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THE KING’ S BUSINESS
and hours o f the Master’s earthly life will be spent in the training o f the twelve for their future work. 2. The foot-washing scene, 13:2-20. Here Christ is seen as the Servant o f both God and man. It is necessary, in order to understand this scene, to know the events which led up to it—the jealousy and discussion o f the disciples (cf, Luke 22:24- 26, also 9:46-48). The lesson inculcated in the action o f the Master is that o f hum ble service (cf. 13r3, 12-16; 1 Peter 5:5 ). The mistake o f Peter in refusing to allow Christ, to wash his feet brings out the important lesson that there need be no repe tition in the matter o f confessing past sin. He who is once "forgiven needs only to con fess the daily transgressions (1 John 1:7-9). 3. The exit o f Judas, 13:21-30. What a lesson in the growth o f sin we have in this incident (cf. 13:2, 27; Janies 1:13-15). For light on the character of •Judas compare John 12:4-6; 6:70, 71; Matthew 26:15, 25, 48, 49; 27:4; Acts 1:15-20). How kindly Jesus dealt with Judas (warned him, cf. 6:70, 71; 13:10, 18, 26-29; Luke 22 :48—Jesus spoke five times o f Judas in the night o f betrayal, yet Judas persisted in his sin). Christ’s tone o f voice was so kindly that the disciples did not infer Judas’ guilt from it. The place o f Judas in prophecy is seen in Psalms 41, 109. God’s foreknowledge is no excuse for the sinfulness o f man, and is never used to the disadvantage o f a soul. What a sad lesson we learn from this nar rative ! A man may be so near to Christ, and yet lost! 1 7 : 26 . The purpose o f this discourse is two fold : Consolation and instruction—to com fort the disciples because o f the departure o f Christ, and to assure them o f all needed help and strength for their future work m the person and work o f the Holy Spirit. II.
B. THE SELF-MANIFESTATION OF JESUS TO HIS DISCIPLES, 13:1-17:36. The self-manifestation o f Jesui to the world (cc. 1-12) is finished. Its results were rejection o f the Christ as life, light, love, hope, and truth (12:36-50). We have already seen traced for us the begin ning and growth o f unbelief from secret murmuring to open and virulent opposition, culminating in the plot to kill Jesus (1 1 :47- 53). The self-manifestation o f Jesus to the world having been by it rejected, Jesus now hides Himself (12:36, 37), and makes no further public presentation before the world for its acceptance. At this point Christ begins the deeper revelation o f Himself and His purposes to the chosen disciples—the men to whom He intends to commit now the interests of the kingdom which He came into the world to establish. To the training o f the twelve disciples Christ now devotes Himself for the brief period He will yet remain upon the earth. These chapters (13-17) have been called the Holy of Holies o f the Master’s life and teaching. Here, as probably nowhere else, does the Saviour disclose His heart’s deep est thoughts, desires and purposes; here,- in a special sense, Christ is glorified in His own. The events o f chapters 1-12 cover over three years; these five chapters (13-17) occupy the last evening o f our Lord’s life; they constitute His parting discourse and prayer with “His own.” I. The events preceding the last dis course, 1 3 : 1 - 30 . 1. Introductory statement to the whole discourse, 13:1. The opening verse o f chapter 13 desig nates those to whom this self-manifesta tion o f Jesus is to be made. They are “His own,” by whom, o f course, are meant the circle o f the twelve. As we have seen in chapter 12, Christ’s manifestation to the world is concluded. The remaining days
The last discourse itself, 1 3 : 3 1 -
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