The New Standard of Love Jesus Gave
Jesus raised the standard of love. The Mosaic law taught, “Love your neighbor as yourself” , a command Jesus affirmed as the second great commandment. But on the night before His crucifixion, He gave His disciples something deeper, something distinctly shaped by His own life: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.” ( John 13:34–35 ) Elder Jeffrey R. Holland notes that Jesus chose this commandment as His final, summarizing lesson—“one grand, eternal principle”—to sustain His disciples once He was no longer physically with them. He explains that the word new (Greek kainēn ) means “fresh,” a renewed and intensified version of an ancient law. What was new was the measure: “As I have loved you.” What Did Jesus Mean by “As I Have Loved You”? Service and humility At the Last Supper, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet—an act normally reserved for the lowest servant. ...