Jesus’ mission did not end at the cross. Nor did it end at His resurrection, although each of these milestones in His messianic ministry had its own hallmarks of finality. But there is more to come with His ascension, intercession, and return. Each leg of Jesus’ mission brought glory to the Father. Perhaps that is why Jesus spoke in terms of glorifying God “immediately” (John 13:32). His death brought glory to the Father in pursuit of the will of Him who sent Him.
On the heels of highlighting the glorification of the Godhead in the work of redemption, Jesus referenced what was next in this unfolding glory. “Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you” (John 13:33; cf. John 7:33-36; 8:21-23).
To the Jews, Jesus had said: “I shall be with you a little while longer, and then I go to Him who sent Me. You will seek Me and not find Me, and where I am you cannot come” (John 7:33–34). He then went on to announce the giving of the Holy Spirit after His glorification. “’He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified” (John 7:38–39).
Now in the upper room Jesus reiterates this same pattern. He speaks of His limited time with them but also His coming to be with them through the Holy Spirit (John 14:16-18; 15:26-28; 16:5-16). In each of these sections, we find the dual prongs of Jesus leaving and the Spirit coming for the next phase of God’s redemptive work.
But the lesson of the moment, the lesson that undergirds and propels Jesus’ mission is love. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35). It is no surprise that love will be the animating topic of the remainder of Christ’s time with His disciples in the upper room.
The commandment to love has been around a long time, since the days of Moses (Lev. 19:18; Deut. 6:5). Love has always been the keynote to God’s saving mercies and redemptive purpose. But love is new in that Love has become incarnate. In Christ, we see the full extent and manifold glory of the love of God.
Jesus had just humbled Himself to wash the feet of His disciples, and now He tells them to love as He has loved them, as He has shown them. In a moment, Jesus will drive home the point and lay out the lesson plan of love. “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love” (John 15:9–10).
What does love have to do with the Christian life?
