John 13:31-38: a reflection

31When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately. 33Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you. 34A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” 36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.” 37Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.

On the night before he died, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment, that they love one another as he had loved them, and said that this love would be the mark by which all would know them as his disciples. A new commandment I give to you, Jesus says, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The commandment is to love one another; and the measure is Christ's own love: as I have loved you. And this love is to be the badge, the identifying mark, by which the world recognizes Christ's disciples. This shows the new commandment to love one another as Christ loved us, the mark of discipleship. Love one another as Christ has loved us. Christ's love is the measure of how we are to love. Love for one another is the mark of Christ's disciples. By our love others will know we are Christ's.

Notice both the commandment and its distinctive measure. Jesus commands his disciples to love one another; but he does not leave the measure of that love vague. The measure is his own love: as I have loved you, so you also are to love one another. This raises the bar immeasurably; we are to love one another not merely as we happen to feel, or as the world loves, but as Christ has loved us, with his self-giving, sacrificial, unconditional love. And Jesus says this love is to be the mark of discipleship: by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. Not by our knowledge, our arguments, our religious activity, but by our love for one another, the world would recognize Christ's disciples. This is searching and clarifying. The chief mark that we belong to Christ is to be our love for one another, love patterned on his own love for us. It is easy to think our discipleship is shown by other things; but Jesus says it is shown by love. We do well, then, to make the love of one another, as Christ loved us, central to our life as his disciples, that the world may know we are his. Love one another as Christ loved us, the mark of belonging to him. Our love for one another shows the world we are Christ's. Make Christ-patterned love central to your discipleship. By love, not other things, we are known as Christ's.

That is worth taking to heart, for the new commandment is to love one another as Christ loved us, and this love is the mark by which the world knows we are his disciples. We can think our discipleship is shown chiefly by our knowledge, activity, or beliefs; but Jesus says it is shown by our love for one another, patterned on his own love for us. Love is the badge of discipleship. Make the love of one another, as Christ loved us, central to your life as his disciple, that the world may know you are his. Make the love of one another, patterned on Christ's own love for us, central to your life as his disciple, as the mark by which the world knows you are his, for on the night before he died Jesus gave a new commandment, that we love one another as he has loved us, and said that by this everyone would know we are his disciples, if we have love for one another; for the commandment is to love one another, and the measure is Christ's own self-giving, sacrificial love, as I have loved you, which raises the bar immeasurably so that we are to love not merely as we feel or as the world loves but as Christ has loved us, and this love is to be the identifying mark by which the world recognizes Christ's disciples, not our knowledge, arguments, or religious activity but our love for one another, which is searching and clarifying, since the chief mark that we belong to Christ is to be our love for one another patterned on his love for us, and it is easy to think our discipleship is shown by other things, but Jesus says it is shown by love, so that we do well to make Christ-patterned love central to our life as his disciples, that the world may know we are his.

Lord Jesus, on the night before you died, you gave your disciples a new commandment, that they love one another as you had loved them, and said that this love would be the mark by which all would know them as your disciples. A new commandment I give to you, you say, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. The commandment is to love one another; and the measure is your own love: as I have loved you. And this love is to be the badge, the identifying mark, by which the world recognizes your disciples. Show me both the commandment and its distinctive measure. You command your disciples to love one another; but you do not leave the measure vague. The measure is your own love: as I have loved you, so you also are to love one another. This raises the bar immeasurably; I am to love not merely as I happen to feel, or as the world loves, but as you have loved me, with your self-giving, sacrificial, unconditional love. And you say this love is to be the mark of discipleship: by this everyone will know that you are my disciples. Not by my knowledge, my arguments, my religious activity, but by my love for others, the world would recognize your disciples. This is searching and clarifying. The chief mark that I belong to you is to be my love for others, patterned on your own love for me. Take that to my heart, for the new commandment is to love one another as you loved us, and this love is the mark by which the world knows we are yours. Keep me from thinking my discipleship is shown chiefly by my knowledge or activity; help me make the love of others, as you loved me, central to my life as your disciple, Lord, that the world may know I am yours by my love.