Love You!

This passage marks the beginning of Jesus’ “Farewell Discourse,” as it’s called. For those who want to look ahead, the theme of the mutual glorification of the Father and the Son, which appears here (31,32), shapes the whole discourse in a deep way and then reappears at the end–(c.f. 17:24-26).

So this passage sets the basic themes and message for the next four chapters of the Gospel. Through being betrayed, condemned and executed–all that is about to happen–Jesus is not shamed (which would be the instinctive verdict of society at that time) but glorified. And in this glory, God is glorified. And as soon as God is glorified through the Son, he responds by passing the glory back–immediately. This double glorification probably reflects Jesus’ death and resurrection: through his shame and death he glorifies his Father, who responds by raising him immediately, and gloriously, from the dead.

So, with this great climax and departure about to happen, the command to love one another is the absolutely vital thing that Jesus wants to leave with his disciples. They must love each other, following his example, who “endured the cross, scorning its shame (Heb. 12:22). They must wash feet and love betrayers, two great symbols of the love “to the end” (1) which he has for them. It’s not just Judas who can’t receive such love–Peter can’t, either. He still doesn’t want to admit that he needs to be loved like this. His feeling in verse 8 is still strong for him, as he ironically protests that he will die for Jesus, rather than lose him (37)! For now, Jesus says, he must face his own darkness, and discover how to allow Jesus to die for him (38).

Often it is more difficult to be loved than to love. Why? Revisit your list of love components: did you include “the capacity to receive love”? If not, why not?