“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (John 13:34)
Have you ever wondered why, in John 13:34, Jesus refers to the commandment to love one another as a “new command?” For what reason is this new? The disciples were not unfamiliar with the idea of love. The Old Testament made it very clear that you were to love God and your neighbor with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. What, then, made this “a new commandment?”
Even the Greek word “agape,” which Jesus used to describe “love,” was new and uncommon. It is a spiritual sort of love that transcends what the human heart might produce on its own; it is not an innate or natural kind of love. Because Jesus exemplified this type of love with His own life, He stated, “. . . as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” The world has never seen or experienced love like the unselfish love that Jesus offered.
Take note that Jesus requires His disciples to love one another; He does not merely recommend it. Love is a verb that you perform, not a noun that you experience. It’s more about will or won’t than can or can’t. Since you can’t command a feeling, love is not an emotion. Although love may occasionally manifest emotionally, this is not an indication of it. Loving and liking are not the same thing. Jesus always teaches us to love our adversaries rather than to like them. Loving is an action, while liking is a feeling. While I don’t have to like everyone, I am required to love everyone as a Christian.
"Agape", the word for this new love, is a selfless, unconditional love that does not look for reciprocation. Christians should respond to God and each other with this kind of love. The best way to describe this love is as an expression of divine grace, which implies that it is unmerited and undeserving, according to John 3:16. Without God’s assistance, humans cannot give agape. Christ is the source of this genuine manifestation of selfless love, which He displayed for us on the cross. Christ divinely inspires this love, which is based on undeserved favor. When Jesus stated, “Love one another as I have loved you,” He was giving us instructions on how to love.
Prayer: Father, thank You for Your unmerited favor toward me in Jesus. As You have loved me, help me to love others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
