Barnes' New Testament Notes
Notes on the New Testament
Explanatory and Practical
Part 34
By Albert Barnes
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 1
Verse 1. The feast of the passover. See Barnes "Mt 26:2, See Barnes "Mt 26:17".
His hour was come. The hour appointed in the purpose of God for him to die, Joh 12:27. Having loved his own. Having given to them decisive and constant proofs of his love. This was done by his calling them to follow him; by patiently teaching them; by bearing with their errors and weaknesses; and by making them the heralds of his truth and the heirs of eternal life.
He loved them unto the end. That is, he continued the proofs of his love until he was taken away from them by death. Instances of that love John proceeds immediately to record in his washing their feet and in the institution of the Supper. We may remark that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and for ever. He does not change; he always loves the same traits of character; nor does he withdraw his love from the soul. If his people walk in darkness and wander from him, the fault is theirs, not his. His is the character of a friend that never leaves or forsakes us; a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Ps 37:28: "The Lord forsaketh not his saints." Isa 49:14-17; Pr 18:24.
{a} "Now before the feast" Mt 26:2
{b} "his hour was come" Joh 17:1,11
{c} "having loved his own" Jer 31:3; Eph 5:2; 1 Jo 4:12; Re 1:5
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 2
Verse 2. Supper being ended. This translation expresses too much. The original means while they were at supper; and that this is the meaning is clear from the fact that we find them still eating after this. The Arabic and Persic translations give it this meaning. The Latin Vulgate renders it like the English.
The devil. The leader or prince of evil spirits.
Having now put it into the heart. Literally, having cast it into the heart. Comp. Eph 6:16: "The fiery darts of the wicked." See Ac 5:3; Lu 22:3. The meaning of this passage is that Satan inclined the mind of Judas to do this, or he tempted him to betray his Master. We know not precisely how this was done, but we know that it was by means of his avarice. Satan could tempt no one unless there was some inclination of the mind, some natural or depraved propensity that he could make use of. He presents objects in alluring forms fitted to that propensity, and under the influence of a strong or a corrupt inclination the soul yields to sin. In the case of Judas it was the love of money; and it was necessary to present to him only the possibility of obtaining money, and it found him ready for any crime.
{d} "the devil" Lu 22:3,53; Joh 6:70
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 3
Verse 3. Jesus knowing, &c. With the full understanding of his dignity and elevation of character, he yet condescended to wash their feet. The evangelist introduces his washing their feet by saying that he was fully conscious of his elevation above them, as being intrusted with all things, and this made his humiliation the more striking and remarkable. Had he been a mere human teacher or a prophet, it would have been remarkable; but when we remember the dignity of his nature, it shows how low he would stoop to teach and save his people.
Had given all things, &c. See Barnes "Mt 28:18".
Was come from God. See Barnes "Joh 8:42".
Went to God. Was about to return to heaven. See Joh 6:61,62.
{e} "knowing that the Father" Mt 28:18; He 2:8
{f} "he was come from God" Joh 17:11
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 4
Verse 4. He riseth from supper. Evidently while they were eating. See Joh 13:2.
Laid aside his garments. His outer garment. See Barnes "Mt 5:40".
This was his mantle or robe, which is said to have been without seam. It was customary to lay this aside when they worked or ran, or in the heat of summer.
Took a towel and girded himself. This was the manner of a servant or slave. See Barnes "Lu 17:8"
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 5
Verse 5. Began to wash, &c. It was uniformly the office of a servant to wash the feet of guests, 1 Sa 25:41. It became a matter of necessity where they travelled without shoes, and where they reclined on couches at meals. It should be remembered here that the disciples were not sitting at the table, as we do, but were lying with their feet extended from the table, so that Jesus could easily have access to them. See Barnes "Mt 23:6".
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 6
Verse 6. Dost thou wash my feet? Every word here is emphatic. Dost thou— the Son of God, the Messiah—perform the humble office of a servant—toward me, a sinner? This was an expression of Peter's humility, of his reverence for Jesus, and also a refusal to allow him to do it. It is possible, though not certain from the text, that he came to Simon Peter first.
{1} "Peter", or "he"
{g} "dost thou wash my feet" Mt 3:14
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 7
Verse 7. Thou knowest not now. Though he saw the action of Jesus, yet he did not fully understand the design of it. It was a symbolical action, inculcating a lesson of humility, and intended to teach it to them in such a manner that it would be impossible for them ever to forget it. Had he simply commanded them to be humble, it would have been far less forcible and impressive than when they saw him actually performing the office of a servant.
Shalt know hereafter. Jesus at that time partially explained it (Joh 13:14,15); but he was teaching them by this expressive act a lesson which they would continue to learn all their lives. Every day they would see more and more the necessity of humility and of kindness to each other, and would see that they were the servants of Christ and of the church, and ought not to aspire to honours and offices, but to be willing to perform the humblest service to benefit the world. And we may remark here that God often does things which we do not fully understand now, but which we may hereafter. He often afflicts us; he disappoints us; he frustrates our plans. Why it is we do not know now, but we yet shall learn that it was for our good, and designed to teach us some important lesson of humility and piety. So he will, in heaven, scatter all doubts, remove all difficulties, and show us the reason of the whole of his mysterious dealings in his leading us in the way to our future rest. We ought also, in view of this, to submit ourselves to him; to hush every murmur, and to believe that he does all things well. It is one evidence of piety when we are willing to receive affliction at the hand of God, the reason of which we cannot see, content with the belief that we may see it hereafter; or, even if we never do, still having so much confidence in God as to believe that WHAT HE DOES IS RIGHT.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 8
Verse 8. Thou shalt never wash my feet. This was a decided and firm expression of his reverence for his Mater, and yet it was improper. Jesus had just declared that it had a meaning, and that he ought to submit to it. We should yield to all the plain and positive requirements of God, even if we cannot now see how obedience would promote his glory.
If I wash thee not. This had immediate reference to the act of washing his feet; and it denotes that if Peter had not so much confidence in him as to believe that an act which he performed was proper, though he could not see its propriety—if he was not willing to submit his will to that of Christ and implicitly obey him, he had no evidence of piety. As Christ, however, was accustomed to pass from temporal and sensible objects to those which were spiritual, and to draw instruction from whatever was before him, some have supposed that he here took occasion to state to Peter that if his soul was not made pure by him he could not be his follower. Washing is often thus put as an emblem of moral purification, 1 Co 6:11; Tit 3:5, 6.
This is the meaning, also, of baptism. If this was the sense in which Jesus used these words, it denotes that unless Christ should purify Peter, he could have no evidence that he was his disciple. "Unless by my doctrine and spirit I shall purify you, and remove your pride (Mt 26:33), your want of constant watchfulness (Mt 26:40), your anger (Mt 26:51), your timidity and fear (Mt 26:70,74), you can have no part in me" (Grotius).
Hast no part with me. Nothing in common with me. No evidence of possessing my spirit, of being interested in my work, and no participation in my glory:
{h} "If I wash thee not" 1 Co 6:11; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 9
Verse 9. Not my feet only, &c. Peter, with characteristic readiness and ardour, saw now that everything depended on this. His whole salvation, the entire question of his attachment to his Master, was involved. If to refuse to have his feet washed was to be regarded as evidence that he had no part with Jesus, he was not only willing, but desirous that it should be done; not only anxious that his feet should be cleansed, but his hands and his head—that is, that he should be cleansed entirely, thoroughly. Perhaps he saw the spiritual meaning of the Saviour, and expressed his ardent wish that his whole soul might be made pure by the work of Christ. A true Christian is desirous of being cleansed from all sin. He has no reserve. He wishes not merely that one evil propensity should be removed, but all; that every thought should be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ (2 Co 10:5); and that his whole body, soul, and spirit
should be sanctified wholly and be preserved blameless unto the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Th 5:23. His intellect, his will, his affections, his fancy, memory, judgment, he desires should be all brought under the influence of the gospel, and every power of the body and mind be consecrated unto God.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 10
Verse 10. He that is washed. This is a difficult passage, and interpreters have been divided about its meaning. Some have supposed that it was customary to bathe before eating the paschal supper, and that the apostles did it; Jesus having said, "he that hath bathed his body is clean except in regard to his feet—to the dirt contracted in returning from the bath, and that there was need only that the feet should be washed in order to prepare them properly to receive the supper." They suppose, also, that the lesson which Jesus meant to teach was that they were really pure (Joh 15:3); that they were qualified to partake of the ordinances of religion, and needed only to be purified from occasional blemishes and impurities (Grotius). Others say that there is not evidence that the Jews bathed before partaking of the paschal supper, but that reference is made to the custom of washing their hands and their face. It is known that this was practised. See Barnes "Mt 15:2".
See Barnes "Mr 7:3".
See Barnes "Mr 7:4".
Peter had requested him to wash his hands and his head. Jesus told him that as that had been done, it was unnecessary to repeat it; but to wash the feet was an act of hospitality, the office of a servant, and that all that was needed now was for him to show this condescension and humility. Probably reference is had here to internal purity, as Jesus was fond of drawing illustrations from every quarter to teach them spiritual doctrine; as if he had said, "You are clean by my word and ministry Joh 15:3; you are my followers, and are prepared for the scene before you. But one thing remains. And as, when we come to this rite, having washed, there remains no need of washing except to wash the feet, so there is now nothing remaining but for me to show you an example that you will always remember, and that shall complete my public instructions to you."
Is clean. This word may apply to the body or the soul.
Every whit. Altogether, wholly.
Ye are clean. Here the word has doubtless reference to the mind and heart.
But not all. You are not all my true followers, and fitted for the ordinance before us.
{i} "For he knew" Joh 6:64
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 11
Verse 11. Who should betray him. Greek, "He knew him who was about to betray him."
{i} "For, he knew" Joh 6:64
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 12
Verse 12. Know ye what, &c. Do you know the meaning or design of what I have done unto you?
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 13
Verse 13. Ye call me Master. Teacher.
And Lord. This word is applied to one who rules, and is often given to God as being the
Proprietor and Ruler of all things. It is given to Christ many hundred times in the New Testament,
Ye say well, &c. Mt 23:8,10.
So I am. That is, he was their Teacher and Instructor, and he was their Sovereign and King.
{k} "call me Master and Lord" Mt 23:8-10; Php 2:11.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN - Chapter 13 - Verse 14
Verses 14,15. Ye also ought to wash, &c. Some have understood this literally as instituting a religious rite which we ought to observe; but this was evidently not the design; for,
1st. There is not evidence that Jesus intended it as a religious observance, like the Lord's Supper or the ordinance of baptism.