Glorify God in spiritual discernment

Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him. -- Isaiah 43:7

When a Jewish family is getting ready to celebrate the Passover, they follow the command to rid the household of all leaven (or yeast).  This doesn't just mean they take the package of baker's yeast out of the cupboard and throw it away.  It doesn't just mean that they discard all the sliced bread, biscuits, rolls, croutons, or any other bread-like food (such as cookies, cakes, crackers and the like).

What it actually means is that they thoroughly sweep up all the crumbs, not just from the kitchen, but throughout the entire house.  When they are done, there should be no chance of any leaven left in the house.  By accomplishing this, they also rid the home of dust, grime, and grit.  It is a thorough cleaning.

Why do they go to all this trouble?  They do it because God commanded it in Exodus 12:19-20.  They do it because "a little leaven leavens the whole lump" (Galatians 5:9).  In short, they do it to glorify God.

When Jesus and the disciples were celebrating their Passover meal in John 13, there was great joy and true worship only when Judas the betrayer left.

So, when he (Judas) had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.  If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.  (John 13:31-32)

Like the Jewish family who swept the entire house in order to remove every crumb that might contain leaven, so we see that when Jesus dismissed Judas, only then could true worship and God-centered fellowship begin.  It is true that we are commanded to go "into all the world" and preach the Gospel, it is also true that the fellowship of believers (the Church) should be free of all who would distract or detract from true Christian fellowship.  True worship begins when the chosen children of God are exclusively present, and there is no corrupt outside influence.

Here is how the Bible commentary by Jamieson, Fausset & Brown puts it:

These remarkable words plainly imply that up to this moment our Lord had spoken under a painful restraint, the presence of a traitor within the little circle of His holiest fellowship on earth preventing the free and full outpouring of His heart; as is evident, indeed, from those oft-recurring clauses, "Ye are not all clean," "I speak not of you all," &c. "Now" the restraint is removed, and the embankment which kept in the mighty volume of living waters having broken down, they burst forth in a torrent which only ceases on His leaving the supper room and entering on the next stage of His great work--the scene in the Garden. But with what words is the silence first broken on the departure of Judas? By no reflections on the traitor, and, what is still more wonderful, by no reference to the dread character of His own approaching sufferings. He does not even name them, save by announcing, as with a burst of triumph, that the hour of His glory has arrived! And what is very remarkable, in five brief clauses He repeats this word "glorify" five times, as if to His view a coruscation of glories played at that moment about the Cross.

The words that Jesus spoke about the glory of God and His own glory are in some ways poetic.  The New Cambridge Bible Commentary says, "Jesus' remark on 'glory' is chiastic in shape:

A.   The Son of Man has been glorified.

B.    and God has been glorified in Him.

B'.    If God has been glorified in Him,

A'.    God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him at once.

In the 'A' parts, God acts to glorify the Son of Man, whereas in the 'B' parts, God in turn is honored by the obedient Son."  In our worship, we glorify God: we praise Him for His works, we study His words and apply them to our lives, and we ask Him for grace and forgiveness.  In turn, God glorifies Himself in us, so that when we go out into the world, we can be set apart for Him.

Next, Jesus begins to teach His true disciples how to be truly set apart.

Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer.  You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, "Where I am going, you cannot come," so now I say to you.  A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.  (John 13:33-35)

Notice that Jesus is speaking exclusively to the disciples.  There are no Judases in the room, no outside influences, no unbelievers present.  The fresh word He has for them in this place and in this hour is that they should love one another.  This is not to say we should not love the world, for we know that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son.  However, there should be a special bond, a higher love, between believers.  Charles Spurgeon put it this way: "We are to love our neighbor as ourselves, but we are to love our fellow Christians as Christ loved us, and that is far more than we love ourselves."

Too often professing Christians get caught up in the politics of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, so much that we embrace people who identify with sinful practices and show pride in their sinful actions.  To truly love those caught up in sin means to call out their sin, either for confession and repentance, or for godly discipline and excommunication, for the good of the Church first and then for the individual's salvation.  Being loving doesn't mean accepting people for who they are; it means calling them to Christ for washing and cleansing and then forgiving.

Scottish Bible scholar FF Bruce wrote, "So Tertullian reports the pagans of his day (a century after this Gospel was published) as saying of Christians, ‘See how they love one another!’"  They did not say, "See how they love us pagans". Nor did they exclaim, "see how they accept and incorporate our pagan practices."  There is a difference.

Sometimes we miss the point.

In the next section, we see that Peter missed the point, as well.

Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?"  Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward."  Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now?  I will lay down my life for Your sake."  Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake?  Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times."  (John 13:36-38)

I like how N.T. Wright puts it in his commentary John for Everyone:

Like a child returning to the question it wanted to ask after the conversation has moved on elsewhere, Peter harks back to what Jesus said in verse 33, even though verses 34 and 35 contain some of the most beautiful and challenging words ever spoken.  Once again he and Jesus banter to and fro, with Peter blustering away and saying whatever comes into his head.  This time, though, the conversation suddenly runs into a brick wall.  Peter doesn't realize what he's said. "Where are you going? I'll follow You!  I want to follow You!  I'll lay down my life for You."

"Will you really, Peter?" replies Jesus, and we can see the soft, sad smile as He says it.  "Is it really you that's going to lay down your life for Me?  Have you forgotten what I said about the shepherd and the sheep?  Actually, Peter, I hate to say it, but what you are about to do is something rather different."

We love Peter because he is so like the rest of us.  And we love Jesus because He is so gentle and loving with him, even within the sadness and the challenge and the glory that is to come.  And once again we pause and reflect on how, in the strange purpose of God, love and betrayal, glory and denial, go so closely together.

 I also appreciate the way it is presented in The New Cambridge Bible Commentary:

We interpreted the footwashing in 13:4-11 as a status-transforming ritual.  If all goes well, the candidates will be changed by becoming "wholly clean" and by having "a share with Me."  Thus they will be prepared for the death of Jesus, either by physically sharing in it or by being participants in Jesus' own arrest, trial, and death.  Who undergoes this ritual and how do they fare?

Peter:     Footwashing transformation ritual: still a candidate; failed loyalty to Jesus=failed transformation. 

Judas:    Footwashing transformation ritual: never a candidate; hostility to Jesus=no possible status transformation ("One is not clean")

John:     Footwashing transformation ritual: successful candidate; courage to enter Annas' place and stand at the foot of the cross=successful transformation.

Moreover, is there a role transformation beyond a status change?  When Peter boasts "I will lay down my life for you" (13:37), he makes the same claim that the Noble Shepherd repeatedly made in 10:11-15, namely that "The noble shepherd lays down his life for the sheep."  A role is in view here: "shepherd" of the flock.  Jesus challenges Peter's claim, effectively declaring that Peter has failed the test for being a "shepherd" as of this time; rather, he resembles the "hireling" instead.  Moreover, there are several episodes coming in which Peter acts as a sheep, not a shepherd (18:15-18).  Only later does Jesus declare him qualified for the transformation into a role of shepherd (21:15-19).

Jesus does not give up on Peter like He did Judas.  He does not banish Peter from the flock.  Jesus gives him another chance.  I have a friend who is an attorney.  He is a fine attorney, and very successful.  However, he did not pass the bar exam on the first try.  He had to go back and study after his initial failure, in order to pass the test on the next try.  In this way Peter also was given the opportunity to learn, under the leadership of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit, to be a shepherd in the service of God.

It takes discernment to properly identify and deal with Judases and Peters in our flock.  The role of a Pastor is not an easy one.  We should pray for discernment, pray for our pastoral staff, and pray that our churches will show love for the congregation such that the world will be drawn to them, not to bring the churches down to their level, but to elevate the seekers so that they can engage in true worship. 

Plot twist! Don't blink or you'll miss it.

 

Even my own familiar friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.  --Psalm 41:9

Some people are naive.

We may love them for always seeing the best in people, for trusting people to a fault. But we laugh at them when their naivete allows them to be pranked.  The group may know something that our poor clueless friend does not know, and the sweet, innocent soul can be led into a situation that is both funny and tragic.

The same thing happens the first time a person sees a popular movie or reads a best-selling book.  Everyone knows what is going to happen, because they've seen the end.  When the first-time reader is shocked at how the plot twists or how the story takes an unexpected turn, those of us familiar with the story may ask, "How did you not see that coming?"

I think a lot of people who have read the Gospels all their lives, and know how the story ends, look at the story of Judas and ask, "How did the disciples not know?  Didn't they see the clues?  It was right there in front of them!"

But when things are happening in real time, we don't always know what's going on until we look back and reflect on it awhile.  Crash victims will often hear the question, "Didn't you see the oncoming car?"  The answer is always, "It happened so fast."

Keep this in mind when we read our Bible text today from John 13.  The disciples are listening to Jesus speak to them.

"I do not speak concerning all of you.  I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.'  Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.  Most assuredly I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sends Me."  When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."  Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.  Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.  Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.  Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"  Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it."  And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.  Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him.  Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."  But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.  For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.  Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately.  And it was night.  --John 13:18-30

At this point in the story, all 12 disciples had been with Jesus for about three years.  They had traveled together, eaten together, and heard Jesus's teachings together.  They had heard Jesus preach to the crowds, they had seen Him being accused by the Pharisees and leaders of the synagogues, but they had also received private instruction and training in the Scriptures, hearing things that Jesus said only to them.  They had been sent out in teams of two to preach and perform miracles in multiple places (see Mark 6:7-13, Luke 9:1-2).  They had come back together amazed at how God had worked through each of them.  And now, in this intimate setting of sharing a meal together, Jesus had washed their feet.

They thought that they knew each other pretty well by this point.

So when they heard Jesus talking about knowing whom He had chosen, they were taking notes.  They probably even thought, "Hey, He's talking about us."  They were listening intently but missing the point.  It was only after the Resurrection that they looked back at this moment and thought, "Oh, I see!"

Jesus told them that the Scriptures (the Old Testament) had foretold of a betrayal, and He quoted Psalm 41:9 to them.  He followed up by telling them, "I'm telling you this now so when it happens, you'll understand."  I can imagine most of them nodding their heads in agreement and not having a clue what He meant.  We know they were all taking notes, because Jesus's next words are recorded in all four Gospels.  "He who receives you receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me."  Commentator David Guzik writes, "Jesus reminded all His disciples -- the faithful ones and Judas -- that His work was not finished. Judas would not win; the work of Jesus would continue and they would be sent as His representatives. He also wanted Judas to know that rejecting Him meant rejecting the God who sent Jesus."

At this point it is probably a good idea to pause and review what's happening here, especially in the positioning and posture of Jesus and the disciples.  At the time, formal meals (weddings and feasts) were served at a table with people sitting in chairs, much like we do today.  However, in more intimate meals, the table was low, and the diners would recline on pillows or cushions.  They would prop themselves up on the left elbow and use their right hands to reach for the food and feed themselves.  They would lie on their bellies, more on the left side, so that they could see and converse with those around the table.

It is also worth noting that John was reclining to Jesus's right.  This brings to mind the time when John and his brother James came to Jesus, at the urging of their mother, to ask Jesus if they could sit at His right and His left when He comes into His kingdom in Mark 10.  Here John is seen reclining to Jesus's right side, with Judas reclining at His left.  Keep this picture in your mind's eye as we read the next passage.

Jesus becomes troubled in His spirit and tells the group flat out that one of them will betray Him.  No hiding it in flowery or prophetic language.  He would be betrayed, not by the world or by someone outside the group, but by one of the chosen reclining at table with Him.  Matthew and Luke both say that the disciples broke into chatter, all asking the same introspective question: "It is I?"

Wherever Peter was positioned at the table, he gets John's attention, as John was the one closest to Jesus.  He motions for John to ask Jesus who He was talking about.  Remember that John is leaning on his left arm, so it would be awkward for him to turn his head to the left.  It is also worth remembering that John was likely still a teenager, maybe only 18 or 19--not the most mature one at the table that night.

So instead of rolling onto his stomach and turning his head to address Jesus directly, he feels close enough to Jesus to roll onto His back, placing his head on Jesus's chest.  Looking up into Jesus's face (which would be upside-down in his present view) he asks, "Lord, who is it?"

John speaks of himself in the third person.  He doesn't say "I" or "me" but calls himself "the disciple whom Jesus loved."  He must have felt a special closeness and intimacy with Jesus that the other, more mature and austere disciples, did not necessarily feel.  Oh, that we today would feel that same closeness and intimacy with Jesus.  We should feel so comfortable with Jesus that we can lay our head on His breast and ask Him our most pressing question.

The other disciples are still talking amongst themselves, because none of them seem to hear Jesus's answer.  Jesus tells John how He will show who the betrayer is.  Jesus picks up a piece of bread, dips it in a dressing or sauce, and hands it to Judas on His left.  This would have required Jesus to roll onto His belly so that He could look at Judas directly.  When this happened, the disciples became quiet.  They saw Him give the bread dipped in sauce or dressing to Judas.

Bible scholar NT Wright says this:

Dipping a piece of bread in the dish and passing it to someone was a sign of special friendship.  This was the sign Jesus employed to tell the beloved disciple not only that it was Judas who was going to do the awful deed, but what the deepest dimension of that deed would be.  It was a betrayal of intimate, close trust and friendship.  John had already told us that the devil had put the idea into Judas' mind to betray Jesus.  Now he tells us that when Jesus gave Judas the bread, 'the satan' entered into him.

Dipping the bread and passing it to someone was an honor.  Think of it as a toast in today's culture. When Jesus said to Judas, "Go, hurry, do what you need to do," the disciples immediately thought of Judas as the group's treasurer.  They all thought that Jesus was telling Judas to go settle accounts with the owner of the house who had allowed them to all come and eat there.  Another possibility in their minds was that Jesus was telling Judas to go and make a charitable contribution, as giving alms was customary in that culture.

Here's where being in the moment when things were moving so fast blurred the truth from the disciples.  Peter wanted to know who Jesus was talking about with this betrayal business.  He motioned to John to ask Jesus directly.  When John asks Jesus, Jesus says it would be the one that He shows honor to.  Jesus then toasts Judas and tells him to go do it quickly.  Don't you think that if Peter realized that Judas was the betrayer, he would have stopped Judas?  Instead, they all assumed that Jesus had told Judas to go make a payment or a contribution.

John says that Satan entered Judas.  Again from NT Wright:

John does not, I think, mean that Judas became 'demon-possessed' in the same way as those unfortunate characters we meet from time to time in the other gospels.  The word 'satan' in Hebrew means 'accuser'; it's a legal term for someone who brings a prosecution, a charge, against someone else.  What we are now to witness is Judas being used by the forces of darkness to bring a charge against Jesus, the messenger of the light.  The confrontation between light and darkness, which has been hanging over the gospel story since the Prologue (John 1:5), is coming to its climax.  And Judas has been willing to enlist among the forces of darkness.  The end of verse 30 (and it was night) is one of John's master-touches as a storyteller.  The door opens on to the dark night, in every sense and at every level, and Judas disappears into it.

Darkness versus light.  The accuser versus the Redeemer.  Evil versus good.

Which will you choose? 

Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with your God

 

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.  --Philippians 2:5-8

Once upon a time in a secluded monastery tucked away in the mountains, two elder monks were discussing humility.  One of them says, "You know, I have been praying and fasting and studying Scripture for over 20 years.  I have finally reached the level of humility.  I am truly a nothing."  The other monk nods and says gravely, "I, too, have spent my life in service and devotion to God.  I am also a nothing."  Just then a young janitor approaches, mop in hand.  Feeling quite spiritual, he says to the two elder monks, "You know what, I am also a nothing."  The older monks watch him walk away and start mopping the hallway, then one says to the other, "Who the heck does he think he is to be a nothing?"

Many of us wear our humility pridefully.

We list our acts of service and our contributions as if we were college students applying for a service scholarship.  Jesus warned against this in the Sermon on the Mount.  In Matthew 6:3 we read, "But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing."

I thought of this when I read our passage today from the thirteenth chapter of John.

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am.  If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.  For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."  --John 13:12-17

We remember that in the previous passage, Jesus had washed the feet of the disciples, interrupting the Last Supper meal.  Commentator David Guzik writes this:

Jesus knew actions speak louder than words. So when He wanted to teach the proud, arguing disciples about true humility, He didn’t just say it — He showed it. He showed it in a way that illustrated His whole work on behalf of His own. 

• Jesus rose from supper, a place of rest and comfort.
•    Jesus rose from His throne in heaven, a place of rest and comfort.
• Jesus laid aside His garments, taking off His covering.
•    Jesus laid aside His glory, taking off His heavenly covering.
• Jesus took a towel and girded Himself, being ready to work.
•    Jesus took the form of a servant, and came ready to work.
• Jesus poured water into a basin, ready to clean.
•    Jesus poured out His blood to cleanse us from the guilt and penalty of sin.
• Jesus sat down again (John 13:12) after washing their feet.
•    Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father after cleansing us.

Afterward, Jesus got up, got dressed, and got down to business.  "Did you see what I did there? He asked.  He had performed the most menial act of service imaginable.  "If I, whom you call Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."  He gave them an example of service, a pattern of humility.

Some churches make a big show of servant-leadership in this way.  Scottish Bible scholar FF Bruce said, “The studied formality of the pedilavium on Maundy Thursday, when bishops, abbots and sovereigns have traditionally washed the feet of paupers, may commemorate our Lord’s action but in the nature of the case it can scarcely fulfill its spirit.”  John Calvin was quoted as saying, 

“Every year they hold a theatrical feet-washing, and when they have discharged this empty and bare ceremony they think they have done their duty finely and are then free to despise their brethren. But more, when they have washed twelve men’s feet they cruelly torture all Christ’s members and thus spit in the face of Christ Himself. This ceremonial comedy is nothing but a shameful mockery of Christ. At any rate, Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready all through our life to wash the feet of our brethren.”

Jesus didn't want us to make a big production out of washing feet.  In fact, I don't believe it was a literal command to wash feet at all.  Instead, I think it was a call to service.  If you see someone with a need that you can fill, do it in the name of Jesus.  It is Jesus who should be glorified in our works, not ourselves.  Charles Spurgeon said this:

“In the world they criticize: this is the business of the public press, and it is very much the business of private circles. Hear how gossips say, ‘Do you see that spot? What a terrible walk that man must have had this morning: look at his feet! He has been very much in the mire you can see, for there are the traces upon him.’ That is the world’s way. Christ’s way is very different. He says nothing, but takes the basin and begins to wash away the stain. Do not judge and condemn, but seek the restoration and the improvement of the erring.”

Romans 12:10 says, "Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor." 1 John 2:6 says, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." James 1:25 says, "But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does."

Somehow we know that this is what Jesus would do, but we cannot bring ourselves to do it.  That's why Jesus said, "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them."  James said, "But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves."

Going a bit further with the foot-washing symbol, Jesus knew when He washed the disciples' feet that they would get dirty again and need a new washing tomorrow.  In our menial, tedious acts of service to which God calls us, we should not get discouraged.  Those we feed today will be hungry again tomorrow.  Those we clean up and put a fresh set of clothes on today will be dirty again tomorrow.

The need never ends.

And so we should learn to persevere in doing good works.  Do not get discouraged.   Do not get frustrated and quit.  Jesus does not quit sharing His light.  He does not quit showing us a better way.  He will not quit until we see Him in His glory.  Paul said, "Have this same mind in you which was also in Christ Jesus."

We must commit to our calling, as Jesus Himself did.

True humility is being willing to get our hands dirty

 

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.  --James 4:6

In my last posting we saw that in John 13, the author made a shift in his narrative.  He started taking us in a new direction.  He even began with a prologue, much like he did in the first chapter of his Gospel.

If we zoom out and take kind of a "bird's eye view" of the entire chapter, we see a kind of poetic structure to John's narrative.  You'll recall that in Jewish poetry, instead of rhyme and meter, there is parallelism.  That's where the lines correspond in meaning or form.  There is also a structural form known as chiasmus, an inverted or mirror-like arrangement (A-B-B'-A'), which emphasizes the central idea of a passage and creates a symmetrical pattern.  This pattern is common in Psalms and prophetic texts, guiding the reader to pivotal theological or poetic points.

Now, I am not saying that we should read this passage as a poem.  I'm only saying that there is a poetic symmetry in the text, showing poetic form emphasizing parallelism and chiastic structure.

A--Jesus knew He would go to the Father, that His time had come, but loving His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. (John 13:1)

B-- The devil entered Judas, who would betray Him. (John 13:2)

C--Jesus humbles Himself, lays aside His garments, and begins to wash the disciples' feet. (John 13:3-5)

D--Peter objects to Jesus washing his feet, leading Jesus to explain.  (John 13:6-8)

D'--Peter, realizing the significant of being washed by Jesus, asks for a complete immersion. (John 13:9-11)

C'--Jesus resumes His role as Master and Teacher, having given them an example in humility. (John 13:12-17)

B'--Jesus identifies His betrayer.  (John 13:18-30)

A'--Jesus speaks of His glorification and commands the disciples to show love one to another. (John 13:31-35)

Think of Russian nesting dolls: when you open up the first, there is another one inside, and another, and another. When you put it all together, each part fits together perfectly within the whole.  I hope that this little exercise has deepened your appreciation of John's writing and has caused you to read this passage in a new light.

Now that we have kind of shown the outline, let's focus in a bit and discuss the subject of foot washing.  In our culture in 21st century America, we don't have a proper appreciation of the art of washing other people's feet.  Why?   Well, for one thing, most of us wear shoes most of the time.  We certainly wear them when we are out in public or at our jobs.  So when we get home and undress or step in the shower, our feet are not caked with grit and grime so much.  Many cultures teach that people should remove their shoes before coming into the home, so as not to track in dirt, mud, or animal feces.  Is this a problem for our bare feet?  Not so much in this day and age.

For another thing, we are not an agrarian society.  In 21st century America, we don't walk to work among cows, sheep, and other livestock.  Cars have replaced horses as the primary mode of transportation, so unless we have a pet in the home, our lives are pretty much animal-free.  

Contrast this with 1st century life in the Middle East. They were an agrarian society; most people lived and worked around animals, and even in the city it was not uncommon to share the road with livestock.  One thing about animals--when nature calls, they will answer, no matter where they are or who they are with.  Imagine going to the Temple and having to step over piles of animal dung, even in the Court of the Gentiles where Jesus flipped tables and used a whip to drive out the livestock that they were selling at an obscene profit.

They also didn't have closed-toed shoes.  If you weren't barefoot in Jesus's day, you wore sandals.  These sandals were your only protection from what was on the ground.  That's why it was so profound when John the Baptist said he was not worthy to loosen the straps of Jesus's sandals in John 1:27. With this in mind, let's read John 13:3-11 together.

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hand, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.  After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  Then He came to Simon Peter.  And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?"  Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this."  Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!"  Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me."  Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"  Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you."  For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "You are not all clean."

Michael Lee Aday, better known by his stage name Meat Loaf, sang this: "I would do anything for love, but I won't do that."  Yet we see Jesus, who set aside His glory in heaven to take on human flesh and walk among us as a man, set aside His robes and take a basin of water and a towel--the towel that covered Him--and perform a task that only the lowliest servant would be expected to do.

This was not a ceremonial act.  Jesus didn't merely sprinkle a few drops of water on each man, and dab at it with the clean towel.  

Jesus was all in.

If the disciples had walked in a mud puddle, Jesus washed the mud off.

The towel which covered Jesus was no longer covering Him, and by the time He had finished, it was no longer clean.

How many of us are ever willing to lay aside our position or prestige and stand exposed before a problem, and then roll up our sleeves (so to speak) and get our hands dirty to deal with that problem?  The critical test of a Christian leader, says NT Wright, "is whether the same leader is ready, without a word of either complaining or boasting, to stay behind after the meeting and do the washing-up or put out the garbage...The truly Christlike leader is known by the ease and spontaneity with which he or she does the little, annoying, messy things--the things which in the ancient world the slave would do, that things which in our world we always secretly hope someone else will do so we won't have to waste our time, to demean ourselves."

Then we get to Peter, who thought it wise at that very moment to dictate to Jesus what He should be doing.  His words might have sounded like humility, but his tone was one of superiority.  "No, Jesus," he protested.  "You shouldn't be washing my feet.  I should be washing your feet."  In the other Gospel accounts, Jesus made the point that none of them had offered to wash His feet at the beginning of the meeting.  So the unanswered question was, "Well, why didn't you?"

Jesus is making a point here, and Peter was not quite getting it.  "If you do not accept My cleansing, you have no part of Me."  We all need daily cleansing.  Commentator David Guzik writes:

Peter had to accept this from Jesus. He became a pattern for us. If we do not accept the humble service of Jesus to cleanse us, we have no part with Him. Peter preached the good news of the kingdom and cast out devils in Jesus’ name — and still needed his feet washed.  Peter saw Jesus transfigured in His glory together with Moses and Elijah, an amazing spiritual experience — and still needed his feet washed. Peter’s own feet walked on the water in an amazing act of faith — and still needed his feet washed. This foot washing was a powerful lesson in humility, but it was more than that. It also shows that Jesus has no fellowship, no deep connection with those who have not been cleansed by Him.

So Peter asks Jesus to wash him completely.  Scottish Biblical scholar and commentator Marcus Dods said, "A moment ago he told his Master He was doing too much: now he tells Him He is doing too little.”  Beware of dictating to Jesus what actions He should take; we should never superimpose our will upon His.  Many times, Jesus wants to minister to us through the touch of another of His servants, yet we refuse them, believing we are not worthy.  Other times we want God to move in a situation so fervently that we demand He show Himself in a way that satisfies our own dreams and wishes.  Both occasions mark personal sin in us, and we should be ready to root out that sin of pride within us.

David Guzik said, "Decades later, when Peter wrote to Christians about humility, he put it like this:' Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility' (1 Peter 5:5). More literally, Peter wrote: 'wrap the apron of humility around yourself.'  What Jesus did here remained in his mind and heart."

Finally, we see that Jesus also washed the feet of Judas.  The lesson here is that we should, in all humility, be a servant, even to our enemies.  Not all who come to church and hear the word and receive the ministry of help and healing walk away repentant.  We see that the devil finds a foothold even in the most intimate and meaningful spiritual event.

When Jesus answered Peter, who had asked for a new cleansing, He explained that if you are washed by the blood of the Lamb, you are clean; you need only a periodic partial clearing of the mud and muck of the world from your hands and feet, or maybe your clothes need changing.  However, not everyone that comes to Jesus walks away fully cleansed.  If the heart is evil and there is no repentance, no amount of washing will make that person truly clean.  Jesus famously said, "Do not cast your pearls before swine, lest they be trampled underfoot."  In modern parlance we might say, "You can put lipstick on a pig, but it will still wallow in mud."

To walk as Jesus walked means to put aside any pretense, any prestige, any positional authority, and serve in His name.  Even if it gets our hands dirty.

The shadow of the cross

 

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!  Therefore the world does not know us because it did not know Him.  --1 John 3:1

When we started our study of the Gospel of John, we saw a prologue in chapter one that set the tone for Jesus's ministry.  John painted Jesus as the Son of God descending from heaven.  "The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world" (verse 9).  We see the Jews were His intended audience.  "He came to what was His own" (verse 11).  The Jews, however, received him with hostility.  "His own people did not accept Him" (verse 11).

As we read chapter 13, the focus shifts.  It's like John is writing The Story of Jesus, Part Two.  John begins this section with another mini-prologue.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.  And supper being ended, the devil having already put it 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 had come from God and was going to God...  --John 13:1-3

 John marks all significant events around the life and teaching of Jesus with Jewish feasts.  Here he identifies the time as the season of Passover.  It will be the last Passover that Jesus will celebrate here on this earth, and He spends that time with His disciples.  Jesus knew "His hour had come," and He spent these last precious hours to serve and prepare the Disciples. 

Bible commentator David Guzik writes, "The cross is not specifically mentioned in John 13:1 but casts a shadow over almost every word. We see the shadow of the cross over 'His hour had come'. We see the shadow of the cross over 'loved them to the end'. But we also see the shadow of the cross over 'depart this world'. It is phrased softly, but there is an iron-hard reality underneath the soft cover. Jesus would only depart this world through the cross."

The Old Testament often uses the imagery of God’s shadow to convey protection and refuge, which can be spiritually linked to the cross. Key passages include:

• Psalm 17:8: "Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me under the shadow of your wings."
• Psalm 36:7: "How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings."
• Psalm 91:1: "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."
• Isaiah 51:16: "I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand."

These verses illustrate the protective and sustaining aspect of God’s presence, which believers experience through the cross.

The cross was the ultimate expression of God's love.

John said He loved them, the ones He called His own, and that He loved them "to the end."  Commentator Merril Tenney wrote, "'To the fullest extent’ is a better rendering of the original eis telos than KJV ‘unto the end.’ It does not mean that Jesus continued to love his disciples only up to the end of his career but that his love has no limits."  David Guzik wrote:

To the end means a love that will never end. Jesus will never stop loving His own. It isn’t a love that comes and goes, that is here today and gone tomorrow.

To the end means a love that reaches to the fullest extent. Some translations have “He loved them to the uttermost.” Jesus poured out the cup of His love to the bottom for us.

Jesus loved the disciples enough that, even though He lived under the shadow of the cross, knowing that His time had come, he interrupted the Passover meal to wash the disciples' feet.  We will read more about that next time, but it is significant to note that Satan had already put into Judas's heart that he should betray Jesus.  Nevertheless, Jesus washed the feet of Judas, too.

Matthew Henry's Commentary says this about a possible reason that Jesus washed the Disciples' feet:

First, Judas being now resolved to betray him, the time of his departure could not be far off; if this matter be determined, it is easy to infer with St. Paul, I am now ready to be offered. Note, The more malicious we perceive our enemies to be against us, the more industrious we should be to prepare for the worst that may come.

Secondly, Judas being now got into the snare, and the devil aiming at Peter and the rest of them (Lu. 22:31), Christ would fortify his own against him. If the wolf has seized one of the flock, it is time for the shepherd to look well to the rest. Antidotes must be stirring, when the infection is begun. Dr. Lightfoot observes that the disciples had learned of Judas to murmur at the anointing of Christ; compare ch. 12:4, etc. with Mt. 26:8. Now, lest those that had learned that of him should learn worse, he fortifies them by a lesson of humility against his most dangerous assaults.

Thirdly, Judas, who was now plotting to betray him, was one of the twelve. Now Christ would hereby show that he did not design to cast them all off for the faults of one. Though one of their college had a devil, and was a traitor, yet they should fare never the worse for that. Christ loves his church though there are hypocrites in it, and had still a kindness for his disciples though there was a Judas among them and he knew it.

Jesus then reiterates what He had told Nicodumus in John 3:35: "The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand."  This had to be some comfort to Jesus, who knew that his time had come.  Again from David Guzik:

At this particular time, and in this particular circumstance, it was important that Jesus knew the Father had given all things into His hands.

i. It was important because of the hour. Jesus was about to face the agony of crucifixion and the terror of standing in the place of guilty sinners before the righteous wrath of God the Father. At the same time, Jesus went into this situation as a victor, not as a victim. He could have backed out any time He wanted to, because the Father had given all things into His hands.

ii. It was important because of the circumstance. Jesus was about to lower Himself, literally stooping in humble service to His disciples. As He served in this humble way, He did not do it from weakness. He did it from a position of all authority, because the Father had given all things into His hands.

 Philippians 2:5-1 says,

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift! 

I found this hymn online.  I've never sung it myself, but it fits here.

1 In the shadow of the cross let me hide,
There the Savior for my sins bled and died;
There the precious, cleansing fount
Flows so free from Calv’ry’s mount,
In the shadow of the cross let me hide.

Refrain:
In the shadow of the cross I will rest,
For with everlasting peace I am blest;
Here I dwell in love unknown,
Streaming down from heaven’s throne,
In the shadow of the cross I will rest.

2 In the shadow of the cross, blessed place!
Living only for the Lord, by His grace;
What He says I’ll gladly do,
Ever standing firm and true,
In the shadow of the cross, blessed place! [Refrain]

3 In the shadow of the cross, safe retreat,
Ever sitting lowly at Jesus’ feet;
While His presence is so near
I shall never, never fear,
In the shadow of the cross, safe retreat. [Refrain]

4 In the shadow of the cross, here I meet,
In communion with my Lord, oh, how sweet!
And my soul is borne above,
While I revel in His love,
In the shadow of the cross, here I meet! [Refrain]

As God is My Witness

 

For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.  And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.  --Philippians 1:8-11

Imagine it is the year 2450.  NASA has established a colony on Mars.  It is the highlight of human scientific achievement.  But as the years go by there are economic depressions, wars, and protests against "sending money into space while children starve here on Earth."  Communication with the Red Planet stops, and the space shuttle missions taking supplies start to become less frequent until they finally stop.

The people in the Martian outpost become discouraged.  Their existence becomes more and more hopeless.  Over time they adapt to find ways to survive the darkness, the cold, and the isolation.  After several generations, the stories of life on Earth seem less real and more like a fable or myth.

Suddenly, a gleaming metallic orb is seen in the sky.  As it approaches, its light shines brighter than the sun.  As its orbit descends and the craft achieves touchdown on the surface, a loudspeaker proclaims their mission.  "Good people of Mars, the people of Earth send greetings.  We bring good news, for we come with food, clothing, medicines, and building supplies.  Come and see.  For those who want to leave, we will take you back to Earth with us."

What do you think the reaction of the colonists might be?  Some might be afraid and run away.  Others may stand at a distance and watch with guarded curiosity.  Others might come close, grab a morsel, and run away like a scared rabbit, telling others to watch out.  There might only be a few who believe the message and approach the vessel.  These few have faith in the space travelers, and only they will receive the gifts offered to them.

This story shows us how our human nature sometimes leads people to not act in their own self-interest.

Many who study the New Testament will wonder how those people in the past could hear the words of Jesus and see His mighty works and not believe.  In the 12th chapter of John's Gospel, we are reminded that God had prophesied that most people would not believe.  The God who made us knows us intimately.

But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him, that the words of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: "Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?"  Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again: "He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, les they should see with their eyes, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.  These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.  --John 12:37-41

John's narrative has several themes:  Signs.  Glory.  Faith.  All of these are emphasized here in the summary of the Gospel to this point.  Some Bible scholars divide John's Gospel into two unequal parts: the Book of Signs (1:1-12:50) and the Book of Glory (13:1-21:25).  NT Wright in his commentary John for Everyone writes

John has been telling us the story of a new creation.  The 'signs' have been building up: water into wine in chapter 2, the nobleman's son in chapter 4, the healing of the cripple in chapter 5, the bread in the desert in chapter 6, the man born blind in chapter 9, and most recently the raising of Lazarus in chapter 11.  And John has hinted, and will say again later (20:30), that Jesus did many, many other 'signs' as well.  These six are just the tip of the iceberg, selected to make their individual points about new creation, new dimensions to God's work, new Exodus, new life, new light.  And yet...

And yet they did not believe, just like God had predicted in Isaiah 53:1 and Isaiah 6:9-10.  Does God know human nature, or what?  He also knew about those who would hang out around the edges, believing but not committing.

Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.  --John 12:42-43

Scottish theologian William Barclay said that secret discipleship is a contradiction in terms, for "either the secrecy kills the discipleship, or the discipleship kills the secrecy.”  Jesus had just explained in verse 26 that if anyone served Him, they would receive honor from God.  Yet there were many who loved the honor that comes from other men more than the praise that comes from God.

Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.  I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.  And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.  He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him--the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.  And I know that His command is everlasting life.  Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.  --John 12:44-50

I am not a Greek scholar, but I am told that the verb tense in verse 44, when John says that Jesus cried out, indicates that He kept on crying out.  In other words, this was a recurrent theme.  This passage echoes Christ's conversation with Nicodemus in John 3.  Here where John writes about light and darkness, we are reminded of John 3:19, "And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light."  And when John writes about judgement, we hear John 3:17 where it says, "God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through Him."  And when John says that Jesus is speaking the words given to Him by the Father, we hear John 3:34, "He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for He gives the Spirit without measure."

Again from NT Wright

We do well to ponder all this, to reflect on our own response to John's portrait of the Word made flesh.  This is the point in the story when Jesus speaks to the crowds in Jerusalem for the last time.  The next time they see Him it will be as a prisoner, standing before Pilate.  He will be on trial, and His words will be sifted as evidence against Him.  But the real trial is already under way, here in chapter 12.  Jesus is staring into darkness, and the darkness is staring back.  And everyone who reads this chapter must, sooner or later, make up their minds which side they're on.

As God is my witness, I could not have said it any better myself. 

To God Be the Glory

Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.  --Isaiah 43:7

Frances Jane Crosby was born in southeast New York in 1820.  At six weeks old she contracted an eye infection that resulted in blindness.  She attended the New York Institute for the Blind from 1835 to 1843.  In 1858 she married Alexander van Alstyne, a blind teacher.  Very soon after they were married, this blind couple had a child.  Unfortunately, the child died in infancy.  The child's death upset them terribly, and the couple ended up divorcing.

Tragic, right?

Through all this pain and suffering, however, Frances (or Fanny to her friends) remained a committed Christian.  Throughout her life, she wrote over 8000 hymns of faith.  One of the hymns she wrote was To God Be the Glory.

In our Bible study today, we continue with a theme of Glory that was begun last time.  To recap, in John 12:23, Jesus said, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified."  Then He spoke of a grain of wheat being buried and dying, so that it would produce much grain.  We can see, then, that when Jesus spoke of Himself being glorified, He did not mean that He would achieve fame or fortune.  He was not talking about His picture being on the cover of The Rolling Stone.  He wasn't speaking of being Time magazine's "Man of The Year," or being listed as one of People magazine's "Ten Sexiest Men Alive."

Not even close.

When Jesus spoke of being glorified, He was referring to His own death.  As we will read in our passage today, Jesus humbling Himself to the point of death was to bring glory to God.

"Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say?  'Father, save Me from this hour'?  But for this purpose I came to this hour.  Father, glorify Your name."  Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again."  Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered.  Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him."  Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.  Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.  And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."  This He said, signifying by what death He would die.  The people answered Him, "We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, 'The Son of Man must be lifted up'?  Who is this Son of Man?"  Then Jesus said to them, "A little while longer the light is with you.  Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.  While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light."  These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.  --John 12:27-36

We see that Jesus's only purpose was to glorify the Father.  In the Synoptic Gospels, we read of Jesus's prayer in Gethsemane, "Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless not as I will, but as You will."  John's account here sheds some light on that prayer.  Jesus was not praying, "Father, save Me from this hour," because His whole purpose for coming to Earth was to die a sacrificial death.  In doing the Father's will, Jesus was glorifying God.

Next, a voice from heaven spoke:  "I have glorified My name and will continue to glorify it."  Jesus and the Father are of the same mind here.  This is the third time God's voice was audibly heard by those who followed Jesus.  The first was at His baptism, when God said, "This is My beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."  The second was at the Transfiguration, when He said, "This is My Son; hear Him."

When I read about the peoples' reception to this audible voice of God, I am reminded of Jesus's parable of the sower.  Some seed fell on hardened ground--in this case, this refers to those who thought God's voice was merely thunder.  Some seed fell on rocky or weedy ground, corresponding to those who acknowledged the audible voice, but attributed it to an angel.  Only the faithful ones, whose hearts were ready to receive it like the good ground in the parable, heard and acknowledged the voice of God.

Jesus says the voice of God was not for His benefit, but for the people who heard it.  If you hear the voice of God and respond to it by faith, you will have authority over Satan by the power of God through Jesus.  In this way the "ruler of this world" will be cast out.

Next, we see that Jesus uses a figure of speech that, in this case, has a double meaning.  Today in American English, we refer to death as "passing away."  When we hear someone speak of a loved one "passing away" we know that they have died.  In the same way, when Jesus spoke of being "lifted up", everyone there would have understood it not only as dying, but of a public execution.  In history we have read of public executions by hanging, where criminals were "lifted up", or decapitations, where heads were "lifted off" of people.  Therefore, when Jesus said that He would be "lifted up," the people knew what He meant.

This caused the people to question Jesus.  Their reading of the Torah indicated that Messiah would live forever.  So how was He claiming to be the Messiah but predicting His own death?  It didn't make sense to them.  Jesus had already taught His disciples what would happen.  Mark 9:31 says, "For He taught His disciples and said to them, 'The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill Him.  And after He is killed, He will rise the third day.'"

In our passage here in John 12, Jesus only warns them to walk in the light while the light is still with them.  Walking in darkness increases the risk of them losing their way.  

When we think of Jesus being lifted up, we think of Him as being glorified, exalted, and praised.  We know now that Jesus was raised from the dead, and His resurrection is why we lift up His name in praise.  It is why we give Him glory.  It is why we sing with Fanny J. Crosby

To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Oh, perfect redemption, the purchase of blood,
To every believer the promise of God;
The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
Oh, come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.