The Excellence of Discipleship (John 13 : 34-35)
Glory to God
Jesus explains God's love through these verses in the gospel according to Luke 6:27-35. In the gospel according to Luke 6:35, God is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. As in the gospel according to Matthew 5:44-45, He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Therefore, we too must love even our enemies (Luke 6:27-28), as works of love doing good to those who hate us, blessing those who curse us (Matthew 5:44), praying for those who persecute us and despitefully use us (Luke 6:29-35), turning to him the other who smite the one cheek, forbidding not to take the coat to him that taketh the cloke, giving to those who ask, not demanding back what is taken, doing good to those who do evil—so that we live to become the children of our Father in heaven and love one to another accordingly to God's love. The epistle of Paul to Romans 5:6-10 show us God’s love was revealed to us when we were yet without strength, sinners, and enemies. Likewise, we must love not only those who loves us but also enemies, haters, persecutors—in short, everyone.
Another feature of God’s love is that, it is unchanging no matter once they are good later they become enemies whereas men's manner of love is temporary; if loved ones later if they turned against them their love ends. God’s love never fails (1Corinthians 13:8), never vanish away. Charity abideth forever (1 Corinthians 13:13). Therefore God's love is, as Jesus loved us unto the end we too must love, Yes, He loved His own which were in the world unto the end (John 13:1).
But how it is possible for us? Or if we pay attention to how Jesus revealed this, it might be a wonder to us. In the gospel according to John 13:1,3-5 Jesus knowing His hour had come that He should depart out of this world and go unto the Father, in order to reveal His love of loving them unto the end, Jesus rose from supper, laid aside His outer garment, and took a towel and girded himself. After he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash His disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
If we compare this to 1Samuel 25:40-41, Abigail, who has to be David’s wife, humbled herself and said to the servants of David, behold, "let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord "Here if we see clearly, sometimes we might be happy to wash the feet of our masters. But she humbled herself more in saying that she is the handmaid in washing the feet of the servants of his lord! In the same way, Jesus, whom the disciples called Master and Lord, humbled Himself or changed Himself to be a servant to wash the feet of His servants(disciples). The epistle of Paul to Philippians 2:6-7 tells us, though He being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, He humbled Himself and was made in the likeness of men and took upon Him the form of a servant.
Why did Jesus become a servant here? In the book of Exodus 21:1-6 explains: A Hebrew slave, when given the chance to go free, may choose to remain a servant forever because of his love for his master, his wife whom his master gave , and his children. He would have his ear pierced as a mark of lifelong servitude. Even though he could leave and have another family, out of love, he chose to stay, since he loved them unto the end and to be with them he remained to be a servant. Likewise, Jesus loved those whom the Father had given Him unto the end (John 6:37-39,10:27-29) by making Himself a servant and washed their feet (John 13:4-5).If so, we to love one another unto the end, we have to become servants and be a servant forever then our love will abide forever without failing.
As such when we learn the love of becoming servant, Jesus says in the gospel according to John 15:12, “that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” In the gospel according to John 15:9-10, He explains just as the Father loved Him, so He loved us, therefore continue ye in my love He says. But how? By keeping His commandments, as He kept the Father’s commandments and remained in His love. In the gospel according to John 14:15,21,23,24: 15:14 verses shows that those who love Jesus will keep His words and commandments. In the epistle of Paul to Philippians 2:6-8 says He humbled Himself, became obedient unto death—even the death of the cross by taking the form of a servant. In the book of Psalm 40:6-8 and in the epistle of Paul to Hebrews 10:5-7 we see in burnt offerings and sacrifices thou had no pleasure, lo, in the volume of the book it is written of me, O God for which I delight to do thy will and thou prepared a body for it, is mentioned in the epistle of Hebrew whereas in Psalm it is said mine ears hast thou opened (pierced). Jesus in the likeness of men who humbled Himself by thrusting through His ears in order to keep the commandments of God (Isaiah 53:10) thereby He fulfilled everything which is written concerning Him even unto the death of the Cross (John 19:28-30) as a obedient servant. To love God and to keep His commandments and to dwell in His love we ought to become servants, an obedient servant unto the end.
In further, as Jesus kept His Father's commandments and abided in God's love we too should dwell in the love of Jesus and keep His commandments. As the Father loved Jesus,even so Jesus loved us (John 13:34). To remain in the brotherly love and to love one to another as He loved us, we too must take the form of a servant, even as a servant forever, whose ears were thrust. Only then we can love to the very end. Likewise, in the first epistle of Peter 5:5 says ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you subject one to another in love. In the first epistle of Peter 2:18 says, be subject not only to the good and the gentle but also to the froward. Thus, it is not asked for the particular group, in the first epistle of Peter 5:5 says, everyone must be humble, clothed with humility, and be a servant. That is being filled in the love of God they who desire to dwell in love one to another, be a servant to one another. Reciprocal love, ever loving, obedient, caring, helpful, enduring servants (1Corinthians 13:4-8), fulfilling the definition of love in all its fullness.
Let me remind you a story: In heaven, a great banquet is prepared. Delicious food fills the table. But the people there have long spoons tied to their arms, making it impossible to bend their elbows and feed themselves. Yet it doesn't matter for those who are perfected in love and dwell in brotherly love fed one another being servants. In this way, all experienced the feast joyfully.
In the same way, just as Jesus loved His own unto the end by making Himself a servant, even so we too being servant serve one to another by submitting, enduring, obeying, sparing, helping, and loving, then we will be able to reveal to the world that we are the disciples of Jesus. May our Heavenly Father makes us worthy for these experiences, and fills us with His abundant grace, and glorify His name through us.
