John 13:34–35; 1 John 3:10b–12, 16–18; 4:7–13, 19

Bible Studies for Life
Assistant Professor of Religion, Department of Religion, Samford University

Love One Another
John 13:34–35; 1 John 3:10b–12, 16–18; 4:7–13, 19
This week’s lesson focuses on mutual love between believers. This is an important topic, since we live in a culture that also has much to say about the subject of love. As always, some of it is good and some is bad.

When we hear Jesus commanding us to love one another, often we think of the marriage relationship. This is understandable because the Bible uses the metaphor of Christ as the groom and the Church as His bride. But it is here that many popular understandings of love can dilute biblical teachings. We want to think about love as being “in love,” feeling great affection and admiration for fellow church members, never having a negative thought about or a cross word with them. Of course, that vision of love is unrealistic for any relationship this side of eternity. Sometimes we do feel these things, and sometimes the congregation does experience miraculous unity. On the other hand, sometimes we are divided. But God still expects mutual love.

The love that we will learn about this week persists in the face of aggravation, offense, anger and even genuine dislike. This is because this kind of love is not the result of sentiment. In fact, it depends neither on our feelings nor on how our brothers and sisters behave toward us but is a gift from God.

Jesus Commanded Love (John 13:34–35)
In John’s Gospel, the Last Supper was Jesus’ opportunity to give His disciples one last lesson, and He took advantage of it. His teachings — often called the “Farewell Discourse” — last from Chapter 13 to 17. Over the centuries, Church leaders have returned to these chapters again and again to mine what Jesus had to say about mutual love among believers.

The idea of the “new commandment” probably draws from Leviticus 19:18, which commands Israelites, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (see Mark 12:28–34). Now, however, the model for love was not the disciples’ self-love but Jesus’ love for the disciples.

This new commandment occurs in an important context. Jesus began the evening by washing the disciples’ feet and instructing them to do the same for one another (John 13:14–15). So when Jesus said to love as He loves, He pointed, not to an emotion but, to the humble deed that He just performed. He loved them by acting like their slave. This probably helps us understand an earlier teaching in John, in which Jesus, calling Himself the Good Shepherd, said the shepherd lays down his life for his sheep (10:11). He was probably referring to His death but also to His life: Jesus gave Himself to the disciples as fully as the Father gave Himself to the Son.

Love Through Actions (1 John 3:10b–12, 16–18)
The author of 1 John drew much of his instruction from the Farewell Discourse. Note also how the author took up the language of the Good Shepherd. The emphasis is not on emotion at all but on mimicking how Jesus lived His life. This is made explicit in verses 17–18: A person who is able to help a needy brother or sister (as Jesus was able to help us) but refuses to do so (unlike Jesus, who willingly did so) cannot claim to love; furthermore love is best expressed “in truth and action” rather than “in word or speech.”

This should come as a great comfort. After all, when we have difficulty feeling love for a brother or sister, we can still love him or her in truth through our behavior. How? We can refuse to treat him or her like an enemy, we can avoid expressing our displeasure to others and hence cause division and we can come to his or her aid when he or she is in need.

God Enables Love (1 John 4:7–13, 19)
Loving in this way is not up to us alone or it might never happen. Rather we can love because love is from God and because He first loved us. How did He love us? In exactly the way that Jesus loved us and that we are to love one another: “He sent His only Son into the world so that we might live through Him.” God also loves us “in truth and action.” Thanks be to God.