John 13:33-35

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - John 13:31-35

This and what follows, to the end of John 13:31-14:31; was Christ's table-talk with his disciples. When supper was done, Judas went out; but what did the Master and his disciples do, whom he left sitting at table? They applied themselves to profitable discourse, to teach us as much as we can to make conversation with our friends at table serviceable to religion. Christ begins this discourse. The more forward we are humbly to promote that communication which is good, and to the use of edifying,... read more

William Barclay

William Barclay's Daily Study Bible - John 13:33-35

13:33-35 "Little children, I am still going to be with you for a little while. You will search for me; and, as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you too: 'You cannot go where I am going.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another; that you too love one another, as I have loved you; it is by this that all will know that you are my disciples--if you have love amongst each other." Jesus was laying down his farewell commandment to his disciples. The time was short; if they were... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 13:33

Little children, yet a little while I am with you ,.... Christ having removed the scandal of his death, by observing, that both he and his Father would be glorified by it, begins more freely to open his mind to his disciples, and acquaint them with it; whom he addresses in the most kind, tender, and affectionate manner, "little children", expressing the relation which subsisted between them, of which he was not unmindful; his great affection for them, his consideration of their weakness, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you ,.... As parents, when they take their leave of their children, in their dying moments, give them proper instructions and orders, and lay their dying injunctions on them, so Christ taking his leave of his disciples, gives them his; which were, that they love one another : as brethren in the same family, children of the same Father, and fellow disciples with each other; by keeping and agreeing together, praying one for another, bearing one another's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - John 13:35

By this shall all men know ,.... Not only by this you yourselves will know that ye have passed from death to life, that the true work of grace is begun upon your hearts; nor only by this will you know one another to be Christians; but by this all men, even the men of the world will know, that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another : and own and acknowledge it, as Tertullian F14 Apolog. c. 39. says the very Heathens did in his time; who would say, when they saw the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 13:33

Little children - Or, rather, beloved children. Τεκνια , a word frequently used by this apostle in his epistles. It is an expression which implies great tenderness and affection, and such as a fond mother uses to her most beloved babes. Now that Judas was gone out, he could use this epithet without any restriction of meaning. Yet a little while - The end of my life is at hand; Judas is gone to consummate his treason; I have but a few hours to be with you, and you shall be by and by... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 13:34

A new commandment I give unto you - In what sense are we to understand that this was a new commandment? Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, was a positive precept of the law, Leviticus 19:18 , and it is the very same that Christ repeats here; how then was it new? Our Lord answers this question, Even As I have loved you. Now Christ more than fulfilled the Mosaic precept; he not only loved his neighbor As himself, but he loved him More than himself, for he laid down his life for men. In... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - John 13:35

By this shall all men know, etc. - From this time forward, this mutual and disinterested love shall become the essential and distinctive mark of all my disciples. When they love one another with pure hearts, fervently, even unto death, then shall it fully appear that they are disciples of that person who laid down his life for his sheep, and who became, by dying, a ransom for all. The disciples of different teachers were known by their habits, or some particular creed or rite, or point of... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 13:33

Verse 33 33.Little children, yet a little while am I with you. As it was impossible that the disciples should not be deeply grieved at their Master’s departure, so he gives them early warning that he will no longer be with them, and, at the same time, exhorts them to patience. Lastly, to remove unseasonable eagerness of desire, he declares that they cannot immediately follow him. In calling them little children, he shows, by that gentle appellation, that his reason for departing from them is... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - John 13:34

Verse 34 34.A new commandment I give you. To the consolation he adds an exhortation,that they should love one another; as if he had said, “Yet while I am absent from you in body, testify, by mutual love, that I have not taught you in vain; let this be your constant study, your chief meditation.” Why does he call it a new commandment ? All are not agreed on this point. There are some who suppose the reason to be, that, while the injunction formerly contained in the Law about brotherly love was... read more

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