Scripture
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
31As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man[1] to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32And since God receives glory because of the Son,[2] he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?”
And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.”
37“But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.”
38Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
Translation notes (2)
- 13:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 13:32 Several early manuscripts do not include And since God receives glory because of the Son.
Dear friends, I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. This old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before.
How do you know that someone is a follower of Jesus? Maybe you think someone is a follower of Jesus because they go to church every Sunday or because they post Bible verses often on their social media page. These are good, positive things, but they are not what will prove that someone is a follower of Jesus. Jesus gave us the defining marker for Christians in John 13:35, “Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.” Love for others should be the indicator that we are followers of Christ, which is why loving the people around us is the second-greatest commandment (Mark 12:31).
“Dear friends,” John writes in a letter to the church, “I am not writing a new commandment for you; rather it is an old one you have had from the very beginning. The old commandment—to love one another—is the same message you heard before” (1 John 2:7). This verse is interesting because it begs the question if this command is not new; when did John’s audience hear about it before? They heard about this command in John’s earlier book that He wrote, the Gospel of John. Then, in John 13, as Jesus was sharing a last meal with His disciples, He said to them, “Now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love one another” (verse 34). As some of the last teaching moments took place, Jesus wanted his disciples to know the defining marker of His followers: love.
Friends, what was true that day with His disciples is true today. When people observe us, our love is to be the thing that defines us as followers of Jesus. Knowing this, we must ask ourselves if our love for others defines us. Would others look at you and know you were a follower of Jesus based on how you love? Let’s be people who fiercely love others and are known for that love. That kind of love, my friends, is contagious. It alone is a powerful force that can change the world.
Moving toward action
Is there someone in your life who is hard for you to love? Decide today to show them love anyway. Pray for them. If possible, take them a coffee or a meal, or give them a call to simply ask how they are doing. Determine today to show love, even when it is difficult.
Going Deeper
John 13:31-38 (NLT)
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