John Calvin Commentary John 13:20

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." — John 13:20 (ASV)

Verily, verily, I tell you. In these words, either the Evangelist relates a discourse on a different subject and in a broken and imperfect state, or Christ intended to address the offense likely to arise from the crime of Judas. For the Evangelists do not always present Christ's discourses in unbroken succession, but sometimes bring together various statements, not always in a strictly ordered or continuous manner.

It is more probable, however, that Christ intended to guard against this scandal. There is ample evidence that we are very susceptible to being harmed by bad examples; for, as a result, the defection of one person inflicts a deadly wound on two hundred others, while the steadfastness of ten or twenty godly people hardly edifies a single individual. For this reason, while Christ was placing such a monster before His disciples' eyes, it was also necessary for Him to extend His hand to them, lest, struck by the shocking nature of this event, they should falter.

Nor was it only on their account that He said this, but He also considered the benefit of those who would come later. Otherwise, the memory of Judas might, even today, do us serious harm. When the devil cannot alienate us from Christ through hatred of His doctrine, he stirs up either dislike or contempt for the ministers themselves.

Now, this admonition from Christ shows that it is unreasonable for the impiety of anyone whose conduct is wicked or unfitting for their office to diminish in any way the apostolic authority. The reason is that we should contemplate God, the Author of the ministry, in whom we certainly find nothing we have a right to despise. Next, we should contemplate Christ, who, having been appointed by the Father as the only Teacher, speaks through His apostles. Whoever, then, refuses to receive the ministers of the Gospel rejects Christ in them, and rejects God in Christ.

The Papists behave in a foolish and ridiculous manner when they try to claim this honor for themselves in order to display their tyranny. For, in the first place, they adorn themselves with begged and borrowed feathers, bearing no resemblance to Christ's apostles. Secondly, even if we were to grant that they are apostles, nothing was further from Christ's intention in this passage than to transfer His own authority to men. For what else is it to receive those whom Christ sends, but to make way for them so that they may fulfill the office that has been entrusted to them?