Jesus' new commandment

[jzevallos]

In John 15: 9 Jesus says “As the Father has loved me so I have loved you” ; then again in John 15: 12 “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” ; and again 1n John 15:13 “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”

I have always thought that here Jesus is giving us here a new commandment about a very special kind of love, a love that does not think of oneself but sacrifices for the sake of the other.

However, in an article (Ignatius Insight- April 14, 2011) by James Kidd entitled Ayn Rand's attack on Christian Morality he makes the point that Jesus new commandment was not so much a mandate but an exhortation. He explains that the "obligation of Charity is an oxymoron". He writes that "Christ institutes the New Law not as a set of new mandates but as an exhortation to go above and beyond the existing ones. In other words, Christ does not add to the virtue of justice; he adds the virtue of charity on top of it. But charity remains distinct from justice. Or, in terms of the old theological dictum, grace does not destroy nature; it presupposes and perfects it. Unfortunately, though, a lack of clarification has led to a misunderstanding of charity. Today, the impression is left that Christianity mandates benevolence toward one's neighbor."

Please explain because I am utterly confused is Jesus giving us a new commandment or only an exhortation.

Thanks

Julio

[meltzerboy]

Originally Posted by jzevallos

In John 15: 9 Jesus says “As the Father has loved me so I have loved you” ; then again in John 15: 12 “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” ; and again 1n John 15:13 “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”

I have always thought that here Jesus is giving us here a new commandment about a very special kind of love, a love that does not think of oneself but sacrifices for the sake of the other.

However, in an article (Ignatius Insight- April 14, 2011) by James Kidd entitled Ayn Rand's attack on Christian Morality he makes the point that Jesus new commandment was not so much a mandate but an exhortation. He explains that the "obligation of Charity is an oxymoron". He writes that "Christ institutes the New Law not as a set of new mandates but as an exhortation to go above and beyond the existing ones. In other words, Christ does not add to the virtue of justice; he adds the virtue of charity on top of it. But charity remains distinct from justice. Or, in terms of the old theological dictum, grace does not destroy nature; it presupposes and perfects it. Unfortunately, though, a lack of clarification has led to a misunderstanding of charity. Today, the impression is left that Christianity mandates benevolence toward one's neighbor."

Please explain because I am utterly confused is Jesus giving us a new commandment or only an exhortation.

Thanks

Julio

I'm certainly not a New Testament scholar, but I know Jesus says He came not to destroy the (Torah) Law but to fulfill it. Whether He was talking about the prophecies of the Law only, I don't know. Assuming He meant the whole Law, I would think that Jesus is expanding on the concept of justice and mercy found in the Torah and other parts of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible says, for example, "An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," whose meaning, often misinterpreted, is not to extract every ounce of justice for being wronged, but rather NOT to go beyond the appropriate penalty. Jesus, however, is going a little further by exhorting us to forgive those who trespass against us. Another example found in the Hebrew Bible: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falls." This means we should have respect for the dignity of human life and not make a mockery of any of G-d's creation. But Jesus exhorts us to love and pray for our enemy, which takes the Law one step further beyond loving our neighbor. (Similar reasoning concerning the Sabbath and the dietary laws.) In short, I don't believe Jesus is mandating a new commandment per se, but rather reinterpreting the Law and taking it to the next level. However, such an exhortation, though not explicitly mandated, is implicitly the way Jesus wants people to behave toward one another.

[sllhouette]

Originally Posted by jzevallos

In John 15: 9 Jesus says “As the Father has loved me so I have loved you” ; then again in John 15: 12 “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” ; and again 1n John 15:13 “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”

I have always thought that here Jesus is giving us here a new commandment about a very special kind of love, a love that does not think of oneself but sacrifices for the sake of the other.

However, in an article (Ignatius Insight- April 14, 2011) by James Kidd entitled Ayn Rand's attack on Christian Morality he makes the point that Jesus new commandment was not so much a mandate but an exhortation. He explains that the "obligation of Charity is an oxymoron". He writes that "Christ institutes the New Law not as a set of new mandates but as an exhortation to go above and beyond the existing ones. In other words, Christ does not add to the virtue of justice; he adds the virtue of charity on top of it. But charity remains distinct from justice. Or, in terms of the old theological dictum, grace does not destroy nature; it presupposes and perfects it. Unfortunately, though, a lack of clarification has led to a misunderstanding of charity. Today, the impression is left that Christianity mandates benevolence toward one's neighbor."

Please explain because I am utterly confused is Jesus giving us a new commandment or only an exhortation.

Thanks

Julio

I disagree with this guy. It is a commandment and it is not new. Yes, justice and mercy are both disticnt, but they are also both commanded. "Love your neighbor as you Love yourself" is the second greatest commandment.

[mercytruth]

Here is a good example of why Jesus Christ said,

"Salvation is of the Jews".

And why the apostle Paul said, 'salvation is to the Jews first, and also to the Greeks"
.
And, 'God's gifts and callings to the patriarchs are not withdrawn'.

Thanks be to G-d.

Micah

[JimR-OCDS]

The two commandments Jesus gave us, to love the Lord God with all our strength and all our soul and to love our neighbor, is the summation of the 10 Commandments.

In fact, monks in the Orthodox Church often teach that we should examine ourselves against the two commandments Jesus gave us, and we'll come to a deeper understanding how we have not obeyed the 10 commandments.


Anyway, I always use the two commandments Jesus gave, when I examine my conscience before going to confession.


Jim

[fhansen]

Originally Posted by jzevallos

In John 15: 9 Jesus says “As the Father has loved me so I have loved you” ; then again in John 15: 12 “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you.” ; and again 1n John 15:13 “A man can have no greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”

I have always thought that here Jesus is giving us here a new commandment about a very special kind of love, a love that does not think of oneself but sacrifices for the sake of the other.

However, in an article (Ignatius Insight- April 14, 2011) by James Kidd entitled Ayn Rand's attack on Christian Morality he makes the point that Jesus new commandment was not so much a mandate but an exhortation. He explains that the "obligation of Charity is an oxymoron". He writes that "Christ institutes the New Law not as a set of new mandates but as an exhortation to go above and beyond the existing ones. In other words, Christ does not add to the virtue of justice; he adds the virtue of charity on top of it. But charity remains distinct from justice. Or, in terms of the old theological dictum, grace does not destroy nature; it presupposes and perfects it. Unfortunately, though, a lack of clarification has led to a misunderstanding of charity. Today, the impression is left that Christianity mandates benevolence toward one's neighbor."

Please explain because I am utterly confused is Jesus giving us a new commandment or only an exhortation.

Thanks

Julio

Jesus also sums up the Law with the greatest commandments, to love God with your whole heart, soul, mind, and strength and your neighbor as yourself. Love is the highest virtue-the goal-all else is worthless comparatively speaking according to Paul in 1 Cor 13. And love fulfills the law according to Rom 13:8.

So man's justice actually consists in obtaining this goal. And that's the role of the New Covenant, to help us obtain it as we're united with God, the source of love, as man was always meant to be. This is something man cannot do on his own. And any chance of it had been forfeited at the fall where man spurned and rejected God. As Pope Benedict stated in Spe Salvi: Let us put it very simply: man needs God, otherwise he remains without hope. As we learn this fact, we can turn back to God again and He can begin to fulfill the prophesy, in us, in Jer 31:33-34