I've heard in a sermon that there is a story about Apostle John's last days, when he was working in Ephesus. From 1 John 3:11, 12 St. John renews his exhortations to love, this time at greater length and in closer connexion with the other great subject of this second half of the Epistle, the birth from God. Injustice of all kinds gets roundly condemned by Jesus, including injustice masquerading as justice. He lived to be very old, and it’s said that when he became unable to stand and preach, he would be carried into the church where his entire sermon was simply, “Little Children, love one another.” Love is the major theme in John’s writing, and in his life. Thanks for the great question, and I hope to see you around. It’s like someone standing up to injustice on behalf of the over-burdened, shifting the target to their own back. Now there’s nothing wrong with tolerance, or affection, or basic decency. Is PC used as an English expression for a computer in English speaking countries? He used to be carried into the congregation in the arms of his disciples and was unable to say anything except, "Little children, love one another." Friends, we are commanded to love. Heal on a holy day? You Know, “Love One Another” Really Is Enough, the virtue that binds together all other virtues, the one thing that remains always and forever, a father scanning the horizon for a long-lost son, a busy healer stopping in a crowd to find the ill woman who touched him, patiently healing crowds of the world’s poorest, forgiving the sins of society’s worst offenders, a despised enemy-of-us compassionately tending the wounds of one-of-us, someone standing up to injustice on behalf of the over-burdened, a king giving himself to be crucified by an oppressive power in order to save his people from annihilation, a final banquet where the lost and found, the last and first, the least and greatest, all feast together with food enough for all who want to be there. His brother was However, none of the works of Hegesippus survive, so this is speculation. By clicking “Accept all cookies”, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. This love is in no way soft on sin—but it can turn our “sin lists” upside down. Day 3, Love One Another Yesterday John reminded us that if we claim to be sinless, we are denying what the word of God says. Seriously, think about the people you know. A distinguishing mark of being a follower of Christ is a deep, sincere love for brothers and sisters in Christ. John had seen the love of Christ demonstrated that night in the Upper Room, when Jesus took the basin of water and washed the disciples’ feet. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Love is not an option. In fact, these are a bare minimum for being human together, I would think. This went on week after week, until at last, more than a little weary of these repeated words, his disciples asked him, “Master, why do you always say this?”. Others say that “love one another” is too simplistic, too impractical. What's wrong with being wise and learned that warrants being denied by God the secrets of His kingdom? In the Gospel of St. John, there is a disciple whom Jesus loves in a particular way. According to both Jesus and the Apostles, love is it. What is the effective weight of the bar when I'm doing a landmine squat? Love is giving one’s very self for the other, even when it hurts the giver. But tradition says that it was the author, St. John himself, whom he humbly described only as the “beloved disciple”. Today is the feast day of one of the Church’s earliest and greatest philosophers, St. John the Apostle. 7). So week after week, he would remind them, over and over again: “Little children, love one another.” That is all he preached in Ephesus, week … The New Commandment is a term used in Christianity to describe Jesus's commandment to "love one another" which, according to the Bible, was given as part of the final instructions to his disciples after the Last Supper had ended, and after Judas Iscariot had departed in John 13:30.. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. What is the origin of the story of the Apostle John surviving being dipped in boiling oil? - Beloved (see on verse 1) The address is specially suitable where the subject is love. During individual gatherings he usually said nothing but, "Little children, love one another." He is never named, just called “the disciple whom Jesus loved”. He replied with a line worthy of John: "Because it is the Lord's commandment and if it alone is kept, it is sufficient.". But why do some Christians react this way? How to remove a Screw or bolt fastened with metal epoxy, 2 cross pattern not going right on Front wheel build. When Jesus therefore had seen his … Continue reading "Jesus’ Particular Love For St. John Apostle" Why is a simple insistence on loving others so wearisome, even so aggravating, to some? And His love is the same today as it was 2,000 years ago. Thanks for contributing an answer to Christianity Stack Exchange! His disciples could barely carry him to church and he could not muster the voice to speak many words. What is the origin of hands lifting in worship? John 15:9 An ancient story in Church history tells of the apostle John. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. He would constantly repeat the words, “Little children, love one another.” His disciples became weary of the phrase. Every week these were his words to the congregation: “Little children, love one another.”, This went on week after week, until at last, more than a little weary of these repeated words, his disciples asked him, “Master, why do you always say this?”, “Because,” John replied, “it is the Lord’s command, and if this only is done, it is enough.”. It is the most excellent way to live. Make no mistake: there’s nothing wishy-washy about this love. How would you build a road system that respected nature? Touch an unclean leper? Apostle Ehimen John Eigbedion. Fortunately there is evidence of the kind of love you write about, but there is lots of room for growth and admittedly, i am one of the ones who need to grow the most. In fact, “eye for an eye” might actually be better than what we often see, which is more about “pre-emptive strikes” and “total war”—both as nations and as individuals (think about that a moment). Love starts with a stance of openness toward another person. You want to fulfill God’s Law? If I touched a black hole with a small mass (the mass of an apple), would I die? Humility is a prerequisite of answering God’s calling. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Is there a catalog of Lego building techniques? Those writings are filled with exhortations to love. The 4th-century theologian Jerome tells a story about the Apostle John. John is a familiar figure in most of the scenes with Jesus and the disciples. Who’s with me? But it is the most religious who earn Jesus’ harshest criticism, especially religious people with power, because they wield their religion like a club instead of spreading it like a salve. Generally listed as the youngest apostle, he was the son of Zebedee and Salome. he answered something like "If, one day, you understand that, there is nothing else you need to learn about the church life". All Scripture hangs like a seamless coat on this single hook: love God by loving others. Plus 2 free Totus2us mp3s on St John - from 3 2us and The Incredibles podcasts. The “one another” in these verses is a reference to fellow believers. It’s too soft on sin, not strong enough on holiness. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. from your pastor, priest, or other trustworthy counselor, Find knowledge faster: New Articles features, Testing three-vote close and reopen on 13 network sites, We're switching to system fonts on May 10, 2021. What is the origin of the “religion vs. relationship” dichotomy? We have no way of verifying Jerome’s story, but it certainly sounds like John—that is, the author of the Gospel and Epistles of John. This can be true of both “sides,” it seems to me, both those who think love alone is the stairway to a heaven of harmonious society, and those who think “love alone” is the highway to a hell of moral relativism. Portuguese speaker here. Verse 7. The reason we must love one another is because love is from God. - God is Love, and love is the surest test of birth from God. The disciples and brothers in attendance, annoyed because they always heard the same words, finally said, "Teacher, why do you always say this?" “Soft on sin, weak on holiness,” some of the most religious folks muttered around Jesus. Yes, Jesus speaks God’s judgment on human sin. It means loving every believer. Think about the people you fear. This is the love Jesus taught. John was the only Apostle to die a natural death, and he lived into his nineties. I think much of the problem is that we don’t really know the love that Jesus taught, the love that Jesus lived. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:33-35) And Jesus’ first followers were equally clear on this. John understood that all love comes only from the source of love. The Apostle John said that loving one another is the proof that we have been truly born again. They imagine “love one another” to mean “live and let live,” a sort of “Whatever floats your boat, as long as you let me float mine.”, Others imagine this love to be a kind of affection, good feelings toward others. Is it possible to make a "safe" electromagnetic "jet engine" using extremely long wavelengths? Real love has its source from God. That will only get us crucified by them!” all the “Make Israel Great Again” zealots exclaimed. 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