The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 190

rontin11r my C'flrtl1ly ministry, to prolong bµn, s sentence pl\rnllel with the 3{3.,111. 1.h<> 1re1 imony which I have given ooncorn- "Even as up to thie moment, and up to mv lng l!o,l, l\n<l wl,ioh God has given oonoern- death, and to the uttermost, I have loved i11g- me. The timo will oome when "I will you, I give," etc., "in order thd ye may ree<>i,·e you uut.o myself, that where I am, )ov:o one another, and, inspired by me, mo.v 1 here ye may he also;" but now he prays, 1m1tate my love one towe.rde another r, " though I am no more in this wnrld, these (Westcott). This is an endeavour to com- 11.re in the "·orld, . . . holy Father, keep bine both interprotatione. Alford suggest. them "(eh. xvii. 11). that the "newness" of the commandment Yere. 34, 85.-(2) The Mmand wl,ich thu consists in its "unieity," its boing the prime ,,lorilicafion trot1-ld make on the mutual injunction of the new covenant, &nd the ;;,1e1;·1y and ajJedion of the discipl,es, firstfruit of the Spirit (Go.I. v. 22; 1 Oor. Ver. 34.-A new oommanciment I give xiii.). Tholuck sees the expression of self. unto you (tmlh the purpose and scope) that renouncing love-the love of the highest to ye love one another; even u ( or, seeing that) the sinful, the lovo which is more blessed I loved yon, th&t ye (also) love one another. to give than to receive, the all-embracing 'file interpretation of this verse largely de- love. ponds on the meaning given to the rta9rlis, Ver. 85.-Jly (or, in) this shall all men if, as many translate it, " even &s I loved know that ye are my disoiples, if ye have y-0u; " or, "after the manner and type of love one tvw&rd another. Not by works of my love to yo11;" then &n amply sufficient majesty and power, but by love to one another. explanation tirlses of the novel.ty of the All eommentatore refer to the well-known ,,,.,.o>-.-fi. So new a type of love is given tbst, saying of St. John &t Ephesus, as recorded IU3 the Greek expositors generally have by Jerome, "Thie is the Lord's oomme.nd- urged, there is a deeper intensity in the ment. If ye love one another it is enough" love than ce.n be found in the Mose.ie prin- (Tholuck refers to Tertullian's • Apol.,' 89; ciple, " Love thy neighbour 1U1 tJ,,ysel/." In Minucius Felix, " They love before they this commandment, which embraces the know each other; " e.nd Lucian, " Their whole law, eelf-love is usumed, and is me.de Master makes them believe they are the st.andard for the love of neighbour. brothers,'' • De Mort. Pereg.'). Analogies to This J,,.,.o>..-fi, on the other hand, would be the great law of Christ may be found in the be.sed on a new principle, and measured by Low of Moses, in Talmudico.l writings, in a higher stande.rd, and even mean more the Confucian • Ano.leets,' and in Stoioal ib.an love of self altogether. Christ's lovs mu:illlB; but this l,rro>..-fi in its fulness, and to hie disciples wu self-abandoning, self- as sustained by this motive, or inspired by sacrificing love. This view of the passage is this pattern, and lifted to this standard, is urged by Liicke, and really removes all neu, to the human race: e.nd it is the power necessity for the varied translations of the which he.s revolutionized thought, society, K4'vi;, such IUI "illustriow;" (Hammond); e.nd life. So long e.s this gree.t power pre- "last" (Heum&Illl); "one that is always vailed, the Church made astounding pro- new" (Olshausen); "renewed command- gress ; when the so-called disciples of Ohrist ment," a "renewing commandment " (Au- began to ho.te and kill one another the .gustiue and Maldonatus); "the institution of progress we.s arrested. But, thank God, the Eucharist" (Lange). But it is doubt- the "new commandment" has always had ful whether the ideal image of a perfect love marvcllons power over the Church of Obrist. constitutes the novelty, and whether the Ver. 36-ch. xiv. 4.-(3) The question <,/ douhle l'.,,a D.D.d tile transposition of the Sirrwn Peter, with the ternole response anct second r.,,. be found in the simple style of bitter grief of the entire group, /ollowect by John. If, however, rta9,J,s tyd.1r~tTa be taken the consoling promise. as "aeein~ that," or "since I loved you" Ver. 36.-Here follows another character- (i!Ce eh. :nii. 2), Christ's love beoomes not istic question of Simon Peter, who said to 80 much the manner or type, as the motive, him, Lord, whither goest thou 1 This in• ground, and principle of love to one another. quiry points backs to ver. 33, where Jesus .A,; if he l1ad said, "I have loved ee.ch of warned his disciples that they could not von unto death; in loving one another you (Ii,,.-,) now follow him. J'esUB answered are lovillg me, yon o.rc loving an object of (him) (the "him" is omitted by B, O, L, ruy tender love. The deaire of mere imita- Vulgate, and Coptic, by Westcott and Hort, tion. however strong, is not equal to the and R.1'.), Whither I go, thou ea.net not <lemand I make, while the be.stowment follow me now (vvv), at this crisis; but thou ot the 'new' principle of life arising from ahslt follow me afterwards. Peter felt that a responee to my love ia." For the first the central teaching of the entire conversa- interpretation speaks John's own nse of tion turned upon the Lord's departure and 1.he idea (l John iii. 16). There is a third his separation, not only from the Jews who interpretation, wh.i.oh me.kes aa.Brlis ir,a.rtJua. wisunder11tood him, !Jut from the disoiplea an. :xnr. 1-88.J TTIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. 1!)7