João 13

1 Antes da festa da páscoa, sabendo Jesus que era chegada a sua hora de passar deste mundo para o Pai, e havendo amado os seus que estavam no mundo, amou-os até o fim.

2 Enquanto ceavam, tendo já o Diabo posto no coração de Judas, filho de Simão Iscariotes, que o traísse,

3 Jesus, sabendo que o Pai lhe entregara tudo nas mãos, e que viera de Deus e para Deus voltava,

4 levantou-se da ceia, tirou o manto e, tomando uma toalha, cingiu-se.

5 Depois deitou água na bacia e começou a lavar os pés aos discípulos, e a enxugar-lhos com a toalha com que estava cingido.

6 Chegou, pois, a Simão Pedro, que lhe disse: Senhor, lavas-me os pés a mim?

7 Respondeu-lhe Jesus: O que eu faço, tu não o sabes agora; mas depois o entenderás.

8 Tornou-lhe Pedro: Nunca me lavarás os pés. Replicou-lhe Jesus: Se eu não te lavar, não tens parte comigo.

9 Disse-lhe Simão Pedro: Senhor, não somente os meus pés, mas também as mãos e a cabeça.

10 Respondeu-lhe Jesus: Aquele que se banhou não necessita de lavar senão os pés, pois no mais está todo limpo; e vós estais limpos, mas não todos.

11 Pois ele sabia quem o estava traindo; por isso disse: Nem todos estais limpos.

12 Ora, depois de lhes ter lavado os pés, tomou o manto, tornou a reclinar-se � mesa e perguntou-lhes: Entendeis o que vos tenho feito?

13 Vós me chamais Mestre e Senhor; e dizeis bem, porque eu o sou.

14 Ora, se eu, o Senhor e Mestre, vos lavei os pés, também vós deveis lavar os pés uns aos outros.

15 Porque eu vos dei exemplo, para que, como eu vos fiz, façais vós também.

16 Em verdade, em verdade vos digo: Não é o servo maior do que o seu senhor, nem o enviado maior do que aquele que o enviou.

17 Se sabeis estas coisas, bem-aventurados sois se as praticardes.

18 Não falo de todos vós; eu conheço aqueles que escolhi; mas para que se cumprisse a escritura: O que comia do meu pão, levantou contra mim o seu calcanhar.

19 Desde já no-lo digo, antes que suceda, para que, quando suceder, creiais que eu sou.

20 Em verdade, em verdade vos digo: Quem receber aquele que eu enviar, a mim me recebe; e quem me recebe a mim, recebe aquele que me enviou.

21 Tendo Jesus dito isto, turbou-se em espírito, e declarou: Em verdade, em verdade vos digo que um de vós me há de trair.

22 Os discípulos se entreolhavam, perplexos, sem saber de quem ele falava.

23 Ora, achava-se reclinado sobre o peito de Jesus um de seus discípulos, aquele a quem Jesus amava.

24 A esse, pois, fez Simão Pedro sinal, e lhe pediu: Pergunta- lhe de quem é que fala.

25 Aquele discípulo, recostando-se assim ao peito de Jesus, perguntou-lhe: Senhor, quem é?

26 Respondeu Jesus: É aquele a quem eu der o pedaço de pão molhado. Tendo, pois, molhado um bocado de pão, deu-o a Judas, filho de Simão Iscariotes.

27 E, logo após o bocado, entrou nele Satanás. Disse-lhe, pois, Jesus: O que fazes, faze-o depressa.

28 E nenhum dos que estavam � mesa percebeu a que propósito lhe disse isto;

29 pois, como Judas tinha a bolsa, pensavam alguns que Jesus lhe queria dizer: Compra o que nos é necessário para a festa; ou, que desse alguma coisa aos pobres.

30 Então ele, tendo recebido o bocado saiu logo. E era noite.

31 Tendo ele, pois, saído, disse Jesus: Agora é glorificado o Filho do homem, e Deus é glorificado nele;

32 se Deus é glorificado nele, também Deus o glorificará em si mesmo, e logo o há de glorificar.

33 Filhinhos, ainda por um pouco estou convosco. Procurar-me- eis; e, como eu disse aos judeus, também a vós o digo agora: Para onde eu vou, não podeis vós ir.

34 Um novo mandamento vos dou: que vos ameis uns aos outros; assim como eu vos amei a vós, que também vós vos ameis uns aos outros.

35 Nisto conhecerão todos que sois meus discípulos, se tiverdes amor uns aos outros.

36 Perguntou-lhe Simão Pedro: Senhor, para onde vais? Respondeu Jesus; Para onde eu vou, não podes agora seguir-me; mais tarde, porém, me seguirás.

37 Disse-lhe Pedro: Por que não posso seguir-te agora? Por ti darei a minha vida.

38 Respondeu Jesus: Darás a tua vida por mim? Em verdade, em verdade te digo: Não cantará o galo até que me tenhas negado três vezes.

João 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.