“This is what I command you (my commandment) that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do the things which I command you”.
It is extremely important to recognise that Jesus, having informed His disciples that they must dwell continually in Him, now stresses that they must love one another. The Christian life is two way. Firstly we concentrate on Christ and seek to dwell continually in Him. But this must not become such that we ignore our fellow Christians. That very dwelling in Him must result in outflowing love to other Christians. The lone Christian (except in unavoidable circumstances) is unknown in Scripture. We worship Him and fellowship together, for the one produces the other. We note too the importance that Jesus places on this love between Christians. He recognised how vital it was for the continuation of His message. Had the disciples ‘split up' the cause would have been lost. ‘By this will all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another' (John 13:34). How we fail Him when we fight amongst ourselves! We will never see eye-to-eye on secondary things, but inter-denominational bickering is a blight on our testimony to Christ. We must agree to differ, in love.
It is significant that one of the primary commandments to the old Israel was ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself' (Leviticus 19:18 compare Matthew 22:39; Mark 12:31). This too is to be the mark of the new Israel. It is not primarily an emotional, gushing love (we do not always find people attractive), but a practical love (1 Corinthians 13:4-8), although the experience of the people of God is that as our love for Christ increases so does our love for our fellow believers, a love that has to be experienced to be understood.
It should be noted that this love is to be shown to all His people, not just to those in our own denomination. Where men genuinely love Christ and seek to do His will, there we find those whom we must love, even though we disagree with them on many matters. There is One Who judges and we can leave such judgments to Him.
‘As I have loved you.' The tense is in the aorist denoting a complete action, something which is once for all. His love for them is permanent and complete. They can never doubt its potency.
But notice also that our love is to be seen in the light of His love, it is to be ‘as I have loved you'. Many times in history men have acted harshly in the name of love. Men can be ‘righteous overmuch' and ‘the wrath of man does not work the righteousness of God' (James 1:20). But true love is never harsh, that is a contradiction in terms. Love is compassionate, as Jesus was to His own. It weeps as it chastens. Sometimes a gentle, even stern, rebuke is called for, but it is always to be merciful and eager to remedy matters immediately.
Jesus then goes on to stress the greatness of His love. It is a love which is willing to give its life for those who are loved, His ‘friends'. And this was what He knew He was about to do. Then He adds “You are my friends if you do what I command you”. He accepts them as friends because their hearts were set to obey His commands, and to please God in all their ways.