John 13

1 And before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour hath come, that he may remove out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own who [are] in the world -- to the end he loved them.

2 And supper being come, the devil already having put [it] into the heart of Judas of Simon, Iscariot, that he may deliver him up,

3 Jesus knowing that all things the Father hath given to him -- into [his] hands, and that from God he came forth, and unto God he goeth,

4 doth rise from the supper, and doth lay down his garments, and having taken a towel, he girded himself;

5 afterward he putteth water into the basin, and began to wash the feet of his disciples, and to wipe with the towel with which he was being girded.

6 He cometh, therefore, unto Simon Peter, and that one saith to him, `Sir, thou -- dost thou wash my feet?'

7 Jesus answered and said to him, `That which I do thou hast not known now, but thou shalt know after these things;'

8 Peter saith to him, `Thou mayest not wash my feet -- to the age.' Jesus answered him, `If I may not wash thee, thou hast no part with me;'

9 Simon Peter saith to him, `Sir, not my feet only, but also the hands and the head.'

10 Jesus saith to him, `He who hath been bathed hath no need save to wash his feet, but he is clean altogether; and ye are clean, but not all;'

11 for he knew him who is delivering him up; because of this he said, `Ye are not all clean.'

12 When, therefore, he washed their feet, and took his garments, having reclined (at meat) again, he said to them, `Do ye know what I have done to you?

13 ye call me, The Teacher and The Lord, and ye say well, for I am;

14 if then I did wash your feet -- the Lord and the Teacher -- ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 `For an example I gave to you, that, according as I did to you, ye also may do;

16 verily, verily, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his lord, nor an apostle greater than he who sent him;

17 if these things ye have known, happy are ye, if ye may do them;

18 not concerning you all do I speak; I have known whom I chose for myself; but that the Writing may be fulfilled: He who is eating the bread with me, did lift up against me his heel.

19 `From this time I tell you, before its coming to pass, that, when it may come to pass, ye may believe that I am [he];

20 verily, verily, I say to you, he who is receiving whomsoever I may send, doth receive me; and he who is receiving me, doth receive Him who sent me.'

21 These things having said, Jesus was troubled in the spirit, and did testify, and said, `Verily, verily, I say to you, that one of you will deliver me up;'

22 the disciples were looking, therefore, one at another, doubting concerning whom he speaketh.

23 And there was one of his disciples reclining (at meat) in the bosom of Jesus, whom Jesus was loving;

24 Simon Peter, then, doth beckon to this one, to inquire who he may be concerning whom he speaketh,

25 and that one having leant back on the breast of Jesus, respondeth to him, `Sir, who is it?'

26 Jesus answereth, `That one it is to whom I, having dipped the morsel, shall give it;' and having dipped the morsel, he giveth [it] to Judas of Simon, Iscariot.

27 And after the morsel, then the Adversary entered into that one, Jesus, therefore, saith to him, `What thou dost -- do quickly;'

28 and none of those reclining at meat knew for what intent he said this to him,

29 for certain were thinking, since Judas had the bag, that Jesus saith to him, `Buy what we have need of for the feast;' or that he may give something to the poor;

30 having received, therefore, the morsel, that one immediately went forth, and it was night.

31 When, therefore, he went forth, Jesus saith, `Now was the Son of Man glorified, and God was glorified in him;

32 if God was glorified in him, God also will glorify him in Himself; yea, immediately He will glorify him.

33 `Little children, yet a little am I with you; ye will seek me, and, according as I said to the Jews -- Whither I go away, ye are not able to come, to you also I do say [it] now.

34 `A new commandment I give to you, that ye love one another; according as I did love you, that ye also love one another;

35 in this shall all know that ye are my disciples, if ye may have love one to another.'

36 Simon Peter saith to him, `Sir, whither dost thou go away?' Jesus answered him, `Whither I go away, thou art not able now to follow me, but afterward thou shalt follow me.'

37 Peter saith to him, `Sir, wherefore am I not able to follow thee now? my life for thee I will lay down;'

38 Jesus answered him, `Thy life for me thou wilt lay down! verily, verily, I say to thee, a cock will not crow till thou mayest deny me thrice.'

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.