(1) "Now BEFORE the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own that were in the world, He loved them unto the end. (2) And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, (3) Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came forth from God, and goeth unto God, (4) riseth from supper, and layeth aside His garments; and He took a towel, and girded Himself. (5) Then He poureth water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. (6) So He cometh to Simon Peter. He saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter. (8) Peter saith unto Him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered Him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me. (9) Simon Peter saith unto Him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean but not all. (11) For He knew him that should betray Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.
(12) "So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and sat down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? (13) Ye call Me, Teacher, and Lord; and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet."
Golden Text.—"By love serve one another." Gal. 5:13.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) What is said of the knowledge of Jesus, at the time of His last Passover? What is said of His unfailing love? Verse 1. Note 1. (2) Whom had Satan influenced to betray Christ? Verse 2. Note 2. (3) What did Jesus know concerning His own mission and destiny? Verse 3. (4) What peculiar action is noted in verse 4? Note 3. (5) What further action is described? Verse 5. Note 4. (6) What particular disciple is here mentioned? What did he say to Jesus? Verse 6. Note 5. (7) How did Jesus reply to Peter? Verse 7. Note 6. (8) What positive declaration did Peter then express? What startling reply did Jesus make? Verse 8. Note 7. (9) Then how did Peter modify his position? Verse 9. Note 8. (10) What further explanation did Jesus make? Verse 10. Note 9. (11) Why had Jesus said they were not all clean? Verse 11. (12) After washing the disciples' feet, what position did He resume? What question did He ask? Verse 12. Note 10. (13) How did the disciples usually address, or speak of, Jesus? What did He say of their doing so? Verse 13. (14) Then what duty did Jesus impress upon His followers? Verse 14. Note 11.
NOTES.
1. At the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him, and "abode upon Him." From that time forth He was especially led and taught by the Spirit. There was no limit to the endowment, for the Spirit was not given by measure unto Him. Therefore Jesus knew when the time had come for Him to leave this world, and go to the Father. But the fact that He was going to a position of eternal glory and majesty did not affect His love for the poor, erring disciples whom He had been striving to instruct, but who had been so slow to learn. "He loved them to the uttermost" (R.V. margin). No change of position—from high to low, or from low to high—can affect infinite love.
2. The purpose to betray Christ did not come to Judas suddenly on that night. Evidently he had contemplated such an act from the time of his rebuke at the supper given in Bethany, when Mary anointed the feet of Jesus. After the resurrection of Lazarus, the Jews had determined to destroy Jesus, and Judas had conceived the idea that now was his opportunity not only to make a little money, but to retaliate for his own humiliation.
3. In addition to the knowledge Jesus had of the characteristics and future needs of His disciples there was here an untoward strife among them as to which of them would be greatest (Luke 22:24). So Jesus took advantage of this occurrence to institute an object-lesson, which should be a continual memorial of the fact that He, their Lord, had been among men as one that served others (verses 26, 27; Matt. 20:28).
4. The minute details given in verses 4 and 5 show that the ceremony was designed to be perpetuated; otherwise they would be superfluous.
5. Verse 6 would imply that Jesus had washed the feet of some of the other disciples before coming to Peter and this had given him time to reflect on this very humiliating position of the Master in presence of those who should be His servants.
6. Verse 7 shows further evidence that the ordinance there instituted was to be a permanent institution; for as they should engage thereafter in its celebration they would understand its significance.
7. Peter's positive declaration, "Thou shalt never wash my feet," is hardly to be construed as indicating a rebellious spirit but rather that he could not bear to see his Lord so humbled before him.
8. Peter's real sentiment of devotion to his Master is indicated in verse 9, where he expresses a readiness to submit to any amount of washing, rather than to be alienated from the cause he had espoused.
9. "He that is washed," etc. We gain a clearer idea of it when we read it in the revisions, which take account of the different Greek words used for "wash." Louo, to wash the whole body, bathe; and nipto, to wash a part of the body. He that is washed (bathed) needeth not save to wash his feet. The daily use of the bath, and especially the scrupulous bathing at the Passover, rendered it needless to wash as a matter of cleanliness.
But we must not conclude that Jesus was washing the feet of the disciples because they needed cleansing. Such a precaution at such a time would not have been felt until they had taken their positions at the table. The expression, "Ye are clean, but not all," shows that Jesus was simply using the body and feet of the individual as an illustration, and that it was the body of His little church that was not all clean. And this thought is emphasized in verse 11.
10. The Greek of the word "sat," in verse 12, means "reclined," as was the custom at table.
11. The instruction in verse 14, that the disciples ought to do as their Lord and Master had done, is made even stronger in the verse following it in the lesson chapter: "I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." No ordinance of Scripture is more emphatically enjoined, or more explicitly detailed as to mode, than that which commemorates the humble life of Christ. And He evidently knew that a weak and wayward people would always need to be reminded of their Lord's humble example.
