Commandment, The New
TextsWhat is the meaning of Commandment, The New in the Bible?
The New Testament presents the 'new commandment' as a distinct ethical imperative, primarily articulated in the Gospel of John where Jesus instructs disciples to love one another as he has loved them, thereby establishing a new standard for communal behavior within the early Christian movement.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Understanding this concept clarifies the transition from the covenantal obligations of the Hebrew Bible to the ethical framework of the early church, showing how early Christians viewed moral instruction not as a replacement of law but as an internalization of divine love.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and shortened for clarity.