First To Ride One Though...

The scene in the Gospel of John (properly called a pericope, for all you language geeks) which is the scriptural focus for Sunday reinforces the observations I've been making over the past few weeks—that Jesus's role in the Gospels is frequently that of a mentor.

In this case, Jesus's reputation has proceeded him.  Well, his reputation as a miracle worker, anyway.  But for some reason, out of all the Pharisees, Nicodemus seems to be the only one who's willing to follow the logic:  Jesus cannot do the things he does apart from God, therefore he is a man worth listening to.  Throughout the pericope, Nicodemus refers to Jesus as "Rabbi."  The word literally means "teacher," but it certainly has religious and cultural overtones.  We're talking about a specific kind of teaching here.  Not a dry and basic imparting of facts, but rather a process of leading the pupil to their own revelations.  A role which Jesus fills perfectly here.

Somehow I doubt any souls were won this day...

Much has been made of this pericope over the years.  After all, it inspired the phrase "Born-Again Christians" and a single verse out of the 17-verse scene has been used as an evangelical tool at countless sports venues.  (I think it has backfired, by and large.  And in all honesty I'd love to see a John 3:17 sign just once, "Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.")

I'm afraid that the simple faith of the Born-Again Christians, while a beautiful and admirable thing, doesn't do justice to this pericope.  There's a real sense of spiritual wrestling here--Nicodemus's path is not a simple one.  The political ramifications of a Pharisee seeking out Jesus for a little Rabbinical instruction (he did come under cover of darkness, you'll notice) and the slow dawning of realization he undergoes (see what the Gospel writer did there?) seems to stand in contrast to the conversion experience frequently associated with the Born-Again movement.

But wait... what is that realization?

What does Jesus mean when he says that Nicodemus must be born again?  Well, actually, this is where language geeks have a leg-up, I think.  The Koine phrase can mean both "born again" and "born from above."  Poets use these kinds of phrases to say as much as humanly possible with as few words as they can:  and I do believe that the writer of the Gospel of John is a poet.

What does it mean to be born again from above?

I believe that Jesus is giving Nicodemus (and the Gospel writer is giving the reader) a prophecy.  In both the sense of a word from God and in the sense of "this is a thing that's going to happen."  In the second sense, it's pretty vague.  Basically Jesus is leading Nicodemus to the conclusion that God is doing a brand-new thing.  Not just a little thing, either.  We're talking about real Game Changer where Nothing Will Ever Be The Same Again.

We're talking about Hiccup discovering that dragons and humans are not mutual adversaries in How to Train Your Dragon.  We're leading up to the idea of a dragon revolution against the Red Death.

In the sense of it being a word from God, though, we can learn what kind of belief is required--the kind that most closely resembles trust in God.  Jesus tells us (Nicodemus, you, me...) that this Game Changer will be like Moses raising the serpent in the wilderness.  It will result in what Mark J. Suriano describes as "...the healing of the world ...so that we might be made whole and entire."

In other words, what God did through Jesus changes everything for the better.

So how should we respond to this good news?

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
052615


Lectionary texts

Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory." The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke.

And I said: "Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!" Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: "Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out." Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I; send me!"

Psalm 29

Ascribe to God, O heavenly beings,
   ascribe to God glory and strength.

Ascribe to God the glory of God's name;
   worship God in holy splendor.

The voice of God is over the waters;
  the God of glory thunders,
God, over mighty waters.

The voice of God is powerful;
  the voice of God is full of majesty.

The voice of God breaks the cedars;
   God breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

God makes Lebanon skip like a calf,
  and Sirion like a young wild ox.

The voice of God flashes forth
  in flames of fire.

The voice of God shakes the wilderness;
  God shakes the wilderness of Kadesh.

The voice of God causes the oaks to whirl,
   and strips the forest bare;
and in God's temple all say, "Glory!"

God sits enthroned over the flood;
  God sits enthroned as ruler forever.

May God give strength to God's people!
  May God bless God's people with peace!

Romans 8:12-17

So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh — for if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, "Abba! Father!" it is that very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ — if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

John 3:1-17

Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. He came to Jesus by night and said to him, "Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God." Jesus answered him, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above." Nicodemus said to him, "How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be astonished that I said to you, 'You must be born from above.' The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit." Nicodemus said to him, "How can these things be?" Jesus answered him, "Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things? Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life. Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him."

You Sound Welsh

I have a problem today.

The best geek illustration of Pentecost—isn't.

Hold still for your injection of
Translator Microbes, sir!
No, they won't do the cuss words.
Now hold still.

When I read the story of Pentecost from a geek perspective, I immediately find myself remembering some of my favorite Star Trek episodes.  Some of my favorite moments from Farscape, and Doctor Who.  And, of course, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.

I'm talking about the Universal Translator as it appears in the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode "Darmok" and the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Sanctuary."

I'm talking about the way Translator Microbes do nothing to help the rest of the crew understand John Crichton's Earthly pop-culture references.

I'm talking about the wonderful moment in the Doctor Who episode "The Fires of Pompeii" where Donna Noble learns that the TARDIS is psychic and provides translations directly into its passengers' minds.
Quick as she is, Donna immediately understands that while she's speaking modern English, the people she's talking to in Pompeii are hearing Latin.  And then she wonders what would happen if she tried to speak Latin.
So Donna, a modern-day Welshman, approaches the nearest merchant and busts out with  "veni vidi vici!"
To which the merchant slowly and carefully replies, "Me no a-speak Celtic!  No can do, missy!"  And the Doctor adds, "Welsh, you sound Welsh."

And, of course, I'm talking about the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy's Babel Fish:

"The Babel fish is small, yellow, leech-like, and probably the oddest thing in the Universe.  It feeds on brainwave energy received not from its own carrier, but from those around it.  It absorbs all unconscious mental frequencies from this brainwave energy to nourish itself with.  It then excretes into the mind of its carrier a telepathic matrix formed by combining the conscious thought frequencies with nerve signals picked up from the speech centres of the brain which has supplied them.  The practical upshot of all this is that if you stick a Babel fish in your ear you can instantly understand anything said to you in any form of language.  The speech patterns you actually hear decode the brainwave matrix which has been fed into your mind by your Babel fish."

Maybe some day I'll devote an entry to the philosophical load of dingo's kidneys that is Oolon Colluphid's best-selling book, Well That About Wraps It Up For God.  But not today.  That screwy intelligent design argument against the existence of God isn't my problem today.

My problem is Phlebotinum.

The TV Tropes site describes phlebotinum as "...plot fuel.  Without it, the story would grind to an abrupt halt. It's the science that powers the FTL drive on the starship so the characters can get somewhere...  things unknown to science or magic that do basically anything.  The reader does not know how Phlebotinum would work and the creators hope nobody cares."

Why is this a problem?  Because TV Tropes also accurately describes Translator Microbes and the like as phlebotinum.  And then they go on to cite the power of tongues at Pentecost as an example.

So is that what's going on in the story of Pentecost?  That powerful moment when the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples and they begin to preach to the diverse crowed in Jerusalem—each in their own tongues...  is it just plot fuel?

No.  No I don't think so.

The Holy Spirit is a way more important character than a simple phlebotinum.  And this event is a more important plot point than any Translator Microbes.  It's actually on par with the idea that Han shot first.  If Han isn't a complete amoral scoundrel at the beginning of A New Hope, then it's no surprise when he saves Luke at the last moment in the Death Star run.

Think of it this way:  The Tower of Babel (for which the fish is named, by the way) is when Han shot first.  The gift of tongues at Pentecost is Han saving Luke in the Death Star bombing run.

In the story of the Tower of Babel, humanity is cursed with a multiplicity of language so we cannot work together.  Apparently we were a danger to ourselves and others when were able to put our collective minds to it.

Pentecost represents a reversal of that position.

Because if we use our powers only for good, imagine what we could do if we put our heads together!

Use your powers for good,
Rev. Josh
051915



Lectionary Texts:



Acts 2:1-21

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs — in our own languages we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power." All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" But others sneered and said, "They are filled with new wine."

But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, "Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o'clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord's great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.'"

John 15:26-27:16:4b-15

[Jesus said:] "When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who comes from the Father, he will testify on my behalf. You also are to testify because you have been with me from the beginning.

"I did not say these things to you from the beginning, because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your hearts.

"Nevertheless I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes, he will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because they do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will see me no longer; about judgment, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth; for he will not speak on his own, but will speak whatever he hears, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, because he will take what is mine and declare it to you. All that the Father has is mine. For this reason I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you."

But With The Blast Shield Down...

In the previous post I told you about the Farewell Discourse of Jesus.  I likened it to the final words of Yoda, for example.

But Jesus's relationship with his disciples might be better described by the example of Obi-Wan Kenobi.  Teacher.  Mentor.  But the kind who walks side by side with you.  The kind who sets out on the adventure with you.  The kind who travels with you.  The kind who adventures with you.

Think about it this way:  The disciples are Luke Skywalker, whining that they can't see anything with the blast shield down, and Jesus is exactly like Obi-Wan patiently explaining (over and over again) to use the Force, Luke!

Perhaps even more than "There is another Skywalker," the Farewell Prayer or High Priestly Prayer is "You can't win, Darth.  If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you could possibly imagine..."  Not that Jesus is speaking to the Big Bad.  But is like a little like the point where Obi-Wan makes darn sure that he's standing where Luke can see his big moment.

As Jesus prays, he is no longer speaking directly to his disciples, but rather to God.  But they're all sitting right there, overhearing the divine conversation.  Luke may not have gotten to overhear Obi-Wan's words, but he got to see them put into action.  And in his angst and confusion, Luke cries out, "No!"

Which also sounds pretty much like the disciples, doesn't it?  Over and over again, they just don't get it.  But the time is coming, and coming soon, where they must stand on their own two feet.  Or twenty-two feet.  You get what I mean.

Of course, Luke—just like the disciples—hasn't been completely abandoned.  He still has the Force.  Heck, he still has Obi-Wan in a very real sense.

And that's what this prayer is about.  The disciples may need to step up, but they won't have to do it without being empowered.  Because before Jesus has his big moment, he petitions God on their behalf.

Be good to each other,
Rev. Josh
051215




Lectionary texts

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26

In those days Peter stood up among the believers (together the crowd numbered about one hundred twenty persons) and said, “Friends, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit through David foretold concerning Judas, who became a guide for those who arrested Jesus— for he was numbered among us and was allotted his share in this ministry.” So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when he was taken up from us—one of these must become a witness with us to his resurrection.” So they proposed two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was also known as Justus, and Matthias. Then they prayed and said, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which one of these two you have chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles.

Psalm 1

Happy are those who do not follow
   the advice of the wicked,
or take the path that sinners tread,
   or sit in the seat of scoffers;

but their delight is in
   the law of God,
and on God's law
   they meditate day and night.

They are like trees
   planted by streams of water,
which yield their fruit in its season,
   and their leaves do not wither.
In all that they do, they prosper.

The wicked are not so,
   but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand
   in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation
   of the righteous;

for God watches over
   the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

1 John 5:9-13

If we receive human testimony, the testimony of God is greater; for this is the testimony of God that he has testified to his Son. Those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony in their hearts. Those who do not believe in God have made him a liar by not believing in the testimony that God has given concerning his Son. And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life.

John 17:6-19

[Jesus said:] "I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them.

"And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them in your name that you have given me. I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the one destined to be lost, so that the scripture might be fulfilled. But now I am coming to you, and I speak these things in the world so that they may have my joy made complete in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I am not asking you to take them out of the world, but I ask you to protect them from the evil one. They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.

"Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth."

There... Is... Another...

There's nothing quite like a good final speech, is there?  I don't mean unintentionally funny "narm" moments.  I'm definitely not talking about intentionally funny "Facing the Bullets" one-liners.  I'm talking about those moments where someone knows they're dying and somehow has time to impart some important last thoughts.

I'm talking about Master Yoda's final moments:

YODA:  
Hmm.  That face you make.  Look I so old to young eyes?
LUKE:  
No... of course not.
YODA:  
I do, yes, I do!  Sick have I become.  Old and weak.  When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not. Hmm?  Soon will I rest.  Yes, forever sleep.  Earned it, I have.
LUKE
:  Master Yoda, you can't die.
YODA:  Strong am I with the Force... but not that strong!  Twilight is upon me and soon night must fall.  That is the way of things ... the way of the Force.
LUKE:  But I need your help.  I've come back to complete the training.
YODA:  
No more training do you require.  Already know you that which you need.
LUKE
:  Then I am a Jedi?
YODA:  
Ohhh.  Not yet.  One thing remains:  Vader. You must confront Vader.  Then, only then, a Jedi will you be.  And confront him you will.
LUKE
:  Master Yoda... is Darth Vader my father?
YODA
:  Mmm... rest I need.  Yes... rest.
LUKE
:  Yoda, I must know.
YODA:  
Your father he is.  Told you, did he?
LUKE
:  Yes.
YODA:  
Unexpected this is, and unfortunate...
LUKE
:  Unfortunate that I know the truth?
YODA:  
No.  Unfortunate that you rushed to face him... that incomplete was your training.  Not ready for the burden were you.
LUKE
:  Well, I'm sorry.
YODA:  
Remember, a Jedi's strength flows from the Force.  But beware. Anger, fear, aggression.  The dark side are they.  Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny.  Luke...Luke...Do not...Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor, or suffer your father's fate, you will.  Luke, when gone am I [cough], the last of the Jedi will you be.  Luke, the Force runs strong in your family.  Pass on what you have learned, Luke...  There is... another...Sky...Sky...walker.

I'm talking about the final words of Thorin Oakenshield to Bilbo Baggins:

"Farewell, good thief...  There is more in you of good than you know, child of the kindly West.  Some courage and some wisdom, blended in measure.  If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world..."




I'm talking about The Doctor's recorded last words to Rose:

This is Emergency Programme One.  Rose, now listen.  This is important.  If this message is activated, then it can only mean one thing.  We must be in danger, and I mean fatal.  I'm dead, or about to die any second with no chance of escape.  And that's okay.  Hope it's a good death. But I promised to look after you, and that's what I'm doing. The TARDIS is taking you home. [Rose protests]  And I bet you're fussing and moaning now.  Typical!  But hold on and just listen a bit more.  The TARDIS can never return for me.  Emergency Programme One means I'm facing an enemy that should never get their hands on this machine.  So this is what you should do:  let the TARDIS die.  Just let this old box gather dust.  No one can open it.  No one will even notice it.  Let it become a strange little thing standing on a street corner.  And over the years, the world will move on and the box will be buried.  And if you wanna remember me, then you can do one thing, that's all, one thing.  Have a good life.  Do that for me, Rose.  Have a fantastic life.

There are so many really strong examples of what I'm talking about.  But my all-time favorite final speech—and I'm not just saying this because I'm a Christian—is the Farewell Discourse of Jesus.

Jesus has plenty of time to speak to the Disciples while Judas is slinking off to bring men with clubs and swords to arrest him.  But don't worry, I won't quote the whole thing here.  Just the most important part:

 "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.  If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.  I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.
"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.  You are my friends if you do what I command you.  I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father.  You did not choose me but I chose you.  And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name.  I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."

Be good to each other,
Love one another,
Rev. Josh
050515





Lectionary texts

Acts 10: 44-48

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?" So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Psalm 98

O sing to God a new song,
    for God has done marvelous things.

God's strong hand and holy arm
    have given God the victory.

God has made known God's victory;
    and has revealed God's vindication
in the sight of the nations.

God has remembered having steadfast love
    and faithfulness to the house of Israel.
All the ends of the earth
    have seen the victory of our God.

Make a joyful noise to God,
    all the earth;
break forth into joyous song
    and sing praises.

Sing praises to God
    with the lyre,
with the lyre and
    the sound of melody.

With trumpets and the sound of the horn
    make a joyful noise
before the Ruler, the Sovereign.

Let the sea roar,
    and all that fills it;
the world and those who live in it.

Let the floods clap their hands;
    let the hills sing together for joy
at the presence of God,
    for God is coming to judge the earth.

God will judge the world
    with righteousness,
and the peoples with equity.

1 John 5: 1-6

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

John 15:9-17

[Jesus said:] "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another."