So the apostle John had a good background on which to draw when writing about this Christian quality of love, and he it was who recorded the words of Jesus when he told his disciples about the ‘new commandment’: “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

But why did Jesus say that this was to be a “new commandment”? Jesus was addressing his disciples, who were all part of the Jewish nation. Under the Mosaic law the Jews were to love their fellowman as themselves. For example, at Leviticus 19:18 the Law said: “You must not take vengeance nor have a grudge against the sons of your people; and you must love your fellow as yourself.” In fact, in his teaching, Jesus called attention to this command in the Law when he said: “The second [commandment], like it, is this, ‘You must love your neighbor as yourself.’”​—Matt. 22:39.

 4. What kind of love did Jesus refer to at John 13:34, 35, and how was such love manifested?

⁴ The Mosaic law called for neighbor love, not for self-sacrificing love based on principle. Jesus, however, when giving his followers a “new commandment,” was pointing out that they were to be identified by self-sacrificing love, for he added: “Just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Jesus’ love was a self-sacrificing love based on principle, that is, agápē love. He was willing to go to the point of giving even his own life in behalf of his disciples. He spent the years of his public ministry doing good for his fellowman, especially in teaching and helping people in a spiritual way. Therefore his disciples should do the same, not holding back while waiting for an occasion to arise that might dictate the need to do good for one’s fellowman. Rather, Christians should take the initiative and work actively for the good of their fellowman, especially following Jesus’ example in teaching and preaching, thereby working for the spiritual good and welfare of others. But, above all, Jesus’ disciples were to have love for one another. So they were to be outstanding in their love among themselves. It should be something that would readily identify them as different from people of the world in general.