Ezra and Nehemiah were written to Jews in and around Jerusalem during the restoration. The “commandments, statutes, and ordinances,” here refer to the Law of Moses (i.e. context—
which thou commandedst thy servant Moses, compare with Deut 5:31, 6:1).
New can also mean
renew. Since God’s commandment of love cannot be disannulled,
new here cannot mean “brand new,” but rather renewed, a quality now understood, expanded, clarified, something previously unused, etc. Compare
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Deut 6:4-9f Hear, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah: and thou shalt love Jehovah thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be upon thy heart; and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thy house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thy hand, and they shall be for frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.
As Paul states, in Galatians 5:14, “For
all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” James also quoting the OT, “If ye
fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well.” (James 2:8).
