NEW COMMANDMENT: LOVE ONE ANOTHER!
Introduction
The reference to the glorification of God in Jesus Christ echoes the text of Isaiah 49:3. The glorification of Jesus is strictly tied to his death and resurrection. What Jesus does to his disciples is like a farewell speech. By glorifying God with his death and leaving or giving his disciples new commandment, Jesus bids his disciples farewell. Jesus speaks before his death and resurrection. In other words, this teaching on loving one another is given at the Last Supper.
Jesus said to his disciples “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another” (John 13:34). Such command was given immediately after Judas Iscariot left to execute his hidden agenda. Love must be the distinguishing mark of Jesus’ disciples, and naturally, of Christians. Jesus’ “new command” takes its point of departure from the Mosaic commands to love the Lord with all one’s might and to love one’s neighbour as oneself (Lev 19:18; cf. Deut 6:5; Mark 12:28–33).
The new commandment
“I give you a new commandment…” (John 13:34). Why is this commandment new? And what makes it new? To understand more Jesus’s reason for describing the commandment to love one another as new, we need to re-read his words in Matthew 5:43–48 – “You have heard that it was said, you shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?” (Matt 5:43–46). In Leviticus, the Israelites were presented with this order: “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbour as yourself: I am the Lord (Lev 19:18. Cf. Jas 2:8). Jesus’ words in Matthew is a correction of the text of Leviticus. While the Leviticus command was for Jews to love their fellow Jews alone, Jesus makes it universal by taking it beyond the Jewish boundary. It is God’s plan to open the door of faith to all (cf. First Reading).
Conclusion
“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” These words should be taken serious by every Christian and by every person. The instruction to love one another was meant to promote and facilitate the proclamation of the Gospel. On the other hand, it was meant to correct the exclusiveness of the love of God as taught in the Torah. Jesus’ command to love one another means we should liberate ourselves from our mental obscurity. We should view and evaluate things from their proper perspective. How do we love one another?
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SUNDAY REFLECTIONS” (vols. I‑II-III)!! The reflection for the Fifth Sunday of Pascha © is found in vol. III pages 250–258. Happy reading!
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