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Jesus in John 14:15 says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” What commandments is he referring to? There are at least two express commandments. Those are the two great commandments that Jesus says in Matthew 22:37-40...that we love God with all our heart, soul and mind, and we love our neighbor as we love ourselves.
Well, what does it mean to love God without all our heart, soul and mind? Consider that when Jesus spoke, he was speaking to two sets of people...there were the Jews, and there were the gentiles. It’s easy to conceive that for the Jews, loving God is to abide by the Laws He gave in the OT, including the ceremonial Laws and the Laws centered around repentance. The gentiles knew nothing of such laws. What guidance were they given, concerning the first Commandment?
Arguably, the guidance that Jesus gave, was mentioned later in Hebrews 6:1-2 when the Hebrews were told to move away from “the elementary doctrine of Christ...not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” The gentiles wouldn’t have known of such laws that formed the elementary doctrine that Jesus spoke from, particularly when he says in Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Perhaps it is the second great express commandment that the gentiles would understand, that of loving your neighbor as yourself.
Commentators tell us that within John 14:15 there is an implied commandment. They say that commandment is Jesus himself, meaning whatever Jesus does and would do is what we should be doing. That does not include the miracles that Jesus performed with God’s Help, nor does it include knowing what our fates are as Jesus did. What would Jesus be doing if he was a physical mortal like us, in terms of our doing what he would do? In John 13:34 he says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This commandment extends beyond just neighbors and even yourself in some instances. It isn’t far-fetched to presume that if Jesus was a physical mortal, he would love everyone.
So, Jesus in John 14:15 says that Jesus’ commandment is to follow his example, to do what he does to the extent that it is in our potential capacity as mortals. Some credibility can be lent to this from Matthew 11:29 in which he says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The “yoke” is his heretofore “example.”
What would such an “example” include? We have some idea from John 3:16-17 “which says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Those of us who love God would show our love by enlightening others of the knowledge they would need to fulfill expectations of the Lord, that they may be saved. As Jesus implored his followers to “make disciples” as he said in Matthew 28:19, That expectation, or Jesus’ yoke if you will, falls on us to convey the Word through thought and deed. That is our mission, as it was Jesus’ mission when he was n earth, and in a sense is still his mission to this day.
Well, what does it mean to love God without all our heart, soul and mind? Consider that when Jesus spoke, he was speaking to two sets of people...there were the Jews, and there were the gentiles. It’s easy to conceive that for the Jews, loving God is to abide by the Laws He gave in the OT, including the ceremonial Laws and the Laws centered around repentance. The gentiles knew nothing of such laws. What guidance were they given, concerning the first Commandment?
Arguably, the guidance that Jesus gave, was mentioned later in Hebrews 6:1-2 when the Hebrews were told to move away from “the elementary doctrine of Christ...not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.” The gentiles wouldn’t have known of such laws that formed the elementary doctrine that Jesus spoke from, particularly when he says in Matthew 5:17-19 “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” Perhaps it is the second great express commandment that the gentiles would understand, that of loving your neighbor as yourself.
Commentators tell us that within John 14:15 there is an implied commandment. They say that commandment is Jesus himself, meaning whatever Jesus does and would do is what we should be doing. That does not include the miracles that Jesus performed with God’s Help, nor does it include knowing what our fates are as Jesus did. What would Jesus be doing if he was a physical mortal like us, in terms of our doing what he would do? In John 13:34 he says, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” This commandment extends beyond just neighbors and even yourself in some instances. It isn’t far-fetched to presume that if Jesus was a physical mortal, he would love everyone.
So, Jesus in John 14:15 says that Jesus’ commandment is to follow his example, to do what he does to the extent that it is in our potential capacity as mortals. Some credibility can be lent to this from Matthew 11:29 in which he says, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” The “yoke” is his heretofore “example.”
What would such an “example” include? We have some idea from John 3:16-17 “which says “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” Those of us who love God would show our love by enlightening others of the knowledge they would need to fulfill expectations of the Lord, that they may be saved. As Jesus implored his followers to “make disciples” as he said in Matthew 28:19, That expectation, or Jesus’ yoke if you will, falls on us to convey the Word through thought and deed. That is our mission, as it was Jesus’ mission when he was n earth, and in a sense is still his mission to this day.
