After Judas leaves, Jesus tells the remaining disciples, 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.' He then says this love will identify them publicly as his disciples.
Jesus in Context
A New Commandment: Love One Another
Jesus calls mutual love a 'new commandment,' not because love was absent from the Old Testament, but because he makes his own self-giving love the pattern and identifying mark of his disciples.
Introduction
Historical and Cultural Context
Love of neighbor was already commanded in Leviticus 19:18, so the command cannot be 'new' simply because Judaism lacked an ethic of love. Its distinctive form in John lies especially in the standard 'as I have loved you' and in its placement as Jesus moves toward laying down his life. The Greek word kainos can denote newness in quality as well as chronological novelty.
In an honor-conscious society, a community marked by self-giving service and love would visibly challenge ordinary competitions for status.
Why It Matters
The Old Testament background prevents a false contrast between a loveless Judaism and a loving Christianity.
What John emphasizes is the Christ-shaped measure of the command. The disciples' communal life is to reproduce the love they have received from Jesus, making that love a recognizable sign of allegiance to him.