Daily Bible Verse - 9/29/2007 - John 13:34

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

John 13:34

Commentary
The command to love was new because Jesus gave it a new standard. Moses said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18). Jesus said the new standard was as I have loved you. Jesus gave His disciples the example of love that they were to follow (vv. 1-17).

Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson's new illustrated Bible commentary (Jn 13:34). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

Did you know?

The warm word agape is the characteristic term of Christianity. This word for love is used several different ways in the Bible.

1. Agape love indicates the nature of the love of God toward His beloved Son (John 17:26), toward the human race generally (John 3:16; Rom. 5:8), and toward those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:21).

2. Agape love conveys God's will to His children about their attitude toward one another. Love for one another was a proof to the world of true discipleship (John 13:34-35).

3. Agape love also expresses the essential nature of God (1 John 4:8). Love can be known only from the actions it prompts, as seen in God's love in the gift of His Son (1 John 4:9-10). Love found its perfect expression in the Lord Jesus. Christian love is the fruit of the Spirit of Jesus in the believer (Gal. 5:22).

Hayford, J. W., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Hayford's Bible handbook. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Daily Bible Verse - 9/28/2007 - John 14:23

Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him."

Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.

Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him."

John 14:23

Commentary
Once again, Jesus emphasized the need for the habitual practice of obedience to His commands as evidence of the believer's love for Him and the Father (see note on v. 15). This is consistent with the teaching of James 2:14-26 that true saving faith is manifest by works produced by God in the transforming, regenerating power of the Spirit. Those works are expressions of the love which the Spirit pours into the believer's heart (Rom. 5:5; Gal. 5:22).

MacArthur, J. J. (1997, c1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed.) (Jn 14:21). Nashville: Word Pub.