the copy of the letter that the king Artaxerxes gave unto Ezra the priest, the scribe, even a scribe of the words of the commandments of the LORD (λογων εντολων κυριου – logon entolon kyriou / ‏דברי מצות־יהוה – divrei mitzvot YHWH), and of his statutes to Israel. 

Neh 8:9 And Nehemiah, which is the Tirshatha, and Ezra the priest the scribe, and the Levites that taught the people, said unto all the people, This day is holy unto the LORD your God; mourn not, nor weep. For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the law (τους λογους του νομου – tous logous tou nomou / ‏את־דברי התורה – et divrei hatorah).

Jer 1:9 Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words (τους λογους μου – tous logous mou / ‏דברי – d'varai) in thy mouth.

Jer 3:12 Go and proclaim these words (τους λογους τουτους – tous logous toutous / ‏את־הדברים האלה – et hadvarim ha'eleh) toward the north, and say, Return, thou backsliding Israel, saith the LORD; and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the LORD, and I will not keep anger for ever.

Jer 11:1 The word (Ο λογος – O logos / ‏הדבר – hadavar) that came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Hear ye the words of this covenant (τους λογους της διαθηκης ταυτης – tous logous tes diathekes tautes / ‏את־דברי הברית הזאת – et divrei habrit hazot), and speak unto the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem; 3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant (των λογων της διαθηκης ταυτης – ton logon tes diathekes tautes / ‏את־דברי הברית הזאת – et divrai habrit hazot), 4 Which I commanded your fathers in the day that I brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, from the iron furnace, saying, Obey my voice, and do them, according to all which I command you: so shall ye be my people, and I will be your God: 5 That I may perform the oath which I have sworn unto your fathers, to give them a land flowing with milk and honey, as it is this day. Then answered I, and said, So be it, O LORD. 6 Then the LORD said unto me, Proclaim all these words (τους λογους τουτους – tous logous toutous / ‏את־כל־הדברים האלה – et kol hadvarim ha'eleh) in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem, saying, Hear ye the words of this covenant (τους λογους της διαθηκης ταυτης – tous logous tes diathekes tautes / ‏את־דברי הברית הזאת – et divrei habrit hazot), and do them.

Jer 15:16 Thy words (τους λογους σου – tous logous sou / ‏דבריך – d'vareikha) were found, and I did eat them; and thy word (ο λογος σου – o logos sou / דבריך – d'vareikh) was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.

Jer 22:5 But if ye will not hear these words (τους λογους τουτους – tous logous toutous / ‏את־הדברים האלה – et hadvarim ha'eleh), I swear by myself, saith the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.

Zech 1:6 But my words (τους λογους μου – tous logous mou / ‏דברי – d'varai) and my statutes, which I commanded my servants the prophets, did they not take hold of your fathers? and they returned and said, Like as the LORD of hosts thought to do unto us, according to our ways, and according to our doings, so hath he dealt with us.

In the New Testament, Jesus expects us to do his words (or sayings).  The Hebrew shown in these verses is from a modern Hebrew translation from Greek; it is consistent with the Hebrew used in the Old Testament.

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. 24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine (μου τους λογους τουτους – mou tous logous toutous / ‏את דברי אלה – et d'varai eleh), and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. 26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine (μου τους λογους τουτους – mou tous logous toutous / ‏את דברי אלה – et d'varai eleh), and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: 27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. 28 And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings (τους λογους τουτους – tous logous toutous / ‏את דבריו אלה – et d'varav eleh), the people were astonished at his doctrine: 29 For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Jesus was frequently speaking in a way that would be outragous for an ordinary human being— in the following text, he is making a claim that only God can make.  When he says "my words" is he limiting them to those that he said on earth in the first century or is he speaking as God and including the entire record of Divine instructions?

Matt 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words (λογοι μου – logoi mou / ‏ודברי – udvarai) shall not pass away.

Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words (τους εμους λογους – tous emous logous / ‏ודברי – udvarai) in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.

Jesus pointed to the Old Testament, in the verse that follows, when talking about himself.  Do we need to know the Old Testament better in order to really know Jesus?  His own disciples didn't see the connections.  Are we doing better?

Luke 24:44 And he said unto them, These are the words (Ουτοι οι λογοι – Outoi oi logoi / ‏אלה דברי – eleh d'varai) which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.

In Revelation, we again see that we are to keep the words.

Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words (τους λογους – ‏tous logous / ‏את דברי – et divrei) of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings (λογοι – logoi / ‏דברי – divrei) of God.

Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words (ουτοι οι λογοι – outoi oi logoi / ‏הדברים האלה – hadvarim ha'eleh) are true and faithful.

Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings (τους λογους – tous logous / ‏את דברי – et divrei) of the prophecy of this book.

Given the large number of Old Testament texts that use words / logous / d'varim in the sense of a command or commands that we we are to do, does Jesus mean, when he talks about "the word" that is is not his "but the Father’s who sent" him, that we are to keep the words used in the Old Testament?  Should we be taking Matthew 5:17— "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill."— more seriously?  Are we searching for and understanding "the words" which are written "in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the Psalms" about Jesus?  Are we keeping and doing them?