5 Lessons on Friendship From Jesus- With Rebecca McLaughlinSýnishorn

Sacrificial Love

Love had been the pounding heart of Jesus’ ethical teaching—love of God, love of neighbor, even love of enemies. So, how was this commandment new? The newness of His words is anchored in what Jesus was about to do. On that dark night, He called His followers to plunge themselves deeper into love than they had ever gone, because their love for one another was to be just like His love for them. This love was set up as the hallmark of discipleship.

“A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Earlier that evening, Jesus had given them a model of self-sacrificing love. He’d stripped down to a towel around His waist and taken on the slave-associated role of washing His disciples’ feet. He’d told them they should do the same for one another. His followers were likely still in shock. But this was just the prelude. They were soon to witness how far His love would go. When Jesus told His friends that they must love each other just like He loved them, He knew He was mere hours from the cross. He also knew that very night they’d let Him down.