On Thursday night of Holy Week, Jesus said to His gathered disciples, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” The command to love one another would have been a familiar one to the disciples.
Christ's "mandate" is commemorated on Maundy Thursday—"maundy" being a shortened form of mandatum (Latin), which means "command."
In Leviticus 19:18, Yahweh instructed the Hebrews, “Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge, but love your neighbor as yourself.” In the Levitical law, the command to love was given as an alternative. Instead of exacting revenge, choose to love as you would like to be loved. This became a central tenet of Jewish life and faith. Most every Jew in Jesus’ day, and especially the twelve disciples, would have been quite familiar with this command.
This familiarity is why I find Jesus’ words to his disciples to be somewhat puzzling. He presents the commandment to love one another as a new commandment. What was new about a command that was given 1400 years earlier? As He was prone to do, Jesus took this very basic command and expanded it. The new commandment He gives says it’s not enough to simply not seek revenge or hold a grudge. No, you need to go beyond this and proactively love and serve the one who hurts you. Not only did Jesus provide this new commandment, but He modeled it for the disciples that very night.
A few moments before He gave this new commandment, Judas had walked out the door to betray Him, and a few moments after He gave the commandment. Jesus told Peter that he would betray Him three times before the rooster crowed. Earlier in the evening, Jesus had washed the feet of both Judas and Peter, and within a few hours, He would die for them. Not only would He not seek revenge or hold a grudge against either of them, but He proactively chose to serve them.
Reflection:
What does it mean to proactively love others? Have you been hurt or wronged by someone recently? How might you proactively love that person instead of simply avoiding revenge?
EASTER BIBLE READING PLAN
Easter is about an encounter, a time when we experience the hope and love of a Savior who sacrificed His life for us, despite our deepest struggles, betrayals, and failures. Easter is a time to share the Good News of the empty tomb and the grace only found in our risen Savior.
God’s passion for His people can not be extinguished. Do you embody this same passion?