50 - John 13:16

’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.’ -John 13:16. The disciples had disputed among themselves which of them should be greatest. Their imaginations had been stimulated by the scenes and circumstances connected with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, the popular acclamations and plaudits, the garments cast in the way, the palms of victory, the testimony of those who had seen Lazarus waked from the dead, the apparent readiness of the people to range themselves under the banner of Jesus. The long-expected hour when Christ would assert his authority and take unto him his true power, and sit as King in Zion, the Lord’s Anointed, seemed at hand. Honours would immediately come flowing in upon them, and they would be magnificently compensated for the prolonged period of comparative humiliation and persecution. Well, whose should these honours be? Who would have the chief claim to them? Who should sit on the right and on the left hand of the Prince-Messiah? Who were to occupy the thrones subordinate to His, in His kingdom? Surely there would be a difference. Some of them had been chosen before others, and had been more intimately associated with him in the labours and trials of his ministry than others had; some had made sacrifices to become his followers; some had been singled out by him for special privileges on this and that occasion; for instance, they had been with him on the Mount of Transfiguration, and had seen his glory as of the only-begotten of the Father. Surely then they might expect that a difference would be made in their favour, when the hour came for the distribution of the honours of the kingdom. They in some way suffered this confident expectation to become apparent; the jealousy of the other disciples was kindled; they scouted the idea that any such distinction should be made, to their prejudice; it was one thing to be subject to the Lord Jesus, but a very different thing to give way to a former fellow-fisherman, and be domineered by a fellow-disciple. With poignant grief our Lord saw the rising of this spirit. How little had they clothed themselves with the humility which he had been constantly exhibiting; how far were they from his own meek and lowly spirit; how had they failed to see the superior beauty of the self-abnegation which was so markedly his characteristic!’ How long shall I be with you and suffer you? Have I been so long time with you, and yet have ye not known me? But something more emphatic than words is necessary. Jesus makes himself as a servant; lays aside his garments, girds himself with a napkin, takes a basin of water, and enters upon the duties of the most menial servant. He approaches his disciples to wash their feet, and, in spite of their remonstrances, goes through with it. We are told that he did this with the full consciousness that the Father had given all things into his hand, and that he had come from and was about returning to God. Afterwards he said to them: "Ye call me Master and Lord, and ye say well: for so I am. If I then your Lord and Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." The argument is a very simple one. The servant is not greater than his lord; he cannot therefore refuse to perform acts that his lord performs; he cannot disdain to wait upon those whom his master does not disdain to wait upon; he cannot count that degrading which his master does not count degrading; he cannot refuse to sacrifice his own dignity, convenience, pleasure, in favour of the dignity, convenience, and pleasure of his brethren, when Christ, his Lord and Master, gives him the example of such a sacrifice. Surely, if he be a disciple at all, he will shrink back in horror from the idea of making himself greater than his Master. Alongside of this marvellous example, how utterly odious is that pride which would teach the Christian to look down disdainfully upon his brethren, and rather expect them to defer to him, than be willing to give them the preference! What is Christian discipleship? If we look to the Church, we find that it is quite consistent with the spirit that grasps at greatness and desires pre-eminence, and looks down upon believers of a lower grade, and wishes to be deferred to and waited upon and made much of. Where do you find the spirit that takes pleasure in the most menial service, if thereby a fellow-believer may be advantaged? Who are they that truly and continually imitate the example of Jesus, and ask for opportunities of service without regard to the honour which cometh from men? But if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And it is his word that is to judge us in the last day. Surely we ought to be crying mightily to God to send into our hearts the very spirit of his Son, that we may cease from making ourselves greater than Jesus. The disciples soon found out that there was a great deal of tribulation and humiliation between them and the honours of Christ’s kingdom. When the Lord was crucified they were cast into a horrible pit of darkness and dismay. But they arose with him, and the Spirit of Pentecost armed them with faith and hope for the conflict of life. They learned Christ anew; were crucified with him, so as to put away their former hankering after temporal greatness, and were content through much tribulation to enter the kingdom of heaven.