Third Week in Advent – Day 1 – The Christian Identity Card
According to John, as noted in a previous meditation, maybe more than any other New Testament document, breathes the atmosphere of the Old Testament. Even though a dualism between the flesh and the Spirit is pervasive in it, and it utilizes the Greek vocabulary with evident nuance and a broad understanding of its philosophical connotations, it presupposes good knowledge of the
Herold Weiss, Meditations on According to John, p. 169
Jewish traditions. This cultural richness is evident in the way it presents Jesus’ new commandment: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (13:34, cp. 15:17). Like the commandment that they should wash each other’s feet, this new commandment is addressed to the community of disciples. Its fulfillment will be their identity card as a community. “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (13:35). It will also be their strength.
