In the brief Gospel reading for this week, Jesus uses the words “love” and “friend” 12 times. So, one does not have to be particularly scholarly, or even attentive, to discern that he’s saying something about the nature of love and friendship.

 And because this takes place during his farewell to those with whom he’s spent the last three years living and teaching and serving (and confronting and correcting), it’s probably something significant about what they are.

 And at least one thing they’re not.