John Calvin Commentary John 13:34

"A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." — John 13:34 (ASV)

A new commandment I give you. To the consolation he adds an exhortation, that they should love one another; as if he had said, “Yet while I am absent from you in body, testify by mutual love that I have not taught you in vain; let this be your constant study, your chief meditation.” Why does he call it a new commandment?

Not all are agreed on this point. Some suppose the reason to be that, while the injunction formerly contained in the Law about brotherly love was literal and external, Christ wrote it anew by his Spirit on the hearts of believers. Thus, according to them, the Law is new because he publishes it in a new manner, so that it may have full vigor.

But that is, in my opinion, far-fetched and at variance with Christ’s meaning. The exposition given by others is that, though the Law directs us to the exercise of love, still, because in it the doctrine of brotherly love is encumbered by many ceremonies and appendages, it is not so clearly exhibited; but, on the other hand, that perfection in love is laid down in the Gospel without any shadows.

For my own part, though I do not absolutely reject this interpretation, I consider what Christ said to be more simple; for we know that laws are more carefully observed at the beginning, but they gradually slip out of human remembrance until they eventually become obsolete. Therefore, to impress the doctrine of brotherly love more deeply on the minds of his disciples, Christ recommends it on the ground of novelty, as if he had said, “I wish you to remember this commandment continually, as if it were a law very recently made.”

In short, we see that it was Christ’s design in this passage to exhort his disciples to brotherly love, so that they might never allow themselves to be withdrawn from its pursuit, or allow its doctrine to slip from their minds. We learn by daily experience how necessary this admonition was. For since it is difficult to maintain brotherly love, people lay it aside and contrive for themselves new methods of worshipping God, and Satan suggests many things to occupy their attention. Thus, by idle pursuits, they try in vain to mock God, but they deceive themselves.

Therefore, let this title of novelty excite us to the continual exercise of brotherly love. Meanwhile, let us understand that it is called new, not because it now began for the first time to please God, since it is elsewhere called the fulfilling of the law (Romans 13:10).

That you love one another. Brotherly love is indeed extended to strangers, for we are all of the same flesh and are all created after the image of God. But because the image of God shines more brightly in those who have been regenerated, it is proper that the bond of love among Christ’s disciples should be far closer.

Brotherly love seeks its cause in God; from him it has its root, and to him it is directed. Thus, in proportion as it perceives any person to be a child of God, it embraces that person with greater warmth and affection. Besides, the mutual exercise of love cannot exist except in those who are guided by the same Spirit. Therefore, it is the highest degree of brotherly love that is described here by Christ; but we ought to believe, on the other hand, that just as God’s goodness extends to the whole world, so we ought to love all, even those who hate us.

As I have loved you. He holds out his own example, not because we can reach it, for we are at a vast distance behind him, but so that we may, at least, aim at the same goal.