BEREAN.AI ← Ask a Question

The Love Commandments of Jesus Christ in the Gospels

The love commandments of Jesus Christ, central to Christian ethics, are primarily articulated as love for God and love for one's neighbor. Jesus himself taught that "the whole law and the prophets hang upon the two precepts of love to God and love to our neighbour" [10]. This dual commandment is rooted in the Old Testament, with the command to love God found in Deuteronomy 6:5 and the command to love one's neighbor in Leviticus 19:18 [13].

The command to love God involves loving Him with all one's heart, soul, and mind, and is considered the "first great commandment" [1]. This love for God is demonstrated through obedience to His commands [1, 3, 6]. As 1 John 5:3 states, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous" [3]. This obedience is not burdensome but is a natural outflow of love [6]. The love of God is also characterized by joy and a hatred of sin [1].

The second great commandment is to "love your neighbor as yourself" [8, 10]. Jesus emphasized this by giving a "new commandment" to his disciples: "that ye love one another" [13]. While the concept of loving one's neighbor existed in the Old Testament, Jesus's command was "new" in that it called for a love modeled after His own sacrificial love [13, 15, 16]. This love is "of God" and is commanded by both God and Christ [8]. It is an active principle, taught by God, and a fruit of the Spirit [8]. The Apostle John further clarifies that this love for one another is intrinsically linked with belief in Jesus Christ: "And this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as ⌞he commanded us⌟" [4, 5]. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary notes that faith and love are not separate commandments but are "indissolubly united" [14].

The love that Christ commands is not merely an emotion but is expressed through action and obedience [2, 7, 18]. Jesus explicitly states, "If you love me, keep my commandments" [18]. This obedience is a manifestation of love for Christ [7]. John Gill, in his commentary on John 15:9, explains that while abiding in Christ's love does not depend on keeping commandments, obedience leads to further discoveries of His love [12]. Similarly, on John 15:11, Gill notes that loving one another is the "principal one" of Christ's commandments, to which all others can be reduced [19].

The love of Christ for humanity serves as the ultimate example for believers [9]. His love is demonstrated through His coming to seek the lost, praying for His enemies, giving Himself, and dying for humanity [9]. This profound love "passes knowledge" and is to be imitated by His followers [9]. The early church father Augustine highlights that the Lord Jesus himself teaches that the entire law and the prophets depend on these two precepts of love [10]. He also notes that the Apostle Peter, James, and John all commend love as a foundational aspect of Christian life, with John stating, "He that loveth his brother abideth in the right" [11]. The early Christian writer Clement of Rome also emphasizes that love "unites us to God" and "covers a multitude of sins" [17].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to God — Commanded -- De 11:1; Jos 22:5. The first great commandment -- Mt 22:38. With all the heart -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Better than all sacrifices -- Mr 12:33. Produced by The Holy Spirit. -- Ga 5:22; 2Th 3:5. The love of God to us. -- 1Jo 4:19. Answers to prayer. -- Ps 116:1. Exhibited by Christ -- Joh 14:31. A characteristic of saints -- Ps 5:11. Should produce Joy. -- Ps 5:11. Love to saints. -- 1Jo 5:1. Hatred of sin. -- Ps 97:10. Obedience to God. -- De 30:20; 1Jo 5:3. Perfected in obedience -- 1Jo 2:5. Perfected, gives boldness -- 1Jo 4:17,18. God, faith”
  2. II John “II John 1:6 (BSB) — And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the very commandment you have heard from the beginning, that you must walk in love.”
  3. 1 John “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous. -- 1 John 5:3”
  4. I John “I John 3:23 (LEB) — And this is his commandment: that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as ⌞he commanded us⌟.”
  5. 1 John “This is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, even as he commanded. -- 1 John 3:23”
  6. I John “I John 5:3 (LEB) — For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome,”
  7. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Christ — Exhibited by God -- Mt 17:5; Joh 5:20. Exhibited by saints -- 1Pe 1:8. His personal excellence is deserving of -- Song 5:9-16. His love to us a motive to -- 2Co 5:14. Manifested in Seeking him. -- Song 3:2. Obeying him. -- Joh 14:15,21,23. Ministering to him. -- Mt 27:55; 25:40. Preferring him to all others. -- Mt 10:37. Taking up the cross for Him. -- Mt 10:38. A characteristic of saints -- Song 1:4. An evidence of adoption -- Joh 8:42. Should be Sincere. -- Eph 6:24. With the soul. -- Song 1:7. In proportion to our mercies. -- Lu 7:47. Supreme. -- ”
  8. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love to Man — Is of God -- 1Jo 4:7. Commanded by God -- 1Jo 4:21. Commanded by Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; 1Jo 3:23. After the example of Christ -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; Eph 5:2. Taught by God -- 1Th 4:9. Faith works by -- Ga 5:6. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22; Col 1:8. Purity of heart leads to -- 1Pe 1:22. Explained -- 1Co 13:4-7. Is an active principle -- 1Th 1:3; Heb 6:10. Is an abiding principle -- 1Co 13:8,13. Is the second great commandment -- Mt 22:37-39. Is the end of the commandment -- 1Ti 1:5. Supernatural gifts are nothing without -- 1Co 13:1,2. The greates”
  9. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of Christ, The — To the Father -- Ps 91:14; Joh 14:31. To his church -- Song 4:8,9; 5:1; Joh 15:9; Eph 5:24. To those who love him -- Pr 8:17; Joh 14:21. Manifested in his Coming to seek the lost. -- Lu 19:10. Praying for his enemies. -- Lu 23:34. Giving himself for us. -- Ga 2:20. Dying for us. -- Joh 15:13; 1Jo 3:16. Washing away our sins. -- Re 1:5. Interceding for us. -- Heb 7:25; 9:24. Sending the Spirit. -- Ps 68:18; Joh 16:7. Rebukes and chastisements. -- Re 3:19. Passes knowledge -- Eph 3:19. To be imitated -- Joh 13:34; 15:12; Eph 5:2; 1Jo 3:16. To sain”
  10. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 36.--LOVE COMMENDED BY OUR LORD HIMSELF.: Moreover, the Lord Jesus Himself teaches us that the whole law and the prophets hang upon the two precepts of love to God and love to our neighbour. Concerning these two commandments the following is written in the Gospel according to St. Mark: "And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that He had answered them well, asked Him: Which is the first commandment of all ? And Jesus answered him: The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel! the Lord our God i”
  11. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 35.--COMMENDATIONS OF LOVE.: The Apostle Peter, likewise, says, "And, above all things, have fervent love among yourselves: for love shall cover the multitude of sins."[19] The Apostle James also says, "If ye 459 fulfil the royal law, according to the Scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well."[1] So also the Apostle John says, "He that loveth his brother abideth in the right;"[2] again, in another passage, "Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother; for this is the message which ”
  12. John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 15:9: If ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love,.... Not that their continuance in the heart's love and affection of Christ depended upon their observation of his commands; for as the keeping of them is not the cause or reason of the saints having an interest in the love of Christ, so it is not the cause or reason of their abiding in it; but to such that observe the commandments of Christ he will continue to make further discoveries of his love, and let them see more clearly and largely what a value he has for them, and how much he loves them: or the sense is, that”
  13. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER XIII. 34, 35. (part 1): 1. The Lord Jesus declares that He is giving His disciples a new commandment, that they should love one another. "A new commandment," He says, "I give unto you, that ye love one another." But was not this already commanded in the ancient law of God, where it is written, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself"? (1) 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? For it is not”
  14. 1 John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 John 3:23: Summing up of God's commandments under the Gospel dispensation in one commandment. this is his commandment--singular: for faith and love are not separate commandments, but are indissolubly united. We cannot truly love one another without faith in Christ, nor can we truly believe in Him without love. believe--once for all; Greek aorist. on the name of his Son--on all that is revealed in the Gospel concerning Him, and on Himself in respect to His person, offices, and atoning work. as he--as Jesus gave us commandment.”
  15. John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 15:12: 15:12-13 This is my commandment: Love each other: See 13:34. • Jesus demonstrated his love by sacrificing his life at the cross.”
  16. John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on John 13:34: 13:34-35 That the disciples were to love one another was not a new commandment (see Lev 19:18). However, that they were to love each other with the sort of love modeled by Jesus was dramatic. Jesus’ love for God was expressed in perfect obedience (John 14:31); now this kind of love was his command—that disciples express their love for Jesus in committed obedience.”
  17. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — CHAP. XLIX.--THE PRAISE OF LOVE.: Let him who has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the [blessed] bond of the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins.(2) Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things.(3) There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in h”
  18. John (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on John 14:15: Christ not only proposes such things to them as were the matter of their comfort, but here promises to send the Spirit, whose office it should be to be their Comforter, to impress these things upon them. I. He premises to this a memento of duty (Joh 14:15): If you love me, keep my commandments. Keeping the commandments of Christ is here put for the practice of godliness in general, and for the faithful and diligent discharge of their office as apostles in particular. Now observe, 1. When Christ is comforting them, he bids them keep his commandments; for we must not”
  19. John (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on John 15:11: This is my commandment, that ye love one another,.... Christ had been before speaking of his commandments; and he mentions this as the principal one, and to which all the rest may be reduced; for as the precepts of the second table of the moral law may be briefly comprehended in this one duty, love to our neighbour, so all the duties of Christianity, relative to one another, are reducible to this, by love to serve each other. This was the commandment which lay uppermost on Christ's heart, and which he knew, if attended to, the rest could not fail of being observed. The”
Ask Your Own Question
About Terms Privacy Contact

© 2026 BEREAN.AI. All rights reserved.