John 13:1

CHAP. XIII.

HItherto John hath recorded Christs proceedings in his ministry with all sorts of people, and especially these things in his doctrine and miracles which had been omitted by the other Evangelists. Now in this and the following chapters, to chap. 18 he records Christs carriage toward his disciples, in taking his farewell at the last passeover; omitting (for most part) what the rest have set down, and recording what they had omitted. And in this Christ having warned them of a traitour among themselves, of his removal from them by his death, and his resurrection and ascension following thereupon, and of their own trials and exercises they were to meet with; He doth largely let forth his heart unto them, in sweet cordials against his death and departure from them, in notable directions and encouragements unto them as preachers of the Gospel, and in delivering his full Testament to them, and to all Saints in them: Closing all with a solemne and publike prayer to the Father.

In this chapter is recorded, 1. Christs washing of the disciples feet, with the interpretation thereof, ver. 1.—17. 2. His discovering of Judas the traitour, ver. 18.—30. 3. Christs doctrine to the disciples, upon Judas his removal, ver. 31. — 35. 4. His repression of Peters rash presumption, ver. 36, 37, 38.

This first part of the Chapter, containing Christs washing of his disciples feet, may be taken up in this order. 1. The circumstance of time is noted, wherein this and what followeth was done, together with some causes and considerations moving Christ so to do at such a time, ver. 1, 2, 3. 2. The fact it selfe is recorded, ver. 4, 5. 3. The interpretation thereof is subjoyned, partly, upon occasion of Peters refusal, wherein, chiefly, this washing their feet is expounded as it is a signe of inward washing, ver. 6.—11. and partly, after he had done with washing, wherein he expounds what he meant by his doing of that servile employment of washing their feet himselfe at that time, ver. 12.—17.

In this verse we have recorded, a more general designation of the time, that it was before the feast of the Passeover; together with the first and chiefe cause and consideration leading Christ to this practice, and what followed; Namely, that he did constantly and unchangably love his own, and therefore, knowing that now his time to depart from them was approaching at this feast, he was resolving beforehand to give them some ample proofe of his love, as accordingly he did in washing their feet, preaching sweetly unto them, and praying for them. For clearing the words, Consider, 1. While John saith, that this was before the feast of the Passeover, it was not so to be understood, as if this were done before the feast, for that supper, ver. 2. after which he washed their feet, was the passeover. But the meaning is; That he was thinking and resolving on this practice before he sate down, either that same day, or possibly some daies before: And, that albeit it was done at the supper of the passeover, yet it was done before the feast of unleavened bread at the passeover, which began the day following, Lev. 23.5, 6, 7. yea, and before the day which the Jewes observed for eating the passeover, as we will hear on ver. 2. Consider, 2. Whereas this love of Christ toward his own, breaks forth in these sweet effects toward the disciples only; Yet in this they are not to be looked on as so many individual men, nor as Apostles, nor yet as representing Ministers only, but also as representing all Christs true children, who are edified and comforted by what he did to them, and whose allowance and legacy Christ did here commit to his Apostles in their name, as to the general Teachers of his Church, to be by them and their successours published to his own throughout the world. And therefore the denomination is general, his own, that every one who make sure an interest in him, may put in their own name. Doctrine 1. As Christ came into this world, to work the work of redemption; so there was a set time wherein he departed out of it, in respect of his bodily presence; for, there is an hour, wherein he should depart out of this world. 2. Christ choosed the time of the Jewish passeover to suffer in, that he might prove himselfe to be the substance of that type, whose blood it is that delivers us from the destroying Angel, and by whose obedience unto death we are delivered from the bondage of sin, the tyrany of Satan, and the leaven of corruption and unsoundness, answerable to the temporal delivery of Israel from Egypt and Pharaoh, and their observation of the feast with unleavened bread; Therefore it is marked that at the feast of the Passeover, his hour was come wherein he should depart out of this world. See 1 Cor. 5.7. 3. Christ was not surprized with his sufferings, nor were they carried out according to the will of enemies; But the time thereof was determined, and he knew of it before hand: for, Jesus knew that his hour was come. 4. Christ may be trusted by his people, and they may commit all their lots to him, who is on all his Fathers counsels, and knows all the machinations of his enemies; Therefore is he pointed out here, as knowing all that was coming, even the treachery of Judas also, that he may be trusted in as an omniscient Lord. 5. It is not enough to foresee what troubles will come, or may come, unlesse we spend our time profitably, in preparing and making ready for them; Therefore is Christs knowing that his hour was come, marked, as a reason why he was so busie in the following purpose; Namely, that as his enemies were making ready, so he was making ready also; and having nothing to do for himselfe, he spends his time in preparing the disciples for the storme. 6. Christ not only lets out proofes of his love to his own, when they need them; But he is thinking thoughts of peace, and resolving to let them out, when they little dream of such a thing, till it appear: Therefore it is marked, that before the feast of the Passeover, Christ was foreseeing the storme, and resolving to let out proofes of love to his disciples, which yet appeared not till after supper, ver. 2. 7. There is no difficultie so sad, but Christ and his followers may get a comfortable look of it, were it even of death it self; for, herein Christ hath cast a copy, who looked on his sad and bitter death, with what followed in his resurrection and ascension, as a departing out of this world, unto the Father. 8. It is a comfortable sight of death unto Saints, that hereby they are translated from the miseries, toiles, and vexations, of this world, to go rest with, and enjoy God; for, herein hath Christ led the way, who departed out of this world, unto the Father, and did so look on his death. 9. It adds to the comfortable sight of death, that Saints do hereby not only go to God, but do go to him as their Father through Christ; for, so did Christ; for, so did Christ depart unto the Father, and made way for our going to him as a Father in him, as Chap. 20.17, 10. It ads also to the consolation, that as the time of our change is determined by God; so it is measured by houres, which will at last come to an end, and the prisoners be set free; for, now after some time and houres in serving his generation, the determined hour was come, wherein he should depart out of this world. 11. Albeit Christ conversed but a short while in the world, in respect of his bodily presence; yet he did make and dayly makes a fair purchase in it by drawing sinners to himselfe; for, he hath his own in it. 12. As Christs people ought to resigne themselves to him, and be wholly for him; so he hath a peculiar interest in them, is specially concerned in all their conditions, and, allowes special favours, priviledges, and care, upon them; for, they are his own, or his property and peculiar ones. 13. Love, even the infinite love of tender hearted Christ, is the allowance and portion of all his peculiar ones; for, he loved his own. 14. Albeit Christ leave his children in this tempestuous world, to be humbled with the reliques of sin, and tossed with the tempests of time; Yet that doth neither take away their interest in him, nor his love toward them; for, he loved his own in the world. 15. The disadvantages of Saints, and particularly, their being lest in the world when Christ went out of it, is so far from hindering his love toward them, that it is rather an argument why he should love them, and let out more of it; for, it is not only not an hinderance of his love, but an argument also, he loved his own, because they were in the world. And especially now, in his farewel, he would give a proofe of it, considering the dangers unto which they were left exposed. 16. It is not enough to see Christs love towards his Saints in some particular passages, but they must labour to see an uninterrupted course thereof, from the time of their closing with him; Therefore, now at his farewel, he cleareth all by-gone as, that he had hitherto loved them, as well as he was now to give a proofe of it. Having loved his own, &c. 17. Christs love is not to be measured by kinde outlettings to the satisfaction of sense, but the summe of all his dealing toward his own, is love, which ought to be read in every condition and dispensation, were it even in keeping up his tender heart for a time; for, albeit there had been many several passages betwixt him and his disciples, and some of them very crosse to their humours; yet all is summed up in this, he had loved his own. 18. Christs special love toward his own is unchangable, and incessant, till they be perfected, and enjoy the full effects thereof; for, having loved his own, he loved them to the end, He continued his love from the beginning till now he is to dye for them and depart from them, and continueth it even then, and will do so, till they be brought to the end of their journey. 19. Christs love is not a decaying love, but a love that continually growes in effects; Nor is it a love that consists only in good affection and wishes, but breaks forth in notable expressions, as he hath witnessed by his dying for his own; for, he loved them to the end, even to the death he suffered for them, and in so doing, he loved them perfectly, as the Word also will signifie, proving that his love was a growing love, in letting out such abundant effects at the last. 20. When Christs followers are in any danger, then unchangeable love will be on foot, to cover their infirmities under tentation, and to provide cordials for them, and testifie his special care of them; for, this his love is marked as a cause why now, (when he is to remove they are to be scattered and shaken with tentation, and left desolate,) he will let out so much of his heart in the following purpose, and give them such sweet instructions in the following signe and explication thereof. And indeed, his love suffers much in his Disciples need, and if there were no more, his love is enough to move him to see them well.