A certain Minicius Felix accused Christians of “a vile abomination”; “they fall in love almost before they are acquainted”. Pagans could not get over the love Christians had for one another. It was with amazement that they said, “See how they love one another”. Lucian of Samosata, writing in the first century AD, described the way Christians visited a man called Peregrinus in prison: “They show incredible speed whenever such public action is taken, for their first lawgiver persuaded them that they are all brothers of one another”. He hit the nail on the head, for Jesus had said: “I give you a new commandment that you love one another” (John 13.34). Later Jesus repeated: “This is my commandment that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15.12).
At first sight there appears to be nothing new about this “new commandment” to” love one another”. The Old Testament speaks of love for one’s neighbour: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19.18). In his conversation with a teacher of the law Jesus said that this commandment to love one’s neighbour along with the commandment to love God with all one’s heart, soul and might is the most important commandment (Mark 12.18). However, Jesus gave new depth to his command for his followers to love one another. We are not just to love one another as ourselves, but to love “as he loved us”. That is something very different and goes far beyond any other kind of love. Let me remind you of the context in which Jesus gave his new commandment. Jesus had just washed the feet of his disciples and this was their last night together. They were already sitting in the shadow of the Cross. This command to love one another is to be interpreted in the light of the Cross. Jesus made this explicit when he said ,“No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”. It is this that makes the commandment “new”.
When Jesus said, “love one another as I have loved you”, he termed this instruction as “a new commandment”. People have therefore not surprisingly called this ‘the eleventh commandment’. This eleventh commandment is often contrasted with the Ten Commandments which God gave to Moses on Mount Sinai. The first ten are negative. In the words of one little girl who said of the Ten Commandments: “They don’t tell you what you ought to do; they just put ideas into your head”. By contrast the new commandment is positive.
Yet in spite of the differences between the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ new commandment there is an instructive parallel. The Ten Commandments were an essential part of the covenant God made with his people Israel. In response to God bringing them out of Egypt and freeing them from slavery, the Israelites committed themselves to obey the Ten Commandments. “They said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient’. Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people, and said, ‘See the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words’” (Exodus 24.7, 8). Similarly the new commandment is an essential part of the new covenant. The new covenant is effective in so far as we commit ourselves to obeying the new commandment. In other words, obeying the new commandment is no optional extra, but is part and parcel of being the people of God.
After Jesus had given his disciples the new commandment, he went on to say, “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. Ultimately what counts is not what we believe, but how we express our belief. What is required is not so much orthodoxy, but orthopraxis. It is only in this way that others will know that we are Christ’s disciples. Sadly, an Indian Hindu once said: “Christians claim that Jesus Christ is the Saviour of sinners, but they show no more sign of being saved than anyone else.” Here we have a challenging reminder that non-Christians will never believe in God’s love for us until they see God’s love in us.
Perhaps one final comment is called for. Although Jesus calls us to love one another as he loved us, the reality is that our love for others always falls short of his love for us. To some it may sound simple to love others as Jesus loved us, but the fact is that it is ultimately impossible to reach the kind of love that Jesus has for us. Indeed, the only way in which we can get anywhere near to loving others as Jesus loved us is with the help of the Holy Spirit, who draws alongside us in our weakness.
I don’t remember the ‘new’ commandment being so clearly explained as an additional 11th commandment. The final paragraph was particularly helpful. Thank you.
Your emails are copyright. Would it be OK for me to share this one on my Facebook page, please?
I hope that you & yours are keeping well.
We were in Chelmsford 5-23 June & attended Breakfast with the Bible in the former library during those weeks. I sad that you did not join us on those Sundays. We worshipped at the 9.30 service at the Cathedral on 22 June but otherwise on Sundays went to All Saints’, Springfield where we had worshipped for more than 20 years. For the first time since Alan’s stroke & heart failure in Dec 2022 we towed our caravan to Chelmsford and stayed in a lovely new site at The Courts, Little Baddow. Just 5 caravans with running water and drainage – only the toilet to service each day. We have booked already for two weeks next year, all being well, from 3 June! Maybe we will bump into you then! Best wishes, Elaine Griffiths, Swansea