of their nation. ¶ Did not confess him. iii. 19. 1 John i. 5. It is also used to Did not openly avow their belief that he denote the state when the comforts of was the Messiah. Two of them did, how-religion are withdrawn from the soul. ever, afterwards evince their attachment Isa. viii. 22. Joel ii. 2. Isa. lix. 9. to him. These were Joseph and Nicode- John viii. 12. mus. Ch. xix. 38, 39. That Joseph was one of them appears from Mark xv. 43. Luke xxiii. 50, 51. 44. Jesus cried, and said. John does not say where or when this was. It is probable, however, that it was a continuation of the discourse recorded in verses 30-36. Jesus saw their unbelief, and proceeds to state the consequence of believing on him, and of rejecting him and his message. Believeth not on me. That is, not on me alone, or his faith does not terminate on me. Compare Mat. x. 20. Mark ix. 37. It involves also belief in him that sent me. Jesus uniformly represents the union between himself and God as so intimate that there could not be faith in him unless there was also faith in God. He did the same works (ch. v. 17, 20, 36; x. 25, 37), and taught the very doctrine which God had commissioned him to do. Ch. viii. 38; v. 30, 20-23. 47. I judge him not, &c. Ch. viii. 15. This was not his present purpose to condemn men. He would come to condemn the guilty at a future time. At present he came to save them. Hence he did not now even pronounce decisively on the condition of those who rejected him, but still gave them an opportunity to be saved. 48. He that rejecteth me. Luke x. 16. The word reject means to despise, or refuse to receive him. Hath one. That is, he needs not my voice or ine to condemn him. He will carry his own condemnation with him, even should I be silent. His own conscience will condemn him. And the words which I have spoken will be remembered, and will condemn him, if there were nothing farther. From this we learn: 1st. That a guilty conscience needs no accuser. 2d. That the words of Christ, the messages of mercy which the sinner has rejected, will be re45. Seeth me, &c. This verse is a membered by him. 3d. That this will be strong confirmation of his equality with the source of his condemnation. This God. In no other way can it be true that will make him miserable; and there will he who saw Jesus, saw him that sent him, be no possibility of his being happy. 4th. unless he were the same in essence. Of That the conscience of the sinner will no man could it be affirmed that he who concur with the sentence of Christ in the saw him, saw God. To say this of Paul great day, and that he will go to eternity or Isaiah would have been blasphemy. self-condemned. It is this which will And yet Jesus used this language famil- make the pains of hell so intolerable to iarly and constantly. He spoke of him- the sinner. 5th. The word that Christ self in this manner as a matter of course, has spoken, the doctrines of his gospel, and it shows that he had a consciousness and the messages of mercy, will be that that he was divine, and that it was the by which the sinner shall be judged in the natural and proper way of speaking when last day. Every man will be judged by speaking of himself. Compare ch. v. 17. that message, and every man will be con46. A light into the world. Ch. viii. denined according to the frequency and 12; i. 9; iii. 19. ¶ Walk in darkness. clearness with which the rejected message In gross and dangerous errors. Darkness has been presented to his mind. Mat. is put for error, as well as for sin. John xii. 41. self; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. CHAPTER XIII. Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew a 1 Jno.3.23. b Mat.26.2,&c. cc 17.1,11. d Jer.31.3. Ep.5.2. 1 Jno.4.19. Re.1.5. 49. Of myself. Ch. vii. 16-18. 50. Is life everlasting. Is the cause or source of everlasting life. He that obeys the commandment of God shall obtain everlasting life; and this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his only begotten Son. 1 John iii. 22. We see here the reason of the earnestness and fidelity of the Lord Jesus. It was because he saw that eternal life depended on the faithful preaching of the message of God. He therefore proclaimed it in the face of all opposition, contempt, and persecution. And we see also: 1st. That every minister of religion should have a deep and abiding impression that he delivers a message that is to be connected with the eternal welfare of his hearers. And, 2d. Under the influence of this belief he should fearlessly deliver his message in the face of bonds, poverty, contempt, persecution, and death. d that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, (the ' devil having now 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 was come e Lu.22.53. c.6.70. f Mat.28.18. He.2.8. g c.17.11. low him, by patiently teaching them, by bearing with their errors and weaknesses, and by making them the heralds of his truth, and the heirs of eternal life. ¶ He loved them unto the end. That is, he continued the proofs of his love until he was taken away from them by death. Instances of that love John proceeds immediately to record in washing their feet, and in the institution of the supper. We may remark that Jesus is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. He does not change; he always loves the same traits of character; nor does he withdraw his love from the soul. If his people walk in darkness, and wander from him, the fault is theirs, not his. His is the character of a friend that never leaves or forsakes us: a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Ps. xxxvii. 28: "The Lordforsaketh not his saints." Isa. xliv. 14 -17. Prov. xviii. 24. It may not be improper to remark here 2. Supper being ended. This transthat this is the close of the public preach-lation expresses too much. The original ing of Christ. The rest of his ministry was employed in private teaching of his apostles, and preparing them for his approaching death. It is such a close as all his ministers should desire to make: a solemn, deliberate, firm exhibition of the truth of God, under a belief that on it was depending the eternal salvation of his hearers, and feeling that his ministry was about to end, uttering without fear the solemn message of the Most High to a lost world. means while they were at supper. And that this is the meaning is clear from the fact that we find them still eating after this. The Arabic and Persic translations give it this meaning. The Latin Vulgate renders it like the English. T The devil. The leader, or prince of evil spirits. ¶ Having now put it into the heart. Literally, having cast it into the heart. Compare Eph. vi. 16, "the fiery darts of the wicked." See Acts v. 3. Luke xxii. 3. The meaning of this passage is, that Satan inclined the mind of Judas to do this, or he tempted him to betray his Master. We know not precisely how this was done; but we know that it was by means of his avarice. Satan could tempt no one unless there was some inclination of the mind, some natural or depraved propensity that he could make use of. He с 44 Jesus cried and said, He " | words, and believe not, I judge him that believeth on me, believeth not not: for I came not to judge the on me, but on him that sent me. world, but to save the world. 45 And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. 46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness. 47 And if any man hear my a Mar.9.37. 1 Pe.1.21. b c.1.5. 3.19. d 48 He that rejecteth me, and re ceiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. 49 For I have not spoken of my of their nation. ¶ Did not confess him. iii. 19. 1 John i. 5. It is also used to Did not openly avow their belief that he denote the state when the comforts of was the Messiah. Two of them did, how-religion are withdrawn from the soul. ever, afterwards evince their attachment | Isa. viii. 22. Joel ii. 2. Isa. lix. 9. to him. These were Joseph and Nicode- John viii. 12. mus. Ch. xix. 38, 39. That Joseph was one of them appears from Mark xv. 43. Luke xxiii. 50, 51. 44. Jesus cried, and said. John does not say where or when this was. It is probable, however, that it was a continuation of the discourse recorded in verses 30-36. Jesus saw their umbelief, and proceeds to state the consequence of believing on him, and of rejecting him and his message. Believeth not on me. That is, not on me alone, or his faith does not terminate on me. Compare Mat. x. 20. Mark ix. 37. It involves also belief in him that sent me. Jesus uniformly represents the union between himself and God as so intimate that there could not be faith in him unless there was also faith in God. He did the same works (ch. v. 17, 20, 36; x. 25, 37), and taught the very doctrine which God had commissioned him to do. Ch. viii. 38; v. 30, 20-23. 15. 47. I judge him not, &c. Ch. viii. This was not his present purpose to condemn men. He would come to condemn the guilty at a future time. At present he came to save them. Hence he did not now even pronounce decisively on the condition of those who rejected him, but still gave them an opportunity to be saved. 48. He that rejecteth me. Luke x. 16. The word reject means to despise, or refuse to receive him. Hath one. That is, he needs not my voice or me to condemn him. He will carry his own condemnation with him, even should I be silent. His own conscience will condemn him. And the words which I have spoken will be remembered, and will condemn him, if there were nothing farther. From this we learn: 1st. That a guilty conscience needs no accuser. 2d. That the words of Christ, the messages of mercy which the sinner has rejected, will be re45. Seeth me, &c. This verse is a membered by him. 3d. That this will be strong confirmation of his equality with the source of his condemnation. This God. In no other way can it be true that will make him miserable; and there will he who saw Jesus, saw him that sent him, be no possibility of his being happy. 4th. unless he were the same in essence. Of That the conscience of the sinner will no man could it be affirmed that he who concur with the sentence of Christ in the saw him, saw God. To say this of Paul great day, and that he will go to eternity or Isaiah would have been blasphemy. self-condemned. It is this which will And yet Jesus used this language famil- make the pains of hell so intolerable to iarly and constantly. He spoke of him- the sinner. 5th. The word that Christ self in this manner as a matter of course, has spoken, the doctrines of his gospel, and it shows that he had a consciousness and the messages of mercy, will be that that he was divine, and that it was the by which the sinner shall be judged in the natural and proper way of speaking when last day. Every man will be judged by speaking of himself. Compare ch. v. 17. that message, and every man will be con46. A light into the world. Ch. viii. demned according to the frequency and 12; i. 9; ii. 19. ¶ Walk in darkness. clearness with which the rejected message In gross and dangerous errors. Darkness has been presented to his mind. Mat. Is put for error, as well as for sin. John xii. 41. self; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak. 50 And I know that his commandment" is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. Now CHAPTER XIII. b a 1 Jno.3.23. before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew b Mat.26.2,&c. cc 17.1,11. d Jer.31.3. Ep.5.2. 1 Jno.4.19. Re.1.5. 49. Of myself. Ch. vii. 16-18. 50. Is life everlasting. Is the cause or source of everlasting life. He that obeys the commandment of God shall obtain everlasting life; and this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his only begotten Son. 1 John iii. 22. We see here the reason of the earnestness and fidelity of the Lord Jesus. It was because he saw that eternal life depended on the faithful preaching of the message of God. He therefore proclaimed it in the face of all opposition, contempt, and persecution. And we see also: 1st. That every minister of religion should have a deep and abiding impression that he delivers a message that is to be connected with the eternal welfare of his hearers. And, 2d. Under the influence of this belief he should fearlessly deliver his message in the face of bonds, poverty, contempt, persecution, and death. low him, by patiently teaching them, by This trans It may not be improper to remark here that this is the close of the public preach-lation expresses too much. The original ing of Christ. The rest of his ministry means while they were at supper. And was employed in private teaching of his that this is the meaning is clear from the apostles, and preparing them for his ap- fact that we find them still eating after proaching death. It is such a close as all this. The Arabic and Persic translations his ministers should desire to make: a give it this meaning. The Latin Vulgate solemn, deliberate, firm exhibition of the renders it like the English. ¶ The devil. truth of God, under a belief that on it was The leader, or prince of evil spirits. depending the eternal salvation of his T Having now put it into the heart. hearers, and feeling that his ministry was Literally, having cast it into the heart. about to end, uttering without fear the Compare Eph. vi. 16," the fiery darts of solemn message of the Most High to a the wicked." See Acts v. 3. Luke xxii. lost world. 3. The meaning of this passage is, that Satan inclined the mind of Judas to do this, or he tempted him to betray his Master. We know not precisely how this was done; but we know that it was by means of his avarice. Satan could tempt no one unless there was some inclination of the mind, some natural or depraved propensity that he could make use of. He CHAPTER XIII. 1. The feast of the passover. Note, Mat. xxvi. 2, 17. T His hour was come. The hour appointed in the purpose of God for him to die. Ch. xii. 27. ¶ Having loved his own. Having given to them decisive and constant proofs of his love. This was done by his calling them to fol from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself: 5 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. 1 He. presents objects in alluring forms fitted to that propensity, and under the influence of the strong, corrupt feeling the soul yields to sin. In the case of Judas it was the love of money: and it was necessary then to present to him only the possibility of obtaining inoney, and it found him ready for any crime." access to them. See note, Mat. xxiii. 6. 6. Dost thou wash my feet? Every word here is emphatic. Dost thou-the Son of God, the Messiah-perform the humble office of a servant towards me, a sinner? This was an expression of Peter's humility, of his reverence for Jesus, and also a refusal to allow him to do it. It is possible, though not certain from the text, that he came to Simon Peter first. 3. Jesus knowing, &c. Jesus with the full understanding of his dignity and elevation of character, yet condescended 7. Thou knowest not now. Though to wash their feet. The evangelist intro- he saw the action of Jesus, yet he did not duces his washing their feet by saying that fully understand the design of it. It was Jesus was fully conscious of his elevation a symbolical action, denoting the lesson of above them, as being entrusted with all humility, and intended to teach it to them things. And this made his humiliation in such a manner as that it should be im the more striking and remarkable. Had possible for them ever to forget it. Had he been a mere human teacher, or a pro- he simply commanded them to be humble, phet, it would have been remarkable. But it would have been far less forcible and when we remember the dignity of his na- impressive than when they saw him actuture, it shows how low he would stoop to ally performing the office of a servant. teach and save his people. ¶ Had giv-Shalt know hereafter. Jesus at that en all things, &c. See note, Mat. xxviii. 18, ¶ Was come from God. See note, ch. viii. 42. Went to God. Was about to return to heaven. See ch. vi. 61, 62. 4. He riseth from supper. Evidently while they were eating. See v. 2. Laid aside his garments. His outer garment. Note, Mat. v. 40. This was his mantle or robe, which is said to have been without seam. It was customary to lay this aside when they worked, or ran, or in the heat of summer. Took a towel, and girded himself. This was the manner of a servant or slave. See note, Luke xvii. 8. 5. Began to wash, &c. It was uniformly the office of a servant to wash the feet of guests. 1.Sam. xxv. 41. It became a matter of necessity where they travelled without shoes, and where they reclined on couches at meals. It should be remembered here that the disciples were not sitting at the table as we do, but were lying with their feet extended from the table, so that Jesus could easily have time partially explained it. (V. 14, 15.) |