¹ Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

Twice we see Jesus “knowing” in this, the first part of the Upper Room discourse, once in our verse for today and once in verse 3. This could be a reference to what theologians call the omniscience of God, and therefore an indication of Jesus’ deity. His knowing could also line up with the role of a prophet, who was given a special vision of the future. At any rate, this “knowing” was divine in nature and makes it clear that Jesus entered the final stage of His earthly mission knowing full well the great implications. “His hour had come.”

Death was the very reason He had come into the world. His mission was to die. This might seem odd to some, except that the death of Christ, as symbolized in the Passover celebration, and in particular, the Passover lamb, was and is central to God’s redemption of people to Himself. This is “the hour” for which Christ came into the world.

Knowing the end was coming and “having loved His own,” He set His mind on continuing to love them to the very end, that is, until He died. His composure was remarkable. Most humans, when facing death, become preoccupied with their own experience; it is extremely difficult to focus on anything else. Yet here was Christ concerned about loving His disciples, not settling for any minimization or “justifiable” lessening of His love. Even when excruciatingly fastened to the cross, He was concerned about His own mother and assigned John to look after her as his own mother (John 19:26). And He did not reject them when they denied Him and turned their backs on Him.

Genuine Christian love is not simply an act one does on occasion when the time calls for it. That kind of love comes and goes. Christ’s love was a state of being, not just some action divorced from character. The phrase “loved them to the end” indicates an on-going, perpetual love. This love was not just something that Jesus did better than most; it was characteristic of who He was and is. He is love! Later in His life, John echoed this, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4:7–8). Since Jesus loved His own until the end, should we not fan the flame of our love so that it will become like His?

Lord, I am amazed that Your love for me will never be exhausted. You will love me also to the very end of my life and into eternity. Praise to Your Name.