John 13:16-38
16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?”
Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.”
37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.”
38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (34). Jesus said this to His disciples in the upper room on the night when He was betrayed. This is Jesus’ “new command.” The Latin for command is mandatum. From this, we get the word “maundy” as in “Maundy Thursday.” Lots of things happened on that evening in holy week—the foot washing, the institution of the Lord’s Supper, the upper room discourse, the prayer in the garden, the betrayal and arrest—so rather than focus on this one command, a better name might be “Holy Thursday.”
Be that as it may, what’s “new” about this commandment “love one another”? First, the kind of love that Jesus is talking about is not according to the standard for “love” in this fallen world, which is the simple standard of tolerating all behavior and accepting everyone just as they are. Jesus’ love is an even higher standard than that, not a lower one.
Second, Leviticus 19:18 says, “love your neighbor as yourself.” Thus, the command to love one another is not the new thing here. No, what’s new is the standard to measure against: Leviticus 19:18 tells us to love our neighbor to the same degree (equal) that we love ourselves, whereas Jesus says to love each other as He has loved us. Again, Jesus’ love for us is an even higher standard, especially since Jesus is about to show the full extent of that love by dying on the cross.
Obviously, we cannot love to that same extent, but we can show a sacrificial love for each other which goes beyond mere tolerance and acceptance, and even beyond demands for equality and justice. “Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (16-17). Jesus’ love, for us and through us!
Let us pray: O almighty God, mercifully look on Your people, and by Your great goodness govern us in body and preserve us in soul; through Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
