In this chapter is recorded the history of our Saviour's washing his disciples' feet, an action full of humility and condescension, and propounded to his followers imitation. The circumstance of the time is here noted, when this act was done; namely, at the feast of the passover, when the time of ou... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, The admirable humility and great self-denial of our Lord and Master: he arises from supper, whilst his disciples sat still, and he that came in the form of. servant, performs all the offices of the meanest servant to his disciples; he lays aside his upper garments, he girds himself wit... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. How Simon Peter refuses to admit of such. condescending act from Christ his Lord and Master, as the washing of his feet. LORD! THOU SHALT NEVER WASH MY FEET: it is. sinful humility to refuse the offered favours of Christ, because we are unworthy to receive them. Though we are not wo... [ Continue Reading ]
In these words our Saviour declares to his disciples his intention and design in washing of their feet: namely, to teach them, by his example, the duty of humility: that as he had performed that act of abasement towards them, so should they be ready to perform all offices of love and humble condesce... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Lord here intimates unto us these two things: 1. The necessity of knowledge, in order unto practice. 2. The necessity of practice, in order unto happiness. A man may know the will of God indeed, and not do it; but he can never do the will of God (acceptably) and not know it. The knowledge of... [ Continue Reading ]
If the chusing spoken of here be understood of eternal election,. chusing to everlasting life, then it affords. strong argument to prove Christ to be God; thus; he that is the author of eternal election is God; but Christ is such; I KNOW WHOM. HAVE CHOSEN. Consider Christ as God, so we are chosen by... [ Continue Reading ]
Here another argument occurs, to prove the divinity of our blessed Saviour, from his foreknowledge of Judas's treason! the person who, the time when, and the place where, were all known to Christ; I TELL YOU BEFORE IT COME TO PASS. The argument lies thus: "He that foresaw the future actions of men,... [ Continue Reading ]
Lest his apostles should think that, for the treachery of one of them, they should all become odious and abominable to the world, our Saviour encourages and gives them an assurance, that there should be those that should receive them, and that would take it as kindly as if they received himself; HE... [ Continue Reading ]
Oh what an astonishing word was this, ONE SHALL BETRAY ME! one of MY DISCIPLES shall betray me! yea, ONE OF YOU, my disciples and apostles, shall do it! well might they look one upon another with sorrow and amazement, to hear that their master should die, that he should die by treason, and that the... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. The character given of St. John the beloved disciple: he leaned on Christ's bosom; that is, he had most intimate converse with Christ, one whom Christ treated with greater freedom and familiarity than the rest, and one that knew more of his heart than most of his disciples. We commo... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, 1. Our blessed Lord calls his death his glory: NOW IS THE SON OF MAN GLORIFIED; that is, now is the time at hand when. am to die, and shall by my death finish the work of man's redemption, and thereby eminently glorify God. God the Father was eminently glorified in the obedience and su... [ Continue Reading ]
Observe here, An endearing compellation,. sweet title given by Christ to his disciples, LITTLE CHILDREN; intimating that tender affection which he bears unto them, though now upon the point of departing from them. Learn thence, That whatever Christ's dealings are, or may be with his people, in resp... [ Continue Reading ]
Our Saviour having mentioned his departure from his disciples in the former verse; I GO AWAY, AND, WHITHER. GO YE CANNOT COME: in this and the following verses, he gives them. strict charge, that in his absence they should love one another. This he calls. NEW COMMANDMENT: not that it was new in reg... [ Continue Reading ]
To recommend the foregoing duty, of loving one another, with the greater advantage, our Saviour tells us here, that it will be the best evidence of our relation to him as sincere disciples: BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES. The disciples of John were known by the austerity of thei... [ Continue Reading ]
Here we find Peter reflecting upon what our Saviour had said just before, WHITHER. GO, YE CANNOT COME John 13:33: he is inquisitive to know of Christ whither he went. Our Lord tells him, that for the present he could not follow him, but should hereafter; he was not yet strong enough to suffer for hi... [ Continue Reading ]