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John 13

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1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew 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 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 bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

   

Commentary

 

Explanation of John 13

By Rev. John Clowes M.A.

Explaining the Inner Meaning of John 13

Verses 13:1, 2. That previous to the glorification of the Lord's humanity, perception is given to him of the approaching event, together with unabated love towards his church, on which occasion infernal hatred is the more excited against him.

Verse 13:3. But perception is given to the humanity, that all things of divinity are appropriated to it, since it was assumed by the divinity, and united itself with the divinity.

Verses 13:4, 5. Therefore being elevated by this perception, and having provided an order of truth adapted to the natural principle of the church, the Lord in his humanity is intent on purifying that principle from the defilements of evil.

Verses 13:6, 7, 8. But they, who are principled in the truths of faith, are not aware of the necessity of such purification, until they are instructed, that they cannot otherwise be purified to eternity, and that all purification comes from the Lord alone in his Divine Humanity.

Verses 13:9, 10. Hence they are urgent for the purification of the internal or spiritual man, as well as of the external or natural, until they are instructed further, that if the external or natural principle be purified, the internal or spiritual principle will be also purified.

Verses latter part of 10, 11. Nevertheless, notwithstanding the purification which the Lord, in his Divine Humanity, is ever intent on accomplishing in his church, there are some who still remain in their natural defilements, and this is perceived by the Lord.

Verses 13:12, 13, 14, 15. Who therefore inculcates the necessity of enquiring into the nature of spiritual purification, until it be seen that if he, who is the divine source of all truth and good, is interested in the purification of man, and is continually operative to effect it, man himself ought also to be interested in, and intent on effecting it in like manner, both in respect to himself and others.

Verses 13:16, 17. Otherwise he inverts all divine order, by setting himself above the Lord, and his own wisdom above the divine wisdom, whereas his happiness consists in practising those precepts which he has received from the Lord.

Verse 13:18. Yet all do not so practise, and therefore are not accepted, agreeable to what had been predicted, namely that the natural man, although instructed in the knowledge of truth, would exalt himself above the spiritual man, and thus above the Lord.

Verses 13:19, 20. Which prediction was intended to teach, by its accomplishment, the Lord's divinity, and that he is Jehovah, and consequently whoever receives truth, which is from the Word, receives divine truth, or the Lord in his Divine Humanity, and whoever receives divine truth, receives divine good, or Jehovah.

Verse 13:21. Still the Lord, as to his humanity, is grieved at the thought, that he will be rejected even by those who are instructed in the knowledge of the truth.

Verses 13:22, 23, 24, 25, 26, and former part of 27. But they, who are so instructed, cannot comprehend how this should be, and therefore they seek information on the subject, first from principles of faith, and next from principles of love, and are thereby taught, that the Lord will be rejected by all those, who receive the knowledge of truth, and afterwards profane it through infernal love, since where this is the case, man enters into consociation with the powers of darkness.

Verses latter part of 13:27, 28, 29, 30. Which rejection of the Lord is required to be full and entire; but the reason of this is not seen by those who have received instruction in truth, until the rejection takes place, and the church comes to its end.

Verses 13:31, 32. On which occasion they are instructed, that all opposition of evil men and of evil spirits, in their rejection of the Lord, when he was here on earth, tended only to unite more fully his divinity with his humanity, and his humanity with his divinity, mutually and reciprocally.

Verse 13:33. They are instructed yet further, that the infirm humanity must, by such union, be entirely put off, and that in such case the Divine Humanity will be an object of speculation with those who are principled in truth, but not an object of love.

Verses 13:34, 35. Until to faith they join charity, and until charity be grounded in the divine love, which is the sure mark and character of a right faith.

Verse 13:36. Hence enquiry is made, by those who are principled in faith, concerning the Lord's glorification, and they are instructed, that they cannot comprehend it so long as they remain in faith alone, but will comprehend it when they conjoin faith with charity.

Verses 13:37, 38. Enquiry is further made, why they cannot comprehend it so long as they remain in faith alone, and again they are instructed, that at the end of the church there is no faith in the Lord, because there is no charity.

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