This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you

 

 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than that, than to lay down one's life for his friends.  You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another.

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.'  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'

"But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."

 

- John 15:12-27 

 

In our current readings, Jesus and the disciples have just completed the Last Supper, the Passover Supper before His Crucifixion.  He has begun what is called the Farewell Discourse to the disciples (beginning with this reading).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  I am the vine, you are the branches.  He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.  If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.  As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.  These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." 

 

"This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than that, than to lay down one's life for his friends."  Jesus repeats His new commandment.  My study bible comments that many religions and philosophies teach people to love one another.  But what makes Christ's commandment new is that it gives us a measure of love required, an example:  to love as Christ loved us.  Here He states the measure of that love, to lay down one's life for his friends.  

"You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.  You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.  These things I command you, that you love one another."   My study bible notes that friendship is higher than servanthood.  Servants obey their masters out of fear or a sense of duty.  But friends obey out of love, and an internal desire to do what is good and right.  Abraham was called "a friend of God" (James 2:23) because he obeyed God out of the belief of his heart.  The disciples, and truly all the saints, are honored as friends of Christ because they freely obey His commandments out of love.  Those who have this spirit of loving obedience are open to receive and understand the revelations of the Father.  

"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love its own.  Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.  Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.'  If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you.  If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.  But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.  He who hates Me hates My Father also.  If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father.  But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, 'They hated Me without a cause.'"   According to my study bible, the term world is used in several distinct ways in Scripture.  In some cases, "world" refers to all that is glorious, beautiful, and redeemable in God's creation (John 3:16).   Other times, "world" refers to that which is finite in contrast to that which is eternal (John 11:9, 18:36).  In yet other instances, however, as here, the term indicates all that is in rebellion against God (see also John 8:23).  In this latter case it is connected with the power and influence of the "ruler of this world" (John 12:31).   "They hated Me without a cause" --  see Psalm 69:4.

 

 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.  And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning."  My study bible explains God's working salvation in the world:  the Son sends the Holy Spirit from the Father.  In terms of the divine nature, the Holy Spirit eternally proceeds from the Father alone.  Thus, the Holy Spirit receives His eternal existence only from the Father.  The Nicene-Constantinopolitan Creed confesses believe "in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father."  My study bible explains that while the Son is begotten of the Father alone, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father alone according to Christ's words here.  The Father is the source, the Fountainhead of both Son and Holy Spirit.

 

In today's reading, Jesus speaks of both love and of hate.  Of love, He teaches us a new commandment.  When He specifically offers this new commandment, it is something we simply must pay attention to.  There are no two ways about it.  This language, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you," and, "These things I command you, that you love one another," are meant to emphatically give this commandment to us.  In this Farewell Discourse, this is not the first place this command occurs either.  Earlier, Jesus taught the disciples, "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" (John 13:34-35).   Let's note that this commandment doesn't just go one way, but speaks to us corporately, as a group.  We are to love one another.  It is so important as a command, that this is the one way He states that all people will know that we are His disciples.  This love of one another is meant to distinguish Christians from those of other faiths and philosophies.  Well, how good are we at loving one another?  Do we put the proper emphasis on this in our Churches and communities, in our families?  Let us note that the command to love one another comes in the midst of another setting Jesus proclaims here, that of the world that will hate His followers.  We are taught to expect persecution from those who do not love God.  Let us note this is not about those who declare themselves openly opposed to God, or non-worshipers, or atheists.  It is about those who cannot internally accept a depth of message of love, a commandment to love one another.  It is a comment on those who may profess faith, but do not have the love of God the Father in their hearts.  It is also a comment on the influence of the "ruler of this world."  That is, the spirit of the one who hates truth, the opposition to the Spirit of truth.  So once again, we are presented with an image of life as in the arena, a struggle, a contest.  But note here once more that the real emphasis is on the distinction of Christ's followers as those who love one another.  More specifically, on those who seek to love one another as Christ has loved us.  We are, in that sense, our own sort of sanctuary within a hostile world that does not love the truth of Christ's commandments.  But in this picture, we are faced with one sort of problem that most people don't seem to think of as a problem.  What does love look like?  How do we know what it is, and how to practice it?  We may have a depth of feeling or understanding when someone loves us, a sense of trust.  But practicing love is sometimes a difficult road.  It doesn't come without strings, or values attached.  Love is often confused with indulgence of passions or desires, but this is far from the truth of what love will teach, just as a good parent gives their child guidance as to what is destructive and what is healthful and life-giving.  Hence, we have the commandments of Christ, and the life of Christ, to show us what love is.  Finally, we have the Helper, the Holy Spirit, to testify of Christ, to teach us what is good, to illuminate the word we're given.  With these things, Jesus presents us with a full picture of our place in the world as His disciples, His followers.  I doubt that He expected perfection, but He arms us with help in the midst of a hostile world.  He teaches us about love.  His example is one of tremendous strength and courage, coupled with the willingness to sacrifice for love, and the gentle kindness of One who knows both knows our problems, and will be firm in what is needed of us.   Therefore, as Christ's disciples, our call still remains the same.  We are commanded to love one another as He has loved us.  Our constant companion should be the question and reminder that we need to do this.  How do we love one another as He has loved us?  How will the world know that we are His disciples?  This is our primary calling, even in a world that will hate us for doing so.