1 Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; even as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
I came out from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go unto the Father.
`Jesus', knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God,
I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for those whom thou hast given me; for they are thine: and all things that are mine are thine, and thine are mine: and I am glorified in them. And I am no more in the world, and these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep them in thy name which thou hast given me, that they may be one, even as we `are'.
They are not of the world even as I am not of the world.
And we desire that each one of you may show the same diligence unto the fulness of hope even to the end:
and from Jesus Christ, `who is' the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loveth us, and loosed us from our sins by his blood;
And now, Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
for we are become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm unto the end:
but Christ as a son, over his house; whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end.
who shall also confirm you unto the end, `that ye be' unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
and I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.
But now I come to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy made full in themselves. I have given them thy word; and the world hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
Ye know that after two days the passover cometh, and the Son of man is delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered together the chief priests, and the elders of the people, unto the court of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas; and they took counsel together that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill him. But they said, Not during the feast, lest a tumult arise among people.
Then cometh he to the disciples, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.
Now after two days was `the feast of' the passover and the unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him with subtlety, and kill him: for they said, Not during the feast, lest haply there shall be a tumult of the people.
And it came to pass, when the days were well-nigh come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third `day' I am perfected. Nevertheless I must go on my way to-day and to-morrow and the `day' following: for it cannot be that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people.
When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched not forth your hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness.
Jehovah appeared of old unto me, `saying', Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.
These words spake he in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man took him; because his hour was not yet come.
Now the passover of the Jews was at hand: and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the passover, to purify themselves.
Ye heard how I said to you, I go away, and I come unto you. If ye loved me, ye would have rejoiced, because I go unto the Father: for the Father is greater than I.
Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do the things which I command you.
But now I go unto him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have spoken these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth: It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I go, I will send him unto you.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on John 13
Commentary on John 13 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 13
Our Saviour having finished his public discourses, in which he "endured the contradiction of sinners,' now applies himself to a private conversation with his friends, in which he designed the consolation of saints. Henceforward we have an account of what passed between him and his disciples, who were to be entrusted with the affairs of his household, when he was gone into a far country; the necessary instructions and comforts he furnished them with. His hour being at hand, he applies himself to set his house in order. In this chapter
Jhn 13:1-17
It has generally been taken for granted by commentators that Christ's washing his disciples' feet, and the discourse that followed it, were the same night in which he was betrayed, and at the same sitting wherein he ate the passover and instituted the Lord's supper; but whether before the solemnity began, or after it was all over, or between the eating of the passover and the institution of the Lord's supper, they are not agreed. This evangelist, making it his business to gather up those passages which the others had omitted, industriously omits those which the others had recorded, which occasions some difficulty in putting them together. If it was then, we suppose that Judas went out (v. 30) to get his men ready that were to apprehend the Lord Jesus in the garden. But Dr. Lightfoot is clearly of opinion that this was done and said, even all that is recorded to the end of ch. 14, not at the passover supper, for it is here said (v. 1) to be before the feast of the passover, but at the supper in Bethany, two days before the passover (of which we read Mt. 26:2-6), at which Mary the second time anointed Christ's head with the remainder of her box of ointment. Or, it might be at some other supper the night before the passover, not as that was in the house of Simon the leper, but in his own lodgings, where he had none but his disciples about him, and could be more free with them.
In these verses we have the story of Christ's washing his disciples' feet; it was an action of a singular nature; no miracle, unless we call it a miracle of humility. Mary had just anointed his head; now, lest his acceptance of this should look like taking state, he presently balances it with this act of abasement. But why would Christ do this? If the disciples' feet needed washing, they could wash them themselves; a wise man will not do a thing that looks odd and unusual, but for very good causes and considerations. We are sure that it was not in a humour or a frolic that this was done; no, the transaction was very solemn, and carried on with a great deal of seriousness; and four reasons are here intimated why Christ did this:-
Jhn 13:18-30
We have here the discovery of Judas's plot to betray his Master. Christ knew it from the beginning; but now first he discovered it to his disciples, who did not expect Christ should be betrayed, though he had often told them so, much less did they suspect that one of them should do it. Now here,
Jhn 13:31-35
This and what follows, to the end of ch. 14, was Christ's table-talk with his disciples. When supper was done, Judas went out; but what did the Master and his disciples do, whom he left sitting at table? They applied themselves to profitable discourse, to teach us as much as we can to make conversation with our friends at table serviceable to religion. Christ begins this discourse. The more forward we are humbly to promote that communication which is good, and to the use of edifying, the more like we are to Jesus Christ. Those especially that by their place, reputation, and gifts, command the company, to whom men give ear, ought to use the interest they have in other respects as an opportunity of doing them good. Now our Lord Jesus discourses with them (and probably discourses much more largely than is here recorded),
Jhn 13:36-38
In these verses we have,