Commandment

 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
John 15:12 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/jhn.15.12.ESV

On the face of it, Jesus seems to be similar to Moses here, who commanded the Israelites to love their neighbours as themselves. Yet He goes further. Moses delivered God's commandments as His servant; Jesus delivered them as His Son.

Jesus as the Son has as much authority as the Father. It's a bit like a Father-Son business where they work together as equal partners. Jesus models for us what God the Father expects of us.

When Moses commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves, there wasn't a perfect frame of reference. Moses himself had been guilty of murder earlier in his life. Jesus is different however.

Jesus can happily command us to love one another as He loved us. He loved us to the extent that He gave His life for us. He sets the bar impossibly high, yet with His help we can do the impossible.

'Our Father God, please help us to love one another as Christ has loved us. In His name we pray, amen'

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