Grace Thompson
The New Commandment in Catholicism refers to Jesus's commandment to love one another as he loved his disciples. This commandment is interpreted as dual to the love of Christ for his followers and is based on the idea of divine love rather than simply human love. This commandment is seen as an introduction of Jesus himself as a standard for love, which is a novelty compared to the usual criterion of as you love yourself. It is a call to love others without any expectation of exchange or as a transaction, but rather as an act of charity.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Part of the Bible | New Testament |
| Given by | Jesus |
| Timing | After the Last Supper and the departure of Judas |
| To whom it was given | The disciples |
| Number of times it appears in the New Testament | 13 times in 12 verses |
| Theological interpretation | Dual to the Love of Christ for his followers |
| Jesus as a standard for love | Yes |
| Type of love | Divine love |
| Basis | Acts of charity by Jesus |
| Imitation of Jesus | Yes |
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What You'll Learn
- Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another
- This commandment was given after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas
- Jesus introduces himself as a standard for love
- Jesus loved his disciples first without any demand for a return of love
- The commandment is interpreted as dual to the Love of Christ for his followers
Jesus commanded his disciples to love one another
The New Commandment in Christianity refers to Jesus's commandment to "love one another" as part of his final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas Iscariot. This commandment, found in John 13:34–35, is interpreted as dual to the love of Christ for his followers and can be understood as his last wish in the Farewell Discourse.
Jesus commanded his disciples to "love one another, as I have loved you." This statement introduces a new standard for love, surpassing the usual criterion of "love your neighbour as yourself." Jesus' commandment calls for a divine love modelled on his own acts of charity and self-sacrificing love. This love is not based on expectation or transaction but is given freely, allowing the beloved to flourish and grow in their capacity to receive and imitate this love.
The New Commandment is not merely about loving those who are like us or belong to the same nation but about loving others because they belong to Christ. It reflects a love that is patient, eternal, and not boastful. This commandment is a testament to Jesus' desire for his disciples to emulate his unconditional and transformative love.
Through this commandment, Jesus establishes a new criterion for love, challenging his disciples to love others deeply and unconditionally, just as he loved them. By doing so, Jesus raises the standard of love and calls his disciples to a higher level of compassion and selflessness in their relationships with one another.
The New Commandment is a cornerstone of Christian ethics and plays a significant role in shaping the moral lives of Christians. It serves as a reminder that receiving Christ's love also means bestowing it on others, creating a "virtuous circle" of love and compassion within the Christian community. This commandment continues to guide Christians in their pursuit of living out the teachings of Jesus and fostering a more loving and inclusive community.
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This commandment was given after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas
The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to refer to Jesus's commandment to "love one another". This commandment was given by Jesus as part of his final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells his remaining disciples that he will only be with them for a little while longer. He then gives them the New Commandment, stating:
> "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another."
This commandment is interpreted as dual to the Love of Christ for his followers. It is also seen as the last wish in the
The New Commandment is similar to the second part of the Great Commandment, which comprises two commands: love for God and love for neighbour. While the Torah commanded human love, Jesus commands divine love for one another, modelled on his own acts of charity. This commandment is not based on reciprocity but on the initiative of the lover to freely give love without any expectation of return.
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Jesus introduces himself as a standard for love
The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another". This commandment was given as part of the final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas Iscariot.
Jesus's commandment to "love one another as I have loved you" tells a deeper story: the story of One who took the initiative and loved first, without any demand for a return of love. Christ loved us, as the apostle says, "while we were yet sinners", meaning when we were in no way lovable. His love constitutes our lovableness. This kind of love is wild, as it means the lover relinquishes control over the beloved. The lover hopes that the beloved will flourish with his free gifts of love and will delight if they do, giving him even more love. However, this is not as an exchange but because the lover is so inclined.
This commandment can be seen as a "virtuous circle" of the deepest level of our moral lives as Christians: always to be receiving Christ's gifts. To receive his love is to bestow it as he does, by loving first. This commandment appears thirteen times in twelve verses in the New Testament and is interpreted as dual to the Love of Christ for his followers.
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Jesus loved his disciples first without any demand for a return of love
The New Commandment in Catholicism is a reference to Jesus's commandment to "love one another" as he loved us. This commandment was given as part of Jesus's final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper, as told in the Bible in John 13:34–35.
Jesus's love for his disciples was evident in many ways. Firstly, he chose twelve ordinary men as his apostles, or "messengers", seeing something in their hearts that he treasured. By being true to himself and his purpose, and practicing what he preached, Jesus demonstrated his love for his disciples. He was obedient to God, giving substance to everything he said and did, and providing an example for his disciples to follow.
Jesus also loved his disciples by preparing them for his imminent crucifixion, resurrection, and departure from the world. He promised them that they would receive what they needed, and that he would send the Holy Spirit, or the "Comforter", to guide them and remind them of his teachings.
Jesus's commandment to his disciples to "love one another; as I have loved you" illustrates the kind of love that takes the initiative and loves freely, without any demand for a return of love. This kind of love relinquishes control over the beloved, hoping for their flourishing and delighting in their progress. It is a "virtuous circle" where receiving Christ's love leads to bestowing it on others.
Jesus introduced himself as a standard for love, going beyond the usual criterion of "as you love yourself". His commandment was new in that it called for love towards others, not based on shared nationality, but because they belonged to Christ and had seen his love for his disciples.
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The commandment is interpreted as dual to the Love of Christ for his followers
The New Commandment in Catholicism refers to Jesus's commandment to "love one another" as he loved us. This commandment is found in John 13:34–35, where Jesus, after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas, tells his disciples:
> "Love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."
Theologically, this commandment is interpreted as dual to the Love of Christ for his followers. Jesus introduces himself as a standard for love, which is a novelty introduced by this commandment. The usual criterion had been "as you love yourself", but the New Commandment goes beyond this by stating "as I have loved you". This means that Christ's love for his disciples serves as the new model for how they should love one another.
This kind of love is wild in a sense, as it is not the result of any expectation of exchange or transaction. Instead, it is a love that takes the initiative, a love that is freely given without any demand for a return. It is a love that relinquishes control over the beloved, hoping that they may flourish with these free gifts of love.
The commandment can also be seen as a virtuous circle, where receiving Christ's love leads to bestowing it as he does, by loving first. This commandment appears thirteen times in twelve verses in the New Testament and is considered the last wish in the Farewell Discourse to the disciples.
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Frequently asked questions
The New Commandment in Catholicism is Jesus's commandment to "love one another", given as part of his final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper.
The New Commandment is similar to the second part of the Great Commandment, which is to love your neighbour. The New Commandment goes further by stating that one should love others as Jesus loved his disciples, i.e., to love others without any demand or expectation of a return of love.
The New Commandment is introduced by Jesus in John 13:34–35, after the Last Supper and the departure of Judas. The commandment appears thirteen times in twelve verses in the New Testament.
