The Importance of Love

While love was important under the Law, it is the very heart, or essence, of the Law of Christ.  This fact was stressed by Jesus when he met with his apostles to celebrate the Passover of 33 C.E. According to the apostle John's summary of what took place that night, Jesus' heartfelt words included 28 references to love.  This emphasized to his apostles the substance or spirit, of his law.  Significantly, John introduced his coverage of the events of that momentous evening by saying:  "Because he knew before the festival of the passover that his hour had come for him to move out of this world to the Father.  Jesus, having loved his own that were in the world, loved them to the end." -

Jesus loved his apostles, even though he had tried without apparent success to help them overcome their inordinate desire for power and position.  Months before their arrival in Jerusalem, 'they had argued among themselves who was greater.'  And just before they came to the city for the Passover, the dispute over position erupted again.  (Mark 9:33-37; 10:35-45) That this was an ongoing problem is indicated by what occurred shortly after the apostles entered the upper room to share what was to be their final Passover together.  At that time no one seized the opportunity to render the customary, hospitable service of washing the feet of the others.  To teach them a lesson in humility, Jesus himself washed their feet. -John 13:2-15; 1 Timothy 5:9, 10.

Despite that lesson, after the Passover was observed and Jesus instituted the Memorial of his approaching death, note what took place yet again.  Says Luke's Gospel account:  "There also arose a heated dispute among them over which one of them seemed to be the greatest."  Instead of getting angry with the apostles and berating them, Jesus kindly counseled them about the need to be different from the power-hungry rulers of the world.  (Luke 22:24-27)  He then provided  what might be called the cornerstone of the Law of Christ, saying:  "I am giving you a new commandment that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another." -John 13:34.

Later that evening Jesus pointed out how far Christlike love should go.  He said:  "This is my commandment, that you love one another just as I have loved you.  No one has love greater than this, that someone should surrender his soul in behalf of his friends."  (John 15:12, 13)  Was Jesus saying that his followers should be willing to die in behalf of fellow believers if the occasion called for this? That was the understanding of John, an eyewitness on this occasion, for he later wrote:  "By this we have come to know love, because that one [Jesus Christ] surrendered his soul for us; and we are under obligation to surrender our  souls for our brothers." -1 John 3:16.

Next time: Conclusion of The Importance of Love

The Watchtower, 1999