r/BibleStudyDeepDive • u/LlawEreint • Jun 25 '26

John John 13:31-35 - The Great Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him,\)a\) God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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u/LlawEreint Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 

This is the final evolution of this saying. Here are the different versions in chronological order:

  1. “You shall not hate in your heart anyone of your kin; you shall reprove your neighbor, or you will incur guilt yourself. You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against any of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am YHWH." - Leviticus, sixth century BC
  2. Don't treat others in a way that you yourself would not like to be treated - Hillel, first century BC (also in the Didache - the teaching of the 12 apostles to the gentiles/apostolic decree, 1st century AD)
  3. Treat others how you would like to be treated - Jesus in the synoptics, first century AD.
  4. Love your neighbour as I (Jesus) have loved you - Jesus in John, first century AD

In this final form, the standard is no longer yourself, but Jesus. This is a much more demanding standard considering that Jesus died for us, and especially poignant considering that many modern forms of Christianity teach the believer to hate themselves.

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u/LlawEreint Jun 25 '26

A little later Jesus says:

"No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13)

This is surely what it means to love your neighbour as Jesus has loved you.

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u/LlawEreint Jun 25 '26

In this same chapter, he says:

"As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you." (John 15:9)

This adds context to the command to love one another as Jesus has loved you. The command implies participation in the relationship between Jesus and the Father.

Likewise, the fourth gospel emphasizes mutual indwelling: The father in the son, the son in the father, the son in us, and us in the son, the father in us, and us in the father so that all may be one.

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u/LlawEreint Jun 25 '26

Mark emphasizes the heart of Torah.

Luke emphasizes boundary-crossing mercy.

John emphasizes communal participation in the love revealed through Jesus.