John 15

John 15:1

We have heard out of the law that Christ abideth for ever. The multitude were perplexed. Their idea of the Messiah was an eternal king. Now he spoke of death.

John 15:2

Yet a little while is the light with you. He refuses to answer their questions directly, but imparts to them needed truths. The light was then present with them. Let them seek the light and walk in it while they had opportunity. The opportunity might soon pass away and the darkness come.

John 15:3

Believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. That they might receive the light of the Light of the world they must believe on him.

John 15:4

Yet they believed not on him. They had a kind of intellectual faith, but were filled with doubts when they could not understand. There was no real trust.

John 15:5

The saying of Esaias the prophet. See PNT Matthew 13:14. They were blinded because they closed their eyes, and God’s law is that those who “will” not see, “shall” not see.

John 15:9

Among the chief rulers also many believed on him. Members of the Sanhedrin. We have the names of two, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. See John 19:38,39. They did not confess [him]. For fear of excommunication. The Pharisees had decided to excommunicate those who did. See John 9:22. The two rulers just named afterwards became bolder.

John 15:14

I judge him not. He shall sit on the throne of judgment, not to condemn the world he came to save. The words he left in the world will decide the destiny of every man. All shall be “judged by the things written in the books” (Revelation 20:12).

John 15:19

The Lord Washes the Disciples’ Feet SUMMARY OF JOHN 13: The Passover Meal. The Lord Washes the Disciples’ Feet. The Traitor Pointed Out. The Departure of Judas. The Discourse to the Disciples. Peter Warned. Now before the feast of the passover. Immediately before, just as Christ was about to sit down with his disciples to the paschal feast. Jesus knew that his hour was come. The scenes of this hour were in immediate view of the cross. On the next day the Lord was crucified.

John 15:20

Supper being ended. The Revised Version says, “During the Supper”. It is likely that Christ arose near the beginning of the feast, washed the feet, and then sat down again to the feast. See John 13:12. The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot. The devil planted the seed, but the soil of his heart was ready. The devil has no power except where there is preparation for him. The covetous disposition of Judas had prepared the way.

John 15:21

Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands. It was with a full consciousness of his divinity, of his divine power and majesty, of the glory that he had and would enjoy with God, that he stooped to the menial office that he was about to fill.

John 15:22

He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments. Shortly after they had sat down to the table, he arose, laid aside his outer robe, girded a towel upon him, and began the lowly office of washing the feet of twelve men, without a word of explanation. Something more than ordinary must have caused so remarkable an act. The fact that the cause has been lost sight of, has caused many to misunderstand the significance, and to think the Savior was instituting a church ceremonial, rather than giving a deep, practical, spiritual lesson for all ages. I will endeavor to explain the circumstances: (1) The disciples still expected the immediate manifestation of the kingdom. When they sat down to this Supper they felt it was a kind of state occasion, and a strife arose among them for precedence.

Each wanted the “chief seat at the feast” (compare Mr 12:39). An account of this unseemly controversy over the old question, “Who should be greatest”? is found in Lu 22:24-30. (2) Their sandals had been laid off according to custom. They sat down to the table with dry and dusty feet, but no one brought water to wash their feet, an eastern duty of hospitality made necessary by their hot, dusty climate. No apostle volunteered to attend to the office, the duty of a servant. (3) Then, while they were filled with their ambitious, envious feelings, and had engaged in strife right at the Lord’s table, after waiting long enough to have it shown that no one would condescend to the menial, but needful duty, the Lord, full of conscious divinity, arose, girded on the towel, and began the office. A rebuke to their ambitious strife, far more powerful than words could have spoken: such a rebuke that never again do we see a hint of the old question, “Who should be greatest”? It was Christ’s answer to their unseemly conduct, and a lesson to those Christians “who love the pre-eminence” (3 John 1:9) for all time.

It said, “Let him that would be greatest become the servant of all” (Mr 10:44).

John 15:24

Lord, dost thou wash my feet? The language of Peter is that of confusion, of astonishment and of remonstrance. The emphasis is on the word “thou”.

John 15:26

If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Washing, with the Jews, was a symbolical act, signifying purification from uncleanliness. That Christ referred to more than a washing with water was understood by Peter as is evident from his reply. Christ could only wash with blood the obedient.