A Jot from John
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. 9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. 10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. 11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
The life of a Christian finds’ expression in two ways: (1) In humble obedience to his heavenly Father; (2) in loving service to his brother. In the preceding paragraph (verses 1-6) John spoke of the law of obedience to God; in the paragraph before us he speaks of the law of loving service to man. The two laws are inseparable. We cannot break one without breaking the other.
Let us note that:
Brotherly love is an old commandment. (verse 7). That man should love his brother is a principle as old as the human race. The law of brotherly love began when humanity began, with Cain and Able. (1 John 3:10-12.) When God made man, he designed him for fatherhood, and since this involves sonship, it also involves brotherhood; (See Lev. 19:18)
This law has a very peculiar and definite meaning to the Christian. John’s expression “from the beginning” may have reference to the beginning of the Christian experience. That a child of God should love his brother is one of the first lessons that he is taught. When man becomes a son of God, he also becomes a brother to all of God’s children.
Brotherly love is a new commandment. (verse 8). It is called “a new commandment” for different reasons, namely: The Master, by his own divine authority, announced it anew. (John 13:34-35.) Never before was the doctrine of brotherly love taught with such force and clarity.
He embodied it anew in his manner of life. “Even as I have also loved you.” (John 13:1.) When he became a man, he became a brother to man. He gave his life for man. Love, in such beauty and freshness, had never been known.
It belongs to the new era, the era of light. (Verse 8b.) The darkness of the night is on the wane and the glorious light of a better day has dawned. When the gospel is proclaimed the darkness of heathendom, of hatred, of sensuality, and of false religions passes; and the light of truth, of love, of purity and of hope appears. And now since the light has appeared, let us walk in the light, the light of brotherly love.
Onward Rejoicing, John B. Daniels, Associate Minister
