Love One Another - John 13:34

The apostle John wrote how Jesus told His disciples, “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Where I go, you cannot come; so now I say to you”, and in chapter thirteen and verse thirty-four of his book John shared how Jesus said, “a new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another” where we read:

A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another;

as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

The verse reads, “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another;” John began with the words, “a new commandment” which means “a recent, fresh, unused and unprecedented order, command, charge, precept and injunction” “I give unto you” or “I, Jesus, bestow, grant, furnish and supply to you, disciples of Jesus”, “that you love one another” which means “that you, disciples of Jesus, welcome and be fond of, contented with and well pleased with each of the other disciples”. John shared how Jesus told His disciples that He was presenting to them a “fresh charge and precept” that directed them to “love” each other.

The verse continues, “as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” John added the words, “as I have loved you” which means “even like and in likeness to the way I, Jesus, have welcomed, am fond of, contented with and well pleased with His disciples”, “that you also” or “so you, disciples of Jesus, even so and indeed” “love one another” which means “are fond of, contented with and well pleased with each other”. John shared how Jesus told His disciples the measure or standard for which they were to “love one another” was to be equal to the way He “loved” them.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we learn Jesus' “new rule” concerning the way His disciples were to be with each another. They were to “love” every disciple of Jesus in the same manner He “loved” them, and this presents a challenge to most people who consider His words. God loves people, and He is easy to love because He loves people unconditionally. People, however, are often not like God and provide a greater discipline. God sent His Son Jesus into the world to “save” people from the penalty of sins which is death, and when they submit themselves to Him as their “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins and grant them everlasting life. In other words, as He loved people unconditionally, they are to “love” one another in the same manner. Let all who read these words receive the “love” of God and “love one another” even as they have been “loved”.

Next time John shares how Jesus says, “by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".