The New (and BETTER!) Commandment

The Jewish leaders were continually trying to trap Jesus in what he said so they could condemn him publically. On one occasion, they came up with a scheme to make him choose between the hundreds of commandments from the law.  A lawyer asked Jesus which was the most important, and without hesitation Jesus replied,

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40, ESV)

Bam! He boiled the whole Old Testament down to two things: Love God and love other people.  There was no way the lawyer could argue against that. And when it comes to loving other people, Jesus said the qualification is that we love them to the same degree that we love and care for ourselves. Now when it comes to my family, I’m okay with that. I love my wife and kids and would do anything that is for their best. I would even take a bullet for them to save their life, or choose to get sick if it meant them staying healthy.  But Jesus said that our love isn’t just for family, it’s for our neighbor as well!

Then another time, Jesus raised the bar even higher when he said,

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34, ESV)

Instead of my self-love being the measure of love for others, Jesus took it to a new level and says that we’re supposed to love others in the same way that he loves us! Wow! That’s a tall order! Jesus’ love is way beyond what we normally have.

This command is sandwiched between washing the disciples’ feet (an act of humility and servanthood) and his arrest, which led to his greatest demonstration of love: dying in our place. His love compelled him to step out of heaven and become human. His love drove him to undergo the beatings, humiliation and crucifixion. He didn’t have to do all that, but he did because of love. Then he goes on to say that this kind of love is the distinguishing mark of being a disciple (v35).

So… how’s your love for God and for other Christians? Can you say that you love like Jesus loves you? And what would it look like in your life this week? In relationship with your family… your co-workers… your neighbor… the homeless guy on the street corner?

“Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:18, ESV)