John 13:31–35 (ESV)

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 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. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

There’s a twist in verse 34 that’s obvious in the Greek, but doesn’t come through clearly in English translations. The words, “that you love one another,” are not part of the new commandment.

The new commandment is, “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” The earlier clause, “that you love one another,” is a purpose clause; it’s the purpose of that commandment.

There’s no way to say this accurately in English without it sounding clumsy and repetitive, though the meaning is clear and important.

Remember, Jesus just washed the disciples’ feet. That was yet another demonstration of His love for them. Now He’s connecting that to what their discipleship should look like. His point is a three-step sequence.

• “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” He’s challenging them to love one another as much as He has loved them. That’s quite a throw-down.
• So that you love one another. If they can mimic His love, their love will be real and obvious.
• By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. People will notice.

To drive the point home, He says love one another three times.

That will become Christianity’s signature behavior.

This completes Jesus’s final lesson to His disciples. From here on, events will be unfolding too quickly for a lecture. Jesus will make points—there’s still more to be learned—but this is His last “classroom” lesson.

Consider how this whole sequence fits together. First Jesus demonstrates humility and love by washing His disciples’ feet. Next, He explains why He did it and generalizes the concept to teach them humility. Then, after dispatching Judas, He wraps it up with a thrice-repeated command to love one another and points out that this will be how everyone will recognize them as His disciples.

That’s Christian leadership in a can—humility and love.

They go hand-in-hand.

These Monday—Friday DEEPs are written by Mike Slay. The Saturday DEEPs are written by Matt Richardson. To subscribe to all the DEEPs click here:

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV stands for the English Standard Version. © Copyright 2001 by Crossway. Used by permission. All rights reserved. NIV stands for The Holy Bible, New International Version®. © Copyright 1973 by International Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved. KJV stands for the King James Version.