Disciples Reclining at the Table Beside an Untouched Basinby emmanuel_higgins
13:2John 13:2
And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;
As the Passover supper in the upper chamber was ending on His last evening before death, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, a bargain already made for thirty pieces of silver though not yet carried out. At that hour Jesus knew His time had come to leave this world for the Father, that all things had been given into His hands, that He had come from God and went to God, and having loved His own He loved them to the end, knowing who would betray Him. Though He knew Judas would leave to betray Him, He rose, kept him at the table, washed his soiled feet first with His own hands and let him share the sacrament as a final appeal of love to convict him and bring him to repentance and cleansing while he was not yet beyond hope. Judas felt the impulse to confess on the spot but hardened his heart in pride, rejected the last tender appeal, and the very feet Jesus had washed went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind. His patient bearing with Judas without rebuke or exposure teaches humility, loving unselfish service and patience with the faulty, shows that known unworthiness is no ground for human exclusion from feet-washing and the supper, and warns that false believers may share these ordinances to their own condemnation until God makes them known.
Supper Setting and Betrayal
The supper was ending, the Passover feast eaten with the disciples in the upper chamber on the last evening before death, within the final week and under the shadow of betrayal, crucifixion, desertion and suffering. It was before the feast of the Passover in the larger sense, at the close of that last meal together before the cross and the prayer to the Father. The rising to wash feet belongs to that moment after supper had ended.
The washing was the customary courtesy performed by a servant after guests removed their sandals, and though the preparations were ready no servant was present and the disciples failed to render the expected service. Instead they were disputing who should be greatest and were unready to grasp the solemn events ahead. Though He knew He would be deserted and suffer humiliation, His concern was for them and the temptations they would face.
At that time Jesus knew His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and went to God. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. He knew who would betray Him and therefore said, Ye are clean, but not all.
The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, so that the betrayal was the work, plan and prompting of Satan and the enemy. Judas had already agreed and negotiated the betrayal for thirty pieces of silver and continued to act innocent among disciples who did not know his purpose, though the act itself was not yet fully carried out.
Jesus Washes Judas's Feet
Though He knew the betrayer and that He would be denied by the words that not all were clean, Jesus rose from supper while it was ending and washed the disciples' feet, keeping Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, at the table though he would leave it to betray Him. He bathed Judas's soiled feet first with His own precious hands and wiped them with the towel, and He allowed him to share in the sacrament despite the devil having put betrayal into his heart. Jesus alone could read that secret purpose while the others knew nothing of it.
That washing and sharing was a final, tender appeal of enduring divine love, offering every inducement to receive Christ, repent, confess on the spot, and be cleansed from sin. Judas was not yet wholly hardened nor beyond repentance, even after twice agreeing to betray, but still had opportunity when Jesus revealed his purpose and included him. His heart was thrilled through and through and convicted, with a felt impulse to confess, yet pride led him to harden his heart and resist. He rejected that last appeal, his case was decided, and the feet Jesus had washed went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind.
Jesus bore patiently with him, treating him with goodness and humility, giving no word of rebuke and not exposing him. By that humble service He taught true humility and unselfish ministry, that brother is not to exalt himself above brother but to understand his brother's feelings. His example shows patience with the faulty and care not to withdraw from one believed to be in error, lest careless separation leave that person exposed to temptation, and all but one of His erring disciples were thus brought to repentance.
As the pure, spotless Lamb presenting Himself as a sin-offering, He thereby put an end to the sacrifices offered for four thousand years. In place of the national festival He instituted the memorial of feet-washing and the sacramental supper to be observed by followers through all time in every country. It was His last established ordinance, discharging the cares and burdens of ancient Jewish rites and ceremonies whose virtue ceased when type met antitype in Him as the authority, foundation, and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. God is brought sacredly near in it, and Christ Himself is always present at this special season to revive memory, awaken understanding of the lessons symbolized, convict of sin, receive penitential offerings, disentangle from disunion and strife, and teach that eating His body and drinking His blood means daily partaking of the bread of life by receiving His Word and doing His will, speaking not to intellect alone but to heart and to the moral and spiritual nature.
Known unworthiness is no reason for human exclusion from feet-washing and the Lord's Supper, for human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul nor reliably judge who is worthy. No one may stay away because an unworthy person is present, and no one may decide who shall come, nor single out any for special favor or dishonor, since all are Christ's purchased possession for whom He died alike. Serving even a known betrayer who had sold Him for thirty pieces of silver is impartial ministry to be taken in all its bearings, giving insight into God's workings whose ways and thoughts are not human. Unseen witnesses were present, with angels watching the disciples while messengers of the prince of darkness attend those who refuse the Holy Spirit.
Judas's Hardening and Warning
Judas was chosen as one of the apostles and numbered among them, capable of taking a leading place, yet his hidden purposes were ripening while he scarcely realized how far they would develop. The other disciples knew nothing of his secret purpose and still looked upon him as a man of great capabilities and breadth of knowledge that would be valuable if sanctified, for he was not villainous in appearance or deportment. His recorded experience shows Christ's long patience with perverse human nature.
Covetousness led him to steal from the Lord's treasury, carrying the bag of gifts for the work and appropriating money that never appeared on the account, while reasoning that his labor was not sufficiently appreciated and that he had a right to pay himself. That first act of dishonesty perverted his conscience and began the deterioration of his character, taking him from under God's protection and costing him peace and happiness. His secret misappropriation and robbery turned all his work against God to forward the work of the great deceiver, and such a course ends in loss of eternal life and loss of the soul even if never discovered.
He became a blind traitor through self-chosen deception and yielded temptation, being content with little things and refusing to receive in a good and honest heart the messages sent to elevate, ennoble, and sanctify him. He caviled and gossiped over them because they cut across inclination and appetite, failed to see the need of conversion, treated the means God provided to change character as idle tales, and let habit stand stronger than truth until he wrapped himself in deception and betrayed Christ. He cherished wilful dishonesty and selfishness that robs God by taking means from His treasury for self while harder workers receive less, and such selfishness is idolatry that dishonors God's name, which God will not endure in His dominion. Those who cherish it become spiritually blind with insensitive consciences, and God will remove His Spirit from them.
He allowed himself to become a channel of darkness and sold himself to Satan to carry out his suggestions and betray the cause of God into the hands of sinners. He took Christ's humility in taking a servant's place as proof that He would not become an earthly king, and having given up all hope of temporal preferment and worldly honor he resented that place and resolved to disown and betray Him. Had he yielded to the Holy Spirit he would have kept righteousness and integrity and would not have accused Mary of extravagance in anointing Christ with precious ointment. He had already negotiated the betrayal, though the arrangement was not yet fully carried out, and he continued to act innocent among the disciples who did not know his purpose.
As Jesus washed his feet, bathing his soiled feet first and wiping them, Judas's heart was thrilled through and through with an impulse to confess on the spot. He knew better than the enemy's presentation that Jesus was a pretence and not the Son of God, and he had often been deeply impressed by the working of the Holy Spirit, but pride led him to harden his heart and he braced his soul against the light. Even after twice agreeing to betray Jesus he was not yet wholly hardened and still had opportunity to repent, for Jesus patiently gave him every opportunity and tenderly included him in the washing as the last appeal of love. He rejected that appeal, turned the wrong way and fought away from Jesus until his case was decided, and the feet Jesus had washed then went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind. Even when he knew his purpose was exposed he did not fear or turn back but angrily left to carry out his plan, and his departure relieved the others as the shadow lifted and Jesus' face brightened.
Acting Judas's part means betraying the Lord under the prompting of the enemy. The spirit of Judas is the opposite of the spirit of Jesus, revealing itself in a threatening attitude and in abusive letters, and in turning traitor for self-purpose or conspicuousness when loyalty is most needed. His example warns that a Judas may appear to belong among Christ's followers while sharing in the foot-washing and communion, eating and drinking to his own condemnation, and that false brethren and false believers will remain in the church until the close of time. But God will soon make them known and remove them from among His people. Christ's prayer to the Father before His betrayal and crucifixion represents unity and love as God's will and instruction for resisting Satan's attacks, and living out that prayer brings oneness with one another and with Christ and gives strength to withstand them.
As the Passover supper in the upper chamber was ending on His last evening before death, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, a bargain already made for thirty pieces of silver though not yet carried out. At that hour Jesus knew His time had come to leave this world for the Father, that all things had been given into His hands, that He had come from God and went to God, and having loved His own He loved them to the end, knowing who would betray Him. Though He knew Judas would leave to betray Him, He rose, kept him at the table, washed his soiled feet first with His own hands and let him share the sacrament as a final appeal of love to convict him and bring him to repentance and cleansing while he was not yet beyond hope. Judas felt the impulse to confess on the spot but hardened his heart in pride, rejected the last tender appeal, and the very feet Jesus had washed went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind. His patient bearing with Judas without rebuke or exposure teaches humility, loving unselfish service and patience with the faulty, shows that known unworthiness is no ground for human exclusion from feet-washing and the supper, and warns that false believers may share these ordinances to their own condemnation until God makes them known.
Supper Setting and Betrayal
The supper was ending, the Passover feast eaten with the disciples in the upper chamber on the last evening before death, within the final week and under the shadow of betrayal, crucifixion, desertion and suffering. It was before the feast of the Passover in the larger sense, at the close of that last meal together before the cross and the prayer to the Father. The rising to wash feet belongs to that moment after supper had ended.
The washing was the customary courtesy performed by a servant after guests removed their sandals, and though the preparations were ready no servant was present and the disciples failed to render the expected service. Instead they were disputing who should be greatest and were unready to grasp the solemn events ahead. Though He knew He would be deserted and suffer humiliation, His concern was for them and the temptations they would face.
At that time Jesus knew His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and went to God. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. He knew who would betray Him and therefore said, Ye are clean, but not all.
The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him, so that the betrayal was the work, plan and prompting of Satan and the enemy. Judas had already agreed and negotiated the betrayal for thirty pieces of silver and continued to act innocent among disciples who did not know his purpose, though the act itself was not yet fully carried out.
Jesus Washes Judas's Feet
Though He knew the betrayer and that He would be denied by the words that not all were clean, Jesus rose from supper while it was ending and washed the disciples' feet, keeping Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, at the table though he would leave it to betray Him. He bathed Judas's soiled feet first with His own precious hands and wiped them with the towel, and He allowed him to share in the sacrament despite the devil having put betrayal into his heart. Jesus alone could read that secret purpose while the others knew nothing of it.
That washing and sharing was a final, tender appeal of enduring divine love, offering every inducement to receive Christ, repent, confess on the spot, and be cleansed from sin. Judas was not yet wholly hardened nor beyond repentance, even after twice agreeing to betray, but still had opportunity when Jesus revealed his purpose and included him. His heart was thrilled through and through and convicted, with a felt impulse to confess, yet pride led him to harden his heart and resist. He rejected that last appeal, his case was decided, and the feet Jesus had washed went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind.
Jesus bore patiently with him, treating him with goodness and humility, giving no word of rebuke and not exposing him. By that humble service He taught true humility and unselfish ministry, that brother is not to exalt himself above brother but to understand his brother's feelings. His example shows patience with the faulty and care not to withdraw from one believed to be in error, lest careless separation leave that person exposed to temptation, and all but one of His erring disciples were thus brought to repentance.
As the pure, spotless Lamb presenting Himself as a sin-offering, He thereby put an end to the sacrifices offered for four thousand years. In place of the national festival He instituted the memorial of feet-washing and the sacramental supper to be observed by followers through all time in every country. It was His last established ordinance, discharging the cares and burdens of ancient Jewish rites and ceremonies whose virtue ceased when type met antitype in Him as the authority, foundation, and only efficacious offering for the sins of the world. God is brought sacredly near in it, and Christ Himself is always present at this special season to revive memory, awaken understanding of the lessons symbolized, convict of sin, receive penitential offerings, disentangle from disunion and strife, and teach that eating His body and drinking His blood means daily partaking of the bread of life by receiving His Word and doing His will, speaking not to intellect alone but to heart and to the moral and spiritual nature.
Known unworthiness is no reason for human exclusion from feet-washing and the Lord's Supper, for human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul nor reliably judge who is worthy. No one may stay away because an unworthy person is present, and no one may decide who shall come, nor single out any for special favor or dishonor, since all are Christ's purchased possession for whom He died alike. Serving even a known betrayer who had sold Him for thirty pieces of silver is impartial ministry to be taken in all its bearings, giving insight into God's workings whose ways and thoughts are not human. Unseen witnesses were present, with angels watching the disciples while messengers of the prince of darkness attend those who refuse the Holy Spirit.
Judas's Hardening and Warning
Judas was chosen as one of the apostles and numbered among them, capable of taking a leading place, yet his hidden purposes were ripening while he scarcely realized how far they would develop. The other disciples knew nothing of his secret purpose and still looked upon him as a man of great capabilities and breadth of knowledge that would be valuable if sanctified, for he was not villainous in appearance or deportment. His recorded experience shows Christ's long patience with perverse human nature.
Covetousness led him to steal from the Lord's treasury, carrying the bag of gifts for the work and appropriating money that never appeared on the account, while reasoning that his labor was not sufficiently appreciated and that he had a right to pay himself. That first act of dishonesty perverted his conscience and began the deterioration of his character, taking him from under God's protection and costing him peace and happiness. His secret misappropriation and robbery turned all his work against God to forward the work of the great deceiver, and such a course ends in loss of eternal life and loss of the soul even if never discovered.
He became a blind traitor through self-chosen deception and yielded temptation, being content with little things and refusing to receive in a good and honest heart the messages sent to elevate, ennoble, and sanctify him. He caviled and gossiped over them because they cut across inclination and appetite, failed to see the need of conversion, treated the means God provided to change character as idle tales, and let habit stand stronger than truth until he wrapped himself in deception and betrayed Christ. He cherished wilful dishonesty and selfishness that robs God by taking means from His treasury for self while harder workers receive less, and such selfishness is idolatry that dishonors God's name, which God will not endure in His dominion. Those who cherish it become spiritually blind with insensitive consciences, and God will remove His Spirit from them.
He allowed himself to become a channel of darkness and sold himself to Satan to carry out his suggestions and betray the cause of God into the hands of sinners. He took Christ's humility in taking a servant's place as proof that He would not become an earthly king, and having given up all hope of temporal preferment and worldly honor he resented that place and resolved to disown and betray Him. Had he yielded to the Holy Spirit he would have kept righteousness and integrity and would not have accused Mary of extravagance in anointing Christ with precious ointment. He had already negotiated the betrayal, though the arrangement was not yet fully carried out, and he continued to act innocent among the disciples who did not know his purpose.
As Jesus washed his feet, bathing his soiled feet first and wiping them, Judas's heart was thrilled through and through with an impulse to confess on the spot. He knew better than the enemy's presentation that Jesus was a pretence and not the Son of God, and he had often been deeply impressed by the working of the Holy Spirit, but pride led him to harden his heart and he braced his soul against the light. Even after twice agreeing to betray Jesus he was not yet wholly hardened and still had opportunity to repent, for Jesus patiently gave him every opportunity and tenderly included him in the washing as the last appeal of love. He rejected that appeal, turned the wrong way and fought away from Jesus until his case was decided, and the feet Jesus had washed then went out to betray Him under Satan's control of heart and mind. Even when he knew his purpose was exposed he did not fear or turn back but angrily left to carry out his plan, and his departure relieved the others as the shadow lifted and Jesus' face brightened.
Acting Judas's part means betraying the Lord under the prompting of the enemy. The spirit of Judas is the opposite of the spirit of Jesus, revealing itself in a threatening attitude and in abusive letters, and in turning traitor for self-purpose or conspicuousness when loyalty is most needed. His example warns that a Judas may appear to belong among Christ's followers while sharing in the foot-washing and communion, eating and drinking to his own condemnation, and that false brethren and false believers will remain in the church until the close of time. But God will soon make them known and remove them from among His people. Christ's prayer to the Father before His betrayal and crucifixion represents unity and love as God's will and instruction for resisting Satan's attacks, and living out that prayer brings oneness with one another and with Christ and gives strength to withstand them.