John 13
DODDJohn 13:2-3
Parallels: Luke 22
Christ rebukes the ambition which his disciples most unseasonably expressed as they were sitting down to supper, by washing their feet, and adding several excellent admonitions to the exercise of humility, immediately before the eating of the paschal lamb. Luke XXII. 24—27. John XIII. 2—3—17.
JOHN XIII. 2.— AND supper being ended,—
NOW when our Lord had thus sat down to eat the passover with his disciples (as was said before), supper being come, and the antepast
clxix. John xiii. 2
a Supper being come.] The reasons brought by Bishop Kidder (in his Demonstration of the Messiah, part iii. chap. 3, p. 60, 61), by Dr. Lightfoot (Hor. Heb. on Mat. xxvi. 6), and since by Dr. Whitby (in his Notes on this place), to prove that this supper was not the passover, but another supper at Bethany a night or two before, I have briefly obviated in the paraphrase or notes on the places on which they are
grounded; and therefore cannot think it material to trouble the reader with a particular detail of them. The chief reasons which determine me to the contrary opinion (besides some others, of which a good summary is given in Dr. Guyse’s valuable Note on this place) are these: such a disposition of the story best suits several of the circumstances of the paschal supper (particularly the contention about superiority,
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The disciples at supper contend who should
or introduction to it having been dispatched, as above; Just in the interval between that and the serving up the paschal lamb, there was a most unseasonable contention among them,ᵇ as they sat at table with Jesus, which of them should be accounted the greatest in that kingdom of which he had been speaking, and which they interpreted of a temporal dominion that should succeed his approaching sufferings. (Compare Mark ix. 34, and Luke ix. 46, p. 18.)
[And] upon this, though Jesus knew that the Father, by the sure engagements of an immutable covenant, had given the government of all things into his hands, and was just going actually to invest him with all power both in heaven and upon earth; and that, as he came forth from God as his Messenger to men, so he was returning to God again; yet, conscious as he was of so great a dignity, he was nevertheless willing to give his disciples an example of the deepest humility in this his last interview
and the inquiry about Judas, both which must, on the other hypothesis, have been superseded); and the propriety of it is especially evinced from John xiii. 38, where our Lord says to Peter, The cock shall not crow till thou hast denied me thrice; which must be spoken the very night Jesus was betrayed, and yet is so connected with this story of washing the disciples’ feet by ver. 21 and ver. 31, that they cannot without great violence be separated: it is certain, John xiii. 1, will have a peculiar energy according to this plan; which therefore most critics have followed. The reader will observe here that I have rendered ἐντιγμιαν, supper being come, which is the sense in which the word is often used elsewhere: thus John xxi. 4, ἀρμαίως γινόμενος is when morning was come; Acts xii. 18, xvi. 35, ἀρμαίως γινόμενος, when day was come; and Acts xxi. 50, συγος γινόμενος, when silence was made: in all which places, and in many more that might easily be collected from the Greek writers, it would be absurd to translate the word ended. Nay, Luke iv. 42, γινόμενος ἡμέρας, signifies when the day was coming on. (Compare Mark i. 35, noteᶜ, Vol. I. p. 204.) It is indeed an ambiguous term; but the rendering above is here to be preferred, (1.) Because it was much more natural to wash
the feet of guests before than after supper. (2.) Because it is expressly said, in ver. 1, to have been done before the passover; which, if the preceding reason be admitted, determines the point. (3.) Because part of the discourse, which John mentions as happening after the feet were washed, is mentioned by the other evangelists as passing at supper; nay, John himself, when he speaks, in ver. 26. of Christ’s dipping the sop, and giving it to Judas after this, plainly shews that supper was not ended. As the latter part of this 2d verse comes in by way of parenthesis, I have transposed that clause, and inserted it afterwards in ver. 21, to introduce what relates to Judas in the next section; a freedom which will, I hope, be easily excused.
ᵇ There was a contention among them.] I the reasoning above be allowed, we must certainly transpose Luke’s account of this contention about superiority; for none can imagine it should follow immediately after Christ had been giving them so affecting a lesson of humility. But Luke seems less exact in the order of this story than the other evangelists; and particularly relates what passed concerning the person that was to betray him after the Eucharist, though both Matthew and Mark placed before.
s rises from supper, and washes their feet.
with them before his passion: With this design, and in order to shame them out of that ambitious contention which he observed among them, in a more forcible manner than any words alone could do, he riseth from supper;ᶜ and whereas it was only usual for the head of the family at such a time to wash his own hands, he lays aside his upper garments, and taking a towel, tied it round him like a kind of apron: And then pouring water into a large ewer, or sort of cistern commonly used on these occasions, he began himself to wash the feet of [his] disciples, and to wipe [them], after they were thus washed, with the long ends of the linen cloth with which he was girded, which hung down to his feet.
Then, when he had done with those who sat nearest to him, he comes to Simon Peter; and, offering to do the like for him, [Peter] was so affected at his condescending to perform such a mean office, that he says to him, Lord, dost thou go about to wash my feet? It is a thousand times fitter that I should wash thine; nor can I bear to see thee demean thyself thus. Jesus answered and said to him, Thou knowest not now the design of what I am doing, but thou shalt know hereafter; and as I shall presently explain the meaning of this action, so the time will quickly come when many other things in mine undertaking and conduct, much more mysterious than this, shall be cleared up to thee. Yet still Peter refused, and said to him, with more warmth than before, Lord, whatever be the intent of the action, I cannot suffer it by any means, and am determined
ᶜ He riseth from supper.] As it is here asserted that Christ rose from supper, we must allow that, in some sense, supper was begun, that is, as I suppose, the antepast had been taken, which is mentioned by the Jews as preceding the paschal lamb. (See Ainsworth’s note quoted above, note ᶜ, p. 432.) They tell us that it was then usual for the master of the family to wash his hands; and, if I am rightly informed, the Jews continue the custom still. This seems a more natural manner of explaining the clause before us than to suppose, with Grotius, or Vossius (Harm. Evan. lib. i. cap. 14, § 1), or Dr. Edwards (Ex-
ercit. on Luke xxii. 21), that after the paschal lamb they eat another distinct supper, and that this washing happened in the interval between them. Though Vossius is pleased to call this a very little lamb (unu Agniculus), I cannot but think (especially considering how early the ewes year in Judea) that it might be big enough plentifully to sup thirteen people; and as all which remained uneaten till morning was to be burnt (Exod. xii. 10), one cannot suppose that our Lord would be inclined to multiply dishes on this occasion, especially as the former part of the night was to be spent in watching and prayer.
But Peter is unwilling he should wash his feet.
thou shalt never wash my feet. But Jesus answered him, Alas, Peter, that was rashly spoken; for there is a sense in which, if I do not wash thee, thou hast no portion with me; intimating thereby, that if he were not cleansed from sin by his blood and Spirit, he could never partake of the happiness of his people; and that, in the mean time, it became him to submit in this instance to his direction. Upon which, Simon Peter, struck with so awful an admonition, immediately says to him, with that eager affection so natural to his temper, Lord, if this washing is to be a token of my interest in thee, I most gladly acquiesce in it, and am heartily desirous that thou shouldst wash, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head too; for I desire that all my intellectual and all my executive powers may be sanctified by thy grace, and be entirely devoted to thy service.
Then Jesus, willing to lay hold on a hint which gave him an opportunity of pursuing so useful a thought, says further to him, He that is washed already, or that has just been bathing, needs only to wash his feet, which may indeed easily be soiled by the shortest walk, and when that is done, he is entirely clean; as if he should have said, The truly good man needs not that deep repentance and universal change which is absolutely necessary to others, though he should, by renewed acts of penitence and faith, be cleansing himself from smaller pollutions, which are in some degree inseparable from the infirmity of human nature: and, in this sense, I know that you, my apostles, are clean; but yet I must add, You are not all so. For as he was acquainted with the secret dispositions of their hearts, so he knew who would betray him (compare John vi. 64, Vol. I. p. 457); and therefore he said, You are not all clean, because he knew the heart of Judas
He that has been bathing.] This rendering of the word λειψιμινθ or is confirmed by Elsner (Observ. Vol. I. p. 337, 338), and gives as it were a compendious parahrase upon it. Clarius has well observed that, as the ἀποδύτειον, or room in which they dressed themselves after bathing,
was different from that in which the bathed, the feet might be so soiled in walking from one to the other as to make it necessary immediately to wash them again. You are not all clean.] Some have observed that Judas did not decline the honour of having his feet washed by Christ,
his design, an cautions them against ambition.
was polluted with reigning sin, and was so far enslaved under the power of the devil as to have consented to the perpetration of the vilest wickedness.
When therefore he had thus washed their feet, and had taken his upper garments, and put them on, he sat down at the table again, and said to them, Do you know the meaning and design of what I have now been doing to you in the form of a servant? And, to explain the matter, he said to them, I must again remind you of what I formerly told you, but what you seem so ready to forget (see Mat. xx. 25, 26, and Mark x. 42, 43, p. 260), The kings of the Gentiles do indeed lord it over them; and they that exercise the most magisterial and arbitrary authority upon them have a set of flatterers about them who encourage them in it, as an instance of true greatness of mind, and give them the vain title of grand benefactors to nations and men. But you, my disciples, [shall] not [do] thus; for you are to shew yourselves the friends of the world, not by governing, but by serving: be not ambitious therefore in contending for superiority, but let him who is eldest among you be as humble and obliging as if he were the youngest and most dependent of all; and he that presides over the rest in any office of peculiar trust and influence, [let him be] as humble and condescending as a servant. Of this I have now been giving you an instance, which surely you cannot quickly forget: for which of the two is naturally accounted greater by a stranger who happens to come in,
though Peter did; and have considered it as an instance of his pride. But if the discourse between Christ and Peter happened before he came to Judas, it had been indecent for Judas to renew an objection which had just been thus overruled: and if Christ came to Judas before Peter, he might be unwilling to be the first to dispute the point, lest Christ should confound him, by inquiring whether he declined it from a consciousness of any peculiar unworthiness. Guilt naturally suggests such suspicions and precautions.
¶ Have the title of benefactors.] It is indeed possible that our Lord may here refer
to the title of wipfias, given to some of the Ptolemies and Seleucidæ, or to the ambiguity of the Hebrew word ברבים, which (a Beza has observed) signifies both princes and benefactors; but the general sense given in the paraphrase seems to me much more probable, especially on comparing it with the Syriac version, where there is no such ambiguity, though one would most of all have expected it.
¶ Who is eldest among you, &c.] As μυζω is here opposed to νωληφ, the youngest, I render it eldest, as it is rendered Rom. ix. 12. See Gen. xxv. 23; 1 Sam. xvii. 14, Septuag. and compare 1 Kings ii. 22.
He gave them an example to so as he
he that sits at the table, or he that stands and waits upon the guests? Is it not evident that it must be he that sits at the table? But I am among you as one that waits on the rest; and you have just now seen me putting on the form of a servant, and performing to you while you sat at the table one of the lowest offices of menial attendants, in the very garb and posture in which any of the least of them could appear. You call me indeed your Teacher and Lord; and therein you say well; for [so] I am, and such authority have I received of my Father. If therefore I, who am [your] Lord and Master, and whom you know to be a divinely inspired Teacher, have condescended to so mean an office, and have thus washed your feet, and in all other instances have shewn my readiness in love to serve you, surely you also ought to wash one another’s feet, and should be ready to submit to all the humblest offices of mutual friendship. For I have in this instance given you an example, that as I have done to you, you also should do on all proper occasions to one another. And to engage you to the like humility, Verily, verily, I say unto you, as I have formerly said (Luke vi. 48, and Mat. x. 24, Vol. I. p. 305, 415), The servant is not greater than his Lord, nor is the messenger greater than he that sent him; it will therefore very ill become you to disdain any thing which I have not disdained. These are plain instructions, but remember they are capable of
h Performing one of the lowest offices, &c.] This was so to a proverb. See 1 Sam. xxv. 41, and Grotius in loc. Dr. Evans well observes, (Christian Temper, Vol. I. p. 81) that our Lord chose this kind office, though not absolutely necessary in itself, more strongly to impress the minds of his disciples, and to shew that they ought to regard, not only the necessary preservation, but the mutual comfort of each other.
i I have given you an example, &c.] Some have understood these words as ordaining this to be a continued rite among Christians; and Barclay insists in his Apology, (p. 467—470) that this ceremony of washing the feet has as much to recommend
it for a standing ordinance of the gospel as either baptism or the breaking of bread. But though some anciently conceived the practice of it to be thus enjoined (see Dr. Cave’s Primitive Christianity, book ii. chap. 14), and the Moravian churches still retain it; yet as no such rite as this has ever generally prevailed in the Christian world, and as in many places and circumstances it would be an inconvenience rather than a kindness to do it for our friends, I cannot think these words of our Lord, so plainly capable of another sense, are to be interpreted with so much strictness. See Itigii Dissert. de Pedilavio, &c. Into what a farce this is turned at Rome on some occasions may be seen in the Religious Ceremonies of all Nations, Vol. I. p. 417.
Reflections on Christ’s washing his disciples’ feet.
these things, happy being improved to the noblest practical purposes; and if indeed you know these things, and form a right conception of them, you are happy if you practise them: for nothing will conduce more to your honour and comfort than an obedient regard to my instructions and example, especially in all the instances of humility and condescension; but if you neglect to act agreeably to them, your seeing them, and hearing them, will be worse than in vain.
IMPROVEMENT.
WHAT a mournful reflection is it that corrupt nature should still prevail so far, even in the hearts of such pious men as the apostles in the main were, that after so long a converse with Christ they should still be so unlike him, and bring their eager contentions about superiority, in a state of temporal grandeur they were never to see, into the last hours they spent with their Master, and even to one of the most holy and solemn ordinances of religion! Such are the vain dreams of ambition, and with such empty shadows does it amuse the deluded mind.
But let us turn our eyes to him whom we justly call our Teacher and our Lord; for surely, if any thing can effect a cure, it must be actions and words like these. The great Heir of all things, invested with universal dominion, and just returning to his heavenly Father to undertake the administration of it: in what a habit, in what an attitude, do we see him! Whom would a stranger have taken for the lowest of the company, but him who was high over all created nature? Blessed Jesus, it was not so much any personal attachment to these thy servants, as a regard to the edification of thy whole church, which engaged thee to this astonishing action; that all thy ministers, that all thy people, in conformity to thy example, might learn a readiness to serve each other in love!
But why are we so slow to receive this lesson? And why is our practice often so contrary to it? Surely to cleanse us from these dregs of pride and carnality we need in a spiritual sense to be washed by him. Let us gladly submit to that washing, if we desire to secure any part in him. Which of us in this view may not see reason to cry out with Peter, Lord, not our feet only, but also our hands and our head? May our whole nature be thus purified! and, warmly emulous of conforming to so bright an example, may we ever be maintaining a watchfulness over our own spirits; correcting the first appearances of irregularity, and washing away every lightest stain which our feet may contract in this various journey! So shall we be great in the sight and favour of our Master; and, numbering ourselves among the
He commen s his disciples or their aithfulness to him.
least of his servants, shall be distinguished by peculiar honours in proportion to the degree in which we think ourselves mos unworthy of them.
John 13:31
Parallels: Luke 22
Christ, having exhorted his disciples to mutual love, forewarns them of their approaching trial, and foretells Peter’s fall, immediately before the eucharist. Luke XXII. 31-34. John XIII. 31, to the end.
JOHN XIII. 31. SECT. IT was observed in the preceding section clxxi. how Judas, being marked out both by Christ’s actions and his words, quitted the place in a mixture of rage and confusion: when therefore he was thus gone out,² Jesus said to the rest of his disciples as they sat at the table with him, Now is the Son of man just on the point of being glorified far more remarkably than ever; and God in a most illustrious manner is to be glorified in him, by the signal and extraordinary circumstances of his abasement and exaltation. And you may assure yourselves, that if God be glorified in him, God will also glorify him in and with himself, in such a degree as shall in the most convincing manner declare his intimate relation to him; and the time will presently come when he will eminently glorify him: for the Son of man is very shortly to enter on the honours of his celestial and universal kingdom, and in the mean time some rays of Divine glory shall shine through all that cloud of ignominy, reproach, and distress, which shall surround him.
JOHN XIII. 31. THEREFORE when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
² When therefore he was gone out.] The Christ would have commanded him to reader will observe that, if the former rea- drink of the cup, as the blood shed for him soning relating to the order of this part of for the remission of his sins, when he had the story be just, Judas certainly went out just before been declaring in effect that before the eucharist was instituted. And his sins should never be forgiven. indeed one cannot reasonably suppose
He commands his disciples to love one another.
My dear little children, whom I love even with parental tenderness, and whom my heart pities under all your trials and sorrows, it is yet but a very little while longer that I am to continue with you; a few hours more will part us: and when I am gone, ye shall seek me, and wish for my presence and converse; but, as I said to the Jews, that whither I go, ye cannot come (John vii. 34; and viii. 21, p. 52, 67); so now I say to you, Ye cannot as yet come to the place whither I am going. But observe my parting words, and let them be written on your very hearts; for I give it you as a new commandment, and press you by new motives and a new example to duty which hitherto, alas, has been too little regarded; and from henceforth would have you to consider it as confirmed by a new sanction, and to keep it ever fresh in your memories; That ye love one another with a most sincere and ardent affection, such as mankind have never known before; yea, I would now enjoin you, even as I have loved you, that ye also would love one another, with a friendship which may carry you through such difficulties and sufferings as I am going to endure for you all. This will be the most acceptable and the most ornamental token of your relation to me; and I recommend it to you, as the noblest badge of your profession: for by this shall all
b A new commandment.] I apprehend this expression signifies much more than merely a renewed command. (Compare 1 John ii. 7, 8; and 2 John ver. 5.) It seems a strong and lively intimation that the engagements to mutual love, peculiar to the Christian dispensation, are so singular, and so cogent, that all other men, when compared with its votaries, may seem uninstructed in the school of friendship, and Jesus may appear, as it were, the first professor of that Divine science. Jamblicus (Vit. Pythag. cap. 33) seems very injuriously to have preferred the Pythagoreans to all other men on that account; but it may be observed, that both he and Eunapius, like many moderns, seem to have had very little regard to truth when falsehood might cast a slur on Christianity. Dr. Clarke well observes that our Lord seems to have laid this peculiar stress on charity, as foreseeing that general corruption and destruction of true Christianity, which the want of it would
cause among those that should call themselves his church. (Clarke’s Sermons, Vol. III. p. 297.) Raphelius (Annot. ex Xen. p. 137—139) has the best note I ever saw on the passage, though I think it hardly reaches the full spirit of it; in which he shews that Xenophon calls the laws of Lycurgus excelsus vestes, very new laws, several hundred years after they were made; because, though they had been commended by other nations, they had not been practised by them. Perhaps our Lord may here insinuate a reflection, not only on that party spirit which prevailed so much in the Jews, but likewise on the emulations and contentions among the apostles themselves, which mutual love would easily have cured. In this sense it is still a new commandment to us, who generally act as if we had not yet got time to learn, or even to read it.
c The noblest badge of your profession.] It is well known that the founders of ne societies appoint some peculiar ornament
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On Peter’s confidence, Jesus foretells his fall.
men know that you are my disciples indeed, if they see you have that lively and generous love for each other which nothing but my gospel can be sufficient to inspire.
On this Jesus paused, that they might have an opportunity to reflect seriously on the important charge he had given them. And Simon Peter, touched with what he had said of his being ready to go whither they could not come, said to him, Lord, permit us to inquire, whither art thou going? Jesus answered him, I tell thee, Peter, Whither I am going thou canst not directly follow me now; for thou art intended for service in my church for many future years: but let it suffice thee, that thou shalt follow me afterwards in the same way,⁴ and dwell perpetually with me. Peter said to him, in a transport of eager and tender affection, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? Whatever difficulties and dangers may be in the way, the prospect of them does not discourage me; for I will most willingly lay down my life for thy sake, and had much rather die than part with thee.
But Jesus answered him, Wilt thou indeed so readily lay down thy life for my sake? Alas, thou knowest not thine own weakness, or thou wouldst never talk thus confidently.
And the Lord added with great earnestness, and said, O Simon, Simon, I must tell thee, that an hour of terrible trial is just at hand, which will press harder than thou art aware on thee, and on all thy companions here: for behold, Satan, as in the case of Job (Job ii. 4, 5), has requested of God a permission [to assault] you all by furious and violent temptations, that he may toss you up and down, and sift [you] like wheat in a sieve. (Compare Amos ix. 9.) But I, foreseeing the danger to which thou, Peter, wilt peculiarly be exposed, have graciously prevented thee with the tokens of my
sign, or mode of living, by which their followers may be known from others. This seems to be here alluded to.
⁴ Thou shalt follow me afterwards.] I am ready to think our Lord here obliquely hints at what he afterwards farther signi-
fied in his command to Peter after his resurrection, when he ordered him to follow him; (John xxi. 18, 19, sect. cci.) namely, that Peter should die on the cross for his sake; which ancient history assures us that he did. See Euseb. Hist. Eccles. lib. iii. cap. 1.
e ore coc crowing e would deny him thrice.
friendly care, and have prayed to my Father for thee, that he would communicate to thee such supplies of grace that thy faith may not utterly fail, and sink under the violent shock it is to receive: and let me now exhort thee, that when thou art returned from those wanderings, into which I know thou wilt fall, to the paths of wisdom and duty, thou wouldst be sure to make it thine immediate care to strengthen thy brethren; and do thine utmost, all the remainder of thy days, to engage all over whom thou hast any influence, to a steady adherence to my cause, in the midst of the greatest difficulties.
And such was still the confidence that Peter had of his own stedfastness and zeal, that he said to him, with renewed eagerness and warmth, Lord, what I said but now is the deliberate sentiment and resolution of my heart: lead me therefore whither thou pleasest: for I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death itself, and whatsoever I may suffer by continuing with thee, none of the most cruel of thine enemies shall ever be able to part us.
But Jesus, that he might convince him of his weakness, and prevent his ever trusting in his own heart again, said to him, Peter, I know the sincerity of thine intention, yet I most assuredly say unto thee, It shall not be the time of cock crowing today, before thou shalt be so terrified at the faces of these enemies whom
• When thou art returned, &c.] Και ον σ’ Εις επιτρεψεις, σ’ ποιησ’ τ’ εις αδ’ εφ’ εις σ’ . I cannot think the authorities which the learned Elsner produces (Observ. Vol. I. p. 276, 277) sufficient to induce us, with Sir Norton Knatchbull, to translate these words, Do thou, some time or other, convert and strengthen thy brethren. For the signification of επιτρεψεις, see Acts ix. 35; xi. 21; xiv. 15.
• Make it thine immediate care, &c.] I can see no objection against taking the charge in this comprehensive sense; and as I question not but Peter, after he had kept his fall so bitterly, as we know he did, applied himself to rally his dispersed brethren, and to prevent their fleeing from Jerusalem, till the third day was over, in the morning of which he was up betimes, and early at the sepulchre of our Lord. (See John xx. 2, 3, sect. cxciv.) So indeed
the strain of his epistles shews his long and affectionate remembrance of this solemn charge. Many passages of the first are peculiarly intended to animate his Christian brethren to a courageous adherence to Christ amidst the greatest dangers, 1 Pet. i. 6, 7; ii. 19, 20; iii. 14—18; iv. 12—19; v. 8, 9, 10; and the second has several cautions to guard them against the seductions of error, in some instances more to be dreaded than the terrors of the severest persecution. 2 Pet. i. 10, 12; ii. 1, 2, 20, 21; iii. 2, 17.
• It shall not be the time of cock crowing today] A careful perusal of sect. clxxxi. compared with this, will shew why I have not here brought in the account which Matthew and Mark have given us of Christ’s admonitions to Peter and his brethren on this head; which appear to be the renewal of this some hours after.
Reflections on Christ’s care of his disciples.
thou now defiest, that thou shalt thrice deny that fore that thou shalt clxxi. thou so much as knowest me, and shalt solemnly thrice deny that Luke disclaim all regard to me. (Compare Mat. thou knowest me. xxii. xxvi. 34, and Mark xiv. 30, sect. clxxxi.) 34
IMPROVEMENT.
Luke ALAS, how ready are we to forget ourselves; and how much xxii. safer are we in Christ’s hands than in our own! How frequently 33 do we resolve like Peter, and in how many instances do we fall 31 like him! We see the malice of Satan, and how eagerly he desired to try the apostles, and even to sift them as wheat: we see also the gracious care of our Redeemer, who, foreseeing the danger of his servants, laid in an unsought remedy, to which they respectively owed their security or their recovery.
32— Let us rejoice that the great enemy is under such restraints, and can have no power against us, unless by permission from above. Let us rejoice that Christ is a constant and invariable Friend to his people; and still appears as an Advocate with the Father, and as a tender faithful Shepherd, watching over them for good, while Satan is seeking to devour them. (1 Pet. v. 8.) If at any time that adversary get an advantage over us, let us endeavour in the strength of Divine grace an immediate recov- —32 ery; and when restored, let us exert ourselves to strengthen our brethren: for surely it is most reasonable that we, who are surrounded with such various, and such sensible infirmities, should have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way. (Heb. v. 2.)
John In this instance, as in all others, let us be mindful of the xiii. dying charge, the new commandment of our dear Lord; and let 34 us shew upon all occasions this distinguishing badge of our relation to him, even our love to each other. So will our profession 31 be adorned, and the Son of man be farther glorified, by the conduct of his servants on earth: so shall he at length glorify us 36 with himself, and after a short absence call us to follow him into those regions of perfect love which must of course be the seats of everlasting joy.
In the mean time, send down, O gracious Immanuel, thy Spirit of love on all thy followers; that we may no longer glory in
As it is plain from thence and the event, that the cock actually crew before Peter’s third denial, we must certainly take the words of Luke and John, as in this version, for the common time of cock crowing, which probably did not come till after the cock which Peter heard had crowed the second time, and perhaps oftener. For it is well
known those vigilant animals, on any little disturbance, often crow at midnight, or before it; though they do not come from their roost till about three in the morning, which was usually called the cock crowing. (Mark xiii. 35.) See Dr. Whitby’s Note on Mat. xxvi. 34.
Christ, after supper, institutes the eucharist.
the little distinctions of this or that party, but may shew we are Christians by this resplendent ensign of our order! May we bind it on our shoulders as a mark of honour, and wear it as a crown upon our heads; that the spirit of hatred, reproach, and persecution may vanish like an unwholesome mist before the sun, and it may again be universally said, as of old, Behold, how these Christians love one another! Amen.