JOHN 13:31–35
THE NEW COMMANDMENT: LOVE AS CHRIST HAS LOVED
Text – John 13:31–35
31 When he had left, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and God will glorify him at once.
33 My children, I will be with you only a little while longer. You will look for me, and as I told the Jews, ‘Where I go you cannot come,’ so now I say it to you.
34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
35 This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Historical and Jewish Context
In Jewish tradition, the command to love one’s neighbor was already central (Leviticus 19:18). What makes Jesus’ commandment “new” is not the call to love itself, but the measure and model of love: “as I have loved you.” Spoken after Judas departs into the night, these words are addressed to the faithful community gathered around Jesus on the eve of His Passion. The language of “glory” reflects biblical understanding that God’s glory is revealed through faithful obedience, even through suffering.
Catholic Theological Perspective
This passage stands at the heart of Christian moral theology. Catholic teaching affirms that Christian love (agape) is rooted in Christ’s self-giving love on the Cross. The glorification of the Son and the Father occurs precisely through sacrificial love. The new commandment is not merely ethical but sacramental and ecclesial: love becomes the visible sign of discipleship. The Church is recognized not first by structures or power, but by lived charity that mirrors Christ’s love.
Parallels in Scripture
Leviticus 19:18 – Love of neighbor.
John 15:9–13 – Greater love has no one than this.
Romans 5:8 – Christ’s love shown through sacrifice.
1 John 4:7–12 – God is love.
Philippians 2:6–11 – Glory through self-emptying love.
Key Terms
Glorified – God revealed through sacrificial love.
New commandment – Love modeled on Christ.
As I have loved you – The Cross as measure of love.
Disciples – Those formed by Christ’s love.
Love one another – The mark of Christian identity.
Catholic Liturgical Significance
This Gospel is proclaimed on Holy Thursday. The Church presents the new commandment alongside the Eucharist and the washing of feet, showing that worship and love of neighbor are inseparable.
Conclusion
John 13:31–35 reveals that the true glory of God shines through love that gives itself completely. On the threshold of the Cross, Jesus entrusts His disciples with a commandment that defines Christian life: to love as He has loved.
Reflection
Do I measure my love by Christ’s example or by my own comfort?
Does my love make Christ visible to others?
How does sacrificial love shape my daily relationships?
Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, You have loved me to the end. Teach me to love others with Your own self-giving love. May my life reflect Your glory and make me a true disciple in the eyes of the world. Amen.