‘Love One Another’ – What Did Jesus Mean?

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In today’s world everyone is chasing after something, and for most people it is probably their own idea of pleasure, happiness, or prosperity. But, in reality, none of these attributes contribute to a deep sense of well being or contentment. Besides, chasing after wrong or hurtful things will only make us lonely or unhappy — or downright ashamed.1

Like the lesson learned from Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, we humans can easily be swayed by what is pleasing to our eyes. Sometimes, navigating our complex road through life can lead us astray and we may find ourselves unknowingly following the wrong path.2 So we need godly guidance to obtain a truly happy and meaningful life, rather than something that makes us feel good only for a moment.

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Many church organizations tell us to follow the Bible’s Mosaic Law to assure our happiness and salvation, but that is only partially true. The Mosaic Law in the Old Testament refers to the laws given by Yahweh (YHWH) to the Israelites after escaping their Egyptian slavery in 1445 BC.3 These laws included, (1) the Ten Commandments given to Moses on Mount Sinai, (2) various ordinances for living in society, and (3) regulations concerning the requirements for temple priests, sacrifices, and feasts. These groups complete a total of 613 commandments4 which cover a wide range of social demands, as well as for the treatment of animals, the environment, and much more.5

These rules and statues, given to God’s people so long ago, were designed to educate his selected people into becoming a safer and more prosperous society than any other at that time. Besides setting his people apart as different from all other nations, they gave structure to the way citizens and priests must approach their God. The Mosaic Law directed the Israelites to live in such a way that reflected God’s character — his goodness, holiness, and the fact that he was necessary for his people’s well-being and moral excellence. His people were to reveal the righteousness and power of their God through a demonstration of how they lived.6

When Jesus arrived on the scene, some two thousand years ago, it was time for God’s people to graduate from its primary schooling to a more advanced secondary education. The Old Testament law — consisting of social, moral, and religious conduct — was not eliminated but expanded to include a more spiritual level. During his ministry on earth, Jesus said the Mosaic Law was not to be abolished, but that he came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-18).

In other words, Jesus was not presenting a rival system to the Law of Moses, but a true fulfillment of both the law and the prophets, in contrast to the self-righteous Pharisee priests’ strict traditions practiced during that time.7 As an example, when the Pharisees accused him of breaching the Sabbath law, Jesus claimed that he was fulfilling the law, because the Sabbath rest was but a symbol of the coming kingdom of God.8

Jesus redefined the Old Testament law by transitioning to a spiritual new commandment: “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another,” (John 13:34, NRSV).9 Or as he says in the Gospel of Mark, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” (Mark 12:31).

This new commandment summed up the Mosaic Law list, even as the old physical sacrifice of animals would soon become obsolete (Hebrews 9:12-15). After Jesus’ own sacrificial death on the cross, there would no longer be a need to sacrifice animals as an atonement for sin (Luke 22:20) — Jesus was the ultimate compensation.

 

What did Jesus mean by “you should love one another?”

Although in the English language we have only one word for ‘love’, the Greek language of New Testament times used seven different words, all of which are translated into English as ‘love’. So, in the above scripture (John 13:34; Mark 12:31), the meaning of ‘love’ was specific to the Greek agape.10

This Greek word, agape, means a universal and unconditional love, the highest form of love.11 It isn’t born just out of emotions, feelings, familiarity, or attraction, but from one’s free-will as a choice. “Agape requires faithfulness, commitment, and sacrifice without expecting anything in return. This is the type of love the Bible speaks about the most. The New Testament references agape more than 200 times.”12

Just for information, here are the six other Greek words for ‘love’ that are not easily distinguishable in the English language: (1) eros, the sexual passion or desire; (2) philia, affection for friends or people you respect; (3) storge, reserved for family members; (4) pragma, the practical love shared by husband and wife over a lifetime; (5) philautia, the good or bad love of ourselves; (6) ludas, a playful love — the flirting and teasing fun experienced in building a relationship.13 For more information about the seven Greek words for ‘love’, see the article “Love: First Mentioned Fruit of the Spirit” which is listed in References & Notes at the end of this discourse.14

As in all of God’s laws, we have free will. We can accept or reject Jesus’ higher spiritual transition of love (agape) to move from our old self to a new self.15 For those of us that accept and practice this new guidance, we will be ready to graduate from Yahweh’s secondary schooling and advance into the new world that is closer then most people believe.

Putting on a “new self” refers to our new position as children of God; we become new creatures, by growing more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ as we are spiritually reborn — or born again. Jesus is our example and the spiritual guide for our lives.16 “In a coming day, when we stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, we will be judged not by how much better our lives were than others but rather by how our life measures up to the life of the Lord Jesus himself.”17

 

Conclusion

Here are a couple of other important things about ‘love’ expressed as agape. First is that it is inconsistent and hypocritical to claim we love Jesus while not loving other Christian sisters and brothers. Secondly, we can’t claim we love our Lord if we don’t obey him. These ideas are all connected.18

Music selected to reflect this article’s main thought of agape ‘love’ is “Love with All Your Heart” by The Isaacs. Originally from Hendersonville, Tennessee USA, these artists are a bluegrass Southern gospel group that got their start playing on the Grand Ole Opry 30 years ago. They continue to play more than 100 dates a year and often tour internationally.19 Selected lyrics are below and a link to their music video is listed in References & Notes.20

Love don’t see color, love don’t make war
Love don’t hold grudges and it don’t keep score
Love is forgiving in spite of the pain
It may not be easy, but it’s never in vain

Sometimes you think it’s just too hard to do
To love your neighbor and your enemy too
But love is stronger than the towers of hate
You give it power when you give it away

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Copyright © 2025, Ray Hermann
OutlawBibleStudent.org

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Reference & Notes

  1. Schrader, Jessica, “Are You Confusing Comfort With Happiness?” (Psychology Today Magazine, 16 October 2017), https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/how-we-work/201710/are-you-confusing-comfort-with-happiness
  2. Norman, Kyle, “ What Does the Bible Say about Worldly Happiness?” (Christianity, 18 June 2021), https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/what-does-the-bible-say-about-worldly-happiness.html
  3. “Event Timeline from Genesis to Jesus”, (The Bible Christians of God, retrieved 14 November 2025), https://www.biblechristiansofgod.com/timeline-from-genesis-to-jesus
  4. For the 613 laws, read: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The specific verses (including locations in scripture) are listed at the following website:
    “The 613 Commandments List”, (One Messianic Gentile, retrieved 11 November 2025), https://onemessianicgentile.com/references/general/the-613-commandments-list.html
  5. Hermann, Ray, “Positive Thinking in a World Going Crazy”, (The Outlaw Bible Student, OBS, 16 February 2023), https://outlawbiblestudent.org/positive-thinking-in-a-world-going-crazy/
  6. “Why did God give the Mosaic Law? What is the purpose of the Mosaic Law?” (Compelling Truth, retrieved 30 October 2025), https://www.compellingtruth.org/Mosaic-Law.html
  7. Elwell, Walter A., (Ed.), Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), vol. 2, p. 30.
  8. Mays, James Luther, (Ed.), Harper’s Bible Commentary, (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1988), p. 956.
  9. Scripture quotations are from: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989).
  10. agapē / agapō: benevolence, charity, to love in a social sense. Strong’s Greek numbers 26 & 25.
    Strong, James, The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1996).
  11. Liddell, H. G.; Scott, Robert, An Intermediate Greek-English Lexicon, (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1889), p. 4.
  12. Roat, Alyssa, “What Does Agape Love Really Mean in the Bible?” (Christianity, 20 December 2019), https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-does-agape-love-really-mean-in-the-bible.html
  13. “The 7 Types of Love in the Bible”, (Steppes of Faith, 18 February 2020), https://medium.com/@steppesoffaith_56895/the-7-types-of-love-in-the-bible-71dfc57b6d7b
  14. Hermann, Ray, “Love: First Mentioned Fruit of the Spirit”, (The Outlaw Bible Student, OBS, 24 February 2021), https://outlawbiblestudent.org/love-first-mentioned-fruit-of-the-spirit/
  15. Hermann, Ray, “Positive Thinking in a World Going Crazy”, (see above).
  16. Hermann, Ray, “Love: First Mentioned Fruit of the Spirit”, (see above).
  17. MacDonald, William, Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, (Ed.) Arthur Farstad, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1995), p. 2009.
  18. “What is the meaning of agape love?” (Compelling Truth, retrieved 17 February 2021), https://www.compellingtruth.org/agape-love.html
  19. “Meet the Isaacs”, (The Isaacs, retrieved 11 November 2025), https://www.theisaacs.com/meet-the-isaacs.html
  20. “Love with All Your Heart”, Artist: The Isaacs; recorded live at The Fisher Center, Belmont University, Nashville USA, (published by Gaither Music TV, uploaded to YouTube on 5 November 2025). Used under ‘fair use copyright’ for comment, teaching, scholarship, and research under Section 107 of the United States Copyright Act of 1976 — MUSIC VIDEO: https://youtu.be/1YJOxK_a0Cs
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