Return to Jerusalem                                  John 12:1-50                                    (Continued)

3. PASSED OVER BY THE MANY (John 12:37-50) (Continued)
4. The Extent of Their Rejection (John 12:44-46)
1. Rejecting the sender of the light (John 12:44-45; John 13:20)
1. To believe on the Son is to believe on the Father (John 12:44).
2. To see the Son is to see the Father (John 12:45; John 14:9-10; Matthew 11:27).
2. Rejecting the light of the world (John 12:46; John 1:6-12; John 3:19-21)
1. Christ is the light of the world.
2. Faith in Christ is the only escape from the darkness of this world (2 Corinthians 4:5-6).
5. The Judgment of Their Rejection (John 12:47-48)
1. The judgment by the word (John 12:47-48; Deuteronomy 18:19)
1. First coming was not for judgment (John 12:47; John 3:17; John 8:11)
1. Not to judge
2. But to save (Matthew 20:28; Luke 9:56)
2. True judgment will come from the word of Christ (John 12:48).
1. They received not His words.
2. They will be judged by His word (cp. Romans 2:16).
2. The judgment of their words (Matthew 12:36-37)
6. The Target of Their Rejection (John 12:49-50)
1. Christ spoke not of Himself (John 12:49).
1. Christ’s presence among men is the presence of God (John 1:14, 18; John 12:45; John 14:9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
2. Christ’s words are the words of God (John 3:31-34; John 6:63; John 12:47-48; John 14:23-24).
3. Christ’s love is the love of God (John 3:16; 1 John 4:7-10).
4. Christ’s salvation is the salvation of God (Acts 28:28; Romans 1:16; Romans 15:16; Titus 2:11-14).
5. Christ’s judgment is the judgment of God (John 5:22-23, 27, 30; John 12:48).
2. Christ spoke the commandment of the Father (John 12:49; John 8:26; John 14:10; John 15:15; John 17:8).
3. Christ spoke the commandment of everlasting life (John 12:50; John 6:63, 68; John 17:3; John 20:30-31; 1 John 2:25; 1 John 5:11-12, 20).

Christ’s Love to the End                 John 13:1-38

1. THE EXAMPLE OF LOVE (John 13:1-17)
1. The Preparation for the Foot Washing (John 13:1-3)
1. The time of the foot washing (John 13:1-2)
1. Before the feast of the Passover (John 13:1)
2. When the hour of Christ was come (John 13:1)
1. Defined as the time He should depart
1. Out of this world
2. Unto the Father
2. The hour for which He came to the world (John 12:27)
3. The hour not yet come (John 2:4; John 7:30; John 8:20)
4. The hour is come (John 12:23; John 13:1; John 16:32; John 17:1)
3. When the supper was ended (John 13:2)
4. When Judas was set to betray Him (John 13:2); put into his heart by the devil (compare Ezra 7:27; Nehemiah 2:12)
2. The love of the Saviour (John 13:1)
1. A personal love – “his own” (John 10:3-4)
2. A condescending love – “which were in the world”
3. An enduring love – “unto the end” (Jeremiah 31:3)
3. The knowledge of the Saviour (John 13:3)
1. His knowledge of His power (Matthew 28:18)
2. His knowledge of His person (John 3:13)
1. Come from God
2. Went to God
2. The Practice of Foot Washing (John 13:4-5)
1. The actions of the Saviour (John 13:4-5)
1. He arose from supper (John 13:4).
2. He laid aside His garments (John 13:4).
3. He took a towel (John 13:4).
4. He girded Himself (John 13:4).
5. He poured water into a basin (John 13:5).
6. He washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:5).
7. He wiped their feet with His towel (John 13:5).
2. The biblical custom of washing feet
1. Water is offered to the guest to wash his feet (Genesis 18:4; Genesis 19:2; Genesis 24:32; Genesis 43:24; 1 Samuel 25:41).
2. A servant will often wash the feet of the guest (John 13:4-5).
3. This is an important test of hospitality (Luke 7:44; 1 Timothy 5:10).
4. Note: foot washing was always practiced in the home; it is never found in scripture as a practice in the church.
3. A picture of the incarnation
1. Christ left His place in heaven (John 1:18).
2. He laid aside His apparent glory (John 1:14).
3. He took on the form of a man – towel (Galatians 4:4; Hebrews 2:16-17).
4. He took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:6-8).
5. He brought the water of the word (John 15:3).
6. He cleansed through the word (John 17:17).
7. He condemned sin in the flesh (Romans 8:3).
3. The Purpose of the Foot Washing (John 13:6-17)
1. The washing of Peter (John 13:6-11)
1. His objection (John 13:6)
2. His ignorance (John 13:8a) – “Thou shalt never wash my feet.”
3. His choice (John 13:8b)
1. You must have your feet washed
2. Or else you have no part in Christ (compare Hebrews 12:5-8)
4. His extravagance (John 13:9-10)
1. Wash feet, hands, and head (John 13:9)
2. One already washed (John 13:10)
1. Is clean every whit (Colossians 2:13)
2. Needs only to wash his feet (1 John 1:9)
3. Note: observe the paradox of this truth. They are clean every whit; that is, entirely. Yet, they still need to wash their feet. This illustrates the two-fold nature of our cleansing. As to our standing before God, we are perfectly righteous in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:6). However, as to our present relationship, or state, we become soiled by the filthiness of this world and need repetitive cleansing (Psalm 32:5; 2 Corinthians 7:1; 2 Timothy 2:21). This is illustrated in the Old Testament tabernacle worship by the Burnt Altar (a type of salvation through the sacrifice of Christ) and the Laver (a type of daily cleansing).
5. His counterpart (John 13:11) – Judas; “not all clean” refers to the presence of one who is not clean. It does not refer to a partial cleansing of believers.
2. The lesson brought home (John 13:12-17)
1. The question (John 13:12)
1. Jesus finished the washing.
2. He sat down again.
3. He asked them what He had done.
2. The contrast (John 13:13-14)
1. I am your Master and Lord (John 13:13).
2. Yet I have washed your feet – the job of a servant (John 13:14).
3. The admonition (John 13:14-15)
1. You ought to wash one another’s feet (John 13:14).
2. You should follow my example (John 13:15).
3. Note
1. Christ is not establishing a new ordinance. There is no record of the New Testament church every practicing foot washing as an ordinance.
2. Christ is giving an example of humility and servant-leadership. Those who lead are to be servants. (See Matthew 20:25-28; Matthew 23:10-12; Luke 22:26-27; 1 Corinthians 9:19)
3. Christ was also our example in suffering (1 Peter 2:21-24). Yet we are not to follow the steps of His suffering in every detail and seek to be crucified. We are to follow His internal character, not His external actions.
4. The point (John 13:16-17)
1. The disciples are under the Christ who washed their feet (John 13:16).
1. As His servants
2. As His sent ones
2. The disciples are not greater than the Christ (John 13:16).
3. The disciples should follow the example of the Christ (John 13:17).
1. Know these things.
2. Do these things.
3. Be happy in your obedience.
2. THE EXCEPTION TO LOVE (John 13:18-30)
1. Declaration of a Traitor (John 13:18-20)
1. By the written word (John 13:18; Psalm 41:9)
2. By the living Word (John 13:19-20; John 14:29)
2. Infiltration of the Traitor (John 13:21-25)
1. The accusation of the Son (John 13:21; John 6:70-71)
1. He was troubled in spirit.
1. Christ (John 11:33; John 12:27; Mark 3:5)
2. Paul (Acts 17:16; Romans 9:2)
2. He testified of His betrayer.
2. The confusion of the disciples (John 13:22; Matthew 26:22)
3. The petition of John (John 13:23-25; compare John 19:26)
1. The relationship of John to Jesus (John 13:23)
1. Leaning on Jesus’ bosom
2. Whom Jesus loved
2. The request of Simon Peter (John 13:24) – asked through an intermediary; Peter here is a picture of those who feel they have to go through someone else in order to get to Jesus.
3. The request of John (John 13:25) – asked directly of Jesus
3. Identification of the Traitor (John 13:26-29)
1. The sign of the sop (John 13:26; Matthew 26:21-25)
2. The entering of Satan (John 13:27; Luke 22:3)
3. The command to make haste (John 13:27)
4. The ignorance of the disciples (John 13:28-29)
1. They did not know the purpose of the sop (John 13:28).
2. They thought he was being sent for supplies (John 13:29; John 12:4-6); it is evident that the apostles were impressed with the continued desire of Judas to do something for the poor. They were completely fooled by his hypocrisy.
4. Departure of the Traitor (John 13:30)
1. Without hesitation – “immediately”
2. Into the night; he went out into the darkness
3. Note: Judas was not present for the first observation of the Lord’s Supper (compare Mark 14:17-22).