NEW COMMANDMENT (ἐντολὴ̀ν καινὴ̀ν). This term first appears in words attributed to Jesus in the upper room discourse reported by the fourth evangelist (John 13:34, 35). In an apparent reference to the Decalogue Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another...By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” The commandment to love God and one’s neighbor was not new, for it is emphasized in the Pentateuch, in the prophets, esp. in Hosea, and restated by Jesus as a summation of the Torah (Deut 6:5; Hos 11:4; Matt 22:37; cf. Rom 13:9; Gal 5:14; James 2:8).

While Jesus did not originate the concept of the God-man relationship as one of love He did give it new emphasis and brought it into sharper perspective. The characteristic OT emphasis is upon obedience, that of the NT upon love, yet it remains a commandment, an obligation. It is the chesed, or covenant-love of the OT wedded to the Gr. term agapē which emerges as the important word in the Christian ethos. It denotes a discriminating love resulting from choice. The newness consists in the source and nature of this love; it is the supreme criterion of one’s relationship to God (1 John 5:3; cf. Luke 10:27).