ACC ~ John 13 v35

LOVE OTHERS MORE THAN OURSELVES

THEODORE OF MOPSUESTIA: How is it new? “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” The way to love is what is new. In the Law it had been ordered that anyone should love his neighbor like himself. [1] But the voice of the Lord wants our companions in faith to be loved even more than ourselves, because he orders us to imitate his love for us. In the words that follow he shows that accurately. Indeed, in order to amplify the greatness of this precept he says, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” So excellent is the observation of that command that it is a sign clear enough of my discipleship. COMMENTARY ON JOHN 6.13.34-35. [2]

[1] Lev 19:18.

[2] CSCO 4 3:263.

LOVE IS A GREATER SIGN THAN MIRACLES

CHRYSOSTOM: Passing over the miracles that they were to perform, he makes love the distinguishing mark of his followers. … Miracles do not attract unbelievers as much as the way you live your life. And nothing brings about a proper life as much as love. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 72.5. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:266**.

GOD THE ARTIST PAINTS HIMSELF AS LOVE IN US

GREGORY OF NYSSA: It is true, indeed, that the divine beauty is not adorned with any shape or endowment of form, by any beauty of color, but it is contemplated as excellence in unspeakable bliss. As then painters transfer human forms to their pictures by means of certain colors, laying on their copy the proper and corresponding tints so that the beauty of the original may be accurately transferred to the likeness, so I would have you understand that our Maker also, painting the portrait to resemble his own beauty, by the addition of virtues, as it were with colors, shows in us his own sovereignty. There are also many and varied tints, so to say, by which his true form is portrayed: not red or white or the blending of these, whatever it may be called, nor a touch of black that paints the eyebrow and the eye and shades, by some combination, the depressions in the figure, and all such arts that the hands of painters contrive. But instead of these, purity, freedom from passion, blessedness, alienation from all evil and all those attributes of a similar kind that help to form in men and women the likeness of God. With such hues as these did the Maker of his own image mark our nature.

And if you were to examine the other points also by which the divine beauty is expressed, you will find that to them too the likeness in the image that we present is perfectly preserved. … God is love and the fount of love: for this the great John declares that “love is of God” and “God is love,” [1] the Fashioner of our nature has made this to be our feature too. For “in this,” he says, “shall all know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” And so, if love is absent, the whole stamp of the likeness is transformed. ON THE MAKING OF MAN 5. [2]

[1] 1 Jn 4:8.

[2] NPNF 2 5:391*.