CHAPTER 13
Vers. 1–19. Now before the feast of the Passover.—
A threefold marvel:—
I. A marvellous love: that of Christ for His own. Marvellous in respect of—1. Its time. (1) Before the feast of the Passover, when His thoughts might have been occupied with its memories. (2) Before His departure, when He might have been absorbed in the contemplation of death or the heaven beyond. (3) Before His exaltation, when the vision of the coming glory might have fixed His Spirit’s eye. 2. Its intensity—“unto the end.” (1) To the uttermost, or in the highest degree, with a love passing knowledge (Eph. 3:19), which many waters (of affliction) could not quench, nor floods (of sorrow) drown (S. Song 8:9). (2) To the latest moment of His life, with a love which, as it had been without beginning, so also would it be without end (Jer. 31:3). (3) At the last, surpassing every previous demonstration and stooping even unto death for its objects (John 15:13; 1 John 3:16; Rom. 5:8). 3. Its reason. While He was departing from, they were remaining in the world, exposed to the enmity and evil He was escaping. The thought of their feebleness and defencelessness, and their sufferings and imperfections, added fuel to the fire of His affection (Heb. 4:15).
II. A marvellous deed (ver. 5). An act of—1. Amazing condescension, considering—(1) Its nature—the work of a slave (1 Sam. 25:41). (2) His dignity—the Incarnate Son, conscious of His heavenly origin and destiny (ver. 3), on the eve of grasping the sceptre of the universe (Matt. 28:18). (3) The objects—frail and erring men and one of them a traitor. Had Christ been only man He would have spurned Judas: being God, He loved him and even washed his feet. 2. Sublime significance. Symbolic—(1) Of Christ’s self-abasement who, in order to effect the spiritual cleansing of His people, laid aside the form of God, assumed the garment of humanity, and poured His purifying blood from the cross (Phil. 2:7, 8; 1 John 1:7). (2) Of the working of regeneration through which sin’s defilement is removed (Eph. 5:26; Titus 3:5). (3) Of the daily cleansing which the renewed need (Psa. 51:7; 1 John 1:9).
III. A marvellous obligation (vers. 14, 15). Christ’s example calls His disciples to—1. Personal humility. If the Lord and Master could stoop and wash the feet of a Judas, it ill became them to be puffed up with thoughts of their own greatness (Rom. 12:3; Luke 22:27; Matt. 9:29; 1 Pet. 5:5). 2. Loving service. Not that Christ instituted a new religious service. The Pope is Christ’s ape rather than His imitator. Christ’s example is to be followed spiritually in ministering to necessity and practising Christian kindness (John 15:17; Matt. 25:34–40; Rom. 12:9, 10, 13:8; Gal. 5:13, 14, 22, 6:2; Eph. 5:2; 1 Tim. 5:10). 3. Brotherly forgiveness. Christ had washed and therefore forgiven them; they were to practise the charity which covers a multitude of sins (Matt. 6:12; Mark 11:28; Luke 17:3, 4; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:13). Learn—1. The supreme Divinity of Christ. 2. The diabolical depravity of the fallen heart. 3. The imperfections of even Christ’s followers. 4. The absolute necessity of Christ as a Saviour. 5. Christ’s perfect knowledge of men. 6. The duty of taking Christ as our example. 7. Obedience the royal road to happiness. (T. Whitelaw, D.D.) Jesus knew that His hour was come.—
Christ’s knowledge:—
I. Its fulness.
II. Its sources.
III. Its uses. (Ibid.)
Christ’s hour:—
I. So long contemplated.
II. So full of sufferings.
III. So full of responsibility. (Ibid.)
Christ’s death:—
I. He had a Divine presentiment of the exact time of His death. “When Jesus knew,” &c. All men know that they must die sooner or later. This throws a shadow on the whole path of life, but the exact time is in mercy hidden from us. But Christ knew His hour from the first, and instead of endeavouring to avoid it comes forth to meet it. What mere man would have done this? And with such heroic calmness!
II. He had a glorious view of the nature of His death. 1. It was a departure from this world. With the exception of the beauties and blessings of the earth, everything in the world must have been repugnant to Him. It was a world of rebels against the government of His Father, of enemies against Himself. To Him it must have been what the cell is to the prisoner or the lazaretto to the healthy. To leave such a scene could not have been a matter for regret, but rather of desire. May not every good man look on death thus? What is there in the human world to interest him? 2. It was a going to the Father, where—(1) He would get the highest approbation of His work. (2) He would enjoy the sublimest fellowship. So with the Christian.
III. He had a sublime motive for meeting with His death. Love for His own, i.e., all who in every land and age consecrate themselves to God, whose they are. This love continues—1. To the end of every man’s existence. 2. To the end of the mediatorial system. Nay, will it ever have an end? Never in essence, but in achievement. (D. Thomas, D.D.)
A great and solemn hour:—1. It was the hour of His departure. “Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto His Father.” Such was His death, even though it was the death of the Cross, “a departure.” 2. It was the hour of His love. If He rejoiced in the thought of departing to be with the Father, there was also a strain upon His heart at the thought of leaving His disciples, whom, “having loved as His own in the world, He loved to the end,” that is, “to the uttermost.” 3. It was the hour of His betrayal. What a frightful contrast is here! In this hour, when His Divine heart was swelling nigh unto bursting with the intensity and vehemence of His love, there was one of their number whose heart was filled with a devilish purpose of betrayal. 4. It was the hour of His supreme and sublime self-consciousness—“Knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came forth from God, and was going back to God.” 5. The hour of His lowly service to His disciples. (G. F. Pentecost.) That He should depart out of this world unto the Father.—He came from God, and yet not leaving Him, and He goeth to God not leaving us. (St. Bernard.) Having loved His own which were in the world.—
Joseph S. Exell, The Biblical Illustrator: St. John, vol. 2 (London: James Nisbet & Co., n.d.), 377–378.
The Biblical illustrator
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