Charles Spurgeon Commentary John 13

Now before the feast of the passover,—

Or, just as it was about to begin,—

When Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

That is a very beautiful description of Christ's death: His hour was that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, – just as though he was merely going on a journey, leaving one land for another. If this is a fair description of such a stormy passage as that of our Lord Jesus, who died for our sins upon Calvary's cross, it must with equal truth describe the death of any of the children of God.

There is also an appointed time for us to depart, and to be with Christ which is far better than remaining here. The loosening of the cable, the spreading of the sail, the crossing over the narrow sea, the coming to the eternal haven, and the abiding there – what Christian heart needs to dread this?

How much better it is even to look forward to it with ardent anticipation! Think much of the abiding love of Christ: Having loved his own – his by election, his by redemption, for he regarded that as already done which was about to be accomplished – Having loved his own which were in the world, – not yet in heaven, but still in the midst of trial, still imperfect, even as you and I are – he loved them unto the end, or "unto the perfection," as it might be rendered.

The Alpha of his love, which we find in eternity, bids us believe that we shall find the Omega of it nowhere but there.

And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

Notice the wonderful contrast revealed to us in these verses. Our Lord Jesus Christ had a very vivid realization that he had come from God, and was going back to God, and that all things had been given into his hand. Yet, while he knew that, and had a more than ordinary consciousness of his own dignified nature and position, he condescended to wash his disciples' feet.

Though many years elapsed between the event and the time when John recorded it, all the details seem to have been still present in his memory, so that he distinctly mentions each separate act: he riseth from supper, and layeth aside his upper garment, and taketh a towel, and girdeth himself.

Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

Our Lord Jesus Christ had a clear foresight of all he had to endure. Future things are happily hidden from our eyes. We do not even know the moment when we shall die, nor how it will be. It is well that it is so, but our Lord was able to anticipate his sufferings by knowing all about them: Jesus knew that his hour was come.

It was all appointed, and nothing happens to any of us by accident; chance is banished from the believer's creed. There is an appointed "hour" for each one of us, and it will come in due season.

Jesus knew that his hour was come, that he should depart out of the world unto the Father. What a beautiful way of describing death! Christ's death was certainly a more trying one than ours will be, so that this description may apply to ours as well as to his.

And supper being ended,

I suppose that was the Paschal supper.

The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;

What a horrible purpose for Satan to put into the heart of Judas even in the presence of Jesus! I hope that the devil will not put any such purpose into your hearts or into mine while we are in this house of prayer, but no place is sacred from his intrusion; he will come in anywhere. Even where Christ himself is at the head of the table, Judas may be sitting at that same table, and Satan may then and there put into his heart the horrible purpose of betraying his Master.

Jesus knowing that the Father given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God, He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

Notice those words, "Jesus knowing,... he took a towel, and girded himself." If he had not known how great he was, there would not have been such condescension in his action. But he knew who he was, and what the Father had entrusted to him: The Father had given all things into his hands.

You might suppose that he would rise up, in a very dignified manner, and put on a purple robe and a golden girdle. But, instead of that, he rose from the supper table, laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself.

He knew that he had come forth from God and that he was going back to God, and he performed this action on the way home to his Father.

O dear brothers and sisters, if Christ so stooped, how humble we ought to be! No office should be counted too lowly, no work for his servants should seem to be too humiliating, since Jesus took a towel, and girded himself.