In today's Gospel reading, after Judas leaves the room and sets in motion a chain of events that will lead to Jesus' death on the cross, Jesus gives the disciples a new commandment. Jesus says, "Little children … I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (John 13:33-34).
Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him. The Gospel writer makes this clear earlier when Jesus was washing the disciples' feet and tells Peter, he is clean, though not all the disciples are clean." The writer then adds, "he said this because he knew who was to betray him."
So, Jesus waits for Judas to leave before commanding the disciples "to love one another." I wonder what the disciples thought when Jesus called them little children. Many of us might find it degrading to be called 'little children.' Yet, I believe it caused the disciples to be more attentive to what Jesus was saying. Perhaps they remembered Jesus saying, "the kingdom of heaven belongs to the children" (Matthew 19:14).
Jesus had just said he was leaving, and where he was going, they could not go. I wonder if they made the connection. They often missed Jesus' point. We would probably be just as confused in their shoes. We are fortunate to know the rest of the story; understanding comes only after reading the Gospel story and then rereading it to discern the message with a sense of where the story is going. Knowing the end of the story helps us as we journey with Jesus to the cross.
When the writer refers to the audience as little children in the New Testament, it is not only a term of endearment; it identifies the audience as faithful disciples of Jesus. In First John, the writer calls the congregation he is writing to little children when he tells them, "they are from God and know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. He tells them to love one another because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love." (1 John 6-8).
So maybe when Jesus called the disciples little children, he was complimenting them on their spiritual growth.
Something to Ponder on the Lord's Day!
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