What did Jesus mean when he said "If you love me you will keep my commandments?"

Neostarwcc

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?
 

Ken Rank

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?
He didn't give the 2 commandments at the last supper... he repeated already existing commandments at the last supper. He also stated that ALL the Law and Prophets hang on those two which doesn't mean those 2 negate the rest, it means those two define (or reveal the depth of) the rest.

Yeshua said He spoke the words of His Father and thus "my commandments" are the Father's commandments. Thus I personally believe He means the Law, the collection of commandments, the do's and don'ts. Obviously there are some things we can't do living in the nations without a Temple... and there are some things that one could argue are fulfilled. But the basic do's and don'ts... from not stealing to serving only God, from honoring parents to not engaging in homosexual or extra marital sex (and more) would be among them.
 
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PeaceJoyLove

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All the commandments can be summed up in the very first command given in the garden. "...the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it:"
Jesus' words, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
 
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salt-n-light

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To add on to @Ken Rank (which he did a great job explaining), that scripture should also serve for us believers as a litmus test, to examine ourselves on whether or not we truly love God. Sometimes we can give a lot of lip service and see our actions as right, when its not in obedience to God's Word. Loving God is not a feeling, but it is shown through obedience and faith. So someone who truly loves God, their fruits will make that evident.
 
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anna ~ grace

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?

Hey, Mmbattlestar. I believe that those commandments of Christ include all that He asks us to do (or not do) in the Gospels, through His Apostles (Peter, James, John, Paul, in Scripture), and through the Catholic Church.

Many, many non-Catholic and non-Orthodox Christians in recent years seem to have latched on to this notion, happily, that what we do or fail to do in Christ does effect our salvation, relationship to God, and destination after death. True, this.

God bless you, friend, and good question.
 
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Ken Rank

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To add on to @Ken Rank (which he did a great job explaining), that scripture should also serve for us believers as a litmus test, to examine ourselves on whether or not we truly love God. Sometimes we can give a lot of lip service and see our actions as right, when its not in obedience to God's Word. Loving God is not a feeling, but it is shown through obedience and faith. So someone who truly loves God, their fruits will make that evident.
So true... and to add on to your thoughts...

To the Hebrew, love is very much an action. There is no love without it being expressed in our deeds. Hence 1 John 5:3 saying, "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not a burden." Even in the parable of the two sons we see Yeshua placing the weight on action and not the words as much. The father asks the one son "will you do ____" and he says "yes" but then does not do it. He asks the other son the same question and he says "no" but then does it. It was the latter who was held in higher favor even though he said the wrong thing.
 
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Jesus actually gave quite a few "commandments". There are various lists with varying degrees of accuracy. Here is a list of 31: What commandments did Jesus give us? | Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

I have a list of over 40 on a vinyl clad page at home. It's similar to the list above, but a bit larger.

And it really is wise to keep His commandments. Love is a decision. Love is an action.
 
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Tree of Life

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?

Jesus was clarifying what it means to love him - namely to submit to his Lordship. Since Jesus is Yahweh, Jesus' commandments are none other than the entire Law of God as expressed in the OT and NT. If we say that we love him while we do not obey his commands then we deceive ourselves.
 
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Halbhh

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?


In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? --- That those who love Him will listen to His words, take them in, and hear them, and begin doing what He said to do. (John chapters 14 and 15)

Some of the commandments He said to us (and a believer will want to look each one up and read through fully all the surrounding verses) --

"Love one another as I have loved you"

"Forgive.....seventy times seven" (or in some translations seventy seven times, but meaning simply again and again)

"'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."
"And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. 40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. 42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

"love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you"

These are some of the most emphasized commands He gave us, but a believer will want to learn all He said, such as the instructions He gave us on how to pray the right way, so that our prayer is heard, and so many other invaluable things that totally surprise and delight us, waiting for us to simply read and listen and hear.

The commands are not optional -- because if we put them aside without doing them, then He said we will be destroyed! (Matthew 7:24-27 and several other places)

But if we do the commands He gave us, we are on the rock and will endure and make it. Hallelujah.
 
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A_Thinker

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In John 14:15 Jesus says "If you love me you will keep my commandments" what exactly did Jesus mean by this? What are the commandments of Jesus? Are they the two commandments he gave at the last supper? To love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love others as Jesus loved you? It seems there's more than just to love God because Jesus would have said something like if you love me you will love others as well as me. John says in 1 john that Jesus's commandments were to believe in Jesus and to love others. So are those the commandments Jesus was talking about in John 14:15?

All that He had taught ...
 
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Ken Rank

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Jesus actually gave quite a few "commandments". There are various lists with varying degrees of accuracy. Here is a list of 31: What commandments did Jesus give us? | Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry

I have a list of over 40 on a vinyl clad page at home. It's similar to the list above, but a bit larger.

And it really is wise to keep His commandments. Love is a decision. Love is an action.
Other than "follow him" (and he is the perfect model of obedience we are to follow) I don't see anything that isn't in the OT. Repent (Ezekiel 18:30), let your light shine (since we have no light outside of God, there are plenty of OT verses telling us to allow His light/Lamp to shine and lead the way), be reconciled (Proverbs 6:16-19, Zeph. 3:9), don't lust... don't make oaths... resist evil... these are all repeats from the Tanach (OT). The words Yeshua spoke were the Father's words... thus the Father's commandments.
 
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faroukfarouk

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To add on to @Ken Rank (which he did a great job explaining), that scripture should also serve for us believers as a litmus test, to examine ourselves on whether or not we truly love God. Sometimes we can give a lot of lip service and see our actions as right, when its not in obedience to God's Word. Loving God is not a feeling, but it is shown through obedience and faith. So someone who truly loves God, their fruits will make that evident.
Similarly, Paul to the Romans at the beginning and at the end of the Epistle speaks of 'the obedience of faith'; 'obedience to the faith'.
 
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redleghunter

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To add on to @Ken Rank (which he did a great job explaining), that scripture should also serve for us believers as a litmus test, to examine ourselves on whether or not we truly love God. Sometimes we can give a lot of lip service and see our actions as right, when its not in obedience to God's Word. Loving God is not a feeling, but it is shown through obedience and faith. So someone who truly loves God, their fruits will make that evident.
Our actions do show what or Who we believe in.

Which Paul tells us to examine ourselves:

2 Corinthians 13: New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
 
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Ken Rank

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Our actions do show what or Who we believe in.

Which Paul tells us to examine ourselves:

2 Corinthians 13: New King James Version (NKJV)
5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.
Of course... and as I followed up with in post #6...

"To the Hebrew, love is very much an action. There is no love without it being expressed in our deeds. Hence 1 John 5:3 saying, "this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments and His commandments are not a burden." Even in the parable of the two sons we see Yeshua placing the weight on action and not the words as much. The father asks the one son "will you do ____" and he says "yes" but then does not do it. He asks the other son the same question and he says "no" but then does it. It was the latter who was held in higher favor even though he said the wrong thing."
 
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Halbhh

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What about 1 john 3:23? That sums up Jesus´s commandments well.

Sometimes for clarity, the most central things are emphasized like this. But, if that summed up all His instructions to us, then He would not have said more instructions, don't you agree? Even if many of the other instructions are about how to do these 2 things well, still you will want to know what other things He said to you and to me. What are these other things He said to you and to me, that we would listen and hear? We know all of His words were said with meaning. For example, He taught us in Matthew 5:46-47 something that would not occur to us, necessarily. It's then needed.
 
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Other than "follow him" (and he is the perfect model of obedience we are to follow) I don't see anything that isn't in the OT. Repent (Ezekiel 18:30), let your light shine (since we have no light outside of God, there are plenty of OT verses telling us to allow His light/Lamp to shine and lead the way), be reconciled (Proverbs 6:16-19, Zeph. 3:9), don't lust... don't make oaths... resist evil... these are all repeats from the Tanach (OT). The words Yeshua spoke were the Father's words... thus the Father's commandments.
Yep. This whole issue is where we kinda get into the territory of my tag line. There is no need to argue about this issue ad-nausium, unless one wants to do one of the following:

1. Justify their own unwillingness to keep His commandments.
2. Judge other people - which, interestingly, falls a little bit in the first one.

The whole thing is actually pretty simple, but the flesh makes it very difficult - kinda like going on a diet in a doughnut factory.
 
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SkyWriting

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He didn't give the 2 commandments at the last supper... he repeated already existing commandments at the last supper. He also stated that ALL the Law and Prophets hang on those two which doesn't mean those 2 negate the rest, it means those two define (or reveal the depth of) the rest.

Yeshua said He spoke the words of His Father and thus "my commandments" are the Father's commandments. Thus I personally believe He means the Law, the collection of commandments, the do's and don'ts. Obviously there are some things we can't do living in the nations without a Temple... and there are some things that one could argue are fulfilled. But the basic do's and don'ts... from not stealing to serving only God, from honoring parents to not engaging in homosexual or extra marital sex (and more) would be among them.

Yes, those two define the rest. So we still must build up our neighbors and never treat others in ways that we would not want to be treated.
 
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