S
spockrates
Guest
I’ve always wondered this, and hope someone might have the answer. Jesus said:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13:34-35)
He said He gave His disciples (and I suppose also you and me) a novel imperative–to love one another. But is it true this commandment is new? In one of the other gospels He quotes an extremely old command. When asked what the greatest commandment of the Old Testament was, He answered:
" ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "
(Matthew 22:37-39)
So my question is this: Since the command to love is so old, how could Jesus sincerely say it was new?
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
(John 13:34-35)
He said He gave His disciples (and I suppose also you and me) a novel imperative–to love one another. But is it true this commandment is new? In one of the other gospels He quotes an extremely old command. When asked what the greatest commandment of the Old Testament was, He answered:
" ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ "
(Matthew 22:37-39)
So my question is this: Since the command to love is so old, how could Jesus sincerely say it was new?
