_JESUS WASHETH THE DISCIPLES' FEET: EXHORTETH THEM TO HUMILITY AND LOVE: HE FORETELLETH AND DISCOVERETH TO JOHN BY A TOKEN, THAT JUDAS SHOULD BETRAY HIM: COMMANDETH THEM TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER: AND FOREWARNETH PETER OF HIS DENIAL._ _Anno Domini 33._... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW BEFORE THE FEAST OF THE PASSOVER,— The observation with which John ushers in this part of his history, may be considered as a kind of preface to the five subsequent Chapter s of his gospel. _Before the feast of the passover,_ means before they began the passover supper. See Luke 22:14. _Unto the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SUPPER BEING ENDED, &C.— _And being at supper._ See John 13:4; John 13:26. Byour version an English reader would be led to apprehend, that the paschal supper was over, before the subsequent act of condescension was performed by our Saviour; and that the clause in the parenthesis is referred to t... [ Continue Reading ]
JESUS, KNOWING, &C.— This circumstance is premised, to set the humility of Christ in the most conspicuous light: and what could have contributed more to this purpose, than to consider that Jesus, though of such transcendent dignity as to be invested with the government of all things, as having exist... [ Continue Reading ]
HE RISETH FROM SUPPER,— As it is here asserted that Christ rose from supper, we must allow that, in some sense, supper was begun. Probably, the antepast had been taken, which is mentioned by the Jews as preceding the paschal lamb. They tell us that it was then usual for the master of the family to w... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN COMETH HE TO SIMON PETER:— The word rendered _then,_ does not imply either that Jesus came first to Peter, or that he had washed any other person before him; but is used in the same sense as the English particle _now,_ without any respect to time or order, and only to imply that a minute detail... [ Continue Reading ]
HEREAFTER.— Μετα ταυτα ;—_after these things;_ and accordingly our Lord, after he had finished the washing, explains the meaning of this symbolical acti... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I WASH THEE NOT, THOU HAST NO PART WITH ME.— "If thou dost not submit to all my orders implicitly, thou art not my disciple;" or, as it may be also justly explained, "Unless I cleanse thee from the pollution of sin, emblematically represented by the washing thee with water, Thou art none of mine.... [ Continue Reading ]
SIMON PETER SAITH, &C.— St. Peter, understanding Christ's words literally, supposed thathis being washed was necessary to his partaking with him in the felicity of his reign: he desired therefore that not his feet only, but _also his hands and his head,_ that is, his whole body might be washed. _Jes... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I THEN—HAVE WASHED YOUR FEET, &C.— This was, even to a proverb, one of the lowest offices of menial attendants. See 1 Samuel 25:41. Dr. Evans well observes, (Christian Temper, vol. i, p. 81.) that our Lord chose this kind office, though not necessary in itself, more strongly to impress the minds... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR I HAVE GIVEN YOU AN EXAMPLE,— "I have set you a pattern of humility, to recommend that indispensably necessary grace to you:" and it must be acknowledged, that nothing shews us more effectually the necessity of this grace, than its being recommended to us by so high an example—a recommendation,... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN:— Christ does not intend to say here, that he had chosen some of his apostles, and not all; for he owns that he had chosen Judas, by saying, _Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?_ John 6:70. The import of these words seems therefore to be this, "I know t... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW I TELL YOU BEFORE IT COME, &C.— "The hint in the preceding verse merits yourparticular notice; for I have given it you before I am betrayed, to convince you that it was foreknown by me in my prescience; and to prevent your calling my mission in question on that account." See Psalms 41:9. One way... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WAS TROUBLED IN SPIRIT,— "He shewed a more than ordinary trouble and concern of mind, not merely at his own sufferings, but at the horrid wickedness and ingratitude of Judas, who was thereby bringing the most dreadful destruction upon himself: and, speaking with great earnestness, he said, I, who... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THERE WAS LEANING ON JESUS' BOSOM— One of them, whom Jesus peculiarly loved, sat next to him, leaning backward with his head upon his Lord's breast, according to the usual posture at the passover. This disciple was _John,_ the memoryof whose sweet disposition, and other amiable qualities, is per... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IT IS TO WHOM I SHALL GIVE A SOP— See the note on Matthew 26:23. The word rendered _sop,_ ψωμιον, implies the lower crust, or a piece broken off the lower crust of bread; it is often used for a morsel, or a few crumbs of bread. From the kind and smallness of the piece which was offered him, as we... [ Continue Reading ]
AND AFTER THE SOP, &C.— See the note on John 13:2.—After the account which St. Luke gives us of Christ's delivering the eucharistical bread and wine to his disciples, it is added, But _behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table,_ Luke 22:21. Whence some interpreters have thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE, WHEN HE WAS GONE OUT,— Our Lord's sufferings were now at hand, Judas being gone out for a band of soldiers to apprehend him. After he was departed, Jesus took occasion to meditate upon the glory which would accrue both to himself and to the Father from those sufferings, and spake of it to... [ Continue Reading ]
A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE— Our Lord calls this a new commandment, not because mutual love had never been enjoined on mankind before, but because it was a precept of peculiar excellence: for the word _new,_ in the Hebrew language, denotes excellence and truth. See Psalms 33:3.Mark 1:27. Revelation 2:1... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES,— "By loving one another sincerely and fervently, you shall prove yourselves _my disciples,_ to the convictionofmankind,whocannotbutbe sensible that love is a distinguishing feature in my character. This will be the most acceptable, the most orname... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU CANST NOT FOLLOW ME NOW:— We may gather hence, that the declaration, John 13:33. _Whither I go, ye cannot come,_ is one of those general propositions, whereof there are many in scripture, which were spoken with a limitation not expressed. Here we are directed to add the limitation thus: _Whithe... [ Continue Reading ]