A Paraphrase on the New Testament, John · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII.
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.
1. The foreknowledge of his approaching departure to the Father, cauſed him in this ſpecial manner to ſhew his love to his diſciples.
2. And Supper being ended, (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iſcariot, Simons ſon, to betray him.)
2. N. Sin is the off-ſpring of a wicked heart and the devil together.
3. Jeſus kowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God: 4. He riſeth from Supper, and laid aſide his garments, and took a tower and girded himſelf. 5. After that he powred water into a baſon and began to waſh the diſciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
3. Jeſus knowing that he was preſently to take poſſeſſion of his univerſal dominion, and return to God from whom he came, did humble himſelf to this work of LOVE and SERVICE, for an example to them; He riſeth from Supper, &c.
N. What is meant by Chriſts coming from God, is before opened.
6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter ſaith unto him, Lord, doeſt thou waſh my feet. 7. Jeſus anſwered and ſaid unto him What I do thou knoweſt not now, but thou ſhalt know hereafter.
6, 7. N. 1. We muſt not refuſe Gods Mercies on pretence of humility or unworthineſs. 2, We muſt obediently ſubmit to thoſe commands and dealings of God, the reaſon of which we cannot yet underſtand, becauſe it is Gods will, and we ſhall underſtand them hereafter.
8. Peter ſaith unto him, Thou ſhalt never waſh my feet. Jeſus anſwered him, If I waſh thee not, thou haſt no part in me. 9. Simon Peter ſaith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but alſo my hands and my head.
8, 9. N. 1. It was Peters raſhneſs to reſolve againſt that which he underſtood not. 2. Chriſt waſheth all that have part in him from the guilt and filth of ſin. 3. It's lawful and a duty to change a purpoſe taken up upon miſtakes, and to break that word which did but expreſs ſuch a purpoſe: There are three ſorts of affirming words. 1. Aſſertious ſaying, This or that is true, or is not true: To violate theſe wilfully is Lying; and in witneſs bearing it is a heynous Sin. We muſt aſſert nothing but truth.
2. Promiſes: Which if made to God, are Vows: if to man, it giveth them right to what what we promiſe. Theſe bind us as far as we had power to make them: And if we had ſuch power, and it be about lawful things, we may not break them: without his conſent to whom the promiſe was made, or ſome one that hath full power over him in that concern.
3. There is a Pollicitation, or rather, a bare utterance of a mans reſolution, As [This or that I will do or give, &c.] This ever in all rational men ſuppoſeth many conditions, As [if God will] [if I live and be able,] [If the change of things alter not my caſe.] If I find not my Reaſon miſtaken, &c.] No Chriſtian may be ſuppoſed to ſay [I will do this whether God will or not: whether I live or die: whatever befal me, or though I find that my Reaſon is an error: As in all ſuch caſes it is a duty to change a reſolution, ſo it is a duty to go againſt that word by which we expreſt our Reſolution: to change mind▪ word and work for the better, is a duty. So Peter doth here.
10. Jeſus ſaith to him, He that is waſhed, needeth not ſave to waſh his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11. For he knew who ſhould betray him; therefore ſaid he, Ye are not all clean.
10, 11. The waſhing of the feet only may be as ſufficient a ceremony to ſignifie your cleanſing as if I had waſht you all over. I have done this according to the cuſtome of this Countrey, where with going bare leg'd the feet gather duſt, to ſhew you that as you have need of daily cleanſing from the pollution that you are liable to gather from this world, ſo I am he that condeſcend to cleanſe you from it, &c.
12. So after he had waſhed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was ſet down again, he ſaid unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13. Ye call me Maſter, and Lord, and ye ſay well: for ſo I am. 14. If I then your Lord and Maſter, have waſhed your feet, ye alſo ought to waſh one anothers feet. 15. For I have given you an example, that ye ſhould do as I have done to you.
12, 13, 14, 15. Knowing what pride and uncharitableneſs mans nature is capable of, and what muſt be the ſpirit and life of my Miniſters, I have given you this example to teach you to ſtoop to the feet of the loweſt, to the loweſt offices of Love and Service: and now if you or any of my Miniſters ſhall either diſdain this by pride, and inſtead of it domineer, and menace, or perſecute the weak, or by ſloth or uncharitableneſs neglect ſuch Miniſterial offices of Love, my example ſhall condemn all ſuch.
16. Verily, verily I ſay unto you, The ſervant is nor greater then his lord, neither he that is ſent, greater then he that ſent him. 17. If ye know theſe things, happy are ye if ye do them.
16, 17. Make not light of what I ſay to you; and pretend not your ſuperiority or Epiſcopal Power to excuſe you from this Miniſterial Service and condeſcenſion to the loweſt: you are not greater then I that ſend you: you are but my ſervants, and this is your ſervice. If you not only know this but do it, you ſhall be bleſſed in your reward: But if you pretend learning and knowledge and neglect this work, your guilt and miſery will be double.
18. I ſpeak not of you all, I know whom I have choſen: but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me, hath lift up his heel againſt me.
18. I do not equal you by this ſpeech: I know you all whom I have choſen to follow me; and I know that in one of you that Scripture will be fulfilled, He that eateth bread, &c.
19. Now I tell you before it come, that when it is come to paſs, ye may believe that I am he.
19. I tell you before that when you ſee that I know what will come ſo paſs, it may confirm your faith.
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.
20. But you that are my faithful Meſſengers, ſhall not fail of ſucceſs or of reward: I will take the receiving of you and your Meſſage, as the receiving of my ſelf, and as the receiving of God himſelf that ſent me.
21. When Jeſus had thus ſaid, he was troubled in ſpirit, and teſ…ified and ſaid, Verily verily I ſay unto you, that one of you ſhall betray me.
21. Then Jeſus with a troubled mind, in a juſt ſenſe of the Traitors Sin and Miſery, and his own approaching ſufferedg told them more plainly, that one of them would betray him to death.
22. Then the diſciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he ſpake.
22. They were troubled, and were thinking who this ſhould be.
23. Now there was leaning on Jeſus boſom, one of his diſciples, whom Jeſus loved. 24. Simon Peter therefore beckened to him, that he ſhould ask who it ſhould be of whom he ſpake. 25. He then lying on Jeſus breaſt, ſaith unto him, Lord, who is it?
23. John at the deſire of Peter aſked him ſecretly, who it was.
26. Jeſus anſwered, He it is to whom I ſhall give a ſop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the ſop, he gave it to Judas Iſcariot the ſon of Simon.
26. Jeſus told John ſecretly, it is he to whom I give the next piece of Bread dipped: Which he did to Judas.
27. And after the ſop, Satan entred into him. Then ſaid Jeſus unto him, That thou doeſt, do quickly.
27. As his hypocriſie and thieving and coveteouſneſs gave Satan power over him before, ſo now upon his obdurateneſs after all warnings; he had greater power to hurry him to the execution. And Chriſt by ſaying [what thou doſt do quickly] intimated to him that he knew his mind.
28. Now no man at the table knew for what intent he ſpake this unto him.
28. None of them (unleſs perhaps John) underſtood what he meant.
29. For ſome of them thought, becauſe Judas had the bag, that Jeſus had ſaid unto him, Buy thoſe things that we have need of againſt the feaſt: or that he ſhould give ſomething to the poor. 30. He then having received the ſop, went immediately out, and it was night.
29. Judas had the Purſe, and that occaſioned their miſtake. 30. N. This immediate going out, maketh it unce…tain whether he received the Sacramental part of the Supper.
31. Therefore when he was gone out, Jeſus ſaid, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32. If God be glorified in him, God ſhall alſo glorifie him in himſelf, and ſhall ſtraightway glorifie him.
31.32. Now is the time at hand that I ſhall be glorified by my Death and Reſurrection; and God ſhall be glorified in me: And becauſe God is glorified in me, he will glorifie me ſpeedily in my ſelf.
33. Little Children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye ſhall ſeek me, and as I ſaid unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come: ſo now I ſay unto you.
33. Dear Children the time is now at hand, when I muſt depart from you, and you cannot now follow me.
34. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye alſo love one another.
34. And being to part from you, I leave this with you as my laſt and great command in my Teſtament, that you truly love one another; even as I have loved you who lay down my life for you.
35. By this ſhall all men know that ye are my diſciples, if ye have love one to another.
35. It is not bare names and words that make men my true diſciples, but learning of me, and obeying me: And this is the great Leſſon and Command which you muſt learn as the Symbol of my Religion and Church, by which all muſt know that you are my diſciples, even by true practical effectual Love to all true Chriſtians.
N. To hate, maligne, hurt and perſecute Chriſts ſervants, doth as truly prove men to be no Chriſtians, as to deny the faith, how fair pretences ſoever may be their cloak.
36. Simon Peter ſaid unto him, Lord, whither goeſt thou? Jeſus anſwered him, Whither I go, thou canſt not follow me now: but thou ſhalt follow me afterwards.
36. Thou ſhalt go to the ſame place in time, and the like way.
37. Peter ſaid unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy ſake. 38. Jeſus anſwered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my ſake? Verily verily I ſay unto thee, the Cock ſhall not crow, till thou haſt denied me thrice.
38. As confident as thou art of thy fidelity, I know thy heart better than thou doſt, and I know that before Cocks crowing be paſt thou wilt thrice deny thou knoweſt me.