Yochanan 13:4

4 He rises from the seudah and put aside his kaftan, and having girded himself with a towel,

Yochanan 13:4 Meaning and Commentary

John 13:4

He riseth from supper
In the midst of the entertainment, and which no doubt was considerable, his mind being intent on something else; and it being his meat and drink to do his Father's will, he rises and leaves his disciples sitting to finish their meal; and whilst they were murmuring at the waste of the ointment poured on his head, and were filled with indignation at it, as they all of them were, see ( Matthew 26:8 ) ; he rises up to wash their feet; amazing patience and humility!

And laid aside his garments;
not all his garments, only his upper ones, that he might better dispatch the business he was going about; and which was an emblem of his laying aside, as it were for a while, his glory and dignity as the Son of God, and of his appearing in the form of a servant.

And took a towel;
or "linen cloth", (lention) , the same with (tyjnwl) in the Jerusalem Talmud ^F18:

and girded himself;
with the towel, or linen cloth, which served both for a girdle, and after he had washed his disciples' feet, to wipe them with. This was a servile habit; so servants used to stand at the feet of their masters, girt about with a linen cloth ^F19; and shows, that the son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister.

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FOOTNOTES:

F18 Sabbat, fol. 3. 1. & 12. 1.
F19 Suetonius in Caligula, c. 26.

Yochanan 13:4 In-Context

2 And seudah taking place, Hasatan already having put into the lev of Yehuda Ben Shimon from K’riot that he should betray him,

3 And Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach having had da’as that HaAv had given into his hands all things, and that from Hashem Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach came forth and to Hashem he is going,

4 He rises from the seudah and put aside his kaftan, and having girded himself with a towel,

5 He puts mayim (water) into the basin and began to wash the raglei hatalmidim and to wipe them with the towel with which he had been girded.

6 Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach comes then to Shimon Kefa. Kefa says to Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach, Adoni, you wash my feet?