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THE KING’S BUSINESS
he himself thought he knew it all now (v. 7). But air the sad things in Peter as here pictured to us are offset by his prompt and eager repentance (v. 9). Jesus pronounced all of the apostolic company, except the one who should betray Him as already clean, i. e., regenerate (cf. Jno. 15:3; 1 Pet. 1:23). But although already regenerate through the words which Jesus had already spoken unto them, they would come in daily contact with the defiling world, so while they would not need to be bathed again, i. e., regenerated again, they would need a daily cleansing from the con tamination that camé from contact with the world. It was a question calculated to provoke deep thought which Jesus put to His dis ciples when He had finished washing their feet, “Know ye what I have done unto you?” They did not know; indeed jt was some time before they understood the fyill meaning of His act, and little do we under stand oftentimes what it is the Lord has done to us. What the Lord had really done for them was not merely to remove the dirt from their travel-stained feet, but to set an example whereby He would remove the dirt, of pride and self-seeking and self- sparing from their sin-stained souls. There was great need of this example of humility and service at that time, for right then they were having a quarrel among themselves as to who should be counted greatest (Luke 22:24). Greatly did they need to be taught to take the lowly place of service rather than seek the exalted place ofTionor. But just as greatly do we need to be taught the same lesson today. The strife for the highest place ever goes !on in the church as well as in the world. If to us also this temptation has come, let us look at Jesus as He appears in this chapter. We call Him “Master,” and “Lord,” and we do well to call Him so, for He is both “Master” and “Lord.” But if we call Him so,* let us not play the hypocrite, but let us rather make Him in our lives what we call Him Tuesday, July 18 . | John 13 : 12 - 17 ,
with our lips. If He, our “Lord” and “Master” performed the lowli.est and most menial service for those under Him, we too must stand ready to perform the low liest service for all others, including those who are under us. Are we ready to do it? Oh! some 'of us rebel if men do not give us the honor and respect and place that we think are our due. Let us be done with this sort of thing and hot seek honor and deference for ourselves, but let us rather seek to do service for others, then we shall have the right to call Jesus “Master” and ' “Lord.” But if we seek honor rather than to be humbly useful, we shall have no right to call Jesus “Master” and "Lord.” How deep an impression this made upon the mind of Peter is evident from his striking allusion to it in his first epistle (1 Pet. 5:5, R. V.). This reference in the epistle is a strong internal evidence that the first epistle ascribed to Peter, really was writ ten by him.. “The servant is not greater than his lord,” so every Christian should be satisfied with a lot as Jowly as that of his Lord. Yet how often we see professed servants of the Lord Jesus assuming a dig nity and a greatness that our Master Him self discarded. “If ye know these things,” said Jesus, “blessed are ye if ye do them.” Yes, blessed indeed if we "do them.” It is not the mere knowledge of these truths that bring blessedness, but the practice of them; The practice of Christlike humility in serv ice brings blessedness in the heart. Wednesday, July 19 . John ■ 13 : 18 - 30 , One of the bitterest drops in the cup that our Lord had to drink was that one belonging to the innermost circle of Hjs chosen friends should betray Him (cf. Ps. 41:9; 55:12-14). Jesus loved Judas, and as Judas, ensnared by Satan through ambi tion and covetousness, drifted farther and farther away in heart from the love and loyalty to Christ that marked the early days of his discipleship, there was a growing pain over him in the heart of Jesus. And now as He-sees his treason so fast ripen ing to its awful fruitage Jesus was trou-
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