The New Commandment: Taking a look at the Last Supper

Jesus, the promised messiah God made man, entered creation and sacrificed himself so that everyone who might believe in him could live a full and eternal life with him! But how do we know how much Jesus loves us? Scholars have looked back at John 13 to help take a look at this question.

The Last Supper was Jesus' final meal with his disciples before he would be imprisoned and sacrificed at the cross. During this meal, traditionally the Passover meal, followers of God would take this opportunity to remember the Exodus story. A people once in chains led to a new life full of freedom and joy. During this celebration, Jesus established a new covenant and gave his disciples a new commandment: to love others, and he loved them.

At the beginning of this meal, we glimpse what many scholars believe to explain the full extent of Jesus' love for his disciples. John 13:3-5 states, "Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel he had around him."

When Peter petitioned against Jesus, he realized that Jesus wasn't completing a religious ritual but symbolizing what his sacrifice would mean for his followers. Jesus then told the disciples to follow his example. So, if loving others is the new commandment, how do you follow it?

Dive Deeper

1 Corinthians 13 is a great passage to help you grow in your love for others! Paul explains that love is patient, kind, not jealous, not boastful or proud, not rude, and not selfish or irritable. If you were to put your name next to each one of these characteristics, which one could you confidently say would make a truthful statement? This tool can help reveal areas where you might be able to show love to others in the way that Jesus intended for you!