John 13

1 ante diem autem festum paschae sciens Iesus quia venit eius hora ut transeat ex hoc mundo ad Patrem cum dilexisset suos qui erant in mundo in finem dilexit eos

2 et cena facta cum diabolus iam misisset in corde ut traderet eum Iudas Simonis Scariotis

3 sciens quia omnia dedit ei Pater in manus et quia a Deo exivit et ad Deum vadit

4 surgit a cena et ponit vestimenta sua et cum accepisset linteum praecinxit se

5 deinde mittit aquam in pelvem et coepit lavare pedes discipulorum et extergere linteo quo erat praecinctus

6 venit ergo ad Simonem Petrum et dicit ei Petrus Domine tu mihi lavas pedes

7 respondit Iesus et dicit ei quod ego facio tu nescis modo scies autem postea

8 dicit ei Petrus non lavabis mihi pedes in aeternum respondit Iesus ei si non lavero te non habes partem mecum

9 dicit ei Simon Petrus Domine non tantum pedes meos sed et manus et caput

10 dicit ei Iesus qui lotus est non indiget ut lavet sed est mundus totus et vos mundi estis sed non omnes

11 sciebat enim quisnam esset qui traderet eum propterea dixit non estis mundi omnes

12 postquam ergo lavit pedes eorum et accepit vestimenta sua cum recubuisset iterum dixit eis scitis quid fecerim vobis

13 vos vocatis me magister et Domine et bene dicitis sum etenim

14 si ergo ego lavi vestros pedes Dominus et magister et vos debetis alter alterius lavare pedes

15 exemplum enim dedi vobis ut quemadmodum ego feci vobis ita et vos faciatis

16 amen amen dico vobis non est servus maior domino suo neque apostolus maior eo qui misit illum

17 si haec scitis beati eritis si feceritis ea

18 non de omnibus vobis dico ego scio quos elegerim sed ut impleatur scriptura qui manducat mecum panem levavit contra me calcaneum suum

19 amodo dico vobis priusquam fiat ut credatis cum factum fuerit quia ego sum

20 amen amen dico vobis qui accipit si quem misero me accipit qui autem me accipit accipit eum qui me misit

21 cum haec dixisset Iesus turbatus est spiritu et protestatus est et dixit amen amen dico vobis quia unus ex vobis tradet me

22 aspiciebant ergo ad invicem discipuli haesitantes de quo diceret

23 erat ergo recumbens unus ex discipulis eius in sinu Iesu quem diligebat Iesus

24 innuit ergo huic Simon Petrus et dicit ei quis est de quo dicit

25 itaque cum recubuisset ille supra pectus Iesu dicit ei Domine quis est

26 respondit Iesus ille est cui ego intinctum panem porrexero et cum intinxisset panem dedit Iudae Simonis Scariotis

27 et post buccellam tunc introivit in illum Satanas dicit ei Iesus quod facis fac citius

28 hoc autem nemo scivit discumbentium ad quid dixerit ei

29 quidam enim putabant quia loculos habebat Iudas quia dicit ei Iesus eme ea quae opus sunt nobis ad diem festum aut egenis ut aliquid daret

30 cum ergo accepisset ille buccellam exivit continuo erat autem nox

31 cum ergo exisset dicit Iesus nunc clarificatus est Filius hominis et Deus clarificatus est in eo

32 si Deus clarificatus est in eo et Deus clarificabit eum in semet ipso et continuo clarificabit eum

33 filioli adhuc modicum vobiscum sum quaeretis me et sicut dixi Iudaeis quo ego vado vos non potestis venire et vobis dico modo

34 mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos ut et vos diligatis invicem

35 in hoc cognoscent omnes quia mei discipuli estis si dilectionem habueritis ad invicem

36 dicit ei Simon Petrus Domine quo vadis respondit Iesus quo ego vado non potes me modo sequi sequeris autem postea

37 dicit ei Petrus quare non possum sequi te modo animam meam pro te ponam

38 respondit Iesus animam tuam pro me ponis amen amen dico tibi non cantabit gallus donec me ter neges

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.