The New Commandment (John 13:31–35)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of St. John, Homily 72 (on John 13:31–35) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 14. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf114.iv.lxxiv.html

On "Now is the Son of man glorified" (the Cross named as glory):

And here He calleth it "glory," showing us that there is nothing so shameful and reproachful which makes not brighter him who goeth to it, if it be done according to the will of God.

On the glory of being able to conquer even after death:

For how can it be otherwise than great glory, the being able even after death to do greater things than before death?

On why the new commandment is given here, as the disciples' safeguard:

For since it was likely that they would be troubled when they heard these things, as though they were about to be deserted, He comforteth them, investing them with that which was the root of all blessings and a safeguard, love.

On why the old commandment of love is called new:

But how calleth He that a new commandment which is contained also in the Old (covenant)? He made it new Himself by the manner; therefore He added, "As I have loved you." "I have not paid back to you a debt of good deeds first done by you, but Myself have begun," He saith.

On "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples" (love as the distinguishing token):

By this He at the same time showed that the company should never be extinguished, when He gave them a distinguishing token.

On love as the foundation of all virtue:

it is this which chiefly shows men holy; it is the foundation of all virtue; by this mostly we are all even saved.

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St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of John, Book IX (on John 13:31–35) Source: trans. T. Randell, Library of Fathers, 1885. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_john_09_book9.htm

On the one Christ who is glorified, undivided before and after the incarnation:

not implying a separation in Himself, as some have thought, for the Christ is one only Son both before and after His incarnation, as well after He became man like unto us as before He had become man.

On why the consummation of His glory is His suffering for the world:

For if we examine as well as we may the real character of the mystery of His work, we shall see that He died, not merely for Himself, nor even especially for His own sake; but that it was on behalf of humanity that He suffered and carried out both the suffering in itself and the resurrection that followed.

On the newness of the commandment, since Christ makes us new:

For Christ does renew us, and fashions us again to a newness of life which is unknown to and untravelled by the rest of mankind

On the measure of the new love, which surpasses loving thy neighbour as thyself:

For whereas the Law enjoined the necessity of loving our brethren as ourselves, our Lord Jesus the Christ on the other hand loved us far more than He loved Himself

On "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples" (love as the mark set upon them):

You will set upon yourselves, He says, an irresistible and unquestionable mark of your having been My disciples, if you hasten to follow in the track marked out by My own conduct

On love as the sum of all the commandments:

Love, therefore, is the fulfilment of the Law.

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Blessed Augustine of Hippo (354–430)

Tractates on the Gospel of John, Tractate 65 (on John 13:34–35) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 7. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf107.iii.lxvi.html

On why a commandment so old is called new:

Why, then, is it called a new one by the Lord, when it is proved to be so old? Is it on this account a new commandment, because He hath divested us of the old, and clothed us with the new man?

On the love that alone renews, marked off by "as I have loved you":

For it is not indeed every kind of love that renews him that listens to it, or rather yields it obedience, but that love regarding which the Lord, in order to distinguish it from all carnal affection, added, "as I have loved you."

On this love as our renewal:

This is the love that renews us, making us new men, heirs of the New Testament, singers of the new song.

On what Christ loves in us, as a physician loves the health of the sick:

It is in this way, also, that the physician is properly said to love the sick; and what is it he loves in them but their health, which at all events he desires to recall; not their sickness, which he comes to remove? Let us, then, also so love one another, that, as far as possible, we may by the solicitude of our love be winning one another to have God within us.

On "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples" (love, not the gifts shared even by outsiders):

It is not, then, by such gifts of mine, however good, which may be alike possessed by those who are not my disciples, but "by this it is that all men shall know that ye are my disciples, that ye have love one to another."

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St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

On the Trinity, Book IX (on John 13:31–32) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 9. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf209.ii.v.ii.ix.html

On "Now is the Son of man glorified" (the glory of the assumed manhood):

Now is the Son of Man glorified; that is, all the glory which He obtains is not for the Word but for His flesh: not for the birth of His Godhead, but for the dispensation of His manhood born into the world.

On "And God is glorified in Him" (the mystery of the unity of Father and Son):

It must certainly be either Christ Who is glorified in the flesh, or the Father Who is glorified in Christ. If it is Christ, Christ is manifestly God, Who is glorified in the flesh. If it is the Father, we are face to face with the mystery of the unity, since the Father is glorified in the Son.