14 if then I did wash your feet -- the Lord and the Teacher -- ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
In like manner, ye younger, be subject to elders, and all to one another subjecting yourselves; with humble-mindedness clothe yourselves, because God the proud doth resist, but to the humble He doth give grace;
but ye `are' not so, but he who is greater among you -- let him be as the younger; and he who is leading, as he who is ministering; for who is greater? he who is reclining (at meat), or he who is ministering? is it not he who is reclining (at meat)? and I -- I am in your midst as he who is ministering.
Christ, then, having suffered for us in the flesh, ye also with the same mind arm yourselves, because he who did suffer in the flesh hath done with sin,
looking to the author and perfecter of faith -- Jesus, who, over-against the joy set before him -- did endure a cross, shame having despised, on the right hand also of the throne of God did sit down;
fulfil ye my joy, that ye may mind the same thing -- having the same love -- of one soul -- minding the one thing, nothing in rivalry or vain-glory, but in humility of mind one another counting more excellent than yourselves -- each not to your own look ye, but each also to the things of others. For, let this mind be in you that `is' also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, thought `it' not robbery to be equal to God, but did empty himself, the form of a servant having taken, in the likeness of men having been made, and in fashion having been found as a man, he humbled himself, having become obedient unto death -- death even of a cross,
Brethren, if a man also may be overtaken in any trespass, ye who `are' spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of meekness, considering thyself -- lest thou also may be tempted; of one another the burdens bear ye, and so fill up the law of the Christ,
but not so shall it be among you, but whoever may will among you to become great, let him be your ministrant; and whoever may will among you to be first, let him be your servant; even as the Son of Man did not come to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
for ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that because of you he became poor -- being rich, that ye by that poverty may become rich.
for being free from all men, to all men I made myself servant, that the more I might gain; and I became to the Jews as a Jew, that Jews I might gain; to those under law as under law, that those under law I might gain; to those without law, as without law -- (not being without law to God, but within law to Christ) -- that I might gain those without law; I became to the infirm as infirm, that the infirm I might gain; to all men I have become all things, that by all means I may save some.
wherefore, if victuals cause my brother to stumble, I may eat no flesh -- to the age -- that my brother I may not cause to stumble.
And we ought -- we who are strong -- to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves; for let each one of us please the neighbor for good, unto edification, for even the Christ did not please himself, but, according as it hath been written, `The reproaches of those reproaching Thee fell upon me;'
in the love of brethren, to one another kindly affectioned: in the honour going before one another;
all things I did shew you, that, thus labouring, it behoveth `us' to partake with the ailing, to be mindful also of the words of the Lord Jesus, that he himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.'
but not so shall it be among you; but whoever may will to become great among you, he shall be your minister, and whoever of you may will to become first, he shall be servant of all; for even the Son of Man came not to be ministered to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.'
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,