14: The mystical dimension of the New Commandment

“One of the scribes came to Jesus and asked him, «Which is the first of all the commandments?» 
Jesus replied, "The first is this: 'Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is Lord alone! 
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' 
The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." 
The scribe said to him, "Well said, teacher. You are right in saying, 'He is One and there is no other than he.' 
And 'to love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself' is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices." 
And when Jesus saw that he answered with understanding, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And no one dared to ask him any more questions.” (Mk 12:28-34)

« you are not far from the Kingdom of God » is a bit disappointing, as a statement. Jesus didn’t say: “you are in the Kingdom of God”.

Nobody can question the validity of the two Commandments of Moses; they are not abrogated by Jesus: “Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets” (Mt 5:17). But in the same time there is a difference between Moses Law and Jesus “Law”. Certainly there is no contradiction between them, but there is a superiority, a perfection in Jesus Commandment: “I have come […] to fulfil [the commandments]” (Mt 5:17). When Jesus shows the way to the Kingdom to the rich young man, He starts by checking if he fulfilled Moses Commandments, he says: “did you fulfil the Commandments?” the young man said: “yes, from my youth”. Jesus here is speaking about Moses Commandments, summarised by the two commandments mentioned above. In this case, Jesus didn’t say either: “you are in the Kingdom”. He said: still “you lack one thing” (Mc 10:21) to enter the Kingdom.

Saint John says that Jesus Commandment is not new, but it is new “in us” (1John 2:7-8): “Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 Yet I am writing you a new commandment that is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining.” (1John 2:7-8)

The question now is to try to understand in what lays the newness of the “new Commandment” and how it is “superior”, “more perfect” than the two Commandments?

“I give you a new Commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:41)

Jesus is very clear: “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” (Mt 5:20)

The mystical dimension of our transformation in Jesus, makes Jesus grow, live in us, and act in us and with us: “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Ga 2:20). This is why it is not possible to just “apply” the New Commandment, without being transformed in Jesus, in order to “enter the Kingdom”. This is why saint John in his first letter says that the Commandment is “new in us”.

John states it very well: “the darkness [in you] is passing away and the true Light [Jesus] is already shining [in you].” (1John 2:7-8)

Without the mystical dimension, that implies real transformation of our being, letting the “new man” in us grow (Jesus in us), there is not Christianity.

How are your "taste buds"?