CHAPTER XIII. _Christ washes the feet of his disciples, and gives them_ _instructions concerting humility and charity_, 1-17. _He tells them that one of themselves will betray him_, 18-20. _The disciples doubting of whom he spoke, Peter desires John to_ _ask him_, 21-25. _Jesus shows that it i... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:2. _AND SUPPER BEING ENDED_] Rather, δειπνου γενομενου, _while supper was preparing_. To support this new translation of the words, it may be remarked that, from John 13:26; John 13:30, it appears that the supper was _not_ then _ended_: nay, it is probable that it was not then _begun_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:3. _KNOWING THAT THE FATHER HAD GIVEN_, c.] Our Lord, seeing himself almost at the end of his race, and being about to leave his apostles, thought it necessary to leave them a lesson of humility exemplified by himself, to deliver them from the bad influence of those false ideas which... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:4. _HE RISETH FROM SUPPER_] Not from _eating_, as Bishop Pearce has well observed, but from his place at table; probably the dishes were not as yet laid down, though the guests were seated. According to the custom of the Jews and other Asiatics, this washing must have taken place befor... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:5. _POURETH WATER INTO A BASON_, c.] This was the office of the meanest slaves. When David sent to Abigail, to inform her that he had chosen her for wife, she arose and said: _Behold, let thy_ _handmaid be a SERVANT, to WASH the FEET of the SERVANTS of my_ _lord_, 1 Samuel 25:41. Some... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:6. _LORD, DOST THOU WASH MY FEET?_] Every word here is exceedingly emphatic. Peter had often seen the great humility of his Lord, but never saw his condescension so particularly marked as in this instance.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:7. _WHAT I DO THOU KNOWEST NOT NOW_, c.] As if our Lord had said, Permit me to do it now, and I will shortly explain to you the nature of this action, and my motives for doing it. _THOU SHALT KNOW HEREAFTER._] μετα ταυτα, after this business is finished. And so we find he explained th... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:8. _IF I WASH THEE NOT, THOU HAST NO PART WITH ME._] Thou canst not be my disciple unless I wash thee. It is certain Christ did not mean to exclude him from the apostolic office, if he should persist, through the deepest reverence for his Master, to refuse to let him wash his _feet_:... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:9. _LORD, NOT MY FEET ONLY_, c.] It appears that Peter entered into our Lord's meaning, and saw that this was emblematical of a spiritual cleansing: therefore he wishes to be completely washed.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:10. _HE THAT IS WASHED_] That is, he who has been in the bath, as probably all the apostles had lately been, in order to prepare themselves the better for the paschal solemnity; for on that occasion, it was the custom of the Jews to bathe twice. _NEEDETH NOT SAVE TO WASH_ his _feet_]... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:12. _KNOW YE WHAT I HAVE DONE_] Our Lord had told Peter, in the presence of the rest, John 13:7, that he should _afterwards_ know what was the intent and meaning of this washing; and now he begins to fulfil his promise; therefore I think it more likely that he gives a _command_, here,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:13. _YE CALL ME MASTER AND LORD_] Ὁ διδασκαλος και ὁ κυριος, similar to רבי _Rabbi_, and מר _Mar_, titles very common among the Jewish doctors, as may be seen in _Schoettgen_. This double title was not given except to the most accredited teachers, רבי ומורי _Rabbi vemore_, my master,... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:14. _YE ALSO OUGHT TO WASH ONE ANOTHER FEET._] That is, ye should be ready, after my example, to condescend to all the weakness of your brethren; to be willing to do the meanest offices for them, and to prefer the least of them in honour to yourselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:16. _THE SERVANT IS NOT GREATER THAN HIS LORD_] Christ has ennobled the acts of humility by practising them himself. The true glory of a Christian consists in being, in his measure, as humble as his Lord. _NEITHER HE THAT IS SENT_] Ουδε αποϚολος _Nor an apostle_. As I think these word... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:17. _IF YE KNOW THESE THINGS, HAPPY_, c.] True _happiness_ consists in the _knowledge_ of God, and in _obedience_ to him. A man is not happy because he _knows_ much but because he receives much of the Divine nature, and is, in all his conduct, conformed to the Divine will. "They who ha... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:18. _I SPEAK NOT OF YOU ALL_] This is a continuation of that discourse which was left off at the tenth verse. The preceding verses may be read in a parenthesis. _I KNOW WHOM I HAVE CHOSEN_] I am not deceived in my choice; I perfectly foresaw every thing that has happened, or can happe... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:19. _THAT - YE MAY BELIEVE_] These frequent predictions of his death, so circumstantial in themselves, had the most direct tendency to confirm the disciples, not only in the belief of his being the Messiah, but also in that of his omniscience.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:20. _HE THAT RECEIVED WHOMSOEVER I SEND_] See similar words, Matthew 10:40, c. Our Lord spoke this to comfort his disciples: he showed them that, although they should be rejected by many, they would be received by several and that whoever received them should reap the utmost benefit by... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:21. _WAS TROUBLED IN SPIRIT._] John 11:33. _AND TESTIFIED_] Spoke with great earnestness. _SHALL BETRAY ME._] παραδωσει με, _Will deliver me up_. Judas had already _betrayed_ our blessed Lord, and he was now on the point of _delivering him up_ into the hands of the chief priests. By... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 22. _LOOKED ONE ON ANOTHER DOUBTING OF WHOM HE SPAKE._] See the notes on Matthew 26:20. Every one but Judas, conscious of his own innocence, looked about upon all the rest, wondering who in that company could be such a traitor! Even Judas himself is not suspected. Is not this a proof that his... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 23. _NOW THERE WAS LEANING ON JESUS' BOSOM_] The Jews of those days, at their suppers, reclined, supported by their left arm, on couches placed round the table, as the Greeks and Romans did. On each couch there were two or three persons; and the head of one of them came near to the bosom of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 25. _HE THEN LYING ON JESUS' BREAST_] επιπεσων, laying his head against the breast of Christ, in a loving, respectful manner. As the expressions in the text are different here from those in the preceding verse, it shows that John altered his position at table, in order to ask the question whic... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 26. _AND WHEN HE HAD DIPPED THE SOP_] Dr. Lightfoot observes that it was no unusual thing to dip a sop and give it to any person; and it is probable that the rest of the disciples considered it as given to Judas that he might hurry to do some work on which he wished to employ him, and not wait... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 27. _SATAN ENTERED INTO HIM._] He had entered into him _before_, and now he enters _again_, to strengthen him in his purpose of delivering up his Master. But the _morsel_ was not the _cause_ of this entering in; the giving of it only marks the time in which the devil confirmed Judas in his tra... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 29. _BUY_ THOSE THINGS _THAT WE HAVE NEED OF AGAINST THE_ _FEAST_] _Calmet's observation here has weight so it_. "The disciples who thought that our Lord had said this to Judas, knew well that on the day of the passover there was neither buying nor selling in Jerusalem. This, therefore, did n... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 30. _HE - WENT IMMEDIATELY OUT: AND IT WAS NIGHT._] He set off to Jerusalem from Bethany, which was about two miles distant; and, under the _conduct_ of the _prince_ of darkness, and in the _time_ of darkness, he did this _work_ of darkness.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 31. _NOW IS THE SON OF MAN GLORIFIED_] νυν εδοξασθη, _Hath_ _been glorified_. Now it fully appears that I am the person appointed to redeem a lost world by my blood. I _have_ already _been_ _glorified_ by this appointment, and am about to be farther _glorified_ by my death, resurrection, and a... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 32. _AND SHALL STRAIGHTWAY GLORIFY HIM._] Or, _glorify him_, ευθυς, _immediately_; "he did, not only in the miracles wrought at his death, but also in that remarkable case mentioned, John 18:6, when the whole crowd that came to seize him were driven back with a _word_ of his mouth, and fell to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 33. _LITTLE CHILDREN_] Or, rather, _beloved children_. τεκνια, a word frequently used by this apostle in his epistles. It is an expression which implies great tenderness and affection, and such as a fond mother uses to her most beloved babes. Now that Judas was gone out, he could use this epit... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse 34. _A NEW COMMANDMENT I GIVE UNTO YOU_] In what sense are we to understand that this was a _new_ commandment? _Thou shalt love_ _thy neighbour as thyself_, was a positive precept of the law, Leviticus 19:18, and it is the very same that Christ repeats here; how then was it _new_? Our Lord an... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:35. _BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW_, c.] From this time forward, this mutual and disinterested love shall become the essential and distinctive mark of all my disciples. When they love one another with pure hearts, fervently, even unto death, then shall it fully appear that they are discip... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:36. _THOU CANST NOT FOLLOW ME NOW_] Thou hast not faith strong enough to die for me, nor is thy work yet done; but hereafter thou shalt suffer for my sake, and die in defence of my truth. See John 21:18.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:37. _WHY CANNOT I FOLLOW THEE NOW?_] Peter probably thought that our Lord intended to go some long journey, which would necessarily subject him to many inconveniences and fatigue; and he felt quite disposed to follow him in this supposed journey, at all hazards. He saw no reason, becau... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse John 13:38. _THE COCK SHALL NOT CROW_, c.] Matthew 26:34. Dr. Lightfoot has very properly remarked that we must not understand these words, as if the cock should not crow at all before Peter had thrice denied his Master but we must understand them thus: "The cock shall not have _finished_ his... [ Continue Reading ]