John 13

1 Before the feast of ester whe Iesus knewe that his houre was come that he shuld departe out of this worlde vnto the father. When he loved his which were in the worlde vnto the ende he loved the.

2 And when supper was ended after that the devyll had put in the hert of Iudas Iscariot Simos sonne to betraye him:

3 Iesus knowinge that the father had geve all thinges into his hondes. And that he was come from God and went to God

4 he rose from supper and layde a syde his vpper garmentes and toke a towell and gyrd him selfe.

5 After that poured he water into a basyn and beganne to wash his disciples fete and to wype them with the towell wherwith he was gyrde.

6 Then came he to Simon Peter. And Peter sayde to him: Lorde shalt thou wesshe my fete?

7 Iesus answered and sayde vnto him: what I do thou wotest not now but thou shalt knowe herafter.

8 Peter sayd vnto him: thou shalt not wesshe my fete whill ye worlde stondeth. Iesus answered him: yf I wasshe ye not thou shalt have no part with me.

9 Simon Peter sayde vnto him: Lorde not my fete only: but also my handes and my heed.

10 Iesus sayde to him: he that is wesshed nedeth not save to wesshe his fete and is clene every whit. And ye are clene: but not all.

11 For he knewe his betrayer. Therfore sayde he: ye are not all clene.

12 After he had wesshed their fete and receaved his clothes and was set doune agayne he sayde vnto them? wot ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me master and Lorde and ye saye well for so am I.

14 If I then youre Lorde and master have wesshed youre fete ye also ought to wesshe one anothers fete.

15 For I have geven you an ensample that ye shuld do as I have done to you.

16 Verely verely I saye vnto you the servaunt is not greater then his master nether the messenger greater then he that sent him.

17 If ye vnderstonde these thinges happy are ye yf ye do them.

18 I speake not of you all I knowe whom I have chosen. But that ye scripture be fulfilled: he that eateth breed wt me hath lyfte vp his hele agaynste me.

19 Now tell I you before it come: that when it is come to passe ye might beleve that I am he.

20 Verely verely I saye vnto you. He that receaveth who soever I sende receaveth me. And he that receaveth me receaveth him that sent me.

21 When Iesus had thus sayd he was troubled in the sprete and testified sayinge: verely verely I saye vnto you that one of you shall betraye me.

22 And then the disciples loked one on another doutinge of who he spake.

23 Ther was one of his disciples which leaned on Iesus bosome whom Iesus loved.

24 To him beckened Simo Peter that he shuld axe who it was of whom he spake.

25 He then as he leaned on Iesus brest sayde vnto him: Lorde who ys it?

26 Iesus answered he yt ys to whom I geve a soppe when I have dept it. And he wet a soppe and gave it to Iudas Iscarioth Simons sonne.

27 And after the soppe Satan entred into him. Then sayd Iesus vnto him: that thou dost do quickly.

28 That wist no ma at the table for what intent he spake vnto him.

29 Some of the thought because Iudas had the bagge that Iesus had sayd vnto him bye those thinges that we have nede af agaynst ye feast: or that he shulde geve some thinge to the poore.

30 Assone then as he had receaved the soppe he wet immediatly out. And it was night.

31 Whe he was gone out Iesus sayde: now is the sonne of man glorified. And God is glorified by him.

32 Yf God be glorified by him God shall also glorify him in him selfe: and shall strayght waye glorify him.

33 Deare chyldren yet a lytell whyle am I with you. Ye shall seke me and as I sayde vnto the Iewes whither I goo thither can ye not come. Also to you saye I nowe.

34 A newe commaundment geve I vnto you that ye love to gedder as I have loved you that even so ye love one another

35 By this shall all me knowe yt ye are my disciples yf ye shall have love one to another.

36 Simon Peter sayd vnto him: Lorde whither goest thou? Iesus answered him: whither I goo thou canst not folowe me now but thou shalt folowe me afterwardes.

37 Peter sayd vnto him: Lorde why canot I folowe the now? I will geve my lyfe for thy sake?

38 Iesus answered him: wilt thou geve thy lyfe for my sake? Verely verely I saye vnto the the cocke shall not crowe tyll thou have denyed me thryse.

John 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Christ washes the disciples' feet. (1-17) The treachery of Judas foretold. (18-30) Christ commands the disciples to love one another. (31-38)

Verses 1-17 Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to be undone. What way of access the devil has to men's hearts we cannot tell. But some sins are so exceedingly sinful, and there is so little temptation to them from the world and the flesh, that it is plain they are directly from Satan. Jesus washed his disciples' feet, that he might teach us to think nothing below us, wherein we may promote God's glory, and the good of our brethren. We must address ourselves to duty, and must lay aside every thing that would hinder us in what we have to do. Christ washed his disciples' feet, that he might signify to them the value of spiritual washing, and the cleansing of the soul from the pollutions of sin. Our Lord Jesus does many things of which even his own disciples do not for the present know the meaning, but they shall know afterward. We see in the end what was the kindness from events which seemed most cross. And it is not humility, but unbelief, to put away the offers of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us, or too good news to be true. All those, and those only, who are spiritually washed by Christ, have a part in Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter more than submits; he begs to be washed by Christ. How earnest he is for the purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, and the full effect of it, even upon his hands and head! Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure. The true believer is thus washed when he receives Christ for his salvation. See then what ought to be the daily care of those who through grace are in a justified state, and that is, to wash their feet; to cleanse themselves from daily guilt, and to watch against everything defiling. This should make us the more cautious. From yesterday's pardon, we should be strengthened against this day's temptation. And when hypocrites are discovered, it should be no surprise or cause of stumbling to us. Observe the lesson Christ here taught. Duties are mutual; we must both accept help from our brethren, and afford help to our brethren. When we see our Master serving, we cannot but see how ill it becomes us to domineer. And the same love which led Christ to ransom and reconcile his disciples when enemies, still influences him.

Verses 18-30 Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their authority and destroy their influence; the hypocrite, who professes to believe the Scriptures, but will not govern himself by them; and the apostate, who turns aside from Christ for a thing of naught. Thus mankind, supported by God's providence, after eating bread with Him, lift up the heel against Him! Judas went out as one weary of Jesus and his apostles. Those whose deeds are evil, love darkness rather than light.

Verses 31-35 Christ had been glorified in many miracles he wrought, yet he speaks of his being glorified now in his sufferings, as if that were more than all his other glories in his humbled state. Satisfaction was thereby made for the wrong done to God by the sin of man. We cannot now follow our Lord to his heavenly happiness, but if we truly believe in him, we shall follow him hereafter; meanwhile we must wait his time, and do his work. Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ's sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors. Men in general notice any of Christ's words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.

Verses 36-38 What Christ had said concerning brotherly love, Peter overlooked, but spoke of that about which Christ kept them ignorant. It is common to be more eager to know about secret things, which belong to God only, than about things revealed, which belong to us and our children; to be more desirous to have our curiosity gratified, than our consciences directed; to know what is done in heaven, than what we may do to get thither. How soon discourse as to what is plain and edifying is dropped, while a doubtful dispute runs on into endless strife of words! We are apt to take it amiss to be told we cannot do this and the other, whereas, without Christ we can do nothing. Christ knows us better than we know ourselves, and has many ways of discovering those to themselves, whom he loves, and he will hide pride from them. May we endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, to love one another with a pure heart fervently, and to walk humbly with our God.