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. (John 13:34–35, NKJV)
God had commanded the children of Israel to love one another (Lev. 19:18). But Jesus commands a new (“fresh”) love, new in quality and nature, defined and exemplified by His love for His disciples. Christ’s love is always and ever active goodwill – complete, sacrificial, and unselfish. His love was not seen before, namely, the sinless Son of God giving His life for the redemption of sinners (John 15:13; Rom. 5:8). Christ “loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25-26). Disciples of Jesus are commanded to love one another as He has loved us. We follow His command to love because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts (Rom. 5:5-8). Christ’s love is merciful and just, forgiving and forbearing, serving and sacrificial (Eph. 4:32-5:2; Phil. 2:1-4; 1 Pet. 2:18-25). God’s great love toward us in Christ compels us to imitate the Son’s love: “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another” (1 John 4:10-11). People will know we are disciples of Jesus when we love each other like Jesus loved us. So the question is, do people know we are disciples of Jesus when they see how we treat each other?
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