João 13
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
João 13
Spurgeon - The sine qua non [i.e. the indispensable condition] ‘Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’ John 13:8 Included in this feet-washing, I believe, is the continual sanctification which faith in Jesus Christ carries on within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. If a man professes to be a Christian, and is not in his walk and conversation holier than other men, that man’s profession is vain. There are some who seem to think that we are to come to Christ as sinners and then, having believed in him, we are to live as we did before. But, my brethren, it is not so. Christ saves his people from their sins. When you hear the complaints of God’s servants concerning their temptations and their indwelling sins, you are not to conclude that sin has dominion over them, or that they have not overcome sin, or that they are not other men than they once were. No, my brethren, I believe the holier a man becomes the more he mourns over the unholiness which remains in him; but he is in very truth a far better man, a spiritual and holy man. If Jesus does not wash you so that you become godly and upright, you may depend upon it that you have no part in him. If he does not wash that tongue and cleanse away those angry, idle or filthy words, if he does not wash that hand and render it impossible for it to perform a dishonest or unchaste act, if he does not wash that foot and render it impossible for it to carry you to the haunts of vice and criminal amusement, you have no part in him. It is all worthless for unconverted persons to be baptised and come to his table, for if he has not sanctified you in some measure, he has not justified you. If you are not a changed man, neither are you a saved man, and if you do not aspire after holiness, neither need you hope that you shall have a part in the heaven of the blessed. ‘If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.’ Faith Fundamental: Grace Is Good - from Strengthening Your Faith by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker (see also Dare to be uncommon : men's Bible study) “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!” John 13:8-9 Have you ever taken that type of person to lunch? Or are you that person? You know the one—either through the obstacle of pride or a feeling that he or she must earn everything, the person can’t accept a gift. Even a small one. You invite them to lunch and have a great time, but when the check comes, the friend insists on being the one to pay it. Every time. You offer a bit of grace—and the person makes a deal for it. In my experience, especially spending a lot of time among well-paid professional athletes, it happens. You can see it with Peter: “You’re not washing my feet. I should be washing yours.” Then, when Jesus insists, Peter attempts to make it ridiculous and escape the moment. “Fine, wash my head, too!” There’s nothing wrong with occasionally accepting a gift. It’s good for the giver—and it’s good for the recipient. I think that’s part of why it’s so hard for us to deal with grace. We feel we need to do something in return. Of course, then it’s not grace, God’s unmerited gift of love for us. God has given us eternal life and a relationship with Him through the gift of His Son Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, which we “merely” need to accept. We can’t do anything for it—it’s already been done. We can’t earn our way into heaven. He’s not waiting for us to be “good enough.” He’d be waiting forever. He asks us to live the life He has set before us, but the first step can’t be earned, merely accepted. The other difficulty we have in accepting God’s grace is something Peter understood: what Christ demonstrates to us is something He expects us to follow and demonstrate to the world around us. Peter pushed back on the foot-washing offer because he also knew that Christ was telling him to go and do the same. Do you struggle with the concept of God’s grace, either because you don’t feel worthy to receive the gift or because you know what He is asking you to do after you’ve received His grace? Humbly let Jesus wash your feet today. UNCOMMON KEY > Grace—God’s merciful gift that promises eternal life in heaven, abundant life here, and the reminder of a world that needs your touch. Have you received it? Do you know someone else who needs to? Never Say Never Peter . . . said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble." — Matthew 26:33 Today's Scripture :John 13:1-10 She made a New Year’s resolution never to say never. Janet Kirkman had never intended to marry, have children, work on computers, and live in California. But she did get married, has two wonderful children, worked for a computer giant, and lived in California. God overturned nearly all her planned “nevers.” Such a resolution reminds us that God’s plans may be very different from our own. But it can also safeguard us against pride and our vulnerability to temptation under pressure. As Jesus was teaching His disciples about true service by washing their feet, Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8). But when the Lord told him he could have “no part” with Him without learning that lesson, Peter quickly reversed himself (vv.8-10). A little later, Peter again tripped over that word never. “Even if all are made to stumble because of You,” he said to Jesus emphatically, “I will never be made to stumble” (Matthew 26:33). That never soon melted into bitter tears of shame and remorse (vv.69-75). I to Christ my life have given, Ever His alone to be; Oh, what peace and blessed assurance, That He has a plan for me! —Thiesen A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps. —Proverbs 16:9 John 13:9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head." John 13:9 CLICK HERE TO READ IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS not: Ps 26:6 51:2,7 Jer 4:14 Mt 27:24 Heb 10:22 1Pe 3:21 THE PETRINE PENDULUM SWINGS TO TO FRO Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord (kurios/kyrios), then wash not only my feet (pous), but also my hands and my head - It is typical of Peter to be just as impulsive to do more washing as he was to do no washing! Note that "then wash" is not in the Greek text, but is clearly implied. But once again, Peter goes "overboard" (so to speak)! He wanted to make sure he had a part with Jesus! Peter's abrupt flip-flop is still a product of his self will. John
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Spurgeon - How that pendulum swings to and fro! It went this way just now: “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Now it goes right away to the other extreme: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” Go more gently, Peter, be more quiet. Why do you go so far in one direction and then rush off so far in another way? Thy Master knows better than thou knowest what is right for thee. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Leon
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Spurgeon - That is, Never, as long as I live, shalt thou do such a thing as that.” That is just like Peter. If John had not told us who it was that said this, we should have known that it was Peter. He was always in such a hurry, and he spoke so quickly, that he made many mistakes, yet he was always so honest and so true that his Master forgave his faults, and helped him to correct them. If Christ does not cleanse us, we do not belong to him. If he does not, day by day, exercise a purifying influence over us, we are not his. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Warren
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Spurgeon - That is a very beautiful description of Christ’s death: “His hour was that he should depart out of this world unto the Father,” — just as though he was merely going on a journey, leaving one land for another; and if this be a fair description of such a stormy passage as that of our Lord Jesus, who died for our sins upon Calvary’s cross, it must with equal truth describe the death of any of the children of God. There is also an appointed time for us to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better than remaining here. The loosing of the cable, the spreading of the sail, the crossing over the narrow sea, the coming to the eternal haven, and the abiding there, — what Christian heart needs to dread this? How much better is it even to look forward to it with ardent anticipation! Think much of the abiding lore of Christ: “Having loved his own” — his by election, his by redemption, for he regarded that as already done which was about to be accomplished, — “Having loved his own which were in the world,” — not yet in heaven, but still in the midst of trial, still imperfect, even as you and I are, — “ he loved them unto the end,” or “unto the perfection,” as it might be rendered. The Alpha of his love, which we find in eternity, bids us believe that we shall find the Omega of it nowhere but there......Our Lord Jesus Christ had a clear foresight of all he had to endure. Future things are happily hidden from our eyes. We do not even know the moment when we shall die, nor how it will be. It is well that it is so but our Lord was able to anticipate his sufferings, by knowing all about them: “Jesus knew that his hour was come.” It was all appointed, and nothing happens to any of us by accident, chance is banished from the believer’s creed. There is an appointed “hour” for each one of us, and it will come in due season. “Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of the world unto the Father.” What a beautiful way of describing death! Christ’s death was certainly a more trying one than ours will be, so that this description may apply to ours as well as to his. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) A T Robertson on Now before the feast - Just before, John means, not twenty-four hours before, that is our Thursday evening (beginning of 15th of Nisan, sunset to sunset Jewish day), since Jesus was crucified on Friday 15th of Nisan. Hence Jesus ate the regular passover meal at the usual time. The whole feast, including the feast of unleavened bread, lasted eight days. For a discussion of the objections to this interpretation of John in connexion with the Synoptic Gospels one may consult my Harmony of the Gospels, pp. 279-84, and David Smith's In the Days of His Flesh, Appendix VIII - "THE DAY OF HIS CRUCIFIXION" page 534. The passover feast began on the 15th Nisan at sunset, the passover lamb being slain the afternoon of 14th Nisan. There seems no real doubt that this meal in John 13:1-30 is the real passover meal described by the Synoptics also (Mark 14:18-21; Matthew 26:21-25; Luke 22:21-23), followed by the institution of the Lord's Supper. Thus understood John 13:1 here serves as an introduction to the great esoteric teaching of Christ to the apostles (John 13:2-17:26), called by Barnas Sears The Heart of Christ. This phrase goes with the principal verb ēgapēsen (loved). John
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Spurgeon - Christian, God's love to you is always the same. He cannot love you more — and He will not love you less! Never, when afflictions multiply, when terrors frighten you or when your distresses abound — does God's love falter or flag. Let the rod fall ever so heavily upon you — the hand that moves, like the heart that prompts the stroke, is full of love! Judge not the Lord by feeble sense — but trust Him for His grace. Whether He brings you down into the depths of misery, or lifts you up into the seventh Heaven of delight — His faithful love never varies or fluctuates — it is everlasting in its continuity! (Spurgeon's Sermon The Drawings of Love Volume 63: 1917) J R Miller - "Having loved His own who were in the world—He loved them unto the end!" John 13:1 None of us would want to have our hearts photographed, and the picture held up before the eyes of our neighbors! We would not want even our best friends to see a full transcript of our secret life—what goes on within us: the jealousies, the envyings, the bitter feelings, the impure thoughts, the meannesses, the selfishnesses, the suspicions, the doubts and fears! Yet Christ sees all this unworthy inner life—He knows the worst that is in us—and loves us still! We do not need to hide our weaknesses from Him. He never withdraws His love. We may trust Him absolutely and forever! LISTEN to audio! C H Spurgeon - The faithfulness of Jesus ‘Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.’ John 13:1 ‘Having loved his own’; these four words are a brief but complete summary of the Saviour’s conduct towards his disciples. He always loved them. There was never a single action or word which was contrary to the rule of love. He loved them with a love of pity when he saw them in their lost estate, and he called them out of it to be his disciples; touched with a feeling of their infirmities he loved them with a tender and prudent affection, and sought to train and educate them, that after his departure they might be good soldiers of his cross; he loved them with a love of contentment as he walked and talked with them and found solace in their company. Even when he rebuked them he loved them. He subjected them to many trials: for his sake they renounced all that they had; they shared his daily cross-bearing and hourly persecution, but love reigned supreme and undiminished amid it all. On Tabor or in Gethsemane he loved his own; alone or in the crowd his heart was true to them; in life and in death his affection failed not. He ‘loved his own which were in the world’. It is a condensed life of Christ, a miniature of Jesus the Lover of souls. As you read the wonderful story of the four evangelists you see how true it is that Jesus loved his own: let me cast in by way of interjection this sentence, that when you come to read your own life’s story in the light of the New Jerusalem, you will find it to be true also concerning your Lord and yourself. If you are indeed the Lord’s own, he at all times deals lovingly with you and never acts in unkindness or wrath. Spurgeon - Faith's Checkbook on John 13:1 - THIS fact is essentially a promise; for what our Lord was he is, and what he was to those with whom he lived on earth, he will be to all his beloved so long as the moon endureth. “Having loved:” here was the wonder! That he should ever have loved men at all is the marvel. What was there in his poor disciples that he should love them? What is there in me? But when he has once begun to love, it is his nature to continue to do so. Love made the saints “his own”—what a choice title! He purchased them with blood and they became his treasure. Being his own, he will not lose them. Being his beloved, he will not cease to love them. The text is well as it stands: “to the end,” even till his death, the ruling passion of love to his own reigned in his sacred bosom. It means also to the uttermost. He could not love them more: he gave himself for them. Some read it, to perfection. Truly he lavished upon them a perfect love, in which there was no flaw nor failure, no unwisdom, no unfaithfulness, and no reserve. Such is the love of Jesus to each one of his people. Let us sing to our Well-beloved a song. The Heart of a Servant Part 3 Today’s Bible Reading: John 13:1–11 The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45 From time to time, King James V of Scotland (1512–1542) would set aside his royal robes to dress in the clothes of a commoner. Why would he do such a thing? So he could wander freely among the people. He wanted to understand life outside the castle and to live that life for a brief time among his subjects. This was an intentional act of humility as the king stepped into a world very different from the one his status merited. But Jesus did much more. Although He was the very essence of God, Jesus came into this world and took on the very essence of a servant. Paul wrote that Christ “made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness” (Philippians 2:7). As He ate the Passover meal with His disciples the night before His trial and crucifixion, Jesus vividly demonstrated this for us. His disciple John tells us that Jesus “got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist” (John 13:4). Then He washed the dirty feet of His disciples. This humble act validates Christ’s own assessment of His mission: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). So why are we surprised that He would take a basin and towel to wash His disciples feet? Jesus showed us the heart of the King who serves. How do you react to Jesus’ startling example of serving others in even the most menial tasks? How can you serve someone today? A Picture Of Humility God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. — James 4:6 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:1-11 During the Easter season, my wife and I attended a church service where the participants sought to model the events that Jesus and His disciples experienced on the night before He was crucified. As part of the service, the church staff members washed the feet of some of the church volunteers. As I watched, I wondered which was more humbling in our day—to wash another person’s feet or to have someone else wash yours. Both those who were serving and those being served were presenting distinct pictures of humility. When Jesus and His disciples were gathered for the Last Supper (John 13:1-20), Jesus, in humble servanthood, washed His disciples’ feet. But Simon Peter resisted, saying, “You shall never wash my feet!” Then Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (13:8). Washing their feet was not a mere ritual. It could also be seen as a picture of our need of Christ’s cleansing—a cleansing that will never be realized unless we are willing to be humble before the Savior. My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine; Now hear me when I pray, take all my sin away, O let me from this day be wholly Thine! —Palmer The most powerful position on earth is kneeling before the Lord of the universe. D L Moody - IT is recorded of Jesus Christ, just when He was about to be departed from His disciples and led away to Calvary, that: “having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.” He knew that one of His disciples would betray Him, yet He loved Judas. He knew that another disciple would deny Him, and swear that he never knew Him, and yet He loved Peter. It was the love which Christ had for Peter that broke his heart, and brought him back in penitence to the feet of his Lord. For three years Jesus had been with the disciples trying to teach them His love, not only by His life and words, but by His works. And on the night of His betrayal He takes a basin of water, girds Himself with a towel, and taking the place of a servant, washes their feet; He wants to convince them of His unchanging love. Robert Hawker - Poor Man's Evening Portion - Having loved his own, which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.—John 13:1. Sweet thought, my soul, for thee everlastingly to cherish; thy Jesus is the same, and his love the same, amidst all thy changings: yet he abideth faithful. His love, and not thy merit, was the first cause of thy salvation; and the same love, and not thy deservings, is the final cause wherefore thou art not lost. But mark in this blessed scripture, how many sweet and lovely things are said. Jesus hath a people, and that people are in the world, and that people are his own. What! had he not a people in the other world? Yes! by creation all are his, in common with the Father. But by redemption he had none, until he had redeemed them from this present evil world. And observe how very graciously they are spoken of. They are his own, his peculiar people, his treasure, his Segullah, his jewels. And how dearly doth he prize them! They were first given to him by his Father—that made them dear. They are the purchase of his blood—this made them dear also. He hath conquered them by his grace—this endears them to himself as his own. And though they are in this world too much engaged in the affairs of the world, and too much in love with the world, yet Jesus’s love is not abated; their persons are still dear to Jesus, though their sins he hates. The same love which prompted his infinite mind to stand up for their redemption, the same love is going forth unceasingly, and without change or lessening, to accomplish and render effectual that redemption. Precious Lord Jesus! O for grace to love thee, who hast so loved us! And while thou condescendest to call such poor sinful worms thine own, and to love them as thine own, and to consider every thing done for them and done to them as to thyself, shall not a portion of such love be communicated to my poor heart, that I may love thee as my own and only Saviour, and learn to love thee to the end, as thou hast loved me and given thyself for me, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour? C W Keiningham - Sermon for Funerals - Jesus and Death John 13:1 1. People often wish they could speak to the deceased just one more time 2. Preachers would also like to speak to them once more 3. The best we can do now is for me to speak to you 4. Let me speak of eternal things I. Jesus Knew Death Was Near A. He did not think of death as final 1. He was departing from this world 2. He was going to a better world B. We know death is near to all of us 1. Our “days are as grass”—Ps. 103:15 2. We begin to die the minute we are born C. We don’t know the exact day or hour 1. The summons often comes abruptly II. Jesus Knew Where He Was Going A. Do you know where you are going? B. Every Christian has been told—John 14:2–3 III. How Does One Become a Child of God? A. By receiving Jesus as Savior—John 1:12; Rev. 3:20 B. The invitation is extended to all—John 7:37 IV. Jesus Loved Them to the End A. Savior’s love for His own never fails 1. When we need salvation 2. When we need strength 3. When we face death B. Death is not to be feared—Rom. 8:35–39 D A Carson - Borrow For the Love of God page 750 - THE ACCOUNT OF JESUS WASHING his disciples’ feet (John 13:1–17) is narrated to establish several points: (1) Walking on dusty roads in open sandals took its toll. Many homes would assign the lowest of the servants to wash the feet of visitors. On this occasion, however, Jesus and his closest disciples are on their own, and no one thinks to take on the role of the humblest servant—no one, that is, but Jesus himself. The way John marshals the facts shows that, decades later when he is writing these lines, he is still awed by the dimensions of the deed. Jesus knows that it is time for him to go to the cross, “to leave this world and go to the Father” (John 13:1), but he is not self-absorbed. He knows that one of those whose feet he will wash is Judas Iscariot, who, sold out as he is to the devil, is in the process of betraying him. Jesus knows whence he has come, “that he had come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:3). All along he has “loved his own who were in the world,” and now he shows them “the full extent of his love” (John 13:1)—not only the footwashing itself, but the cross, to which the footwashing points (as we shall see). Knowing all this, loving like this, “he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist” (John 13:4)—it is as if every step has been indelibly burned onto John’s memory, and he can play it back, again and again, in slow motion. In the hush of the room, Jesus washes his disciples’ feet. (2) Peter balks (John 13:6–11). The exchange that follows is multi-layered. On the surface of things, there is a form of humility that is actually proud. In one sense, the most humbling thing to endure in this setting is Jesus washing your feet. So there is a lesson in humility. But there is something deeper: “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand” (John 13:7); Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet anticipates, symbolically, the washing that is accomplished by the cross, the supreme self-humiliation that is displayed in the cross. Peter will understand such things only after the events. And then, in a moment of flip-flop enthusiasm, Peter wants a bath, and a third level is peeled back to view: a person who is already clean does not need a bath, but only to have his feet washed (John 13:10). And in some respects the disciples, with the exception of the son of perdition, are already clean. Here, then, is a picture of the “once-for-all” element in the cross (cf. Heb. 9:11–14, 23–26); we do not need a new sacrifice, but fresh confession (1 John 1:7, 9). (3) And always there is the demand to be like Jesus. Reflect on John 13:12–17 and its bearing on us today. Fitting into Our Loincloths Scripture: John 13:1–17, especially verses 1–5 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 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. Sermon on John 13:1-17 - Borrow Preacher's Sourcebook - 2002 - page 228 - Introduction: A recent study of student morality by the Josephson Institute found 71 percent of high schoolers cheated on a test and 92 percent lied to parents in the past year. Professor James Davison Hunter of the University of Virginia, after a ten year study, determined that a “death of character” is occurring in the United States. He suggests that people are more concerned today about feeling good than about being good, and a fellow researcher has determined that our culture today is suffering from “self-esteemia.” So many of these problems would dissolve in a good basin of water if we would just learn the art of washing feet. Alexander Maclaren called John 13–17, “the Holy of Holies of the New Testament”. Nowhere else have we the heart of God so unveiled to us. This section of Scripture begins in John 13 with the washing of the disciples’ feet. Ordinarily the cleansing of feet was done before the meal by the lowest-ranking servant in the household. When none of the disciples were willing, Jesus Himself rose during the meal to do it. It was one of the most usual and unnatural acts of His life and ministry. What was its purpose? 1. To Demonstrate His Love (John 13:1). Love is here established as a theme in the Upper Room Discourse, occurring 31 times in chapters 13–17 (whereas it had been previously found only 6 times in John 1–12). Jesus genuinely felt affection for these twelve men (even Judas, whose feet He subsequently washed). And He has affection for you and me. There was never a truer song than, “Jesus loves me, this I know; for the Bible tells me so.” (ED: Love in John - Jn. 5:42; Jn. 8:42; Jn. 11:3; Jn. 13:34; Jn. 13:35; Jn. 14:15; Jn. 14:21; Jn. 14:23; Jn. 14:24; Jn. 14:31; Jn. 15:9; Jn. 15:10; Jn. 15:12; Jn. 15:13; Jn. 15:17; Jn. 15:19; Jn. 17:26; Jn. 21:15; Jn. 21:16; Jn. 21:17) 2. To Model Humility. Since the transfiguration, the disciples had been squabbling among themselves, jockeying for position. Luke tells us that this discussion continued even in the Upper Room on the eve of the Lord’s crucifixion (see Luke 22:24–30), which undoubtedly prompted Jesus to do as He did. It is a remarkable picture: Jesus removed His garments (plural), presenting Himself as an Oriental slave, wearing nothing but a loin-cloth (Phil. 2:7). The flowing outer garment and the tunic (as well as the belt) had been laid aside. It wasn’t necessary to disrobe so completely to wash feet, but Jesus was making a point, girding Himself with humility (1 Pet. 5:5). How easily the world’s competitive spirit filters into the hearts of Christians and Christian workers who become envious of one another’s success. How seldom we think of ourselves as servants for Christ’s sake. 3. To Represent His Entire Mission. According to the old commentator Matthew Henry, many interpreters consider Christ’s washing his disciples’ feet as a representation of his whole undertaking. He knew that He was equal with God, and all things were His; yet He rose from His table in glory, laid aside His robes of light, girded Himself with our nature, took upon Himself the form of a servant, “came not to be ministered to, but to minister,” poured out His blood in death, and thereby prepared a laver to wash us from our sins (Rev. 1:5). Having provided cleansing, He rose up, clothed Himself anew with glory, and resumed His seat in heaven. On the eve of His crucifixion, Jesus pre-enacted the entire event! We come to Him for complete salvation (as a bath), then we also come day-by-day for daily renewal, to keep our feet clean on the highway of life. Conclusion: Have you been bathed in the blood of the Lamb? Then you’re to be like Him, clothed in the same attitude, taking the form of a servant. If you’ve been struggling with dishonesty, character issues, pride, and “self-esteemia,” take up the basin and the towel. “If you know these things,” said Jesus in verse 17, “blessed are you if you do them.” ILLUSTRATION - John 13:1–17 When you go to another to wash his feet, or when another comes to wash your feet, be concerned as to the temperature of the water! Some come with boiling hot water. They are so angry, so upset, so distracted by something that has happened in the past—and so mad about it—that they come to the other person and say, “Here, stick your feet in here!” Nobody wants to have his feet washed with boiling water. Some go to the other extreme and come with ice water. They are so righteous, so holier-than-thou, so above it all. They come with this frigid, freezing water and want to wash your feet. Nobody wants to have his feet washed with ice water. Some find a third extreme and come without any water! They try to dry-clean your feet with “a piece of their mind,” just scrubbing away harshly. What they say may be true, but there is no water of love, nothing to wash the dirt gently away, but only a rigid insistence on scraping away every imperfection and the skin along with it! There is another way—that is to come and wash one another’s feet in love, in the spirit of servanthood.1536 JABEZ BURNS - CHRIST’S UNCHANGING LOVE TO HIS PEOPLE “Having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13:1). We have in the text, I. A Peculiar Description of Believers—Christ’s own, II. Their Present Condition—“In the world,” and III. Christ’s Unalterable Attachment to Them—“Having loved them, He loved them to the end.” We have, I. A Peculiar Description of Believers. They are Christ’s own. No doubt this referred originally to the disciples of Jesus; but it is equally applicable to all who shall believe upon Him to the end of the world. Believers are Christ’s own. A. They are His own by purchase. “Redeemed by His blood.” “Bought with a price.” “He loved them, and gave Himself for them.” B. They are His own by gift. They are given to Him by His heavenly Father. As His seed—His reward—the travail of His soul, etc. (John 6:37–40; 10:29). C. They are His own by a cheerful and entire consecration of themselves to His service. Given themselves to the Lord. Left all and followed Him. Yielded themselves to His service. “This God shall be our God forever,” etc. D. They are Christ’s own, as they bear His image, and manifest His Spirit. Christ dwells in them by His Spirit, and they are changed into His image. Same mind in them that was in Christ. He is their example, and they tread in His steps. II. Their Present Condition. “In the world.” Not of the world. Brought out of it. Saved from it. Crucified to it. But they are in it. As strangers and pilgrims on their way to another and a better world. They are in the world, A. For their own sake. To be instructed, and that they may grow in grace, in knowledge, and in holiness, and be thus made meet for the celestial inheritance. Here they have to labor, wrestle, and run the race set before them. B. For Christ’s sake. To profess Him. To testify of Him. To be His witnesses. His living epistles. His avowed friends. C. For the world’s sake. They are the pillars of the world. The lights of the world. The salt of the earth. They are blessings to it, by their example, by their counsels, and by their prayers. Sodom would have remained to this day had ten righteous persons been found in it. Jerusalem was not destroyed until Christ’s disciples fled out of it. Notice, III. Christ’s Unalterable Attachment to Them. “Having loved them, He loved them to the end.” A. Christ loved them when He freely gave Himself a ransom for their souls. “Herein is love,” etc. “Greater love hath no man,” etc. “Unto Him who loved us,” etc. B. Christ loves them as His believing disciples. He loves them with complacency and delight. His heart is set upon them. His words—His smiles—His communications to them, are all evidences of His love. They are His flock, His jewels, etc. (John 15:9). He pities them. Bears with them. Keeps them. Blesses them. Saves them, etc. C. Christ loves them unchangeably. “Unto the end.” In life—health—sickness—death—and forever and ever. His love is ardent—abiding—increasing—inconceivable, and everlasting (Eph. 3:19; Jer. 31:3). How distinguished the character, how responsible the station, and how happy the privilege of the people of God! G Campbell
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Spurgeon - I suppose that was the Paschal supper. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Judas had already made a pact with the priests (Matthew 26:14-16) to give Jesus up for 30 pieces of silver... Matthew 26:14-16 Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16 From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus. And behind Judas' evil plot was an even darker power, the devil. The devil (diabolos) having already put (ballo - literally "thrown"!) into the heart (kardia) of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, (Lit - hina - purpose clause - in order) to betray (paradidomi - give over to power of another) Him - Put (ballo) into his heart is a perfect picture of a fiery missile because ballo means literally to throw (see note on the derivation of diabolos) Put (ballo) is in the perfect tense indicating the fiery missile had been thrown and hit its target at some time in the past with continuing result or ongoing effect which in this case would terminate in Judas' betrayal of Jesus. Satan shot was aimed at Judas' heart for he knows the heart is the center of the personality, and it controls the intellect, emotions, and will. Judas' heart was fertile ground for the devil's evil flaming arrows, for Judas had already shown his sinful, deceitful character by pilfering from the money box. Note the black and white contrast with Jesus (in following section) being self-giving contrasting with Judas as self-serving! But remember that the devil had to receive permission to shoot fiery missiles at the heart of Judas, even as he "demanded permission to sift you (plural so refers to all the disciples) like wheat." (Lk 22:31+, cf Job 1:8-11,12). First, the devil threw the thought, and then he "threw" himself into Judas (Jn 13:27). THOUGHT - There is an important principle in this passage. Demons can shoot thoughts into our mind. Spiritual warfare is ongoing. We have to be on the alert and quickly take up the shield of faith (Eph 6:16+ - Judas had NO faith and thus NO defense!), taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ (2Co 10:5+). Thoughts precede actions. We need to extinguish the flames of evil thoughts before they take root and cause damage (evil actions). Note Satan's (and the demon's target) is our heart so we need to practice (enabled by the Spirit) Proverbs 4:23+ "Watch over (natsar - command; Lxx = guard, preserve = tereo in present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) your heart with all diligence, for (VITAL TERM OF EXPLANATION) from it flow the springs of life." Out of Judas' unguarded heart came "springs of death" so to speak! Upshot: Continually Guard your heart! As an aside in the ancient world springs were guarded diligently because water was scarce and sources of water were precious. And if water was tainted at the fountainhead, all the outflow is tainted and everything the water touches is tainted! So guard with a close guarding! Don't fall asleep at your sentry post, lest the enemy make a potentially damaging incursion! F Spurgeon - What a horrible purpose for Satan to put into the heart of Judas even in the presence of Jesus! I hope that the devil will not put any such purpose into your hearts or into mine while we are in this house of prayer, but no place is sacred from his intrusion, he will come in anywhere. Even where Christ himself is at the head of the table, Judas may be sitting at that same table, and Satan may then and there put into his heart the horrible purpose of betraying his Master. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) To betray Him - To is literally in the Greek the conjunction hina which identifies this as a purpose clause and could be more accurately rendered "in order to betray Him." The verb betray (paradidomi) describes Judas giving Jesus over to His enemies, delivering Him into the hands and power of evil men. Betray (paradidomi) is in the active voice which describes a volitional choice meaning that this was the choice of Judas' will. In other words, he could not later claim "The devil made me do it!" Yes, the devil was clearly an accomplice and catalyst, but Judas "pulled the trigger" (so to speak) and therefore he would be held fully responsible for his evil act! Indeed, as Jesus (his future Judge - Jn 5:22+) declared "It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." (Mk 14:21+, Mt 26:24+). Warren Wiersbe on Judas Iscariot - It is important to note that Judas was not a true believer; he was a hypocrite. He had never believed in Jesus (John 6:64-71), he had not been bathed all over (John 13:10-11), and he had not been among the chosen ones whom the Father gave to the Son (John 13:18 and John 17:12). How close a person can come to salvation and yet be lost forever! Judas was even the treasurer of the group (John 12:6) and was certainly held in high regard by his fellow disciples....From the very beginning, Jesus knew what Judas would do (John 6:64), but He did not compel him to do it. Judas was exposed to the same spiritual privileges as the other disciples, yet they did him no good. The same sun that melts the ice only hardens the clay. In spite of all that our Lord said about money, and all of His warning about covetousness, Judas continued to be a thief and steal from the treasury. In spite of all our Lord's warning about unbelief, Judas persisted in his rejection. Jesus even washed Judas' feet! Yet his hard heart did not yield.....Keep in mind that Judas knew what he was doing and that he did it deliberately. He had already met with the Jewish religious leaders and agreed to lead them to Jesus in such a way that there would not be any public disturbance (Luke 21:37-22:6). He heard Jesus say, "Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born!" (Matt. 26:24) Yet, he persisted in his unbelief and treachery. (Bible Exposition Commentary) Devil (Latin diabolus) (1228) diabolos from diá = through, between + ballo = to cast, throw) means a false accuser, slanderer (one who utters false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation), backbiting (malicious comment about one not present), one given to malicious gossip or a calumniator (one who utters maliciously false statements, charges, or imputations about, this term imputes malice to the speaker and falsity to the assertions). Diabolos is the noun form of the verb diaballō which describes not only those who bring a false charge against one, but also those who disseminate the truth concerning a man, and do so maliciously, insidiously and with hostility. Notice how the root words (diá = through + bállō = throw) picture what the devil does. He constantly throws between seeking to divide whether it be between a husband and wife, a child and parent, a church, etc. Resist his divisive, condemnatory accusations firm in your faith.
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Spurgeon - Notice those words, “Jesus knowing,... he took a towel, and girded himself.” If he had not known how great he was, there would not have been such condescension in his action, but he knew who he was, and what the Father had entrusted to him: “The Father had given all things into his hands.” You might suppose that he would rise up, in a very dignified manner, and put on a purple robe and a golden girdle, but, instead of that, he rose from the supper table, laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. He knew that he had come forth from God, and that he was going back to God, and he performed this action on the way home to his Father. O dear brothers and sisters, if Christ thus stooped, how humble ought we to be! No office should be counted too lowly, no work for his servants should seem to be too humiliating, since Jesus “took a towel, and girded himself.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Guzik on importance of the knowledge that the Father had given all things into His hands - It was important because of the circumstance. Jesus is about to lower Himself, literally stooping in humble service to His disciples. But as He serves in this humble way, He does not do it from weakness. He does it from a position of all authority, because the Father had given all things into His hands. And that He had come forth from God and was going back to God - This was a second reason He was confident in the final result. Jesus was certain of HIs relationship with His Father. His going back would be in stages, first Mt Calvary (crucifixion), then the tomb, then Mt Olivet (ascension). Jesus gives His disciples (us) the supreme illustration of the difficult (actually "impossible", only "Him-possible") to keep command in the Sermon on the Mount... “But I say to you, love (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) your enemies (WHO IS THE JUDAS IN YOUR LIFE?) and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44+) ESV Study Bible - In several places John says that Jesus is leaving the world and going to the Father (see Jn 13:3; also Jn 7:33; Jn 16:28; Jn 17:11). Yet in other places Jesus can say that He will always be present with his disciples, even after his ascension into heaven (see Jn 14:23; Mt. 18:20; 28:20; Rev. 3:20). Both are true: Jesus in His human nature is no longer here on earth but has returned to heaven and will come again one day, but in his divine nature Jesus is omnipresent and is with believers “always” (Mt. 28:20). (BORROW ESV Study Bible)
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Spurgeon - The teaching of the foot-washing ‘Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; he riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.’ John 13:3–5 Christianity says, ‘I am willing that others should help me to be holy, and I am also willing to help others to the same end. I am so imperfect that I am willing that anybody should point out my faults and rebuke me for them, and I am so anxious that my brother should be holy that I will lovingly help him to conquer sin.’ Sometimes it is more humbling to have your own feet washed than to wash other people’s, and hence sometimes our naughty pride says, ‘Thou shalt never wash my feet.’ Yet it must be so, and pride must sit still like a child, and be both washed and wiped. Again, I perceive that for many it is easy to stoop to the poor, but hard to yield to their equals in estate or ability. I know those who will do a thousand things for a poor man, but they would not do the like service to those of their own rank. You say, ‘As for that poor soul, I do not mind conceding many points to him, but this other man will crow over me if I yield to his weakness, and he will expect me to do it again, and so I may be thought to be a person of no spirit, who can easily be put upon.’ That also is the speech of anti-Christianity. True Christianity impels us to render and to accept that service which is mutual among true saints. He who kindly reminds me of my faults helps me to be better; let me not be angry with him, but value him for his faithfulness. On the other hand, I must never hint at a failing in a brother unless I believe that he will be the better for it, and even then I must do it gently, for I am not to scald my brethren’s feet, but to use cool, sparkling, living water in the washing of them. Refining by fire is God’s work: refreshing with water is ours. We are to rebuke in love, not in wrath; we are to wipe as well as wet, to comfort as well as correct. ILLUSTRATION - Did you Hear about the pastor who was voted The Most Humble Pastor in America? The congregation gave him a medal that read, “To the most humble pastor in America” - Then they had to take it away from him that next Sunday…because he wore it!!! Humility ( tapeinos) = To stoop low (Gk). Carries the idea of serving another person. Brian Bell The Challenge to Serve The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. Matthew 20:28 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:3–15 Although just thirteen years old, DeAvion took up a challenge to serve others. He and his mom had heard a story about a man who called on kids to mow fifty lawns for free during their summer break. Their focus was to assist veterans, single moms, people with disabilities—or anyone who just needed help. The founder (who had mowed fifty lawns in fifty states) created the challenge to teach the importance of work ethic and giving back to the community. Despite the heat and the availability of other activities a teenager could pursue in the summer, DeAvion chose to serve others and completed the challenge. The challenge to serve comes to believers in Jesus as well. The evening before He would die for all people, Jesus ate dinner with His friends (John 13:1–2). He was well aware of the suffering and death He would soon encounter, yet He got up from the meal, wrapped a towel around Himself, and began to wash His disciples’ feet (vv. 3–5). “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet,” He said (v. 14). What about God’s love and compassion means the most to you? How can you use your gifts and talents to serve others? Dear God, show me how to love others with the same love You have for me. Scattered Fruit Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. — 1 Corinthians 11:1 Today's Scripture : John 13:3-15 The story is told of a Christian who was home on furlough from serving in the armed forces. He was rushing to catch his train when he ran into a fruit stand on the station platform, knocking most of the piled-up apples to the ground. The young boy who operated the stand tried to pick up his scattered fruit but was having difficulty. The apologetic serviceman put down his luggage and started collecting the apples. He polished each one with his handkerchief and put it back on the counter. So impressed was the boy that he asked gratefully, “Soldier, are you Jesus?” With a smile the soldier replied, “No, but I’m trying to be like Him.” Sometimes, as we hurry about our own responsibilities, we become too busy to care about other people. But we must remember that Jesus urges us to show kindness and concern for our fellow travelers. He set the example for us in John 13 by being a servant. We need to take the time to be helpful also. Be like Jesus, this my song, In the home and in the throng; Be like Jesus, all day long! I would be like Jesus. —Rowe Nothing is more attractive than being like Jesus. Remembering The Reason For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. — Mark 10:45 Today's Scripture : Mark 10:35-45 Joe Morris flavors his ice cream with ingredients ranging from chocolate and strawberries to green tea and dried chipotle peppers. He’s one of three ice-cream makers for a successful Texas company known for its quality, creativity, and innovation. But Joe hasn’t forgotten why he does it. He told reporter Ricardo Gándara that one of the longtime employees always reminded them, “Why are we making ice cream? It’s a happy food. We’re here to make people happy.” And that’s why Joe Morris makes ice cream. We know that it’s extremely important to remember the reason for what we do as followers of Jesus. If we forget, we become like the disciples when a dispute over who was most important created anger and division among them. Jesus reminded them that “even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:35-45). If our goal is to share the good news of God’s love with others, we won’t become impersonal or harsh if someone resists or ridicules our appeal. As we follow our Lord’s path of loving service and sacrifice, we are reminded that He came to serve and save. He whose right was heaven’s glory Chose to serve on earth below, Leaving us a clear example Of the love He’d have us show. —D. De Haan Keep your eyes on the Lord, and you won’t lose sight of life’s purpose. Pay It Forward I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. — John 13:15 Today's Scripture : John 13:3-15 Pay It Forward is a movie about a 12-year-old’s plan to make a difference in the world. Motivated by a teacher at his school, Trevor invites a homeless man to sleep in his garage. Unaware of this arrangement, his mother awakens one evening to find the man working on her truck. Holding him at gunpoint, she asks him to explain himself. He shows her that he has successfully repaired her truck and tells her about Trevor’s kindness. He says, “I’m just paying it forward.” I think this is what Jesus had in mind in one of His last conversations with His disciples. He wanted to show them the full extent of His love. So before their last meal together, He took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, and began to wash His disciples’ feet. This was shocking because only slaves washed feet. It was an act of servanthood and a symbol that pointed to Jesus’ sacrifice, passion, and humiliation on the cross. His request to His disciples was: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). They were to “pay it forward.” Christ’s example teaches us That we should follow Him each day, Meeting one another’s needs, Though humble service be the way. —Hess To know love, open your heart to Jesus. To show love, open your heart to others. John 13:4 got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. John 13:4 CLICK HERE TO READ IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS laid aside: Lu 12:37 17:7 22:27 2Co 8:9 Php 2:6-8 Related Passages: 2 Corinthians 8:9+ For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich. Philippians 2:6-8+ Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant (doulos), and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Mark 10:45+ “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28+ just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 1 Peter 5:5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. THE SERVANT HUMBLY SERVES Note this action is a continuation from the previous passage (Jn 13:3). And keep the context in mind. We learn from Luke's gospel that the disciples had been arguing. Luke's passage would seem to explain at least in part the timing of Jesus' actions in John 13... And there arose also a dispute among them as to which one of them was regarded to be greatest. 25 And He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who have authority over them are called ‘Benefactors.’ 26 “But it is not this way with you, but the one who is the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant. 27 “For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves. (Lk 22:24-27+) They were ready to fight for a throne but not for a towel! -- Brian Bell The disciples were so preoccupied with who's the greatest in the Kingdom, nobody was washing the other's feet, which was typically done for the guests as they prepared for a meal. The disciples were focused on self not on sandals! Jesus is going to blow the disciple's minds and teach them who is greatest in the Kingdom of God! Got up from supper (deipnon) - Note that Jesus "knowing" in Jn 13:1-3 preceded and led to His "doing." Got up (egeiro) is used in other contexts to describe Jesus being "getting up" (being raised) from the dead (Acts 5:30+). Since normally the job of foot washing was given to slaves, we see Jesus in essence take the role of a lowly slave! (cf Mk 10:45+, Php 2:7-8+). Keep the context in mind. The disciples were arguing about who was the greatest and they either forgot or ignored Jesus admonition "the greatest among you shall be your servant." (Mt 23:11+) Had they remembered, one of them should have been washing the dirty feet! But that's hard to do when you are debating who is the greatest! And laid aside His garments (himation); and taking a towel (lention), He girded (diazonnumi) Himself - Towel (lention) is a Latin loan word (linteum) meaning linen cloth and would have been of sufficient length so that it could be wrapped about His waist and allow Him to still use the free end to wipe the disciples' feet. Is this not a beautiful picture of Jesus loving the disciples to the end? Even the one named Judas Iscariot! And remember the context. Within less than 24 hours Jesus will be nailed to a rugged cross. And yet here we see He does not think of Himself but of His disciples! Cleon Rogers adds that "The Emperor Caligula humiliated high-ranking members of the Roman Senate by making them serve him at a meal “”standing napkin (linteo) in hand either at the head of his couch, or at his feet” (Suetonius, “Gaius Caligula,” The Lives of the Caesars, 4:26). (BORROW The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament PAGE 214) (COMMENT - Jesus the Creator, humbling Himself before men. Nero the Cruel, humiliating other men before himself! How great is our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ!) It is interesting that Jesus used the same verb laid aside (tithemi) 5x in 4 verses in John 10 (John 10:11,15,17,18+) all referring to Him voluntarily laying down His life! It follows that John's use of lay/laid down is a double entendre and points to more than just his laying aside His garments, but to the ultimate laying down of His body on the Cross. Not to mention that in His crucifixion He would be stripped of His garments! The cultural context helps us understand the incredible humility of Jesus' action for in ancient Israel, it was the duty of a Gentile servant to wash the feet of his master. A Jewish slave was not required to do this! You may want to read that statement again! And a superior absolutely NEVER washed the feet of an inferior! This was absolutely unheard of! Thus we see Jesus a Jew assumes a subservient role that no Jew would have assumed! The foot washing implies that they were all gathered around the table with dirty feet. Spurgeon - He disrobed himself, though angels longed to cast the imperial purple about his shoulders. With all things in his hand, he yet took a towel and wiped the disciples’ feet. (From sermon The Lessons of the Foot-washing) Guzik According to the Jewish laws and traditions regarding the relationship between a teacher and his disciples, a teacher had no right to demand or expect that his disciples would wash his feet. How much more unthinkable was it that the Master would wash His disciple’s feet?....So why didn’t any of the disciples do this first? Any of the disciples would have gladly washed Jesus’ feet. But they could not wash His without having to be available to wash the others’ feet, and that would have been an intolerable admission of inferiority among their fellow competitors for the top positions in the disciples’ hierarchy. So no one’s feet got washed! NET Note is interesting - The plural ta himatia is probably a reference to more than one garment (cf. John 19:23–24). If so, this would indicate that Jesus stripped to a loincloth, like a slave. The translation "outer clothes" is used to indicate that Jesus was not completely naked, since complete nudity would have been extremely offensive to Jewish sensibilities in this historical context. TSK note That is, his gown, or upper coat, [himation] with the girdle by which it was girdled close to his tunic, or inner coat; and instead of his girdle, he tied a towel about Him, that He might have it in readiness to dry their feet,and that He might appear as a servant (ED: HE DID NOT JUST "APPEAR" BUT HE IN FACT WAS A SERVANT!). Indeed the whole action was a servile one; and never performed by a superior to an inferior (ED: THAT IS FALLEN MEN WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE SUCH A LOWLY TASK). Warren Wiersbe sees a fascinating parallel - Christ's actions in Jn 13:1-5 represent what He did when He left heaven to come to earth. He arose from His throne, laid aside the outward expression of His glory, became a servant, and humbled Himself to die on a cross. Philippians 2:5-11 outlines these steps beautifully. After He had completed the work of redemption, He put on His garments and sat down (Jn 13:12), foreshadowing His resurrection, ascension to glory, and enthronement at the Father's right hand. (BORROW Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament, PAGE 244) Guzik sees a parallel with Jesus laying aside His divine prerogatives, etc... • Jesus rose from supper, a place of rest and comfort • Jesus rose from His throne in heaven, a place of rest and comfort • Jesus laid aside His garments, taking off His covering • Jesus laid aside His glory, taking off His heavenly covering • Jesus took a towel and girded Himself, being ready to work • Jesus took the form of a servant, and came ready to work • Jesus poured water into a basin, ready to clean • Jesus poured out His blood to cleanse us from the guilt and penalty of sin • Jesus sat down again (John 13:12) after washing their feet • Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father after cleansing us Towel (3012)(lention) is a linen cloth, a towel. It is a Latin loanword: linteum. It was a linen cloth as used by servants. It was used of the towel or apron, which servants put on when about to work (Suetonius, Calig. 26). Only in Jn. 13:4; Jn. 13:5 and not in the Septuagint. Gilbrant - It is used in classical Greek to refer to an attendant at a public bath, to a servant (male or female) preparing himself to serve by putting on a linen towel or apron around the waist, and at least once to a woman preparing to wash someone’s feet (cf. Bauer). In the New Testament the word occurs only in John 13:4 on the occasion of the Last Supper when Jesus “...riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel (lention), and girded himself.” This was done in preparation to washing the disciples’ feet, certainly the act of a servant. Brian Bell - 4 principles regarding humility: 1. Humility is unannounced - Jesus didn’t say, “Ok, men, I’m now going to demonstrate humility!” a) Greatness does not consist of exhalation but self-sacrifice. b) As nature teaches us, the branch most full of fruit...bends the lowest! :) (1) The question is: How low can you grow? 2. Humility is willing to receive, w/o embarrassment - Tucking his feet under himself, Peter pulls away. a) Jesus stoops, Peter resists...a resistance that leads to a rebuke. 3. Humility is not a sign of weakness - Here Jesus “boldly rebukes” in the midst of this humble task. 4. Humility does not play favorites - Humility is neither selective nor exclusive. a) Jesus washes each foot...even Judas’. b) If Jesus were only human, He probably would have been tempted to use boiling water to wash Peter’s feet, & ice cold water to wash Judas’. c) But He didn’t come to scold or to shun; He came to serve gently & humbly. Jesus was able to perform this act of utter humility because of His keen understanding of who He was, where He came from, & where He was going. 1. This is key to humility in all persons - a healthy & balanced understanding of who they are. ILLUSTRATION - HUMILITY - George Washington During the American Revolution a man in civilian clothes rode past a group of soldiers repairing a small defensive barrier. Their leader was shouting instructions, but making no attempt to help them. Asked why by the rider, he retorted with great dignity, “Sir, I am a corporal!” The stranger apologized, dismounted, and proceeded to help the exhausted soldiers. The job done, he turned to the corporal and said, “Mr. Corporal, next time you have a job like this and not enough men to do it, go to your commander-in-chief, and I will come and help you again.” It was none other than George Washington. - Today in the Word, March 6, 1991 Salvation Army In 1878, when William Booth’s Salvation Army was beginning to make its mark, men and women from all over the world began to enlist. One man, who had once dreamed of becoming a bishop, crossed the Atlantic from America to England to enlist. Samuel Brengle left a fine pastorate to join Booth’s Army. But at first General Booth accepted his services reluctantly and grudgingly. Booth said to Brengle, “You’ve been your own boss too long.” And in order to instill humility in Brengle, he set him to work cleaning the boots of other trainees. Discouraged, Brengle said to himself, “Have I followed my own fancy across the Atlantic in order to black boots?” And then, as in a vision, he saw Jesus bending over the feet of rough, unlettered fishermen. “Lord,” he whispered, “you washed their feet; I will black their shoes.” (BORROW - From Chapter 4 "Success in Serving" in Liberating Ministry From The Success Syndrome, K Hughes, Tyndale, 1988, p 44) George Bowen - Acts are common and mean because they are ordinarily expressive of the common and mean thoughts of men. Let us not accuse the acts that make up our daily life of meanness, but our ignoble souls that reveal themselves so unworthily through those acts. The same act may successively mount up through every intermediate stage from the depth of unworthiness to a transcendent height of excellence, according to the soul that is manifested by it. One of the glorious ends of our Lord’s incarnation was that He might propitiate us with the details of life, so that we should not disdain these as insignificant, but rather disdain ourselves for our inability to make these details interpreters of a noble nature. Oh, let us then look with affectionateness and gratitude upon the daily details of life, seeing the sanctifying imprint of the hand of Jesus upon them all! ILLUSTRATION - Me last! (J.C. Pittman, "Bible Truths Illustrated" 1917) Among the truly popular girls I have known, one stands out preeminently. I never knew one person who did not find her just lovable. Once during her Sophomore year in high school, a group of her chums were discussing mottoes and naming their favorites. "Hitch your wagon to a star!" and "To the stars through difficulties!" were favored. Turning to Jessie, someone said, "Haven't you a motto?" "Yes," she said; "it is this: 'Me last!'" "What do you mean by that?" the others asked. "That's my motto, and I think it is a good one." "But what does it mean?" Then Jessie explained: "It means just what it says — 'me last.' That is, I am to think of myself last. I am to put everyone else ahead of me, and then can look after myself when everybody else is taken care of." The girls saw, and they knew that right there lay the secret of her popularity. "Jesus called the Twelve and said: If anyone wants to be first — he must be the very last, and the servant of all." Mark 9:35 "Jesus got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him." The Power Of Service Christ Jesus . . . made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant. — Philippians 2:5,7 Today's Scripture : John 13:2-20 “Money is power.” That principle drives most cultures of the world. People scramble for wealth, often at the price of personal integrity, in order to gain the power to live where and how they want, drive the kind of vehicle they want, and get whatever else they want. In a culture that worships money, believers in Jesus Christ are in danger of doing the same. Some use their money to control their family, or they may threaten to stop giving to their church if they don’t get their way. How unlike Jesus! He had power over disease, and He used it to heal the sick. He had power over the sea, and He used it to remove fear. He had power to create, and He fed thousands. He had power over sin, and He forgave sinners. He had power over His own life, yet He willingly gave up His life to save all who would call upon Him (Romans 10:13). Jesus possessed all power, but He used it to serve others. He was called “Lord” by the disciples in the Upper Room, yet He was the only servant there (John 13:2-17). He washed their feet! When Peter protested, Jesus answered, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (v.8). When we are involved in serving And meeting each other's needs, We're imitating the Master In thoughts and words and deeds. —Fitzhugh The more we serve Christ, the less we will serve self. John 13:5 Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. John 13:5 CLICK HERE TO READ IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS poured: Jn 19:34 2Ki 3:11 Eze 36:25 Zec 13:1 Eph 5:26 1Jn 5:6 to wash: Jn 13:8 Ex 29:4 Lev 14:8 2Ki 5:10-13 Ps 51:2 Isa 1:16 Ac 22:16 1Co 6:11 Tit 3:3-5 Heb 10:22 1Jn 1:7 Rev 1:5 7:14 feet: Jn 13:10,12-14 Ge 18:4 19:2 1Sa 25:41 Lu 7:38,44 1Ti 5:10 Recall that in John 12:3+ there was a meal at the table with friends and a foot washing of the Lord by a disciple named Mary, and now the Lord turns the tables at another meal (the Last Passover) to wash the feet of the disciples. How amazing is our Jesus? (Rhetorical of course!) So at this foot washing the "washer" was not Mary of Bethany, but the Master of Mary. Mary had anointed Jesus' feet in preparation for His burial (Jn 12:7+). Now Jesus is washing the disciples' feet preparing them for their ministry after His death, burial, and resurrection. Then He poured (ballo) water into the basin - Washing was done by pouring water over the feet from one vessel into another. Jesus was not satisfied with simply washing his disciples’ fees, he must do the wiping, too Spurgeon on basin - The one that ordinarily stood in the guest-chamber for the washing of the hands and feet of the guests....You see that Jesus does his work well. He omits none of the details of it. He puts himself in the place of a slave, and he performs a slave’s duty very thoroughly. I am afraid that, sometimes, we do our work for him in a slovenly way, but Jesus was not satisfied with simply washing his disciples’ fees, he must do the wiping, too. I do bless him that he did so for this is a picture of what he has done for us. He has washed our feet, and he often repeats the gracious act. The feet that Jesus washes he will wipe; he has not begun his task without intending to finish it. I know that he will complete in my soul the work which he has undertaken, for he fulfilled on the feet of his disciples the office he had undertaken: “ He began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) "The fuller the ear is of rice grain, the lower it bends." -- Malay proverb And began (archo) to wash (nipto) the disciples' (mathetes) feet (pous) and to wipe (ekmasso) them with the towel (lention) with which He was girded (diazonnumi) - Who would the disciples include at this time? The amazing answer is that He washed the very feet of the one who would soon betray Him! Make no mistake, Jesus was fully aware of his forthcoming betrayal as the following passages demonstrate and yet He still condescended to wash the feet of His betrayer. It was the duty of the non-Jewish servant to wash the feet of his master. A Jewish slave was not required to do this. The verb wash (nipto) as discussed more below refers to washing only a part of the body, not the whole body, which is the verb louo. Jesus' selfless act in this section makes His exhortation is John 13:15+ that much more incredible for there He says "I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you." And it also adds substance to Jesus' words in the Sermon on the Mount where He says "You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ “But I say to you, love (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. (Mt 5:43-44+) The only way we can follow Jesus' example and "wash the feet" of our enemy (whatever that might look like in practice), is by being filled with and enabled by the power of the Holy Spirit! There is absolutely no other way to obey this command and to follow "in His steps" walking like Jesus walked (1Pe 2:21+). THOUGHT - Skip Heitzig says "a hush falls over the room, as Jesus takes out the towel and begins to wash feet. Now I believe there's a principle here. When you have all power, and you know it, you're secure. You don't have to prove it to anybody, right? When you know who you are, you don't have to prove who you are. I want you to hear this. When you know who you are, you don't have to prove. Well, let me prove-- let me show you who I am. Let me tell you about my degrees. Let me tell you about my education. Just serve. It's more dramatic when you do. So your security comes from your identity. I know who I am. I know where I've come from. I know where I'm going. I'm going to wash their feet. D A Carson - “With such power and status at his disposal, we might have expected him to defeat the devil in an immediate and flashy confrontation, and to devastate Judas with an unstoppable blast of divine wrath. Instead, he washes his disciples’ feet, including the feet of the betrayer” (BORROW The Gospel According to John PAGE 462). As someone once said "Life is like a game of tennis -- the player who serves well seldom loses." J C Penney said "There is no telling what a man can do if he does not mind who gets the credit." Wipe (1591) ekmasso from ek = out, out of or intensifies + masso = to knead, to handle, to wipe) means to wipe off, dry away, wipe dry. In secular Greek of an artist, to mould or model in wax or plaster. Plat.:-Med., token ekmassetai icnh he impresses anew the footsteps of his fathers, i.e. walks in their steps, Theocr. Used of "wiping" tears from Christ's feet, Luke 7:38, 44; John 11:2; John 12:3 Ekmasso - 5x - wipe(1), wiped(3), wiping(1). Lk. 7:38; Lk. 7:44; Jn. 11:2; Jn. 12:3; Jn. 13:5. Not in Septuagint Girded (1241)(diazonnumi from dia + zonnumi = to gird) tie (a towel) around oneself, around one's waist. In John 21:7 to tie around oneself an outer garment. Liddell-Scott - to gird round the middle:-Med. to gird oneself with, Luc.:-Pass., wearing drawers, Thuc. II. metaph. to engirdle, encompass, Plut. Diazonnumi - 3v - Jn. 13:4; Jn. 13:5; Jn. 21:7. Not in Septuagint. J R Miller - The Lesson of Service - LISTEN to audio! - Serving is not an easy lesson to learn. But it is a lesson we must learn, if ever we would become like our Master. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve. He served to the uttermost, just as He loved to the uttermost. Any service that needed to be done for another, He did as naturally and as simply as He breathed! He loved people, and was interested in them and was ready always to be helpful to them. It never mattered what the service was—whether it was the saving of a soul, the curing of a grievous sickness, or the giving of a cup of water. He did the least service as graciously and as divinely as the greatest! There is no surer test of the genuineness of Christian life, than in this matter of serving others. The washing of feet was the lowliest service any man could do for another. It was the work of the lowliest slave. Yet Jesus without hesitation, did this service for His own disciples. Thus He taught them that nothing anyone may ever need to have done by another, is unfit for the holiest hands. We begin to be like Christ, only when we begin to love others enough to serve them, regardless of the lowliness of the particular service. One day a stranger entered an artist's studio in Milan. The artist was busy within. He was working on a painting of the head of Christ and appeared to take no notice of the stranger. At last he broke the silence, looked at the man and asked: "Sir, does it look like Jesus, or not?" There is no surer test of the genuineness of Christian life, than in this matter of serving others. In serving others, we should inquire, "Are we like Jesus, or not?" We are too careful of our dignity. When we see the Son of God washing His disciples' feet, we should be ashamed ever to ask whether anything another may need to have done, is too menial for us to do. A king may do the lowliest kindness to the poorest peasant in his realm, and his honor will only be enhanced by it. "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you." John 13:14-15 LISTEN to audio! "O blessed Jesus, when I see You bending, Girt as a servant, at Your servants' feet, Love, lowliness, might— in zeal all blending, To wash their feet, and make them meet To share Your feast. I know not to adore, Whether Your humbleness, or glory more!" Basin of Love After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet. John 13:5 Today's Scripture : John 13:1–17 One day in physics class many years ago, our teacher asked us to tell him—without turning around—what color the back wall of the classroom was. None of us could answer, for we hadn’t noticed. Sometimes we miss or overlook the “stuff” of life simply because we can’t take it all in. And sometimes we don’t see what’s been there all along. It was like that for me as I recently read again the account of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. The story is a familiar one, for it is often read during Passion Week. That our Savior and King would stoop to cleanse the feet of His disciples awes us. In Jesus’s day, even Jewish servants were spared this task because it was seen as beneath them. But what I hadn’t noticed before was that Jesus, who was both man and God, washed the feet of Judas. Even though He knew Judas would betray Him, as we see in John 13:11, Jesus still humbled Himself and washed Judas’s feet. Lord Jesus Christ, fill my heart with love that I might roll up my sleeves and wash the feet of others for Your glory. Because of love, Jesus humbled Himself and washed His disciples’ feet. Here to Serve [Jesus] poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet. John 13:5 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:3–17 It was time for our church to commission a new group of leaders. To symbolize their roles as servant-leaders, the church elders participated in a memorable foot-washing ceremony. Each of the leaders—including the pastor—washed each other’s feet as the congregation observed them. What they did that day was modeled for us by Jesus Christ, as recorded in John 13. In that incident, which happened at what is called the Last Supper, Jesus “got up from the meal, . . . poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet” (John 13:4–5). Later, as Jesus was explaining to His disciples why He had done this, He said, “No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (v. 16). He also said, “I am among you as one who serves” (Luke 22:27). Dear Lord, help me serve others. Guide me to set aside my personal interests and desires to provide help to those who need it. No deed is small when done for Christ. One Who Serves Yet I am among you as the One who serves. —Luke 22:27 Today's Scripture & Insight : Luke 22:24-27 “I’m nobody’s servant!” I cried out. That morning the demands of my family seemed too much as I frantically helped to find my husband’s blue tie, while feeding the crying baby and recovering the lost toy from under the bed for our 2-year-old. Later on that day, as I was reading the Bible, I came across this verse: “For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves” (Luke 22:27). Jesus didn’t have to wash His disciples’ feet, yet He did (John 13:5). There were servants who did that job, but Jesus chose to serve them. Today’s society insists that we should aim to “be somebody.” We want the best-paying job, the highest position in the company, the top leadership in church. Yet whatever position we are in, we can learn from our Savior to serve. We hold different roles as parents, children, friends, workers, leaders, or students. The question is this: Do we carry out those roles with an attitude of service? Even though my everyday routine is sometimes tiring, I’m thankful the Master will help me because I do want to follow His steps and willingly serve others. Dear Lord, I know that You did not come to be served, but to serve. Sometimes I fail to think of others, but I want to be like You. Please give me a heart like Yours. We need a servant’s attitude to be like Jesus. How God Shows His Love I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. —John 13:15 Today's Scripture : John 13:5-17 Martha, a 26-year-old woman with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), needed help. When a group of ladies from Evanston, Illinois, heard about her, they jumped into action. They began to give round-the-clock nursing care. They bathed her, fed her, prayed for her, and witnessed to her. Martha, who had not received Christ as her Savior and couldn’t understand how a loving God could let her get ALS, saw His love in these women and eventually became a Christian. She is with the Lord today because 16 women, following Jesus’ example, personified God’s love. The love of God was visibly demonstrated in Jesus when He was here on Earth. In stooping to wash the feet of His disciples, He mirrored the submissive step He took when He left heaven and became a man. He healed the sick and endured bitter hatred as His reward. He died like a criminal on a Roman cross. His endurance and these acts of kindness reflect God’s love, for Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9). More like the Master I would live and grow, More of His love to others I would show; More self-denial, like His in Galilee, More like the Master I long to ever be. —Gabriel My life helps paint my neighbor’s picture of God. Meekness And Majesty [Jesus] began to wash the disciples' feet. — John 13:5 Today's Scripture : John 13:1-17 Can meekness and majesty exist together in the same person? Amazingly, these wonderful virtues coexisted in the God-man, Jesus. First, He was humble and meek. He didn’t insist on luxury nor seek for the possession of material things. In fact, He didn’t own or possess any property except for the clothes He wore. Compared to our day of investment portfolios, luxury homes, and Platinum Visa cards, Jesus was “dirt poor.” In terms of pursuing fame and glory, He walked away from more crowds than He called together. He was the leader, but He knelt to wash the feet of His disciples (Jn. 13). In all things He humbly submitted to the Father’s will. Yet, with such beautiful humility, there was also an awesome majesty about Jesus. One word or look from Jesus could quiet a crowd, calm a storm, or make a disciple weep. Thousands followed Him as He lived and taught with unequaled power and authority. Although He died bearing our sin and shame, He rose from the grave in glory. One day He will return in majesty as King of kings and Lord of lords, vanquishing His foes and judging the nations. Meekness and majesty—perfect description Of Jesus our wonderful Lord; Humbling Himself to obtain our redemption, Our Savior forever adored. —Hess The high and holy One became the meek and lowly One. (Play song Meekness and Majesty) A FEW QUOTES ON HUMILITY See multiple quotes on humility in this 1882 work - Holy thoughts on holy things, selected and arranged by E. Davies The quotes below are from John Blanchard's excellent work Complete Gathered Gold, a work I highly recommend you consider adding to your library. Here is this source in Logos - The Complete Gathered Gold HUMILITY—Blessings He that will be knighted must kneel for it. Thomas Adams Humility is to the Christian what ballast is to the ship; it keeps him in his proper position and regulates all his thoughts and feelings. Archibald Alexander God is closest to those whose hearts are broken. Anon. Swallowing of pride seldom leads to indigestion. Anon. The easiest way to dignity is humility. Anon. The lowliest Christian is the loveliest Christian. Anon. It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. Augustine The proud hilltops let the rain run off; the lowly valleys are richly watered. Augustine God thinks most of the man who thinks himself least. John Blanchard If you lay yourself at Christ’s feet he will take you into his arms. William Bridge The most holy men are always the most humble men. Thomas Brooks He that is down needs fear no fall; He that is low, no pride. He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his Guide. John Bunyan Humility is the beginning of true intelligence. John Calvin Humility is the root, mother, nurse, foundation and bond of all virtue. Chrysostom Humility is the hallmark of wisdom. Jeremy Collier It is with men as with wheat; the light heads are erect even in the presence of Omnipotence, but the full heads bow in reverence before him. Joseph Cook As rivers flow through valleys and low countries, so the root of all holy actions is nourished by humility. Thomas De Villanova Nothing sets a person so much out of the devil’s reach as humility. Jonathan Edwards When God intends to fill a soul, he first makes it empty. When he intends to enrich a soul, he first makes it poor. When he intends to exalt a soul, he first makes it sensible to its own miseries, wants and nothingness. John Flavel If we learned humility it might spare us humiliation. Vance Havner When we take least notice of our good deeds ourselves, God takes most notice of them. Matthew Henry God can only fill valleys, not mountains. Roy Hession If you want to see the height of the hill of God’s eternal love you must go down into the valley of humility. Rowland Hill God’s choice acquaintances are humble men. Robert Leighton Humility, after the first shock, is cheerful virtue. C. S. Lewis Only those who see themselves as utterly destitute can fully appreciate the grace of God. Erwin W. Lutzer The way to rise is to fall. Thomas Manton All God’s thrones are reached by going downstairs. C. Campbell Morgan Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God’s holiness and sovereignty … acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours. J. I. Packer Just as the sinner’s despair of any help from himself is the first prerequisite of a sound conversion, so the loss of all confidence in himself is the first essential in the believer’s growth in grace. A. W. Pink The humble Christian is far happier in a cottage than the wicked in a palace. A. W. Pink The best way to see divine light is to put out thine own candle. Francis Quarles Humble hearts lie in the valleys where streams of grace are flowing, and hence they drink of them. C. H. Spurgeon The more we are humbled in grace, the more we shall be exalted in glory. C. H. Spurgeon The less a person strives for himself, the more God will be his champion. John Trapp Humility solders Christians together in peace. Thomas Watson The right manner of growth is to grow less in one’s own eyes. Thomas Watson The lowest parts of the land are warm and fertile; the lofty mountains are cold and barren. Spiros Zodhiates HUMILITY—Characteristics He is genuinely great who considers himself small and cares nothing about high honours. Thomas á Kempis If you know Hebrew, Greek and Latin, do not put them where Pilate did, at the head of Christ; put them at his feet. Anon. The sufficiency of my merit is to know that my merit is not sufficient. Augustine I did nothing that I might not have done better. Richard Baxter I have written about one hundred and twenty-eight books, but I would commend to the poor but a few. Richard Baxter I was but a pen in God’s hands, and what praise is due to a pen? Richard Baxter If there is one thing I would like to have said of me by those who are left behind when I have gone into the glory land, it would be just this that the overflow hid the vessel! A. Lindsay Glegg A humble spirit loves a low seat. William Gurnall Humility is a necessary veil to all other graces. William Gurnall The Christian is like the ripening corn; the riper he grows, the more lowly bends his head. Thomas Guthrie Humility is not thinking meanly of oneself, but rather it means not thinking of oneself at all. Vance Havner Better be a humble worm than a proud angel. William Jenkyn I sometimes think that the very essence of the whole Christian position and the secret of a successful spiritual life is just to realize two things … I must have complete, absolute confidence in God and no confidence in myself. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones Humility is not only a clothing, but also an ornament. Thomas Manton Men frequently admire me; but I abhor the pleasure that I feel. Henry Martyn True humility makes way for Christ and throws the soul at his feet. J. Mason Humility is an invisible virtue. Thomas Philippe Of all garments, none is so graceful, none wears so well, and none is so rare, as humility. J. C. Ryle Oh for true, unfeigned humility! I know I have cause to be humble; and yet I do not know one half of that cause. I know I am proud; and yet I do not know the half of that pride. Robert Murray M’Cheyne The fullest and best ears of corn hang lowest towards the ground. Edward Reynolds He whose garments are the whitest will best perceive the spots upon them. C. H. Spurgeon The higher a man is in grace, the lower he will be in his own esteem. C. H. Spurgeon If pride and madness go together, so do humility and sanity. John R. W. Stott Let my name be forgotten, let me be trodden under the feet of all men, if Jesus may thereby be glorified. George Whitefield Lord, give me humility or I perish. George Whitefield Think as little as possible about yourself. Turn your eyes resolutely from any view of your influence, your success, your following. Above all speak as little as possible about yourself. Samuel Wilberforce HUMILITY—Essence Humility is the knees of the soul. Thomas Adams Great men never think they are great—small men never think they are small. Anon. Humility is to have a just estimate of oneself. Anon. If you sincerely desire to hide your good actions, pride will not harm you. Augustine The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is. Phillips Brooks It is one of the hardest matters under the sun to become nothing in ourselves. Elisha Coles Humility is not simply feeling small and useless—like an inferiority complex. It is sensing how great and glorious God is, and seeing myself in that light. Sinclair Ferguson By humility I mean not the abjectness of a base mind; but a prudent care not to over-value ourselves upon any account. Obadiah Grew Humility is the grace which lies prostrate at God’s footstool, self-abasing and self disparaging, amazed at God’s mercy and abhorring its own vileness. James Hamilton Humility is the ability to see ourselves as God describes us. Henry Jacobsen Humility is the ornament of angels and the deformity of devils. William Jenkyn If anyone would like to acquire humility, I can, I think, tell him the first step. The first step is to realize that one is proud. C. S. Lewis The way to become poor in spirit is to look at God. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones The best of God’s people have abhorred themselves. Like the spire of a steeple, we are least at the highest. Thomas Manton Humility is not diffidence. Humility is that disposition of honest recognition: He is God, I am but a creature. Al Martin Humility is pure honesty. Jack McAlister Humility is a most strange thing. The moment that you think you have acquired it is just the moment you have lost it. Bernard Meltzer Humility is simply the sense of entire nothingness. Andrew Murray Humility is that grace that, when you know you have it, you have lost it. Andrew Murray Humility is the repentance of pride. Nehemiah Rogers The true secret of spiritual strength is selfdistrust and deep humility. J. C. Ryle Humility is not a Sunday frock, but a workaday smock. J. Oswald Sanders Pride is a sinner’s torment, but humility is a saint’s ornament. William Secker Humility is to make a right estimate of oneself. C. H. Spurgeon Poverty of spirit is a kind of self-annihilation. Thomas Watson The humble heart is God’s throne in regard to his gracious presence; and heaven is his throne as to his glorious presence. Thomas Watson The poor in spirit are divorced from themselves. Thomas Watson Let my name be forgotten, let me be trodden under the feet of all men, if Jesus may thereby be glorified. George Whitefield O heavenly Father, for thy dear Son’s sake, keep me from climbing. George Whitefield HUMILITY—False He who brags of his humility loses it. John Boys There is nothing more awful than conscious humility; it is the most satanic type of pride. Oswald Chambers To see a man humble under prosperity is one of the greatest rarities in the world. John Flavel No pretence of humility must make us decline our duty. Matthew Henry You can have no greater sign of a confirmed pride than when you think you are humble enough. William Law If our humility is not unconsciousness it is exhibitionism. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones We can be proud of our humility, indeed I think we always are if we try to give the impression of humility. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones False humility is really a lie, and cannot be acceptable to a God of truth. William S. Plumer If any man tells me that he is humble, I know him to be profoundly proud. C. H. Spurgeon Our humility serves us falsely when it leads us to shrink from any duty. The plea of unfitness or inability is utterly insufficient to excuse us. Spiros Zodhiates HUMILITY—Importance He who has other graces without humility is like one who carries a box of precious powder without a cover on a windy day. Anon. Many would be scantily clad if clothed in their humility. Anon. One test of a person’s strength is his knowledge of his weakness. Anon. There is no limit to the good a man can do if he doesn’t care who gets the credit. Anon. As pride was the beginning of sin, so humility must be the beginning of the Christian discipline. Augustine For those who would learn God’s ways, humility is the first thing, humility is the second, humility is the third. Augustine Life is a long lesson in humility. James M. Barrie He who knows himself best esteems himself least. Henry G. Bohn Much more of true religion consists in deep humility, brokenness of heart and an abasing sense of barrenness and want of grace and holiness than most who are called Christians imagine. David Brainerd Humility in every area of life, in every relationship with other people, begins with a right concept of God as the one who is infinite and eternal in his majesty and holiness. Jerry Bridges Show when you are tempted to hide, and hide when you are tempted to show. A. B. Bruce God will never come to his right unless we are totally reduced to nothing, so that it may be clearly seen that all that is laudable in us comes from elsewhere. John Calvin Nothing but the pure knowledge of God can teach us humility. John Calvin How easy it is to reason out man’s humility, but how hard to reason man into it. Stephen Charnock Christ demands a humility which is foolishness to the world. J. N. Figgis They that know God will be humble; they that know themselves cannot be proud. John Flavel There is no true holiness without humility. Thomas Fuller The richest pearl in the Christian’s crown of graces is humility. John Mason Good The greatest men are those who are humble before God. The tallest men are those who bend before God. Richard Halverson God grant us the beatitude of the background, that only he may be seen! Vance Havner Those whom God will employ are first struck with a sense of their unworthiness to be employed. Matthew Henry No garment is more becoming to a child of God than the cloak of humility. Cyril M. Jackson Humility is one of the chief of all the Christian virtues; it is the hallmark of the child of God. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones In order to make us trust him, God works hard to make us lose trust in ourselves. Dick Lucas Until a man is nothing God can make nothing of him. Martin Luther The great secret of a right waiting upon God is to be brought down to utter impotence. Andrew Murray There is no need for us to devise means to draw attention to our work. God in his sovereign providence can well bear that responsibility. Watchman Nee There walks not this earth a man who is too humble in the sight of God. William S. Plumer I believe the first test of a truly great man is his humility. John Ruskin Humility is the very first letter in the alphabet of Christianity. J. C. Ryle The surest mark of true conversion is humility. J. C. Ryle If God has made us men, let us not make ourselves gods. Richard Sibbes No grace is stronger than humility. Richard Sibbes I believe every Christian man has a choice between being humble and being humbled. C. H. Spurgeon Let us be humble that we may not need to be humbled, but may be exalted by the grace of God. C. H. Spurgeon Humility neither falls far, or heavily. Publilius Syrus Esteem thyself not to have profited by religion unless thou thinkest well of others and meanly of thyself. Jeremy Taylor Knowledge without humility is vanity. A. W. Tozer They are quite mistaken that faith and humility are inconsistent; they not only agree well together, but they cannot be parted. Robert Traill Humility is the sweet spice that grows from poverty of spirit. Thomas Watson Till we are poor in spirit we are not capable of receiving grace. Thomas Watson John 13:6 So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" John 13:6 CLICK HERE TO READ IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS Lord: Jn 1:27 Mt 3:11-14 Lu 5:8 PETER QUESTIONS JESUS' ACTIONS So (oun) - This is a term of conclusion, suggesting that Peter's feet were a fitting conclusion. For a moment put yourself in the scene and imagine the hush that came over the room and the sense of embarrassment, especially in light of their own exhibition of prideful self-seeking described in Luke 22:24-27+ where the 12 were arguing about matters of precedence and prestige! He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord (kurios/kyrios), do You wash (nipto) my feet (pous)?" - Clearly Jesus had already washed the feet of other disciples and apparently there was no response (at least none recorded). Peter however is usually the one most likely to say something or do something, so it is very likely he is the first one who questioned Jesus' actions, for this was the very One Who he had confessed as the Son of God! It was unthinkable that God's Son would wash his feet! Peter as usual is the vocal one and surely was verbalizing what the others were thinking. Bob
João 13
Spurgeon - You must lay the stress on the pronouns in order to get the full forge of the original. “Lord, dost THOU wash my feet?” The contrast is between Peter’s Master and himself. I do not wonder that he said that; would not you have been equally astonished had you been there? Peter had some faint idea who Christ was, he had confessed him in such a way that Jesus had said to him “Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Knowing so much about Christ, Peter did marvel at his action; he felt so astonished that he asked “Dost thou wash my feet?” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Wash (3538) nipto means to wash a part of one's body - face (Mt 6:17), eyes (Jn 9:7, 11, 15). E.g., washing of hands (Mt 15:2, Mk 7:3) and feet (1Ti 5:10) was common with the Jews. Note that nipto stands in contrast to two other related words - (1) Louo -- which means to bathe, used of washing the whole body and not just part of it (as is the case with nipto) (Acts 9:37, Heb 10:22, 2Pe 2:22)). Like nipto louo refers to washing of living persons. (2) Pluno - refers to washing of inanimate things such as garments (Rev 7:14, Rev 22:14, Ge 49:11, Ex 19:10). Gilbrant - Niptō is a variation of the verb nizō (“wash”). In classical Greek nizō commonly is used of washing parts of the body, such as hands and feet. It occasionally describes purging or cleansing (cf. Liddell-Scott). In the Septuagint niptō is used frequently for washing hands, feet, or face, and occasionally for rinsing. Hauck - In the foot-washing níptō is partial washing (the feet) as distinct from loúō (Jn. 13:5-6, 8 etc.). By his action here Jesus sets an example of menial service. But the action also has symbolical significance. Christ’s death gives full cleansing, so that there is no need of partial washing, or need only of cleansing from daily sin. (Borrow Kittel's Theological Dictionary of the New Testament : abridged in one volume) Feet (4228)(pous) means foot literally the part of the body used for standing or walking in Mt 7:6; Lk 7:46; 8:35; 24:39f; Jn 13:5f; 20:12; Ac 4:35, 37; 5:10; Eph 6:15; Rev 3:9; 19:10. The foot, of men (Mt. 10:14; 18:8; 22:13; Luke 15:22; 24:39, 40; Jn 20:12; Acts 21:11; Rev. 2:18); of animals (Mt. 7:6; Ge 8:9); anthropomorphically of God (Mt. 5:35; Acts 7:49 cf. Isa. 66:1) Leg Rev 10:1. The foot as a measure of length in Acts 7:5. Pous is used figuratively or idiomatically, from various oriental customs involving feet; (a) literally wash feet, i.e. show hospitality, welcome guests (possibly 1Ti 5.10), serve humbly (Jn 13.14); (b) sit at someone's feet, i.e. learn from or be taught by (Lk 8.35); (c) to guide the feet straight, i.e. guide behavior or teach how to live (Lk 1.79); (d) to be under someone's feet means to be under someone's control (1Co 15.25); to make someone a footstool for someone's feet which speaks of complete control over someone else, and is from the ancient custom of depicting a ruler's conquered enemies on the footstool before his throne (Lk 20.43; Heb 1.13); (e) to place something at the feet of someone which means to turn something over or put at someone's disposal (Acts 4.37) Zodhiates - (I) The expression "at the feet of someone" is spoken of that which is at one's feet, e.g., to cast or lay at one's feet, meaning to give over into one's care and charge, such as sick persons (Matt. 15:30); money, property (Acts 4:35, 37; 5:2; 7:58). Also to sit at the feet of someone, as disciples were accustomed to sit on the ground before their master or teacher (Luke 8:35; 10:39; Acts 22:3). In Luke 7:38 a woman standing behind the recliner at the feet of Jesus. (II) To put or subdue under one's feet means to make subject to someone, an allusion to the ancient manner of treading down or putting the foot on the necks of vanquished enemies (Rom. 16:20; 1 Cor. 15:25, 27; Eph. 1:22; Heb. 2:8 quoted from Ps. 8:7; see Josh. 10:24). In a similar sense after hupopódion, footstool (Matt. 22:44; Mark 12:36; Luke 20:43; Acts 2:35; Heb. 1:13; 10:13, all quoted from Ps. 110:1). (III) Spoken of the oriental mode of making supplication or of doing reverence and homage to a superior by prostrating oneself before him (Sept.: Gen. 44:14; Ruth 2:10; 2 Sam. 1:2; Esth. 8:3), "to fall at one's feet" means in supplication. The expression of reverence or homage; preceded by the prep. eis (John 11:32); the prep. epí, upon (Acts 10:25); the prep. pará, by (Luke 17:16); the adv. prep. enópion, before, in the presence of (Rev. 3:9); the adv. prep. émprosthen, before, in front of (Rev. 19:10; 22:8); with the prep. prós, before (Mark 5:22; 7:25; Sept.: Esth. 8:3). In a similar manner, to hold one's feet (Matt. 28:9). (IV) Also in allusion to the custom of washing and anointing the feet of strangers and guests. Such washing was usually done by the lowest slaves (1 Sam. 25:41 [cf. Gen. 24:32; 43:24]), but sometimes by the master himself in token of respect (Gen. 19:2; Luke 7:44; John 13:5, 6, 8-10, 12, 14). Thus also by Mary, who washed Jesus' feet with her tears and kissed and anointed them in token of affection and respect (Luke 7:38, 44-46; John 11:2 [cf. the verb aleíphō <G218>, to rub]). (V) Metonymically it refers to the feet as the instrument of moving. Therefore, the word "feet" is sometimes ascribed to that which strictly belongs to the person who moves about (Luke 1:79, "to guide our feet," means to direct us; Acts 5:9, "the feet of them which have buried thy husband"; Rom. 3:15; 10:15 paraphrased from Isa. 52:7; Heb. 12:13 [cf. Ps. 119:101; Prov. 4:26]). (BORROW The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Gilbrant adds that "Pous is used as a figure of speech for the way one goes (Luke 1:79; Hebrews 12:13), an errand to be accomplished (Acts 5:9), evil being committed (Ro 3:15), and a God-given mission being fulfilled (Ro 10:15). Pous (“feet” or “foot”) is used in connection with stumbling (Mt 4:6), obeisance, and worship (Mt 28:9; Rev 1:17). It also is used in an expression of scorn (Mk 6:11), in Christ’s hyperbole concerning self-discipline (Mk 9:45), and in various other contexts, e.g., showing hospitality (Lk 7:38; Jn 11:2; 1Ti 5:10), acceptance (Lk 15:22), rejection (Acts 13:51), receptivity (Lk 8:35; Acts 22:3), subjection (Heb 2:8), and spiritual victory (Ro 16:20; 1Co 15:27; Eph 1:22)." Dictionary of Biblical Imagery (BORROW - see page 970) FEET Though feet are sometimes associated with objects such as chests and tables (e.g., Ex 25:12), the Bible refers mainly to the feet of human beings and animals. “From head to foot” is a way to describe the whole of a person (2 Sam 14:25; Is 1:6). There are also occasional anthropomorphic references to the feet of God, such as his promise to glorify the place of his feet (Is 60:13; Ezek 43:7; Zech 14:4). One of the basic aspects of hospitality in Bible times was the washing of a guest’s feet (Gen 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; Judg 19:21; 1 Sam 25:41). A reference in Moses’ blessing to Asher of the extravagance of bathing the feet in oil (Deut 33:24) indicates the prospect of considerable wealth. To wash the feet is associated with going home and being unlikely to go out again that day (2 Sam 11:8). Thus the beloved complains that she cannot come to the door since she has washed her feet (Song 5:3). Jesus serves his disciples by washing their feet, the act of a menial servant (Jn 13:2–11). This service, which has on previous occasions been performed for him (Lk 7:44; Jn 11:2; 12:3) establishes a pattern for his disciples (Jn 13:14–16; 1 Tim 5:10). Ritual washing of the hands and feet occurs frequently (e.g., Ex 30:19). Although it sounds rather gruesome, God’s people can look forward to bathing their feet in the blood of wicked (Ps 58:10; 68:23). Feet also figure in situations in which someone has authority over a person or place. People have rights over land touched by their feet (Deut 2:5; 11:24; Josh 1:3; Ps 122:2) and lose rights over land their feet no longer walk on (2 Chron 33:8). Related to this is the idea that vanquished enemies are under the feet of their conquerors (Josh 10:24, 1 Kings 5:3; Ps 8:6; 45:5; 110:1; Is 49:23; 60:14; Mal 4:3). The NT stresses the authority of Christ over all things in this way (Mt 22:44; 1 Cor 15:25ff.; Eph 1:22; Heb 2:8) and the eventual victory of Christian believers over Satan and his followers (Rom 16:20; Rev 3:9). To fall at someone’s feet voluntarily is a mark of reverence (1 Sam 25:24; 2 Sam 22:39f.; Esther 8:3; Acts 10:25), and many of those who meet Jesus fall at his feet (e.g., Mk 5:22; Rev 1:17). In Revelation the angel guiding John refuses to allow him to fall at his feet and directs him to worship God instead (Rev 19:10; 22:8). Sitting at someone’s feet is an act of submission and teachability (Lk 8:35; 10:39). Seizing the feet of another is an act of supplication (2 Kings 4:27; Mt 28:9); a particular example may be the uncovering of Boaz’s feet by Ruth in order to indicate her desire that he become her kinsman-redeemer (Ruth 3:4–8). To be able to negotiate rough terrain like a nimble-footed deer is an image applied to the life a righteous person (2 Sam 22:34; Hab 3:19). Obedience to God guarantees that one’s feet will not slip (Ps 17:5), for God is said to guard the feet of his saints (1 Sam 2:9). This is related to the desire for feet to be on level ground (Ps 26:12; Prov 4:26; Heb 12:13) in a spacious place (Ps 31:8) on firm ground (Ps 40:2) and guided by the lamp of God’s Word (Ps 119:105). The Bible records several prayers that feet will not stray (Ps 44:18; 119:101; Prov 6:18) or rush to sin (Prov 1:16; Is 59:7; Jer 14:10). A feature of the Messiah’s ministry is that he will guide feet into the way of peace (Lk 1:79). On the other hand, sin is characterized by feet that slip or stumble (Job 12:5; Ps 37:31; 56:13; 66:9; 73:2; 116:8; 121:3). Along similar lines, feet may be caught in a snare or a net, or put in shackles (Ps 25:15; 57:6; 105:18; Jer 18:22; Lam 1:13). One such trap is flattery (Prov 29:5), and the psalmist prays to be delivered from those who would trip him up (Ps 140:4). Going barefoot is interpreted in a number of ways: either reverence at the presence of God (Ex 3:5), a result of judgment (Is 20:2) or a sign of mourning (Ezek 24:27, 23). Feet are not normally considered particularly attractive and may be thought of as inferior (1 Cor 12:15, 21). But they become beautiful when they belong to someone who uses them to carry the good news of God’s salvation (Is 52:7; Nahum 1:15; Eph 6:15; see DANCING). Should the message be rejected in any particular place, the bearers of the gospel are to shake the dust off their feet (Mt 10:14) as a sign of protest (Acts 13:51) and refuse to have anything at all to do with the place. See also BAREFOOT; HEEL; SHOE, SANDEL; STUMBLE, STUMBLING BLOCK; TOE; UNDER THE FEET. Pous - 86v - feet(83), foot(9), under*(1). Matt. 4:6; Matt. 5:35; Matt. 7:6; Matt. 10:14; Matt. 15:30; Matt. 18:8; Matt. 22:13; Matt. 22:44; Matt. 28:9; Mk. 5:22; Mk. 6:11; Mk. 7:25; Mk. 9:45; Mk. 12:36; Lk. 1:79; Lk. 4:11; Lk. 7:38; Lk. 7:44; Lk. 7:45; Lk. 7:46; Lk. 8:35; Lk. 8:41; Lk. 9:5; Lk. 10:11; Lk. 10:39; Lk. 15:22; Lk. 17:16; Lk. 20:43; Lk. 24:39; Lk. 24:40; Jn. 11:2; Jn. 11:32; Jn. 11:44; Jn. 12:3; Jn. 13:5; Jn. 13:6; Jn. 13:8; Jn. 13:9; Jn. 13:10; Jn. 13:12; Jn. 13:14; Jn. 20:12; Acts 2:35; Acts 4:35; Acts 4:37; Acts 5:2; Acts 5:9; Acts 5:10; Acts 7:5; Acts 7:33; Acts 7:49; Acts 7:58; Acts 10:25; Acts 13:25; Acts 13:51; Acts 14:8; Acts 14:10; Acts 16:24; Acts 21:11; Acts 22:3; Acts 26:16; Rom. 3:15; Rom. 10:15; Rom. 16:20; 1 Co. 12:15; 1 Co. 12:21; 1 Co. 15:25; 1 Co. 15:27; Eph. 1:22; Eph. 6:15; 1 Tim. 5:10; Heb. 1:13; Heb. 2:8; Heb. 10:13; Heb. 12:13; Rev. 1:15; Rev. 1:17; Rev. 2:18; Rev. 3:9; Rev. 10:1; Rev. 10:2; Rev. 11:11; Rev. 12:1; Rev. 13:2; Rev. 19:10; Rev. 22:8 Uses in Septuagint - Gen. 8:9; Gen. 18:4; Gen. 19:2; Gen. 24:32; Gen. 29:1; Gen. 30:30; Gen. 33:14; Gen. 43:24; Gen. 49:19; Gen. 49:33; Exod. 3:5; Exod. 4:25; Exod. 12:9; Exod. 12:11; Exod. 21:24; Exod. 24:10; Exod. 25:26; Exod. 29:17; Exod. 29:20; Exod. 30:19; Exod. 30:21; Exod. 38:27; Lev. 1:9; Lev. 1:13; Lev. 8:21; Lev. 8:23; Lev. 8:24; Lev. 9:14; Lev. 11:21; Lev. 11:23; Lev. 11:42; Lev. 13:12; Lev. 14:14; Lev. 14:17; Lev. 14:25; Lev. 14:28; Lev. 21:19; Num. 22:25; Deut. 2:5; Deut. 2:28; Deut. 8:4; Deut. 11:10; Deut. 11:24; Deut. 19:21; Deut. 25:9; Deut. 28:35; Deut. 28:56; Deut. 28:65; Deut. 29:4; Deut. 32:35; Deut. 33:24; Jos. 1:3; Jos. 3:13; Jos. 3:15; Jos. 4:9; Jos. 4:18; Jos. 5:15; Jos. 9:5; Jos. 10:24; Jdg. 1:6; Jdg. 1:7; Jdg. 3:24; Jdg. 4:10; Jdg. 4:15; Jdg. 4:17; Jdg. 5:15; Jdg. 5:27; Jdg. 5:28; Jdg. 8:5; Jdg. 19:21; Jdg. 20:43; Ruth 3:4; Ruth 3:7; Ruth 3:8; Ruth 3:14; 1 Sam. 14:13; 1 Sam. 23:22; 1 Sam. 25:24; 1 Sam. 25:41; 2 Sam. 2:18; 2 Sam. 3:34; 2 Sam. 4:4; 2 Sam. 4:12; 2 Sam. 9:3; 2 Sam. 9:13; 2 Sam. 11:8; 2 Sam. 14:25; 2 Sam. 15:16; 2 Sam. 15:18; 2 Sam. 19:25; 2 Sam. 21:20; 2 Sam. 22:10; 2 Sam. 22:34; 2 Sam. 22:39; 1 Ki. 2:5; 1 Ki. 5:17; 1 Ki. 15:23; 1 Ki. 18:41; 2 Ki. 3:9; 2 Ki. 4:27; 2 Ki. 4:37; 2 Ki. 6:32; 2 Ki. 9:35; 2 Ki. 13:21; 2 Ki. 19:24; 2 Ki. 21:8; 1 Chr. 28:2; 2 Chr. 3:13; 2 Chr. 16:12; 2 Chr. 33:8; Neh. 9:21; Est. 4:17; Est. 8:3; Est. 8:12; Ps. 8:7; Ps. 9:16; Ps. 13:3; Ps. 17:10; Ps. 17:34; Ps. 17:39; Ps. 21:17; Ps. 24:15; Ps. 25:12; Ps. 30:9; Ps. 35:12; Ps. 37:17; Ps. 39:3; Ps. 46:4; Ps. 55:14; Ps. 56:7; Ps. 65:6; Ps. 65:9; Ps. 67:24; Ps. 72:2; Ps. 90:12; Ps. 93:18; Ps. 98:5; Ps. 104:18; Ps. 109:1; Ps. 113:15; Ps. 114:8; Ps. 118:59; Ps. 118:101; Ps. 118:105; Ps. 120:3; Ps. 121:2; Ps. 131:7; Ps. 134:17; Ps. 139:6; Prov. 1:15; Prov. 1:16; Prov. 3:6; Prov. 3:23; Prov. 3:26; Prov. 4:26; Prov. 4:27; Prov. 5:5; Prov. 6:13; Prov. 6:18; Prov. 6:28; Prov. 7:11; Prov. 25:17; Prov. 25:19; Prov. 26:6; Prov. 29:5; Eccl. 4:17; Cant. 5:3; Job 2:7; Job 13:27; Job 18:8; Job 18:11; Job 18:13; Job 29:15; Job 30:12; Job 31:5; Job 31:7; Job 33:11; Job 39:15; Amos 2:15; Nah. 1:3; Nah. 2:1; Hab. 3:5; Hab. 3:19; Zech. 14:4; Zech. 14:12; Mal. 3:21; Isa. 1:6; Isa. 3:12; Isa. 3:16; Isa. 5:28; Isa. 6:2; Isa. 7:20; Isa. 20:2; Isa. 26:6; Isa. 28:3; Isa. 41:2; Isa. 41:3; Isa. 49:23; Isa. 52:7; Isa. 58:13; Isa. 59:7; Isa. 66:1; Jer. 2:25; Jer. 12:5; Jer. 13:16; Jer. 14:10; Jer. 29:3; Jer. 45:22; Lam. 1:9; Lam. 1:13; Lam. 2:1; Lam. 3:34; Ezek. 1:7; Ezek. 2:1; Ezek. 2:2; Ezek. 3:24; Ezek. 6:11; Ezek. 24:17; Ezek. 24:23; Ezek. 25:6; Ezek. 29:11; Ezek. 32:2; Ezek. 32:13; Ezek. 34:18; Ezek. 34:19; Ezek. 37:10; Ezek. 43:7; Dan. 2:33; Dan. 2:34; Dan. 2:41; Dan. 2:42; Dan. 7:4; Dan. 7:7; Dan. 7:19; Dan. 10:6; Dan. 10:10 Washing Feet . . . and Dishes I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. John 13:15 Today's Scripture & Insight : John 13:6–17 On Charley and Jan’s fiftieth wedding anniversary, they shared breakfast at a café with their son Jon. That day, the restaurant was understaffed with just a manager, cook, and one teenage girl who was working as hostess, waitress, and busser. As they finished their breakfast, Charley turned to his wife and son and said, “Do you have anything important going on in the next few hours?” They didn’t. So, with permission from the manager, Charley and Jan began washing dishes in the back of the restaurant while Jon started clearing the cluttered tables. According to Jon, what happened that day wasn’t really that unusual. His parents had always set an example of Jesus who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). In John 13, we read about the last meal Christ shared with His disciples. That night, the Teacher taught them the principle of humble service by washing their dirty feet (vv. 14–15). If He was willing to do the lowly job of washing a dozen men’s feet, they too should joyfully serve others. When has someone unexpectedly offered to help you with a difficult task? Why is humility such an important aspect of serving others? Loving Savior, thank You for showing me how to be a servant. C H Spurgeon - Jesus washing his disciples’ feet ‘Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?’ John 13:6 The Scottish Baptists were accustomed to wash the saints’ feet literally; I dare say it would not do some of the saints much hurt; but still it never was intended for us to carry out literally the example of the Saviour; there is a spiritual meaning here, and what he means is this. If there be any deed of kindness or love that we can do for the very meanest and most obscure of God’s people, we ought to be willing to do it—to be servants to God’s servants—to feel like Abigail did, when she said to David, ‘Let thine handmaid be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.’ Abigail became David’s wife; but yet she felt she was not worthy even to wash his servants’ feet. That must be our spirit. Do you know a brother who is rather angry in temper, and he wants a kind word said to him, and some one says, ‘I will not speak to any such person as he is’? Do it—do it, my dear brother; go and wash his feet! Do you know one who has gone astray? Some one says, ‘I would not like to be seen in association with him.’ My dear friend, you are spiritual; go and restore such a one in the spirit of meekness. Wash his feet! There is another riding the high horse; he is very very proud. One says, ‘I am not going to humble myself to him.’ My dear brother, go to him, and wash his feet! Whenever there is a child of God who has any defilement upon him, and you are able to point it out and rid him of it, submit to any degradation, put yourself in any position, sooner than that child of God should be the subject of sin. Oswald Chambers - The initiative against drudgery (Borrow My Utmost for His Highest - page 50) Arise, shine. Isaiah 60:1. We have to take the first step as though there were no God. It is no use to wait for God to help us, He will not; but immediately we arise we find He is there. Whenever God inspires, the initiative is a moral one. We must do the thing and not lie like a log. If we will arise and shine, drudgery becomes divinely transfigured. Drudgery is one of the finest touchstones of character there is. Drudgery is work that is very far removed from anything to do with the ideal—the utterly mean, grubby things; and when we come in contact with them we know instantly whether or not we are spiritually real. Read John 13; we see there the Incarnate God doing the most desperate piece of drudgery, washing fishermen’s feet, and He says—“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.” It requires the inspiration of God to go through drudgery with the light of God upon it. Some people do a certain thing, and the way in which they do it hallows that thing for ever afterwards. It may be the most commonplace thing, but after we have seen them do it, it becomes different. When the Lord does a thing through us, He always transfigures it. Our Lord took on Him our human flesh and transfigured it, and it has become for every saint the temple of the Holy Ghost. Robert Hawker - Poor Man's Evening Portion - And Peter said unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?—John 13:6. My soul! dost thou want some sweet, some tender, some more than ordinarily interesting view of thy Jesus, this evening, to draw out all the finer feelings in love and adoration of thy Redeemer? Look at him, then, in the moment in which this scripture represents him in his lowliness and meekness, washing the disciples’ feet. Had I the power of drawing the most endearing portrait, Jesus should he my one and only object; and for a subject of the most finished kind, the humbleness and tenderness of Jesus, the Lord of life and glory, washing poor fishermen’s feet, should be the picture. And what, my soul, tends, if possible, infinitely more to endear and bring home to the heart this unparalleled condescension and grace of Jesus, is, that it was, as the evangelist relates it, at a time when Jesus knew that all things were given by his Father into his hands: that is, all things relating to his mediatorial kingdom; that he should give eternal life to as many as the Father had given him: and in due time take out of his kingdom all things that did offend. Was there ever a more lovely, a more engaging instance shown, than by the great Redeemer of the world, in this condescending act? Well might the astonished apostle cry out, in the contemplation of it, “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” My soul! pause over the subject, and consider it well; and when thou hast duly weighed the matter, let it be asked, what condescension, what grace, what love, what mercy, will Jesus think too great for the salvation of poor sinners? Oh! that I had the power of persuasion with any poor broken-hearted transgressor, to convince him that there is nothing to keep a soul from Jesus but unbelief. I would say to such a one, My brother, oh! make trial only of Jesus’s love. The greater your unworthiness, the greater will be the grace of Jesus in his mercy towards you. And the lower the Son of God bends down to wash a sinner, the higher surely will he be in the sinner’s love and esteem. Let it be asked, through the whole Church of Christ upon earth, who loves Jesus most, but the sinner to whom Jesus hath forgiven most? Let it be inquired, through the realms of heaven, whose song of redemption is the loudest and the best, but those who were most low upon earth when Jesus first stooped to wash them. O thou blessed Emmanuel! thou, the Lord our righteousness! never let me forget this instance of thy grace to poor sinners, but do thou cause it to be my daily encouragement to come to thee, and under the same conviction as the apostle, to cry out, “Lord wash not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” John 13:7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." John 13:7 CLICK HERE TO READ IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS What: Jn 13:10-12 Jn 6:52, Jn 12:16 Jn 14:26 Jer 32:24,25,43 Da 12:8,12 Hab 2:1-3 Jas 5:7-11 Related Passages: John 12:16+ These things His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him. UNDERSTANDING WOULD FOLLOW IN THE FUTURE Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do (ouk = absolutely) not realize (eido - understand) now, but (encouraging term of contrast) you will (this is a prophetic promise) understand (ginosko) hereafter - Clearly there was a deeper lesson than just being willing to wash dirty feet. Spiritual truth must be spiritually discerned. It is supernatural and simply cannot be understood by a natural man (1Co 2:14+). Jesus will soon explain how they will be enabled to understand promising them that "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." (Jn 14:26+). In chapter 12 John had given his editorial comment (recall he wrote this gospel many years later) that "These things (JESUS BEING HAILED WITH HOSANNAS TO THE KING) His disciples did not understand at the first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things to Him." (Jn 12:16+) THOUGHT - Has this dynamic not also proved true in our Christian life? There have things we read or things the Lord has allowed us to experience in our lives that we did not understand at the time ("What does this mean?", "Why is this happening?", etc), but as we grew in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2Pe 3:18+), the "lightbulbs began to go off!" and we came to understand the "what" or the "why." This has been especially true in my life when He has disciplined me and as I was experiencing the pain, I would think back and recall my erring way that had wrought His hand of discipline and I was thankful (cf Ps 119:67, 71+). Seeing things from this retrospective view often helps put them in their proper perspective. And of course, we can always trust the ironclad truth that "God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." (Ro 8:28; even the discipline - Heb 12:11+) As Paul writes "now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:12-13+) Paul reminds us if we still have questions about the things God has allowed in our life, one day we will understand fully the "why?" Our knowing times, dear friends, are to come. Spurgeon - The fact is, brethren, though it is a very humbling thing to say, we do not understand that which Jesus does, even his simplest actions are a mystery to us, we have never gone into the very depths of them so as to comprehend them. “What I do, — even though I only wash thy feet, plain and simple operation as that is, — thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” Our knowing times, dear friends, are to come. We need not be so very anxious to know at present, this is the time of love. I would forego the filling of my head for a while if I could have my heart full; but, alas, we are generally so busy trying to attain merely head knowledge! My most intense longing is for a growing heart, a heart that truly loves the Saviour. That is the way for the head to learn, for knowledge that comes by the way of the heart, and so enters the head, is the best of knowledge. Jesus said to Peter, “What I do thou knowest, not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) If we had God's power we would change everything-- but if we had God's wisdom we would change nothing. -- Scott Richardson Bob
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Spurgeon - The unknown ways of love ‘Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.’ John 13:7 I hope, dear brethren, our faith in Christ does not rest upon our capacity to understand what he does: if so, I fear it is not faith at all, but a mere exercise of self-conceited carnal reason. Some things which the Lord has done bear upon their very forefront the impress of his infinite love, but I hope you know enough of him now to be able to believe that where there are no traces of love apparent to you, his love is surely there. I rejoice in that part of my text which says, ‘What I do’. This washing of the feet was not being done by Bartholomew or Nathanael: it was the personal act of the Lord himself. Now, when the Master and Lord is the actor, who wants to raise a question or to suggest enquiry? It must be right if he does it: to question his conduct would be an insult to his majestic love. Do you know Christ? Then you know the character of his deeds. Do you know your Lord? Then you are sure that he will never act unkindly, unbecomingly, or unwisely. He can never send a needless sorrow or wantonly cause a tear to flow, can he? Here, then, is the question, not why is it done, but who is doing it? If the Lord is doing it, we can have no doubt about the excellence of his design. We believe that he is right when we cannot see that he is so. If we do not trust him far beyond what we know, it will show that our confidence in him is very limited. When a person only obeys another because he chooses to obey and sees it a proper thing to do, he has not the spirit of implicit obedience at all; and when a person only confides in another as far as he can see that he is safe, he is a stranger to implicit confidence. Confidence has its sphere beyond the boundaries of knowledge: where judgment ceases, faith begins. ‘What I do thou knowest not now.’ Robert
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Spurgeon - We have often, in commenting, noticed Peter’s fault; perhaps we have noticed that too much. Let us now notice Peter’s excellence. I admire his humility in thinking it too mean an office for Christ to wash his feet; it seems to me to be a most proper feeling which prompted him to ask, “Dost thou wash my feet?” It seemed an overwhelming condescension of love which he could scarcely permit. No doubt he spoke too positively when he said to Christ “Thou shalt never wash my feet;” but, still, his motive in speaking thus was a good one. It was because he could not allow his Lord to stoop so low; he thought it ill manners to permit such an one as Christ to wash the feet of such an one as the poor fisherman, Peter. I have already said that there was something that was not right, and yet that was perfectly natural to this “rock” disciple, and this “dove” disciple, who was such a strange mixture of boastfulness and fickleness, yet do not forget how much good there was in him. I wish all of us were half as good as Peter. That was a grand utterance, “Wash not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” He meant, “Lord, let me have all the cleansing I can, not only such as the washing of my feet would bring, but such as the washing of my head and my hands also would bring. Let me be clear of everything which would prevent full fellowship with thee, for I long to be one with thee altogether.” Then our Saviour meekly, gently, quietly explained that there was no need for the washing of his head and his hands, for his whole being had already been renewed by the one great act of regeneration; and as he had been cleansed from sin by the free gift of pardon at the time when he first believed, there was no need of any repetition of the spiritual bathing, all that was required was the washing of his feet, — a beautiful distinction always to be observed. He that believeth in Christ is fully forgiven. He is like a man who has gone into the bath, and washed, but, when he steps out of the bath, and put his foot on the ground, he often soils it, so that, before he robes himself, he needs to wash his feet again. That is our condition as believers in Jesus; we are washed in his precious blood, and are whiter than snow; but these feet of ours constantly touch this defiling earth, so they need every day to be washed. Christ our Lord Jesus said to Peter, “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Spurgeon (another note) - Dear friends, when we believe in Christ, we are washed in the fountain filled with blood, and we are clean; but this world is such a sinful place that we cannot walk through it for even a day without some of its mire and dust clinging to us. Besides, God’s lilies are so pure that they are hardly fit to bloom in such a defiling atmosphere. Oh, how we need that the dew should wash the lily when the night comes on! How greatly we need to have the foot-washing administered to us every day! We need not repeat the first great washing, the bath by which our sins were cleansed; when that was done, it was done once for all. Our sin was pardoned as before a Judge; but we want it to be taken away as before our Father, for we are now under his loving discipline. Christ further said to his disciples, “Ye are clean, but not all.” Does he say that to us at this time? “Ye are clean, but not all.” Where sits the man, in this house of prayer, who is not clean, the sinner who has not yet been washed by Jesus Christ? Where sits the woman who is not clean? The Lord have mercy upon you, dear friends! You know that, in the olden days, they put a red cross on the door of the house where the plague was. We cannot put a cross upon you; but I pray you to consider yourselves as marked men and marked women in the sight of God, and I pray the Lord to take that mark away by causing you to be washed, that you may be clean every whit. How quickly he can wash the foulest sinners! He that believeth in Jesus is washed in the precious blood, and he is clean. God cleanse us all for his great name’s sake! (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh! precious is the flow That makes me white as snow; No other fount I know, Nothing but the blood of Jesus. For my cleansing this I see— Nothing but the blood of Jesus! For my pardon this my plea— Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Nothing can my sin erase Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Naught of works, ’tis all of grace— Nothing but the blood of Jesus! This is all my hope and peace— Nothing but the blood of Jesus! This is all my righteousness— Nothing but the blood of Jesus! Bathed (3068) louo means to wash or bathe and is used both literally (Acts 9:37; 16:33; 2 Peter 2:22) and figuratively (Textus Receptus has Louo in Rev 1:5, but not in Nestle-Aland). In John 13:10 the Lord Jesus referred to the customary ritual bath which preceded the Passover meal. Since all had bathed (louō), they needed only to have their feet washed (niptō). Hebrews 10:22 refers to the baptism ritual as a washing of the body which represents by an outward act the cleansing that has taken place internally as a result of Christ’s blood. Louō means “to bathe an entire body” as distinguished from washing a part of the body niptō or from washing inanimate objects such as clothes plunō. In classical Greek the word is used both for routine bathing and for ritual purification. Both of these uses are also found in the Septuagint where louō frequently translates rāchats. It is especially common in the requirements for ceremonial bathing under the Mosaic law (e.g., Lev. 14:8; Lev. 14:9; Lev. 15:5; Lev. 15:6; Lev. 15:7; Lev. 15:8; Lev. 15:10; Lev. 15:11; Lev. 15:13; Lev. 15:16; Lev. 15:18; Lev. 15:21; Lev. 15:22; Lev. 15:27; Lev. 16:4; Lev. 16:24; Lev. 16:26; Lev. 16:28). Completely (3650)(holos) means whole, complete (in extent), intact, entire, undivided. In the NT it is used with nouns to denote their totality (cf. Acts 21:30; Mt. 5:29-30; Lk 11:36). in classical Greek as an adjective meaning “whole, entire,” and as an adverb meaning “wholly, completely.” It commonly carries the sense of “complete in all its parts” whether used of people, places, or things. Vine says holos is "sometimes subjoined to an adjective or a verb, as in this case, to show that the idea conveyed by the adjective or verb belongs to the whole person or thing referred to" as in Jn 9:34 "You were born entirely (holos) in sins..." Friberg - whole, intact, entire, all (the); (1) used with a noun to indicate its totality (Mk 1.33); occasionally with a noun supplied from the context (Mt 13.33); (2) used with a pronoun -- you altogether, wholly (Jn 9.34); all this (Mt 1.22); (3) used substantivally with a preposition = literally through the whole, i.e. throughout, all through (Jn 19.23) (BORROW Analytical Lexicon of the Greek New Testament) Zodhiates - HOLOS - Whole, used as a demonstrative pron. To say tó hólon, the whole, the noun must have the article and hólos must be placed in the position of predicate. Hólos is declined as a masc. noun such as ánthrōpos, man; e.g., hólon tón kósmon (kósmon, world), the whole world (Mark 14:9). It can also be expressed with hólon at the end, as tón kósmon hólon, the world, all of it (Mark 8:36). Of space, extent, amount (Mt 4:23; 5:29; 16:26; 21:4; 22:40; Mk 1:33; Lk 1:65; Jn 4:53; 1Co 5:6; Rev. 6:12 UBS). Neut. hólon, the whole, referring to mass (Matt. 13:33; Luke 13:21; John 19:23; Sept.: Gen. 25:25; Ex. 28:27; Zech. 4:2), time (Mt. 20:6; Lk 5:5; Acts 11:26; 28:30; Sept.: Ex. 10:13; Lev. 25:30), an affection, emotion, condition (Mt. 22:37, quoted from Dt. 6:5; Lk 10:27; Jn 9:34; 13:10). (BORROW The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) Gilbrant - Holos can refer to a technical completeness including every member or aspect of the subject, such as, being “totally” born in sin (John 9:34), being under obligation to keep the “whole” law (Galatians 5:3), or Jesus dying for the “whole” world (1 John 2:2). In fact, holos later interchanges with pas. On the other hand, it can refer to something “in general, on the whole,” or “generally,” such as all Jerusalem being in an uproar (Acts 21:31), a famine being throughout all the world (Acts 11:28), a church’s faith being proclaimed throughout the whole world ((Romans 1:8), or the assembling together of the whole church (1 Corinthians 14:23). These need not be taken as absolute statements including every member of the group but as referring to the group as a whole, to the majority or its major members, or as including representatives from every part (ED: I WOULD ADD THAT THESE ARE EXAMPLES OF HYPERBOLIC USE). Many scholars consider Romans 1:8 an example of hyperbole. One must determine from context what was intended by the word. Rarely will it affect the point being made or have theological significance. According to John 7:23 and 13:10 there is great encouragement in the principle that Jesus cleanses and heals the whole person. Holos - 110x in 97v - all(49), all all(1), completely(1), entire(5), entirely(1), full(1), one piece(1), throughout(1), whole(49), wholly(1). Matt. 1:22; Matt. 4:23; Matt. 4:24; Matt. 5:29; Matt. 5:30; Matt. 6:22; Matt. 6:23; Matt. 9:26; Matt. 9:31; Matt. 13:33; Matt. 14:35; Matt. 16:26; Matt. 20:6; Matt. 22:37; Matt. 22:40; Matt. 24:14; Matt. 26:13; Matt. 26:56; Matt. 26:59; Matt. 27:27; Mk. 1:28; Mk. 1:33; Mk. 1:39; Mk. 6:55; Mk. 8:36; Mk. 12:30; Mk. 12:33; Mk. 12:44; Mk. 14:9; Mk. 14:55; Mk. 15:1; Mk. 15:16; Mk. 15:33; Lk. 1:65; Lk. 4:14; Lk. 5:5; Lk. 7:17; Lk. 8:39; Lk. 9:25; Lk. 10:27; Lk. 11:34; Lk. 11:36; Lk. 13:21; Lk. 23:5; Lk. 23:44; Jn. 4:53; Jn. 7:23; Jn. 9:34; Jn. 11:50; Jn. 13:10; Jn. 19:23; Acts 2:2; Acts 2:47; Acts 5:11; Acts 7:10; Acts 7:11; Acts 8:37; Acts 9:31; Acts 9:42; Acts 10:22; Acts 10:37; Acts 11:26; Acts 11:28; Acts 13:6; Acts 13:49; Acts 15:22; Acts 18:8; Acts 19:27; Acts 21:30; Acts 21:31; Acts 28:30; Rom. 1:8; Rom. 8:36; Rom. 10:21; Rom. 16:23; 1 Co. 5:6; 1 Co. 12:17; 1 Co. 14:23; 2 Co. 1:1; Gal. 5:3; Gal. 5:9; Phil. 1:13; 1 Thess. 4:10; Tit. 1:11; Heb. 3:2; Heb. 3:5; Jas. 2:10; Jas. 3:2; Jas. 3:3; Jas. 3:6; 1 Jn. 2:2; 1 Jn. 5:19; Rev. 3:10; Rev. 6:12; Rev. 12:9; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 16:14 Holos in the Septuagint - ALL my/your heart; ALL day long, etc - Gen. 25:25; Gen. 31:35; Gen. 41:19; Gen. 41:30; Gen. 41:43; Exod. 5:12; Exod. 10:13; Exod. 14:20; Exod. 14:21; Exod. 19:18; Exod. 22:8; Exod. 22:11; Exod. 25:36; Exod. 28:31; Exod. 29:18; Exod. 37:20; Exod. 39:22; Lev. 4:12; Lev. 4:21; Lev. 6:9; Lev. 8:21; Lev. 13:12; Lev. 25:30; Num. 4:6; Num. 4:16; Num. 8:4; Num. 11:32; Num. 12:7; Num. 14:1; Num. 32:15; Deut. 4:29; Deut. 6:5; Deut. 10:12; Deut. 11:13; Deut. 13:3; Deut. 18:1; Deut. 26:16; Deut. 30:2 = ALL your heart; Deut. 30:6 = ALL your heart; Deut. 30:10; Jos. 3:15; Jos. 4:18; Jos. 10:9; Jos. 22:5; Jdg. 7:18; Jdg. 9:45; Jdg. 16:2; Jdg. 19:25; Ruth 2:21; 1 Sam. 5:11; 1 Sam. 7:3; 1 Sam. 9:21; 1 Sam. 12:20; 1 Sam. 12:24; 1 Sam. 14:23; 1 Sam. 15:11; 1 Sam. 19:24; 1 Sam. 20:6; 1 Sam. 22:15; 1 Sam. 28:20; 1 Sam. 31:12; 2 Sam. 2:29; 2 Sam. 2:32; 2 Sam. 4:7; 2 Sam. 6:11; 2 Sam. 9:9; 2 Sam. 14:7; 1 Ki. 2:4; 1 Ki. 6:10; 1 Ki. 6:22; 1 Ki. 7:1; 1 Ki. 8:23; 1 Ki. 8:48; 1 Ki. 8:54; 1 Ki. 10:8; 1 Ki. 11:13; 1 Ki. 11:34; 1 Ki. 16:11; 2 Ki. 9:8; 2 Ki. 10:31; 2 Ki. 20:13; 2 Ki. 23:25; 2 Chr. 6:14; 2 Chr. 6:38; 2 Chr. 15:12; 2 Chr. 15:15; 2 Chr. 22:9; 2 Chr. 31:21; 2 Chr. 34:31; 2 Chr. 35:19; Ezr. 4:20; Est. 5:1; Est. 9:22; Job 21:23; Ps. 9:1; Ps. 25:5 = ALL my heart; Ps. 32:3; Ps. 35:28; Ps. 37:26; Ps. 38:6; Ps. 38:12; Ps. 41:3; Ps. 44:8; Ps. 44:15; Ps. 44:22; Ps. 52:1; Ps. 56:1; Ps. 56:2; Ps. 56:4; Ps. 56:5; Ps. 71:8; Ps. 71:15; Ps. 71:24; Ps. 72:15; Ps. 73:14; Ps. 74:22; Ps. 78:14; Ps. 86:3; Ps. 86:12; Ps. 88:9; Ps. 88:17; Ps. 89:16; Ps. 102:8; Ps. 111:1; Ps. 119:2 = "How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with ALL their heart."; Ps. 119:10; Ps. 119:34; Ps. 119:58; Ps. 119:69; Ps. 119:97; Ps. 119:145; Ps. 138:1; Ps. 140:2; Prov. 3:5; Prov. 17:6; Prov. 21:26; Prov. 23:17; Prov. 24:31; Prov. 29:11; Prov. 31:18; Cant. 4:7; Cant. 5:16; Isa. 9:12; Isa. 9:19; Isa. 10:14; Isa. 10:23; Isa. 13:5; Isa. 13:9; Isa. 13:11; Isa. 14:17; Isa. 14:26; Isa. 21:8; Isa. 28:24; Isa. 37:18; Isa. 45:9; Isa. 62:6; Isa. 65:2; Jer. 3:10; Jer. 6:6; Jer. 24:7; Jer. 29:13; Lam. 1:13; Lam. 3:3; Lam. 3:14; Lam. 3:62; Ezek. 29:2; Ezek. 38:8; Ezek. 41:17; Ezek. 41:19; Dan. 3:2; Dan. 3:30; Hos. 7:6; Hos. 12:1; Joel 2:12; Nah. 3:1; Zeph. 3:14; Zech. 4:2; Clean (clear, innocent , pure) (2513) katharos literally describes that which is free of dirt and thus clean. It describes that which is free from admixture and thus is pure, free from the adhesion of anything that soils, adulterates, corrupts, and in an ethical sense. From a biblical standpoint the concept of cleansing is deeply rooted in both the Old and the New Testaments. As discussed more below under the Levitical laws heavy emphasis was placed on ceremonial cleansing and thus contact with any unclean animal, substance, person, or place was strictly forbidden. By the time Christ came this preoccupation with ceremonial cleanness had unfortunately displaced true worship with many of the Jews, most notably the Pharisees. It is not surprising then that the New Testament focuses mainly on an inward cleanness (heart, conscience), rather than on an external or ceremonial cleanness. It is also worth noting that katharos is related to the Latin castus, from which we get chaste. The related word chasten refers to discipline given in order to cleanse from wrong behavior. Katharos was a word used of (1) soiled clothing which had been washed clean, (2) of grain from which all chaff had been removed, (3) of metal without any trace of alloy, or (4) a man with all his bills and taxes paid. What beautiful pictures of the efficacious, eternal washing away of our sin by the precious blood of the Lamb of God (1Pe 1:18)! Katharos is blameless, innocent, unstained with the guilt and is used to describe that which is ceremonially or ritually pure or clean (in a "Levitical sense") as in Leviticus 6:11. Katharos describes the state of one's heart so that when a person is pure in heart and mind, his or her perspective on all things is pure, and that inner purity produces outer purity.
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Spurgeon - KNOWING AND DOING (Click full sermon) - The original scope of these words was just this—“If, as you say, you have understood the meaning of this—the washing of your feet by your Master; if you have comprehended my intention in so doing, then it will be to your lasting honour and happiness if you do the same. I have symbolically represented to you, by washing your feet, certain virtues; you shall be a happy people if these virtues be found in you and abound.” And have we not abundant proof that our Lord spoke the truth, for where are churches so happy as where they are knit together in brotherly love, where they have laid aside contentions about priority and distinction, and where each one becomes a servant of all, every one willing to take the lowest place, and no one contending who shall be the greatest? May we prove, as I trust in our measure we have already done, how true these words are, and never may Diotrephes be in our midst to strive for the pre-eminence, nor a root of bitterness spring up to trouble us. May we every one try to be like our Lord, and happy indeed shall we be, in such a case. But the sentence before us is equally applicable to every other gospel precept. If we understand anything which the Holy Spirit has revealed to us, happy shall we be, if we follow its practical intention; if, being first taught and instructed, we afterward practically exemplify in our life and conduct the things which we have learned. That is the one thought I propose to lay upon our hearts and minds this evening, and that one thought may be enough. You will notice in the text that there are two “ifs”—“If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” It appears, then, first, that genuine and acceptable service to Christ should be based upon intelligent knowledge—“If ye know these things”; and secondly, that all intelligent understanding of the things of God should lead us to the practice of them—“Happy are ye if ye do them.” The first “If” shall be taken first—“If ye know these things”:— I. ALL SERVICE OF CHRIST IS BASED UPON INTELLIGENT KNOWLEDGE.... II. THE INTELLIGENT KNOWLEDGE OF THE THINGS OF GOD SHOULD LEAD US TO THE PRACTICE OF THEM.... III. WHAT IS THE HAPPINESS WHICH THIS PRACTICAL OBEDIENCE BRINGS? (Click full sermon) John 13:13 "You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. John 13:13 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS call: Jn 11:28 Mt 7:21,22 23:8-10 Lu 6:46 Ro 14:8,9 1Co 8:6 1Co 12:3 Php 2:10-11 Php 3:8 2Pe 1:14-16 and: Jer 1:12 Lu 7:43 10:28 Jas 2:19 Related Passages: 1 Corinthians 12:3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus is accursed”; and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. Philippians 2:10-11 so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Acts 2:36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ–this Jesus Whom you crucified.” John 20:28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Luke 6:46+ “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? JESUS: TEACHER AND LORD You call Me Teacher (didaskalos) and Lord (kurios/kyrios) and you are right (kalos), for so I am (eimi) - Jesus is answering the question He posed in Jn 13:12. Don't miss what Jesus is clearly stating here. He is saying He is God and they have done right or well in recognizing this great truth. Remember that Lord (kurios/kyrios) is used in the Septuagint (which was in use in Jesus' day) over 6000 times, most always to render Jehovah (Yahweh - see Jehovah in the OT is Jesus in the NT), so you can see the significance of these Jewish men calling Jesus Lord (kurios/kyrios)! In addition, the definite article (ho = "the") precedes both descriptions, so that Jesus is not just any teacher or lord but He is THE Teacher (cf the Rabbi - Jn 1:38, 49, 3:2, 4:31, 6:25, 9:21, 11:8) and THE Lord (as in Jn 13:14), the One above all others and the Owner of all things (for "the Father had given all things into His hands" Jn 13:3+)! We see this thought in Mk 1:22+ where the Jews "were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." After the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew records "When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes." (Mt 7:28-29+). Jesus was the Teacher with no equal. Jesus is also the Lord, with no equal, for He Alone is Lord of lords. (Rev 17:14+, Rev 19:16+) THOUGHT- Dear reader, we all do well to remember that not everyone who calls Jesus "Lord" will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, for Jesus Himself warned that MANY (not a few) will use the designation "Lord, Lord" (even doubling it for emphasis and effect), but He will declare to them to depart for He never knew them. (Read the solemn warning in Mt 7:21, 22, 23+). Do not fall into the deceptive trap of calling Him "Lord" with your lips, but lying with your life (Lk 6:46+), habitually practicing lawlessness (Mt 7:23+). For so I am (eimi) - This parallels Jesus' declaration in Jn 10:30+ “I and the Father are one.” Skeptics show their ignorance when they declare that Jesus never claimed to be God! Oswald Chambers - Mastery over the believer (Borrow My Utmost for His Highest - page 200) Ye call Me Master and Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. John 13:13. Our Lord never insists on having authority; He never says—‘Thou shalt.’ He leaves us perfectly free—so free that we can spit in His face, as men did; so free that we can put Him to death, as men did; and He will never say a word. But when His life has been created in me by His Redemption, I instantly recognize His right to absolute authority over me. It is a moral domination—“Thou art worthy …” It is only the unworthy in me that refuses to bow down to the worthy. If when I meet a man who is more holy than myself, I do not recognize his worthiness and obey what comes through him, it is a revelation of the unworthy in me. God educates us by means of people who are little better than we are, not intellectually, but ‘holily,’ until we get under the domination of the Lord Himself, and then the whole attitude of the life is one of obedience to Him. If Our Lord insisted upon obedience He would become a taskmaster, and He would cease to have any authority. He never insists on obedience, but when we do see Him we obey Him instantly. He is easily Lord, and we live in adoration of Him from morning till night. The revelation of my growth in grace is the way in which I look upon obedience. We have to rescue the word ‘obedience’ from the mire. Obedience is only possible between equals. It is the relationship between father and son, not between master and servant. “I and My Father are one.” “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered.” The Son’s obedience was as Redeemer, because He was Son, not in order to be Son. July 20th Oswald Chambers - The missionary’s Master (Borrow My Utmost for His Highest - page 266) Ye call Me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. John 13:13. To have a master and to be mastered is not the same thing. To have a master means that there is one who knows me better than I know myself, one who is closer than a friend, one who fathoms the remotest abyss of my heart and satisfies it, one who has brought me into the secure sense that he has met and solved every perplexity and problem of my mind. To have a master is this and nothing less—“One is your Master, even Christ.” Our Lord never enforces obedience; He does not take means to make me do what He wants. At certain times I wish God would master me and make me do the thing, but He will not; in other moods I wish He would leave me alone, but He does not. “Ye call me Master and Lord”—but is He? Master and Lord have little place in our vocabulary, we prefer the words Saviour, Sanctifier, Healer. The only word to describe mastership in experience is love, and we know very little about love as God reveals it. This is proved by the way we use the word obey. In the Bible obedience is based on the relationship of equals, that of a son with his father. Our Lord was not God’s servant, He was His son. “Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience …” If our idea is that we are being mastered, it is a proof that we have no master; if that is our attitude to Jesus, we are far away from the relationship He wants. He wants us in the relationship in which He is easily Master without our conscious knowledge of it, all we know is that we are His to obey. John 13:14 "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. John 13:14 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS I then: Mt 20:26-28 Mk 10:43-45 Lu 22:26,27 2Co 8:9 Php 2:5-8 Heb 5:8,9 12:2 you also: Ac 20:35 Ro 12:10,16 15:1-3 1Co 8:13 9:19-22 2Co 10:1 Ga 5:13 Ga 6:1,2 Php 2:2-5 1Pe 4:1 5:5 DISCIPLES CALLED TO IMITATE JESUS' HUMILITY If This is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true, thus many version drop the "if" and render it "You call me Teacher and Lord...." I then (oun) , the Lord (kurios/kyrios) and the Teacher (didaskalos) - Both of the uses of "the" are in the Greek which is the definitive article, signifying Jesus is THE Teacher, THE Lord. Jesus reverses order of previous passage, which would place emphasis on Jesus as Master and thus they should be willing to obey what He has just taught them. What excuse would they have for not doing the same to each other? How could they do any less that what their Lord and Teacher had just done. The Teacher had just held class and given His pupils a great lesson in humility. Note that then (oun) is a term of conclusion, and in this context is essentially an application. If Jesus the Lord and the Teacher is willing to gird Himself with a towel and perform a servant's role, how much more should His servants be willing to so do! This is an argument known as argumentum a majori ad minus, which means an argument from the greater to the lesser.
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Spurgeon - In the world they criticize: this is the business of the public press, and it is very much the business of private circles. Hear how gossips say, ‘Do you see that spot? What a terrible walk that man must have had this morning: look at his feet! He has been very much in the mire you can see, for there are the traces upon him.’ That is the world’s way. Christ’s way is very different. He says nothing, but takes the basin and begins to wash away the stain. Do not judge and condemn, but seek the restoration and the improvement of the erring. (Full sermon The Teaching of Foot-Washing) Guzik Some try to fulfill this with foot washing ceremonies. Surely, if it is done with the right heart it can be a blessing, but Jesus wasn’t talking about a ceremony here. “Every year they hold a theatrical feet-washing, and when they have discharged this empty and bare ceremony they think they have done their duty finely and are then free to despise their brethren. But more, when they have washed twelve men’s feet they cruelly torture all Christ’s members and thus spit in the face of Christ Himself. This ceremonial comedy is nothing but a shameful mockery of Christ. At any rate, Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready all through our life to wash the feet of our brethren.” (Calvin, cited by Morris BORROW
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Spurgeon adds "Blessed are they who, when they understand the meaning of Christ’s example, imitate it in their own lives." One is reminded of Mark 10:45+ where Jesus declared "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Spurgeon - Christ’s actions are the pattern for us to imitate! Oh, that we followed them more closely! (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) The apostle Paul charged the saints (disciples) at Philippi "Have this attitude (present imperative see our need to depend on the Holy Spirit to obey) in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 Who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant." (Php 2:5-7+) Disciples are called to imitate Jesus' as His loving bondservants (doulos). One might ask is Jesus instituting an ordinance for the church and I think not. Ultimately Jesus was not calling so much for the literal act to be performed as much as He was calling for an attitude to be manifested, the attitude of humility and willingness to be a servant of others. One can perform the external act, but not have an appropriate internal attitude, a humble, servant's heart. One thinks of foot washing on Maundy Thursday, when religious leaders wash the feet of others, sometimes even paupers. In fact, having performed such an act might even have the opposite effect Jesus intended and give one a sense of pride! In support of the thought that foot washing is not an ordinance note that there is never a record of foot washing in by any of churches in Acts, nor is it ever promoted as an ordinance in the NT letters (there is an example of good deeds in 1Ti 5:10+) and finally it is never specifically stated to be an ongoing ordinance (like baptism - Mt 28:19 and Lord's supper - 1Co 11:17-34+). D A Carson - Wise theologians and expositors have always been reluctant to raise to the level of universal rite something that appears only once in Scripture. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the heart of Jesus’ command is a humility and helpfulness toward brothers and sisters in Christ that may be cruelly parodied by a mere ‘rite’ of footwashing that easily masks an unbroken spirit and a haughty heart. (BORROW The Gospel according to John Pillar Commentary Series) Gotquestions emphasizes that "The foot-washing was an example, a pattern. Many groups throughout church history have practiced literal foot-washing as a church ordinance. However, present culture in many lands does not call for washing dust from the feet of one’s guests. Although the Lord’s Supper was practiced, the early church apparently did not practice foot-washing as an ordinance in church gatherings. This passage emphasizes inner humility, not a physical rite. A Christian widow’s practice of "washing the feet of the saints" (1 Timothy 5:10) speaks not of her involvement in a church ordinance but of her humble, slave-like service to other believers. To refuse to follow the example of Jesus is to exalt oneself above Him and to live in pride. “No servant is greater than his master” (John 13:16)." NET Note asks "What is the point of the example? If it is simply an act of humble service, as most interpret the significance, then Jesus is really telling his disciples to serve one another in humility rather than seeking preeminence over one another. If, however, the example is one of self-sacrifice up to the point of death, then Jesus is telling them to lay down their lives for one another (cf. Jn 15:13)." Related Resource: Walking Like Jesus Walked! What is the difference between ordinances and sacraments? | GotQuestions.org Example (copy, copies) (5262) hupodeigma from hupo = under + deiknuo/deiknumi = to show, to point to something, to make known the character or significance of something) means literally that which is shown below. It means an example, pattern, illustration. It refers to a sign suggestive of anything, an outline, a delineation, a suggestion. In the NT the pattern is nearly always established by a person whose words and actions provide a living expression of that which Scripture calls for from all believers as in Jesus unthinkable act of washing the dirty feet of His disciples! Hupodeigma - 6v - copies(1), copy(1), example(4). Jn. 13:15; Heb. 4:11; Heb. 8:5; Heb. 9:23; Jas. 5:10; 2 Pet. 2:6 ILLUSTRATION - Just as the branch that bears the most fruit bows the lowest, the one who’s really fruitful in the things of Jesus Christ will bow the lowest to serve others. (See Jon Courson's Application Commentary) Arnot - A Christian doing good should be like an artist working from a model, looking alternately from the rude material in his hands up to the perfect example which he imitates, and down from that to the rude material again. WASHING OF FEET - INTERNATIONAL STANDARD BIBLE ENCYCLOPEDIA (Note - This is only the first part of this lengthy article - for the full article click here). The Old Testament references (Gen 18:4; 19:2: 24:32; 43:24; Jdg 19:21; 1 Sam 25:41; 2 Sam 11:8; Song 5:3; Ps 58:10) show that the washing of the feet was the first act on entering the tent or house after a journey. The Orientals wore only sandals, and this washing was refreshing as well as cleanly. In the case of ordinary people, the host furnished the water, and the guests washed their own feet, but in the richer houses, the washing was done by a slave. It was looked upon as the lowliest of all services (1 Sam 25:41). Jesus pointedly contrasts Simon's neglect of even giving Him water for His feet with the woman's washing His feet with tears and wiping them with her hair (Lk 7:44). On the last evening of His life, Jesus washed the disciples' feet (Jn 13:1-16). Their pride, heightened by the anticipations of place in the Messianic kingdom whose crisis they immediately expected, prevented their doing this service for each other. Possibly the same pride had expressed itself on this same evening in a controversy about places at table. Jesus, conscious of His divine dignity and against Peter's protest, performed for them this lowliest service. His act of humility actually cleansed their hearts of selfish ambition, killed their pride, and taught them the lesson of love. See also The Expository Times, XI, 536 f. Was it meant to be a perpetual ordinance? Jn 13:15, with its "as" and the present tense of the verb "do," gives it a priori probability. It has been so understood by the Mennonites and the Dunkards. Bernard of Clairvaux advocated making it a sacrament. The Pope, the Czar, and the Patriarch of Constantinople wash the feet of 12 poor men on Maundy Thursday; so did the English kings till James II, and it is still practiced in the royal palaces of Madrid, Munich and Vienna. But the objections to such an interpretation are overwhelming: (1) It is never referred to in the Synoptic Gospels, the Acts or the Epistle; 1 Tim 5:10 refers only to lowly service to the saints. (2) It was first in the 4th century (compare Ambrose and Augustine) that it became the custom to wash the feet of the baptized on Maundy Thursday. (3) Ritualizing such an act of love absolutely destroys its meaning. (4) No large body of Christians has ever received it as a sacrament or an ordinance. F. L. Anderson (for the full article click here). Would Jesus do it? "I have set you an example—that you should do as I have done for you." John 13:15 When anything presents itself, think: if He were alive and in my place—would Jesus do it? Or if I were about to die—would I still do it? I must walk—as He has walked; and I must live—as I intend to die. If the thing in question is not Christ's will—it is my sin. And if I die in that sin—it will be my ruin. I will therefore in every action so conduct myself—as if Christ were on the one hand—and death on the other! See Walking Like Jesus Walked! Excerpt from Jonathan Edward's sermon CHRIST THE EXAMPLE OF MINISTERS (Click for full sermon) JOHN 13:15, 16 For I have given you an example, that he should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you. The servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. WE have in the context an account of one of the many very remarkable things that passed that night wherein Christ was betrayed, (which was on many accounts the most remarkable night that ever was,) viz. Christ’s washing his disciples’ feet; which action, as it was exceeding wonderful in itself, so it manifestly was symbolical, and represented something else far more important and more wonderful, even that greatest and most wonderful of all things that ever came to pass, which was accomplished the next day in his last sufferings. There were three symbolical representations given of that great event this evening; one in the passover, which Christ now partook of with his disciples; another in the Lord’s supper, which he instituted at this time; and another in this remarkable action of his washing his disciples’ feet. Washing the feet of guests was the office of servants, and one of their meanest offices: and therefore was fitly chosen by our Saviour to represent that great abasement which he was to be the subject of in the form of a servant, in becoming obedient unto death, even that ignominious and accursed death of the cross, that he might cleanse the souls of his disciples from their guilt and spiritual pollution. This spiritual washing and cleansing of believers was the end for which Christ so abased himself for them. Titus 2:14. “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people.” Eph. 5:25, 26. “Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water.” That Christ’s washing his disciples’ feet signified this spiritual washing of the soul, is manifest by his own words in the 8th verse of the context. “Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” Christ, in being obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, not only did the part of a servant unto God, but in some respects also of a servant unto us. And this is not the only place where his so abasing himself for our sakes is compared to the doing of the part of a servant to guests. We have the like representation made in Luke 22:27. “For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? Is not he that sitteth at meat? But I am among you as he that serveth.” And wherein Christ was among the disciples as he that did serve, is explained in Matt. 20:28. namely, in his giving his life a ransom for them. When Christ had finished washing his disciples, feet, he solemnly requires their attention to what he had done, and commands them to follow his example therein. Verses 12–17. “So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done unto you? Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet: for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” When our Saviour calls on his disciples to imitate the example he had given them in what he had done, we are to understand him, not merely by the example he gave in the emblematical action, in washing his disciples’ feet, in itself considered; but more especially, of that much greater act of his that was signified by it, in abasing himself so low, and suffering so much, for the spiritual cleansing and salvation of his people. This is what is chiefly insisted on as the great example Christ has given us to follow: so it is once and again afterwards, in the discourse Christ had with his disciples, this same night, verse 34. of the chapter wherein is the text: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” Chap. 15:12, 13. “This is my commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” And so in 1 John 3:16. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” Christ, in the words of the text, does not only intend to recommend this example of his to the disciples as Christians, or some of his professing people, but especially as his ministers. This is evident by those words he uses to enforce this counsel, “Neither he that is sent, is greater than he that sent him.” In which words he manifestly has respect to that great errand on which he had sent them, when he bid them go and preach the gospel to the lost sheep of the house of Israel; Matt. 10:5, 6. and on which they were to be sent after his resurrection, when he said to them, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” The same errand that Christ has respect to John 20:21. “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.” And what confirms this is, that Christ elsewhere recommends to officers in his church, that are in that respect chief among his followers, the example which he set in his abasing himself to be as a servant that ministers to guests at a table, in his giving his life for us; Matt. 20:27, 28. “Whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Compare Luke 22:25–28. The work and business of ministers of the gospel is as it were that of servants, to wash and cleanse the souls of men: for this is done by the preaching of the word, which is their main business, Eph. 5:26. “That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.” The words of the text thus considered, do undoubtedly lead us to this conclusion, and teach us this doctrine, viz. That it is the duty of ministers of the gospel, in the work of their ministry, to follow the example of their great Lord and Master. And this is what I would by divine assistance make the subject of my present discourse. And I propose to handle this subject in the following method. I. I would observe wherein ministers of the gospel ought to follow the example of Christ. II. Give some reasons why they should follow his example. III. I would endeavour to make a proper application of those things to myself, and others that are called to this work of the ministry. IV. Show what improvement should be made of them by the people of this church and congregation. (Click for full sermon) Greatest Is He Who Serves Whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. —Matthew 20:26 Today's Scripture : Matthew 20:20-28 A noncommissioned officer was directing the repairs of a military building during the American Revolution. He was barking orders to the soldiers under his command, trying to get them to raise a heavy wooden beam. As the men struggled in vain to lift the beam into place, a man who was passing by stopped to ask the one in charge why he wasn’t helping the men. With all the pomp of an emperor, the soldier responded, “Sir, I am a corporal!” “You are, are you?” replied the passerby, “I was not aware of that.” Then, taking off his hat and bowing, he said, “I ask your pardon, Corporal.” Then the stranger walked over and strained with the soldiers to lift the heavy beam. After the job was finished, he turned and said, “Mr. Corporal, when you have another such job, and have not enough men, send for your Commander in Chief, and I will come and help you a second time.” The corporal was thunderstruck. The person speaking to him was General Washington! God measures greatness by service. The Lord Jesus has set an example, for though He was God and worthy of all honor, He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28). Go, labor on; spend, and be spent, Thy joy to do the Father's will; It is the way the Master went, Should not the servant tread it still? —Bonar True greatness is not attained by giving orders, but by serving. What's Your Word? The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. — Mark 10:45 Today's Scripture : John 13:1-17 I once heard a preacher say, “The opposite of love is not hate—it’s self!” That surprising statement reminded me of 2 Timothy 3:1-4, where Paul listed the signs of the end times. One of those signs is people who are “lovers of themselves” (v.2). In sharp contrast to these self-saturated people are those whose lives are saturated with the servant attitude of Christ. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He gave us an example to follow (Jn. 13:15-17). We too are to serve others selflessly. That was the heart of what General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, said just before He died. His little mission to the poor of London had spread across the world. His “soldiers” were gathered together at an international convention. General Booth had intended to be there to deliver the main address, but because he became ill he was unable to come. Those at the convention longed to receive a message from their beloved leader. So from his sickbed Booth dictated a one-word telegram that would be his last sermon. His final message was this: “Others!” When Jesus washed His followers' feet, He stooped to meet their need; He showed us how to humbly serve, To love in word and deed. —Sper Joy comes by putting Jesus first, Others second, and yourself last. John 13:15 Jesus Christ visibly demonstrated the love of God when He was on earth. In stooping to wash His disciples' feet, He mirrored the submissive step He had taken when He left heaven to become a man. He lived with the limitations of humanity, yet He healed the sick, reached out to the despised, and endured bitter hatred as His reward. He died like a criminal on a Roman cross. All of these things reflected God's love, for Jesus said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Jesus is no longer with us in His physical body—He now sits at God's right hand in heaven. Therefore, if God's love is to be embodied on earth today, it must be done through those of us who are Christians. My life helps paint my neighbor's picture of God John 13:15 Servant’s Attitude Vernon Grounds, then president of Denver Conservative Baptist Theological Seminary, challenged the graduating class of 1973 with the truth of today’s text. Dr. Grounds told the graduates that he was going to present to them a tangible symbol that could help them in their future ministries. As the classmates filed quietly to the front, they wondered what it would be—a special Scripture verse, a little book, and inscribed medallion? To their surprise, it was a small square of white terry cloth. One graduate, who has served as an overseas missionary, says, “We were commissioned to go into the world as servants. That small piece of towel, frayed and grubby from years in my wallet, is a constant reminder of that moving moment and of our basic call to serve.” Do you and I have a servant’s attitude? The example Christ gave in the upper room was for us. We too need to serve our fellowman. Perhaps it’s time for us to realize that the “towel in our hand” is a servant’s towel. Show And Tell I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. — John 13:15 Today's Scripture : John 13:5-17 If you take a course on writing or attend a writer’s conference, you’ll likely hear the phrase, “Show, don’t tell.” In other words, “show” your readers what is happening, don’t just tell them. Don’t tell readers what you did; describe doing it. One of the reasons we tend to tell rather than show is that it’s easier and faster. Showing how to do something requires time and effort. In teaching, it’s easier to tell students what’s wrong with what they did than to show them how to do it right. The latter, however, is more effective. For thousands of years, the Jewish people had only the law telling them what to do and what not to do. But then came Jesus Christ, who showed them how to live the life God had been telling them about all along. Jesus didn’t just say, “Be humble”; He “humbled Himself” (Phil. 2:8). He didn’t just say, “Forgive others”; He forgave us (Col. 3:13). He didn’t just say, “Love God and your neighbors”; He demonstrated love by His actions (John 15:12). Digital Transmission I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. — John 13:15 Today's Scripture : John 13:1-17 In 2000, a movie was digitally transmitted over the Internet from a studio in California to its world premiere in Atlanta, Georgia. It went from studio to theater screen without ever touching film. With digital distribution, electronic impulses are used instead of huge reels of celluloid. In this age of electronics, often described as “high-tech, low-touch,” it’s good to remember that God is using another type of “digital transmission.” In sharp contrast, though, His is a “high-touch” method to communicate His grace and love. The English word digital comes from the word digit, which refers to a finger on our hand. As I think about the life and ministry of Jesus, I remember how He used His hands to bring hope and healing. He touched the sick, held little children, broke bread for hungry people, and allowed His hands to be nailed to the cross for our sins. In John 13 we read that Jesus, in a startling act of humility, washed the feet of His disciples and told them, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (v.14). Take my life and let it be Consecrated, Lord, to Thee; Take my hands and let them move At the impulse of Thy love. —Havergal We show our love for God when we share His love with others. Those Dirty Jobs Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. —1 Corinthians 10:31 Today's Scripture : John 13:3-17 Before he became an outspoken critic of Communist oppression, Milovan Djilas was one of Yugoslavia’s top Marxists. Jailed in his early twenties for his anti-government activities, he took on the repugnant task of smuggling party literature through the prison sewer system. He was willing to perform such duty, he says, because “no job is dirty, low, or inconsequential.” If a former communist who didn’t believe in God could be so committed, we who serve God, whose purpose is infinitely higher, ought to have a similar attitude. A supreme motive enables us to perform the most menial labor with a sense of divine mission. Christ, by His washing of the disciples’ dirty feet, set an example for us to follow (John 13). If God’s saving purposes are to be accomplished in this world, society must function with predictable order. Somebody must collect garbage, work the fields to provide food, and labor in factories to produce necessary goods. Because of the inter-connectedness of life, we should be grateful for those who do the drab and menial tasks. Teach me to do the humble task The very best I can, And not to seek a higher place That is not in Your plan. —Anon. Don’t let the trivialities of life blind you to the supreme importance of the eternal. John 13:16 "Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. John 13:16 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS Truly, truly: Jn 3:3,5 a slave: Jn 15:20 Mt 10:24,25 Lu 6:40 Related Passages: John 15:20 “Remember (present tense) the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. Matthew 10:24-25+ “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a slave above his master. 25 “It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. If they have called the head of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign the members of his household! Luke 6:40+ “A pupil is not above his teacher; but everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. JESUS TEACHES ON SLAVE/MASTER METAPHOR Truly, truly (amen, amen) - A double "amen" indicates that this is an authoritative, important and trustworthy statement and is an indication to the disciples, that they should listen very closely. With this double 'Amen' Jesus is driving home His point in Jn 13:15 that "you also should do as I did to you." Jesus wants them to be sure to learn that they need to have a readiness and willingness to perform menial, humble service for one another and that no act of service should be considered to be beneath them. Among the Gospel writers, only John records Jesus' use of double amen (25 times) and John 13 has 4 double amens - Jn 13:16, 20, 21, 38. I say to you, a slave (doulos) is not greater than his master (kurios), nor is one who is sent (apostolos) greater than the one who sent him - Jesus has just instructed them using a teacher/pupil analogy and now He adds slave/master and a sender/sent analogies. Although one who is sent is the same word used for apostles (apostolos), that is not the sense of the word in this context.
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Spurgeon - Sometimes, we think that we are a deal too great to wash anybody’s feet; we should like to see a person propose it to us, such big people as we are! If we talk like that, there is great need that we should be taken down. That would be the true way to rise in the likeness of Jesus. Oh, that we were lowlier in humility! We should be higher in grace if we were. (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) D A Carson writes "Little becomes Jesus’ followers more than humility. Christian zeal divorced from transparent humility sounds hollow, even pathetic....The point of the aphorism (ED: slave/master and a sender/sent) in this context is in any case painfully clear: no emissary has the right to think he is exempt from tasks cheerfully undertaken by the one who sent him, and no slave has the right to judge any menial task beneath him after his master has already performed it." (BORROW The Gospel according to John PAGE 468) (Are you as convicted as I am?) Amen (281)(amen) is a transliteration from the Hebrew word amen which in turn is from the Hebrew verb aman = to be firm, to believe, this word conveying the idea of certainty). Amen indicates the solemn affirmation of the divine will and purpose in about one-third of the nearly 130 occurrences of the term. The OT often used "amen" at the end of a sentence (truly, surely, certainly) to confirm the preceding words and invokes their fulfillment. Only the Lord Jesus uses amen (truly) at beginning of a sentence. His "Amen" guarantees the truth of His saying and affirms His authority. Amen in John - Jn. 1:51; Jn. 3:3; Jn. 3:5; Jn. 3:11; Jn. 5:19; Jn. 5:24; Jn. 5:25; Jn. 6:26; Jn. 6:32; Jn. 6:47; Jn. 6:53; Jn. 8:34; Jn. 8:51; Jn. 8:58; Jn. 10:1; Jn. 10:7; Jn. 12:24; Jn. 13:16; Jn. 13:20; Jn. 13:21; Jn. 13:38; Jn. 14:12; Jn. 16:20; Jn. 16:23; Jn. 21:18 Slave (bondservant) (1401) doulos from deo = to bind) (Click additional notes on doulos) was an individual bound to another in servitude and conveys the idea of the slave's close, binding ties with his master, belonging to him, obligated to and desiring to do his will and in a permanent relation of servitude. In sum, the will of the doulos is consumed in the will of the master. A bondservant is one who surrendered wholly to another’s will and thus devoted to another to the disregard of his own interest. Doulos speaks of submission to one's master The doulos had no life of his own, no will of his own, no purpose of his own and no plan of his own. All was subject to his master. The bondservant's every thought, breath, and effort was subject to the will of his master. In sum, the picture of a bondservant is one who is absolutely surrendered and totally devoted to his master. In the Greek culture doulos usually referred to the involuntary, permanent service of a slave, but the use in the epistles of Paul and Peter elevates the meaning of doulos to the Hebrew sense which describes a servant who willingly commits himself to serve a master he loves and respects (cp Ex 21:5, 6 Dt 15:12-16). Doulos in John -Jn. 4:51; Jn. 8:34; Jn. 8:35; Jn. 13:16; Jn. 15:15; Jn. 15:20; Jn. 18:10; Jn. 18:18; Jn. 18:26 John 13:17 "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. John 13:17 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS blessed: Jn 15:14 Ge 6:22 Ex 40:16 Ps 19:11 Ps 119:1-5 Eze 36:27 Mt 7:24,25 Mt 12:50 Mt 22:38-41 Lu 12:47-48 2Co 5:14,15 Ga 5:6 Heb 11:7,8 Jas 1:25 2:20-24 4:17 Rev 22:14 Related Passages: Psalm 119:1-5 Aleph. How blessed are those whose way is blameless, Who walk in the law of the LORD. 2 How blessed are those who observe His testimonies, Who seek Him with all their heart. 3 They also do no unrighteousness; They walk in His ways. 4 You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently. 5 (HERE IS A GREAT PRAYER WE SHOULD ALL PRAY FROM TIME TO TIME!) Oh that my ways may be established to keep Your statutes! Matthew 7:24-27 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26 “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell–and great was its fall.” Matthew 12:50 “For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” James 1:22-25 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; 24 for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. 25 But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does JESUS' PRESCRIPTION FOR BLESSING If you know (eido) these things, you are (present tense - continually) blessed (makarios) if you do (poieo) them - There are two "IF'S" and the first "if" is a first class conditional sentence which is assumed to be true while the second "IF"introduces a third class conditional clause which means potential action (See preceding note). Know (eido) means to know beyond a shadow of a doubt. These things refers to the example of foot washing that depicts humble service and also the call to remember the analogy of slave/master and a sender/sent. On the basis of these truths, Do (poieo) is Jesus' charge and is in the present tense, calling for doing to be one's habitual practice or lifestyle (He is not speaking of perfection which awaits glorification, but of the general direction of our life - heavenward). Jesus is saying knowledge is not enough but needs to be coupled with a personal choice to obey. I say "personal choice" because Do is in the active voice which is a volitional choice, in this case the choice to do (or obey). Here is a corollary principle to consider - If we know, we should do. If we don't "do," we really do not "know!" Truths not applied are, in a sense, truths denied. Belief should affect behavior. J R Miller adds "It is necessary to read the Bible, not just to know the will of God—but that we may do it. If Scripture is not the practice of our life—it is nothing to us." Peter wanted to know them; Jesus would have us do them. -- Spurgeon
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Spurgeon - “If there is a position in the church where the worker will have to toil hard and get no thanks for it, take it, and be pleased with it. If you can perform a service, which few will ever seek to do themselves, or appreciate when performed by others, yet occupy it with holy delight. Covet humble work, and when you get it be content to continue in it. There is no great rush after the lowest places, you will rob no one by seeking them.” (Full sermon The Teaching of Foot-Washing) To obey the truth, and not to know it—is impossible. To know the truth, and not obey it—is unprofitable. -- William Secker, 1660 Thomas Watson excerpt from sermon The Good Practitioner on John 13:17 - Christ does not put happiness upon knowing—but upon doing. It is not knowledge of the points of religion—but practice, which renders a man truly happy and blessed. Knowledge is a fair garland to look upon—but it is like Rachael. Though she was beautiful—yet being barren she said, "Give me children or I die!" Just so, if knowledge does not bring forth the child of obedience—it will die and come to nothing. I would by no means disparage knowledge. Knowledge is the pilot to guide us in our obedience. Yet, knowledge must usher in obedience. Knowledge may put us into the way of happiness, but it is only practice which brings us there! Knowledge alone, cannot make a man eternally happy and blessed. Knowledge alone, does not make a man better; therefore, it cannot make him happy and blessed. Bare knowledge has no influence; it does not leave a spiritual tincture of holiness behind. Knowledge informs—not transforms. Knowledge, of itself, has no power upon the heart to make it more holy. Bare knowledge is like weak medicine, which does not work. It does not warm the affections nor purge the conscience; it does not fetch virtue from Christ to dry up the bloody issue of sin. A man may receive the light of the truth—yet not love the truth, "They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved." 2 Thessalonians 2:10. The Apostle calls it "a form of knowledge," Romans 2:20. Knowledge alone, is but a dead form, having nothing to animate it. He who has knowledge alone—is a spiritual stillborn! He looks like a Christian—but has neither appetite nor motion. Knowledge alone, makes men monsters in religion! They are all head—but no feet! They do not walk in Christ, Colossians 2:6. A man may have Scriptural knowledge—and still be profane! He may have a clear head—and a foul heart! The understanding may be illumined—when the foot treads in unholy paths. If knowledge is divorced from practice, and does not make a man better—then it cannot make a man eternally happy and blessed. If bare knowledge will save, then all who have knowledge shall be saved. But that is not true—for then Judas would be saved, for he had knowledge enough. Then the devil would be saved! A man may have right knowledge, and be no better than a devil! Hell is full of learned heads! Knowledge alone, makes a man's case worse! Knowledge takes away all excuse. Knowledge adds to a man's torment. "Woe to you! I tell you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you!" It will be better with heathen—than with professing Christians living in a contradiction to their knowledge. Luke 12:47, "The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it!" Knowledge without practice, serves only as a torch to light men to hell— the brighter the light, the hotter the fire! (See Thomas Watson's full sermon on John 13:17 - The Good Practitioner) J R Miller - "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them!" John 13:17 It is necessary to read the Bible, not just to know the will of God—but that we may do it. If Scripture is not the practice of our life—it is nothing to us. Its truths are to be applied. If we read the Beatitudes, we are to compare ourselves with their Divine requirements, and seek to be conformed to them. If we come upon a verse that rebukes any habit or sin of ours, we are immediately to make the needed amendment. We are to accept its promises, believe them—and then act as believing them. We are to allow its comforts to enter our hearts and support us in sorrow. There is nothing written in the Bible merely for ornament or beauty. Every word is practical! There is no truth in Scripture which has not some bearing upon actual living. When we come to it eager to know how to live, and ready to obey its precepts—we shall find it opening its inmost meaning to us! William Secker - Judas the Preacher - "If you know these things—you are blessed if you do them." John 13:17 To obey the truth, and not to know it—is impossible. To know the truth, and not obey it—is unprofitable. For, "Not everyone who says unto me, 'Lord, Lord' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven—but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven." Saving knowledge is not as the light of the moon—to sleep by; but as the light of the sun—to work by. It is not a loiterer in the market-place—but a laborer in the vineyard. A man may be a great scholar—and yet be a great sinner. Judas the traitor—was Judas the preacher! The snake which has a pearl in its head—has poison in its body! The tree of knowledge has often been planted, and flourished—where the tree of life never grew! All abilities and gifts—without grace and holiness—are but like Uriah's letters, which were the death warrants of those who carried them! Mere head knowledge will be as unhelpful to the soul, in the judgment day—as a painted fire is unhelpful to the frozen body, in a cold day. Theoretical knowledge may make the head giddy—but it will never make the heart holy. How many professors are there, who have light enough to know what should be done—but have not love enough to do what they know! Give me the Christian who perfectly sees the way he should go—and readily goes the way he sees! That is barren ground—which brings forth no fruit. "To him who knows to do good, and does it not—to him it is sin." The sins of ignorance are most numerous—but the sins of knowledge are most dangerous! That sinner's darkness will be the greatest in hell—whose light was the clearest on earth! There are many who set a crown of glory upon the head of Christ by a good profession, and yet put a crown of thorns upon his head by an evil conversation. By the words of our mouth—we may affect to adore religion; but it is by the works of our lives—that we adorn religion. As trees without fruits are unprofitable—so knowledge without good works is abominable! Leah and Rachel are fit emblems of knowledge and obedience. Knowledge, like Rachel—is beautiful. But obedience, like Leah—is fruitful. Blessed (3107) makarios from root makar, but others say from mak = large or lengthy) means to be divinely favored and is not based on positive circumstances. Some say makarios describes a person as being happy, but that is not the best description, because the English word "happy" (from hap (n.) "chance, fortune" + -y) is the favorable state that depends on what happens! Makarios means spiritually contented and fulfilled and focuses on the state of happiness (independent of circumstances) experienced by people who have received God’s blessings. Makarios does not refer to how a person feels (although a blessed person of course may still "feel" blessed), but more importantly to the divinely bestowed inner spiritual condition of those who are the objects of God’s supernatural favor. From the Biblical perspective Makarios describes the person who is free from daily cares and worries because his every breath and circumstance is in the hands of His Maker Who gives him such an assurance (such a "blessing"). Kenneth
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Spurgeon - “We know that it must have been John, for many reasons; but still he does not say so. He hides John behind the love of Jesus, which proves that John gloried in the love of Christ, but did not boast of it egotistically.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) Spurgeon comments on on Jesus' bosom - One of them was John the divine, and the other was Judas the devil. One of them was the seer of the Apocalypse, the other was the son of perdition.” (Spurgeon's Exposition - Gospel of John) D A Carson on the disciple whom Jesus loved - For the first time the disciple whom Jesus loved is introduced. He will reappear at Jesus’ cross (Jn 19:26–27), at the empty tomb (Jn 20:2–9), by the Sea of Tiberias, when the risen Jesus appeared to seven of his disciples (Jn 21:1, 20–23), and in the final two verses that ascribe the authority of this Gospel to him (Jn 21:24, 25). (BORROW The Gospel according to John PAGE 472 where Carson gives a 6 point summary of the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved.) QUESTION - Who was the disciple whom Jesus loved? ANSWER - The Gospel of John is the only Gospel which mentions “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John 13:23 tells us, “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to Him.” John 19:26 declares, “When Jesus saw His mother there, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, 'Dear woman, here is your son.'“ John 21:7 says, “Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’” This disciple is never specifically identified, but the identity of the disciple whom Jesus loved is clear. The disciple whom Jesus loved self-identifies as the author of the gospel (John 21:24), whom most scholars believe to be the apostle John, the son of Zebedee and brother of James. First, only the Gospel of John mentions the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Second, John 21:2 lets us know who was fishing with Peter: “Simon Peter, Thomas (called Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together...” The apostle John was a son of Zebedee (Matthew 4:21). Third, there were three disciples who were especially close to Jesus: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1; Mark 5:37; 14:33; Luke 8:51). The “disciple whom Jesus loved” could not be Peter, as Peter asks Jesus a question in regards to this disciple (John 21:20-21). That leaves us with James or John. Jesus made a statement about the possible “longevity” of the life of the disciple whom He loved in John 21:22. James was the first of the apostles to die (Acts 12:2). While Jesus did not promise the disciple whom He loved long life, it would be highly unusual for Jesus to say, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” if the disciple whom He loved was going to be the first disciple to die. Church history tells us that the apostle John lived into the A.D. 90s and was the last surviving apostle. Early church tradition was unanimous in identifying John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. It seems that John had a closer relationship with Jesus than any of the other disciples. Jesus and John were essentially “best friends.” Jesus entrusted John with the care of His mother, gave John the vision of the transfiguration, allowed John to witness His most amazing miracles, and later gave John the Book of Revelation. GotQuestions.org Leaning on Jesus One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. John 13:23 Today's Scripture : John 13:12–26 Sometimes when I put my head on my pillow at night and pray, I imagine I’m leaning on Jesus. Whenever I do this, I remember something the Word of God tells us about the apostle John. John himself writes about how he was sitting beside Jesus at the Last Supper: “One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him” (John 13:23). John used the term “the disciple whom Jesus loved” as a way of referring to himself without mentioning his own name. He is also depicting a typical banquet setting in first-century Israel, where the table was much lower than those we use today, about knee height. Reclining without chairs on a mat or cushions was the natural position for those around the table. John was sitting so close to the Lord that when he turned to ask him a question, he was “leaning back against Jesus” (John 13:25), with his head on his chest. John’s closeness to Jesus in that moment provides a helpful illustration for our lives with Him today. We may not be able to touch Jesus physically, but we can entrust the weightiest circumstances of our lives to Him. He said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matt. 11:28). How blessed we are to have a Savior whom we can trust to be faithful through every circumstance of our lives! Are you “leaning” on Him today? By: James Banks Dear Lord Jesus, help me to lean on You today and to trust You as my source of strength and hope. I cast all my cares on You and praise You because You are faithful. Jesus alone gives the rest we need. John 13:24 So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking." John 13:24 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS Gestured - Lu 1:22 5:7 Ac 12:17 13:16 21:40 PETER NODS AT JOHN So Simon Peter gestured (neuo) to him, and said to him, "Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking." - Peter could not overtly ask in front of all 12 which one Jesus meant, so he gestured or nodded to John to get the "inside scoop." Gestured (3506)(neuo) means to nod as a signal only twice in NT - Jn13:24; Ac 24:10. Liddell-Scott - 2. to nod or bow in token of assent, Hom., Soph. 3. generally, to bow the head, bend forward, of warriors charging, Il. of ears of corn,to stoop 4. to incline in any way, to incline towards. Twice in the Septuagint - Prov. 4:25; Prov. 21:1 John 13:25 He, leaning back thus on Jesus' bosom, said to Him, "Lord, who is it?" John 13:25 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS who: Ge 44:4-12 Es 7:5 JOHN QUERIES JESUS FOR IDENTITY OF BETRAYER He, leaning back (anapipto) thus on Jesus' bosom (stethos), said to Him, "Lord (kurios) who is it?" - John would have been near enough to Jesus that he could relate Peter's query in relative secrecy. Bob Utley This context reflects the typical eating arrangements of the first century Palestine. The disciples would be lying at a low, horseshoe shaped table, leaning on their left elbows with their feet behind them, eating with their right hands. John was on Jesus' right, Judas on His left (the place of honor). The reason for the seating order is not given in Scripture. John leaned back and asked Jesus a question. D A Carson - The easiest way for him (JOHN) to address Jesus was to lean back until his head literally rested on Jesus’ breast. Neither the footwashing nor this resting of a head on Jesus’ breast would have been possible if Leonardo da Vinci’s conception of the last supper had been correct. Westerners may recoil at the physical proximity of two men. In many parts of the world, of course (e.g. the Philippines, the Arab world), men walk down the street holding hands. This is a sign of friendship, not homosexuality. Men and women in such cultures may not hold hands in public: that would be a sign of licentiousness.. (BORROW The Gospel according to John PAGE 474) Bosom (4738)(stethos) refers to the front part of the upper body, the breast or chest. Liddell-Scott - metaphorically, the breast as the seat of feeling and thought. This Greek word gives us the English word stethoscope used for listening to the chest. Vine on stethos - connected with histēmi, "to stand," i.e., that which stands out, is used of mourners in smiting the "breast," Luke 18:13; Luke 23:48; of John in reclining on the "breast" of Christ, John 13:25; John 21:20; of the "breasts" of the angels in Rev. 15:6. (Vine's Expository Dictionary of Old Testament and New Testament Words) Gilbrant - This noun is related to the verb histēmi, “to stand,” and denotes “that which stands out, is prominent.” It is an anatomical term uniformly translated “breast” (of both sexes) in the New Testament but it also generally refers to the “chest” as the “seat of the heart” (cf. Liddell-Scott). The stēthos was struck to express repentance (Luke 18:13) and sorrow (Luke 23:48). It was upon the stēthos of Jesus where the “beloved disciple” leaned when inquiring about the identity of the Lord’s betrayer (John 13:25; 21:20). And finally, the breasts of the seven plague-bearing angels were girded with golden girdles (Revelation 15:6). (Complete Biblical Library) Stethos - 5 verses - bosom(2), breast(1), breasts(1), chests(1). Lk. 18:13; Lk. 23:48; Jn. 13:25; Jn. 21:20; Rev. 15:6. Stethos in the Septuagint - Ge 3:14; Ex. 28:23; Ex. 28:30; Job 39:20; Prov. 6:10; Prov. 24:33; Dan. 2:32 John 13:26 Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him." So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. John 13:26 CLICK HERE TO READ PASSAGE IN OVER 60 ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS That is the one Jn 13:30 Mt 26:23 Mk 14:19,20 Lu 22:21 Judas Iscariot: Jn 6:70,71 12:4-6 Related Passages: Matthew 26:23 And He answered, “He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. Mark 14:20+ And He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who dips with Me in the bowl. Luke 22:21+ “But behold, the hand of the one betraying Me is with Mine on the table. JESUS CARRIES OUT THE SIGN IDENTIFYING BETRAYER Jesus then answered, "That is the one for whom I shall dip (bapto) the morsel (psomion) and give it to him." - Since they were reclining, Jesus would have had to have been very near Judas Iscariot to give him the dipped morsel (see Carson). While we cannot be dogmatic, it is quite likely that Judas as in the place of honor to the left of Jesus, which would have made it possible for Jesus to give him the morsel. See additional note below by Leon Morris. Leon