John 13: Spiritual Foot Washing
2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”
"Christ is as sure of the victory as He is of the combat which was at hand..." (Geneva Study Bible) There was a deep spiritual message that needed to be conveyed before His departure.
”And supper being ended - rather, δειπνου γενομενου, while supper was preparing. To support this new translation of the words, it may be remarked that, from John 13:26, John 13:30, it appears that the supper was not then ended: nay, it is probable that it was not then begun; because the washing of feet (John 13:5;) was usually practised by the Jews before they entered upon their meals, as may be gathered from Luke 7:44, and from the reason of the custom. I think that John wrote, not γενομενου, but γινομενου, as in BL. Cant. and Origen, which latter reading is approved by several eminent critics..." (Adam Clarke)
"After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet etc…" (5) “This was the office of the meanest slaves. When David sent to Abigail, to inform her that he had chosen her for wife, she arose and said: Behold, let thy handmaid be a servant, to wash the feet of the servants of my lord, 1 Samuel 25:41... ‘Lord, dost Thou wash My feet?’ - Every word here is exceedingly emphatic. Peter had often seen the great humility of his Lord, but never saw his condescension so particularly marked as in this instance." (Adam Clarke)
"Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, 'Lord, are You washing my feet?'” (6) “The language implies that He had washed several without opposition until He comes to Peter. Peter, therefore, clearly, was not the first washed; but he is the first and only one whose impulsive nature prompts a refusal. ‘Dost Thou wash my feet?’—The emphatic words here are ‘Thou’ and ‘my.’ ‘Dost Thou, my God incarnate, wash my feet, who am unholy?’ Peter, therefore, means to exhibit humility before his Lord. But it is a noisy, self-sufficient humility, inferior to and less than the silent submission of the other disciples to their Lord. But Peter must display his humility, and so deteriorates it." (Whedon's Commentary)
7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” 12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?
“Thou do not understand now, —the import of this act, deep as the very love and humiliation of Christ in His atoning death, Peter as yet could not know- Thou shalt know hereafter —When the great transaction is done—when the Pentecostal Spirit is given—when the rich unction of inspiration is bestowed, then, Peter, thou shalt deeply realize the depth of meaning in this act; but its full depth it shall take eternity to reveal." (Whedon)
“‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’— thou art not my disciple. In a more general sense it may mean, If I do not wash thee in my blood, and purify thee by my Spirit, thou canst have no communion with me, nor any share in the blessings of my kingdom. ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!’ How fain would man be wiser than God! Yet this was well meant, though ignorant earnestness." (John Wesley)
“He who is bathed”— by the parking of the Feast of Unleavened Bread typical of that new birth and subsequent water baptism- “needs only to wash his feet,” "that is, to walk holy and undefiled." (John Wesley) “A purity was needed that should befit the presence of God, for He was going there. However it is only the feet that are in question. The priests that served God in the tabernacle were washed at their consecration. That washing was not repeated. So, when once spiritually... [born of] the Word [and baptized in Jesus name], this is not repeated for us... The first is bathing the whole body; the latter washing hands or feet... The priests washed their hands and their feet every time they engaged in service-that they drew near to God.” (Darby's Synopsis)
“So, what Jesus is in essence saying is that as we walk this path through the world, we may pick up some defilement just from the contact walking through the world. But that defilement is only surface; it isn’t in the head, it isn’t in the mind, it isn’t in my life, it’s just washing the feet. As long as your feet are washed, that’s all you need. Your heart is already clean. Your mind is already set. Just get rid of that defilement. And coming to church is that kind of an experience. We’ve been mixing with the world all week long; we’ve heard the filthy language.” (Chuck Smith) and seen their unrighteous deeds.
“‘And you are clean, but not all.’ For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, ‘You are not all clean.’” Many point to Judas Iscariot, but in fact they all betrayed Him.
13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
"The Lord's own action had been symbolical, but incidentally it served as an example which they should emulate. They gave Him the honoring title of Master or Lord, and He did not repudiate the appellation, but rather asserted His full right to bear these names. He is the great Lord, come from heaven; He is the great Teacher of all men, at all times. If He, therefore, did not consider Himself too good or too dignified to perform this humble service for them, they, in turn, should not hesitate about following His example. They are to apply His example to the acts of love and service which they owe to their neighbor." (Kretzmann's Popular Commentary)
Foot washing- “Some have understood this literally as instituting a religious rite which we ought to observe; but this was evidently not the design..” (Albert Barnes) "And why did they not? Why do we not read of any one apostle ever washing the feet of any other? Because they understood the Lord better. They knew he never designed that this should be literally taken. He designed to teach them the great lesson of humble love, as well as to confer inward purity upon them. And hereby he teaches us, in every possible way to assist each other in attaining that purity..." (John Wesley) by sharing the Word of God with them and admonishing them to every good work.
"In every act of humble love toward a fellow-Christian or a fellow-being, we perform the reality of which this feet washing is the symbol, and we really obey the command to wash one another’s feet." (Whedon's Commentary)
Next Day Repost: John 13: The Passover
18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My Bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ [Psalm 41:9] 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus had said, "If you know these things, blessed (happy) are you if you do them." (17) The apostles would eventually understand the meaning of spiritual foot-washing. And they would be blessed if they obeyed the spirit of it's command. We must therefore seek knowledge of the Lord by the Spirit thereof. "Our Lord here intimates the necessity of knowledge in order to practice, and the necessity of practice in order to happiness. A man may know the will of God indeed, and not do it; but he can never do the will of God acceptably, and not know it." (Joseph Sutcliffe)
"I do not speak concerning all of you”— “when I call you happy” (Wesley) or blessed. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Judas had partaken of much wrong doctrine, during a time when he ought to have been ridding his mind of it. It was the ancient practice of the Jews to burn all leaven in a common fire at the local synagogue. — "I know whom I have chosen." Commentators often make a distinction here between being chosen as an apostle and being chosen for eternal life. Many are called but few are chosen. Few elect to follow Christ. But the main point is that intimate knowledge of Christ with the narrower group of which Judas now had a part.
“But that the scripture may be fulfilled" (18a) - "or, thus the scripture is fulfilled." (Adam Clarke)- ‘He who eats My Bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ [Psalm 41:9] "The import of these words seems therefore to be this, 'I know the temper, disposition, and hearts of those whom I have chosen, and what one of them particularly will do; for which cause I said, 'Ye are not all clean';" (Thomas Coke)
But, in My wisdom, I have permit this; "and, as Ahithophel betrayed David, though he was his familiar friend; so Judas, my familiar at my table, will betray the Son of God; and so the words recorded, Psalms 41:9 will be fulfilled in him also, of whom king David was the type... " (Thomas Coke)
It seems that Jesus now wishes to remove future suspicions and doubts from the Church. If someone comes in My name, do not question their motives. “He adds to this the absolute confirmation that when He sends a messenger,” like you or me— “there is such authority in this that the receiving of such a messenger is the receiving of Himself; and more than that, the receiving of Himself is the receiving of the Father who sent Him (v.20). For He Himself was leaving, and in all this dispensation of grace, others would now carry His message.” (L. M. Grant) Thus came the authority to spiritually wash our neighbor’s feet. But to keep them in check, look: "to the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this Word, it is because there is no light in them." (Isa 8:20)
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke 25 Then, leaning back thus on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor 30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
“When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit,” (21a) “Christ is greatly grieved when any of his professed disciples so conduct as to injure themselves, dishonor him, and bring reproach on his cause.” (Justin Edwards) They look and act like disciples, but they are dead in their sins. “It is instructive here to note that Judas had been able to keep his own character so covered that he was no more suspect in the disciples' eyes than any other (vs.21-22). Deceit may thrive for a long time, but is eventually always exposed." (L. M. Grant)
“Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (21b) We could study Seder meals in the time of Jesus and learn of the Passover of the Jews of that day and what it had evolved into. They had many objects and four cups of wine representing stages of salvation. But we are only interested in the Lord’s Passover which consisted of the flesh of the lamb roasted in fire with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs. (Exodus 12:8)
So, by the eyes of man, Judas was saved, but Jesus sees the heart. We know from Exodus 12:43-49 that no foreigner was to partake of the passover. They had to be purchased for a price and males had to be circumcised in the flesh. One of you will betray Me— “Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke Then, leaning back thus on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, ‘Lord, who is it?’” (22-24) We find in the Passover what is true of the Eucharist or Lord’s Supper. They were to examine themselves and so partake of it.
But here they ate with the Judge of the universe. And it seems that by this act- this tasting, Jesus droves Judas out into the darkness. “And having dipped the (unleavened) bread”— "used as a spoon" (Tyndale)— into a common dish with the mixture of lamb and bitter herb (like horseradish), according to the Word of Yahweh— “He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.” (26) Eating this dish with bitter herbs acknowledges our bondage to sin. And Satan entered Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon— who “having received the morsel from Christ, feeling by his own evil conscience, and by this sign, that he was a marked man, persisted shamelessly and obstinately in his intention of betraying Christ. For seeing himself found, out and disgraced, as it were beside himself and infuriated, he went forth at the devil’s prompting to finish his crime, going to the chief priests to ask them for guards who, with him for their leader and guide, should seize Jesus… 'And it was night.' (30b) ... for he that went out was a son of darkness and did the works of darkness. The night indicates the darkness of mind in which Judas was…” (Cornelius a Lapide)
I believe that the Lord's supper was instituted after the Passover with a piece of the unleavened bread and wine, representing the body and blood of Jesus. Thus Judas left before that blessed desert.
It seems that some of the apostles, being used to the Passover of the Jews, thought that there was more to the meal for they thought that Jesus had sent Judas out to buy some more things for it-verse 29. But this Seder meal was based solely on the Word of God- not on the traditions of man.
John 13: What’s Love Got To do With It? Everything
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately. 33 Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you. 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
These are words that the world knows nothing of.
“So when he”— Judas, the son of perdition— "had gone out, Jesus said, 'Now the Son of Man is glorified;'...” “the hour of His conflict with Satan was to be that of His triumph over him and exaltation to heaven.” (Justin Edwards); “and God is glorified in Him.” The glory of God was great, in the salvation of his elect by the death of Christ; for hereby His wisdom and power, His truth and faithfulness, His justice and holiness, as well as His love, grace, and mercy, were glorified.” (John Gill)… or lifted up, being made fully manifest to the world. And "if God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself,” (32) by His being lifted up— “and glorify Him immediately. After His death burial and resurrection, “His glory will be contained in and identified with the divine glory.” (Vincent's Word Studies)
“Little children”— “‘diminutive’, occurring only here in the Gospel"; By knowledge of the glory of God, which is made manifest in the Person of Christ Jesus we are called the children of God. “I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come,’ so now I say to you.” (33) There is no distinction here between believers and non-beleivers. All must remain in the world until the times of our individual departures. But for the children, Jesus is the Vine and we are the branches. “The eternal glory will flow little by little from the Head into the members.” (Geneva Study Bible)
We must remain in Christ to fulfill this Great Commandment— “that you love one another.” It is called “a new commandment” - “not because mutual love had never been enjoined on mankind before, but because it was a precept of peculiar excellence: for the word new, in the Hebrew language, denotes excellence and truth. See Psalms 33:3. Mark 1:27. Revelation 2:17. And the reason of the idiom seems to have been, that novelty often has the same effect upon the mind with excellence, rendering an object acceptable, and raising admiration.” (Thomas Coke)
"New Commandment- It was now purged from the old corrupt glosses of the pharisees, who had limited this duty of love, and confined it to their own countrymen. Whereas Christ enlarges the object, and obliges his disciples to love all mankind, even their enemies. It was also highly advanced by him in measure and degree, even to the laying down of our lives for one another. This commandment was now urged from a new motive, and enforced by a new example. 'As I have loved you, do ye also love one another.' It is never to be superseded, like ancient acts of legislature, but to be always fresh in their memory and effective in practice, to the end of the world." (Joseph Sutcliffe)
“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (35) “One of the best proofs and evidences we can have of our relation to Christ, as his sincere disciples, is an hearty love and good will one towards another.” (William Burkitt) We cannot fulfill this charge without knowledge of His glory. Sure we can suppress our anger or disappointment with the world and the church of God, but we cannot love with that love with which we ourselves are loved of God.
John 13- Christian Life Without the Spirit
36 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward.” 37 Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.” 38 Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.
"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..." (Matthew Henry) We had previously seen the wicked set on a path of destruction in Judas, now we see man relying on himself without the Spirit, nor an appointment to suffering, in Simon Peter.
"Lord, where are you going?" (36a) "St. Peter seems to have thought, that Christ, being rejected by the Jews, would go to some other part of the earth to erect his throne, where he might reign without disturbance, according to the gross notions he had of Christ's kingdom. 'Thou canst not follow me now,' (36b) but Peter would not believe him. And he did follow him, John 18:15 but it was afar off and not without great loss." (John Wesley)
"but you shall follow Me afterward" (36b) - to heaven. "For St. Peter, as for the others, the place must be prepared and the way opened before they could follow (John 14:2)." (Ellicott) The Kingdom to be established was heavenly. "Present separation was but the first step towards abiding union." (William R. Nicoll)
You cannot now come, "because thou hast not yet received the Holy Ghost, by whose strength thou mayest overcome death, says Cyril. For Christ must needs go first and conquer death. Thou hast not now that constancy of soul and strength to die for Me; but the Holy Ghost will come upon thee, and then shalt thou be able." (Lapide's Commentary)
"Peter said to Him, 'Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake.'" (37), "a weighty example of rash trust and confidence." (Geneva Study Bible) "That deep conceit he had drunk in of an earthly kingdom, so hung in his light, that he could not see whither Christ was ascending. A little saucer held close to the eyes hinders the sight of a huge hill." (John Trapp)
"Will you lay down thy life for my sake?" (38a) "As if Christ had said, 'Peter thou sayest more than thou canst do; thine own strength will fail thee, and thy self-confidence deceive thee; I know thy heart better than thou dost thyself; and I foresee, that before the cock crows thou shalt deny me thrice.'" (William Burkitt)
"Peter is silenced for the present." (Robertson ) before the King of kings. His "heart deceived him, as did David’s, Psalms 39:1-2. He said he would look to his ways, bridle his tongue, etc. But soon after he broke his word, 'My heart was hot within me.'" (John Trapp) Here we learned of the omniscience of Christ, as well as the weakness of man. We by our own power can do nothing. "Faithfulness unto death is possible only in the power of the Lord." (Kretzmann)
How little Peter himself! Yet one day, he would by His Spirit, "follow his Master in a more literal sense than any of which he [now] thought." (Ellicott)
For us there is a battle between the flesh and the Spirit. So: "Let it be a settled principle in our religion, that there is an amount of weakness in all our hearts, of which we have no adequate conception, and that we never know how far we might fall if we were tempted... The servant of Christ will do wisely to remember these things. 'Let him that thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall.' (1 Cor 10:12.) A humble sense of our own innate weakness, a constant dependence on the Strong (Christ) for strength, a daily prayer to be held up, because we cannot hold up ourselves- these are the true secrets of safety. The great Apostle of the Gentiles said, 'When I am weak, then I am strong.' (2 Cor 12:10.)" (J. C. Ryle)