When I wrote A New Commandment?, I offered an explanation of the difference between these two verses…
Leviticus 19:18 (ESV)
“You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.”
John 13:34 (ESV)
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.”
Here, I would like to take a look at what is similar…
As I mentioned in “A New Commandment?” the most obvious similarity of these two verses is that they both command “love.” Another similarity is that they both come directly from God (John was quoting Jesus… who is God).
But, did you notice yet another aspect which connects them?
In one verse is a “type,” and in the other verse is an “antitype.”
A “type” foreshadows or represents an “antitype.” In other words, types pre-figure or supersede antitypes for the purpose of introducing the intended bigger picture.
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians he used this same approach or “typology,” in order to help them to understand how they ought to live in light of what God had done historically, which ultimately pointed to His Son, Jesus Christ…
1 Corinthians 10:1-13 (HCSB)
“Now I want you to know, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from a spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. But God was not pleased with most of them, for they were struck down in the wilderness. Now these things became examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did. Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play. Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day 23,000 people fell dead. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes. Nor should we complain as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. Now these things happened to them as examples, and they were written as a warning to us, on whom the ends of the ages have come. So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.”
So, let’s go back to the connection of the two verses regarding love…
Leviticus 19:18 commands that those who are of the Old Covenant, are to love those of the Old Covenant. The same concept is commanded in John 13:34… those of the covenant in view are commanded to love those of the covenant in view. However, the covenant in view in John 13:34 is the New Covenant, and those who are of the New Covenant are to love those of the New Covenant. In other words, Leviticus 19:18 is a type of the anti-type (John 13:34).
Here’s another way to look at it…
Just as the Old Covenant points to the New Covenant, “a better covenant” (Hebrews 7:22, 8:6), the type of love commanded in the Old Covenant (Leviticus 18:19) points to a better love commanded in the New Covenant (John 13:34). It is better because “a better covenant” has a better love, one that was exemplified by Christ personally, when He came 2,000 years ago in Palestine…
John 1:14 (HCSB)
“The Word became flesh
and took up residence among us.
We observed His glory,
the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father,
full of grace and truth.”
It is important that when we (Christians) read the Old Testament, we must recognize where the Old Testament points us to… Christ (who is love, 1 John 4:8).
Jesus brought out this very same thing on the road to Emmaus…
Luke 24:18-27 (HCSB)
“The one named Cleopas answered Him, “Are You the only visitor in Jerusalem who doesn’t know the things that happened there in these days?” “What things?” He asked them. So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus the Nazarene, who was a Prophet powerful in action and speech before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him. But we were hoping that He was the One who was about to redeem Israel. Besides all this, it’s the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women from our group astounded us. They arrived early at the tomb, and when they didn’t find His body, they came and reported that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they didn’t see Him.” He said to them, “How unwise and slow you are to believe in your hearts all that the prophets have spoken! Didn’t the Messiah have to suffer these things and enter into His glory?” Then beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He interpreted for them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.”
In other words, Jesus Christ (THEE Antitype) who is love, is in every book of the Bible…
Genesis – The Creator promised Redeemer
Exodus – The Passover Lamb
Leviticus – The High Priest
Numbers – The Water in the desert
Deuteronomy – He becomes the curse for us
Joshua – The Commander of the army of the Lord
Judges – He delivers us from injustice
Ruth – Our Kinsman-Redeemer
1 Samuel – All in one, He is the Prophet/Priest/King
2 Samuel – The King of grace & love
1 Kings – A Ruler greater than Solomon
2 Kings – The powerful prophet
1 Chronicles – The Son of David that is coming to rule
2 Chronicles – The King who reigns eternally
Ezra – The Priest proclaiming freedom
Nehemiah – The One who restores what is broken down
Esther – The Protector of His people
Job – The Mediator between God and man
Psalms – Our Song in the morning and in the night
Proverbs – Our Wisdom
Ecclesiastes – Our meaning for life
Song of Solomon – The Author of faithful love
Isaiah – The Suffering Servant
Jeremiah – The weeping Messiah
Lamentations – He assumes God’s wrath for us
Ezekiel – The Son of Man
Daniel – The stranger in the fire with us
Hosea – The Faithful Husband even when we run away
Joel – He is sending His Spirit to His people
Amos – He delivers justice to the oppressed
Obadiah – The Judge of those who do evil
Jonah – The Greatest Missionary
Micah – He casts our sin into the sea of forgetfulness
Nahum – He proclaims future world peace we cannot even imagine
Habakkuk – He crushes injustice
Zephaniah – The Warrior who saves
Haggai – He Restores our worship
Zechariah – He Prophesies The Messiah pierced for us
Malachi – The Son of Righteousness who brings healing
Matthew – The Messiah who is King
Mark – The Messiah who is a Servant
Luke – The Messiah who is a Deliverer
John – The Messiah who is a God in the flesh
Acts – The Spirit who dwells in His people
Romans – The righteousness of God
1 Corinthians – The Power and love of God
2 Corinthians – He is the down payment of what’s to come
Galatians – He is our very life
Ephesians – The unity of our Church
Philippians – The Joy of our life
Colossians – He holds the supreme position in all things
1 Thessalonians – Our comfort in the last days
2 Thessalonians – Our returning King
1 Timothy – The Savior of the worst sinners
2 Timothy – The Leader of the leaders
Titus – The Foundation of truth
Philemon – Our Mediator
Hebrews – Our High Priest
James – He matures our faith
1 Peter – Our hope in times of suffering
2 Peter – The One who guards us from false teaching
1 John – The Source of all fellowship
2 John – God in the flesh
3 John – The Source of all truth
Jude – He protects us from stumbling
Revelation – The King of Kings and Lord of Lords,
The Alpha and the Omega,
The Beginning and the End, and
He is coming again and the One who makes all things new!
I cannot take credit for the drafting of this list. I found it on the internet. May it encourage you to read your Bible, and to see in it everywhere, true love… Christ.
Godspeed, to the brethren!
FOLLOW theidolbabbler.com ON TWITTER!!
Follow @theidolbabbler
theidolbabbler.com 