“Love one another”
April 16, 2021
13:1-35 Loving one another, just as Jesus loves us
Read John 13:34-38
The very first instruction which Jesus gave in this long farewell section of teaching is foundational to Christian discipleship. It’s the “new command” to “love one another” (34): The command to “love your neighbour as yourself” is present in the Old Testament (Lev.19:18) but for Jesus love has such an increased prominence and emphasis that he can describe it as new. Just in these two verses the phrase “love one another” occurs three times! In particular, it is new because it is founded on the basis of his love for them – “as I have loved you”.
He has already that evening shown them “the full extent of his love” (13:1) by pointing to his death which will bring them into a new relationship with him (Rom.5:8). This is the new basis of the love which we are to have for one another and the new example of what love looks like: “you should do as I have done for you” (13:15). In this way, love is defined and demonstrated by Jesus, and such love must be the defining hallmark and characteristic of Christians. It is only as we live out the kind of love which Jesus has for us that people will recognise that we are truly his disciples (35; Eph.5:1-2; 1 John 3:16,23; 1 John 4:11,19).
Peter, however, completely missed the importance of this because he was still preoccupied with the implications of Jesus saying, “I am going” (33,36). The time would come for Peter also to die (36; 21:18-19), but, despite his bravado (37), he was not yet ready to give his life for Jesus. In fact (“very truly”), that very night he would deny him (38). It was not Peter who would lay down his life for Jesus, but Jesus who – in love – would lay down his life for Peter (10:11).