Jesus’s use of the phrasing “a new commandment” is…
““Jesus’s use of the phrasing “a new commandment” is frequently scanted in light of its implicit ramifications. Because Jesus at the Last Supper has executed the “new covenant” with his disciples, the Great Commandment itself now acquires an unprecedented meaning. Its new meaning belongs to this sudden revelation not merely about who God is but also about what love is. Previously the Great Commandment bade us to love God and our neighbor. Now this love can be comprehended only in an incarnational situation. Its incarnate presence is the activation of profound rhizomic relations that explode from the center toward the ends of the earth. We are commanded to be incarnational in relation to one another just as God at the cross was incarnational in Christ. . . . We are no longer simply Christ’s “followers" - the pre-Easter form of relation to a master-and-teacher that is conventionally called “disciple” - but also perpetual Christ incarnators . . .””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Jesus redefines love as an incarnational, relational act, urging believers to embody love in tangible, communal ways.
In simple terms: Jesus makes love an embodied, relational practice.
Key Takeaway
Live love incarnationally.
Themes
theology
incarnation
love
community
Mood
reflective
devotional
Type
theological
spiritual
When to use this quote
- church life
- social justice
- personal relationships
- mission work
Key Concepts
relational ethics
spiritual praxis
Questions to Reflect On
- How does incarnational love differ from abstract love?
- What practices embody this love?
A Different Perspective
Interpretations of incarnation vary.