A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another

 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.  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.  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

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."  Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?  I will lay down my life for Your sake."  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."

- John 13:31-38

In our recent readings, it is the Passover feast, and Jesus has been in the temple.  Yesterday we read that although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:  "Lord, who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?"  Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:  "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them."  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.   Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."

So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.  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."   As it is Holy Week in the West (for the Orthodox and other Eastern Churches, Holy Week is next week), the lectionary skips various passages.  I have chosen for today to include the earlier verses 13:31-35 (the lectionary includes only vv. 36-38).  What has happened in the verses between yesterday's reading and today's is found in 13:1-30, which includes the washing of the feet of the disciples and also the identification of Judas as Jesus' betrayer.   The present reading is set at the Passover Supper of Jesus and His disciples, known as the Last Supper.  My study bible comments that the Feast of Passover commemorated God's passing over the Israelites when God killed the firstborn of the Egyptians (Exodus 12).  It is also linked with Israel's crossing over the Red Sea (Exodus 14) to escape from slavery to freedom.  In Christ, it notes, we escape death and pass over from this world, which is enslaved to sin, and into the Kingdom of God.   After Judas had gone out from the Passover Supper to betray Christ, the Lord presents the final teachings of His earthly ministry.  This is frequently called the "Farewell Discourse."  The discourse continues through chapters 14-17, and includes Jesus' High Priestly Prayer (chapter 17).  Here Jesus calls his death "glorification."   My study bible comments that He does not fear death, and He accepts it willingly.   It notes that the Father and the Son are glorified through the death of Christ, because His death destroys all powers of darkness.  Jesus references His dialogue with the leadership in the temple (specifically, 8:21; see this reading).

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."   My study bible notes that while many religions and philosophies teach people to love one another, Christ's new commandment does something more.  It adds the measure that is asked of our love; we have Christ as our example.  This depth of love for one another is the sign of His disciples, how all will know that they are of such.

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."  Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?  I will lay down my life for Your sake."  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." Amidst the new and final commandment, there are our own shortcomings, our failed resolutions, and our abiding need to learn to rely on Christ and the strength that is not of ourselves.   Jesus predicts Peter's betrayal, but also, my study bible notes, He prophecies the martyrdom of Simon Peter as well, which Peter will suffer for the sake of Christ by being crucified upside down in Rome in about AD 67 (see 21:18-19).  Thus, Peter will also serve Christ's new command to "love one another as I have loved you."

Spiritual battle, for enemies -- study bible comment

What is a spiritual battle?  This may seem like a strange question to ask at this time, as we prepare for Easter, but in effect Good Friday is the right time to ask this question (for the Eastern Orthodox, that is next week).  Jesus prepares the disciples with His Farewell Discourse, giving them a new command that would seem to have nothing at all to do with a spiritual battle.  Jesus tells the disciples, and all those who will follow in the future, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."  We are to be characterized by love for one another.  How often do we fall short of that commandment, Christ's "new" commandment?  But, in effect, Christ will not only declare this commandment, He will also live it.  He will go to His death in enacting His love for His friends.  We are given Simon Peter's declaration to Jesus, "I will lay down my life for Your sake."  And then there is Jesus' response to 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."  The great contradiction between the love that Jesus professes is a new commandment for all of them, and the prophecy of Peter's denial (despite his declaration that he would lay down his life for Christ's sake) give us a juxtaposition of our souls and hearts, and the constant battle that we wage to move forward into our faith.  My study bible also says that Christ's commandment is proven out by the measure of His love, that not only did He lay down His life for His friends, but even those who are His enemies.  That is, not for their error or their sin, but for their salvation.  In the Revelation, Christ says, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent" (Revelation 3:19).  Everything we do in the context of our faith, and in the love that Jesus commands us to practice, is for the salvation of the whole world.  It is not so that evil triumphs, or so that we support evil or heinous behavior.   We do not pray for others so that they will continue to abuse us, or practice unloving behavior.  But a spiritual battle exists in the world for the salvation of all, for the triumph of the Light.  May our Easter which awaits us triumph in that light, that whatever darkness has been exposed through our Lent make way for a greater and deeper understanding, a more perfect love, and a true reconciliation in the glory of Christ our God and our hope.