The Blessedness of Christ's Example - Nov. 6th, 2022

Formal Elements / Descriptive Data

Text: a complete thought-unit of Scripture providing the sermon’s basis

John 13:12–17 KJV 1900

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 another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Central Idea of the Text (CIT): details of text summarized in a complete, past tense sentence

Jesus Explained His Example of Washing His Disciples' feet:

1. Its firm foundation (vv. 12-13)

2. Its Binding Obligation (vv. 14-15)

3. Its Blessing for Obedience (vv. 16-17)

Loving obedience like Jesus brings the blessing of His Father

Proposition: major idea of sermon summarized in a complete sentence using present, active, future indicative or imperative mood; in direct relationship to the CIT

Realizing the blessedness of serving other disciples occurs when:

1. You build your serving on the firm foundation of who Jesus is (Jn. 13:12-13).

2. Your Binding Obligation to serve is rooted in your deep devotion and love for your Master (Jn. 13:14-15)

3. You Base your Obedience on your knowledge of Jesus' perfect example (Jn. 13:16-17).

Statement of Purpose:

(1) Major Objective (MO) – only ONE of six possible (doctrinal, devotional ethical, evangelistic, consecrative, or supportive)

Ethical

(2) Specific Objective (SO) – focuses on only one; calls for specific action (“I want my hearer to . . . “)

I want my beaver to realize the blessedness of serving other disciples out of his own love for Jesus.

Title (Topic/Name): 2 to 4 words with a key or arrow word usually common to all major ideas; innovative, interesting, contemporary; indicative of general sermon content; not sensational or cute

The Blessing of Christ's Example (Jn. 13:12-17)

Informal Elements / Rhetorical Data

Introduction:

Get Attention/Raise Need/Orient Theme/State Purpose

- strong, attractive, and interesting opening sentence

- personal and social material; personal bridge; social bridge

- textual material (CIT); textual bridge

- focus the sermon’s intent (Proposition)

- relational and transitional material; structural bridge

When one is a disciple of Jesus Christ, one does not look upon his work for God as just a job. If you're a disciple of Jesus Christ, you're just as much interested in a hole in the carpet in your church as you are in a hole in the carpet in your home. You're just as much interested in the plumbing and the heating of the church as you are in your own home. Of course, in most cases, you can only be interested vicariously, but I'm using this as an illustration to show that a disciple is interested in everything that concerns the life and the work of the Lord, and not merely in giving the Lord the shag end of what is left over.

Years ago I heard a story that shows what so many people do in relationship with their surrender of Christ. There was a girl who lived in a rich suburb of one of our great cities. She went to a certain church and belonged to a certain Sunday School class. One day a big car with a chauffeur came up to her house. The chauffeur came in and handed her a box from her Sunday School teacher, who was a very wealthy woman. The box contained roses, but instead of being fresh and dewy, they were just beginning to fall. The petals were discolored, the leaves were withered and one could see that the roses had been picked for several days. Well, the girl thought to herself, maybe Mrs. So-and-So gave the chauffeur that box several days ago and he just forgot to deliver it. So when she met her Sunday School teacher on the street, she emphasized the word today and said, "Oh, I want to thank you for the roses you sent to me today."

The woman said, "Yes, several days ago I was out in our greenhouse and I saw these roses. They were so beautiful, they made me think of you, so I cut them, and I've had them in our room and we've been enjoying them tremendously the last two or three days. When I saw that the petals were beginning to fall, I put them in a box and sent them over to you today."

The girl looked at her and said, "But, but, I don't understand."

And then the woman explained. "Listen dear," she said, "the other night my husband and I were driving down in the village, and he went into the store to get something. While I sat in the car waiting for him, half a dozen high school girls came along, talking about the special meetings over at the church. I heard one of the girls say, 'Well, of course, I expect to be a surrendered Christian some day, but while I'm young I want to have a good time.’‘’

Then the stunned girl said, "Why, why, I said that! But I didn't know that you were in the car and heard it."

And her teacher said, "Yes, 'I heard it and I thought to myself: There is Mary, just like a bouquet of beautiful roses. And she says, 'Lord, here is the blossom of my life; it is so fragrant and so beautiful, I wish to enjoy it. In a little while, when the beauty of it has worn off and when it is beginning to droop, then I will hand over to Thee that which is remaining. But in the strength and vigor of my life I wish to live it for myself.' " That incident was the means of turning the girl to see exactly the way she was treating the Lord Jesus Christ.

There are too many people who are like this with the Lord. We give Him a wilted flower, but we do not give Him ourselves. Now, Christ gave Himself for you-and there was no holding back. It meant the cross. It meant the tearing of nails in the flesh. It meant the hanging of the weight of a body on those torn places in the hands and the feet. The Bible says, "Christ gave Himself for you." Yet it is a fact that most Christians would have to say, "I believe that Jesus Christ gave Himself for little bits of me, and I give Him little bits of myself from time to time when I have something left over. I give Him a tip Sunday morning from 11:00 to 12:00. And I give Him some more once in a while here and there." But, true discipleship is something far different. True discipleship is expressed in 2 Corinthians 8:5 where it says they "first gave their own selves to the Lord, and unto us by the will of God." They first gave their own selves unto the Lord.

[Donald Grey Barnhouse, The Love Life, A Study of the Gospel of John, n.d., 162–165.]

Sub-Intro:

Jesus knows that the hour has come for his return to the Father. Having loved his own on earth, he now returns to the Father (13:1). The disciples are swept up into Jesus’ love, despite their failure, ignorance, denial, and betrayal (vv. 21–30, 36–38). They have a part with Jesus (see v. 8), symbolized in his washing their feet and his gift of the piece of bread to Judas (vv. 2–17; 21–38), accompanied by his words that link these gifts to the challenge of discipleship. Jesus gives an example, that they are to do to one another as he has done to them (v. 15); and a new commandment, that they are to be known as his disciples because they love one another as he has loved them (vv. 34–35). In this is Jesus glorified, and in him God is glorified (vv. 31–32). The love Jesus will reveal in his self-gift will continue in the lives of “his own,” whom he leaves in the world (vv. 12–17; 33–35). Jesus tells these things to failing disciples, whom he has chosen and whom he will send out, so that in the moment when he is glorified, they might believe that he is the revelation of God: “so that you might believe that I am he” (vv. 18–20).

[Francis J. Moloney, Love in the Gospel of John: An Exegetical, Theological, and Literary Study (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 22.]

Body – Development – Outline:

I. State major idea drawn directly from the text, in a brief, complete sentence using present active, future indicative or imperative mood, strong verbs (avoid “to be” and its forms); (vs ?)

I. An Opportunity to Learn from the Master (John 13:12-13).

Explanation (EXP): from only the selected text; 3rd person pronouns; past tense; express the “then-ness” aspect of the text itself in its historical context

A. The Posture of Fellowship: Position Yourself to Learn from Jesus (John 13:12a).

John 13:12a (KJV 1900)

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them,

His Return to His Place Around the Table (v. 12a).

1. He completed the Washing.

But the foot washing is not a mere metaphor. There are two specific applications that should be derived from this text, one passive (receiving the washing of Christ) and one active (following the example of the washing of Christ). First, passively we are to be “spiritually” washed by Christ on a daily basis. This is done by accepting the washing Christ performed upon us, which involves sharing in the practices and life of the church—not a full cleansing, for we are already “completely clean” (v. 10). Second, actively we are to be serving others as Christ served us. This is done by emulating Christ’s washing of us, which involves a heart and mind bent on serving others in a posture of humble service. There is no need to choose between the passive and active applications of this text, since together they serve as the two legs of the Christian walk: “We [serve] because he first [served] us” (cf. 1 John 4:19).

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 588–589.]

2. He Took Again His Outer Garment.

Jesus’ love for his own is the focus of the thought unit. Everything else is explanation of that love. . . . “When he had washed their feet, and taken (elaben) his garments, and resumed his place,” suggests Jesus’ “taking back [labō] his life” (echoing the language of Jn. 10:17) [Talbert] . . .

John 10:17 KJV 1900

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

3. He Reclined Again Around the Table.

If one were reading the Gospel of Matthew at this point, one might almost expect to find Jesus sitting down and dispensing wisdom or healing (cf. Matt 5:1; 13:1; 15:29; 24:3; 26:55, 64). The sitting position in Matthew’s Gospel communicated a sense of authority. Here the evangelist does not employ a physical posture to indicate such authority, but rather authority is indicated in the words of Jesus.

[Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 85.]

“When he had washed their feet, and taken (elaben) his garments, and resumed his place,” suggests Jesus’ “taking back [labō] his life” (echoing the language of Jn. 10:17) and resuming his place in glory (Jn. 17:5, 24).

John 17:5 KJV 1900

5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

John 17:24 KJV 1900

24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.

From that position he teaches his disciples about the significance of his death (Jn. 14:25–26; 16:12–15).

John 14:25–26 KJV 1900

25 These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

John 16:12–15 KJV 1900

12 I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 14 He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 15 All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Charles H. Talbert, Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles, Rev. ed., Reading the New Testament Series (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2005), 201.

B. The Foundational Premise: Who Is Your Master? (John 13:12b-13).

John 13:12–13 (KJV 1900)

12 . . . 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.

Jesus Made a Foundational Statement: He Is the Master (vv. 12b-13).

2231If you do not submit to God, you never will resist the devil. And you will remain constantly under his tyrannical power. Which shall be your master, God or devil? One of these must. No man is without a master.—22.68 ~ Charles Spurgeon

1. His Question (v. 12b).

By way of introduction [to this monologue by Jesus that offers an explanation of the foot washing and an exhortation to its recipients], Jesus asks the disciples a loaded question.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 584.]

“Do ye understand the meaning of my act?” . . . It was a searching question, particularly to Simon Peter and Judas.

[A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 13:12.]

2. Their Confession (v. 13a).

Before explaining what he did for them, Jesus reminds them who he is to them. The disciples frequently call Jesus “Teacher” (Ὁ διδάσκαλος), which is equivalent to “Rabbi” (see 1:38) and is a respectful way of addressing a religious instructor and leader. “Lord” (Ὁ κύριος) is a title used to denote anything from general respect (i.e., “sir”) to great reverence. The title “Lord” can also speak of the divinity of Jesus, as shown by the use of the title for the resurrected Jesus (20:2, 18, 20, 25, 28), and readers of the LXX would have been quite familiar with the use of “the Lord” in reference to God. In this way Jesus establishes the foundation of his argument.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 585.]

3. His Confirmation (v. 13b).

The way Jesus accepted that designation suggests to the reader the sense that the words are to be understood more like a royal acclamation than a mere acknowledgment of a role. Not only did Jesus accept the designation as a correct or well-stated title, but he also provided a significant rationale for this designation by announcing “for that is what I am” (eimi gar). The connection with the egō eimi (“I am”) sayings should seem to be obvious, particularly since the full expression is stated at Jn. 13:19 as well.

John 13:19 KJV 1900

19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

[Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 85.]

Illustration (ILL): fresh, interesting, believable, clearly shed light on this specific portion of the text and on this particular idea being developed; use different sources (use only 1 personal and 1 biblical ill. per sermon)

Honoring Scholars

Scholars often thought that others should serve scholars.A-392 For one probably hyperbolic example, those who did not serve scholars, including serving them food, merited death!A-393 Likewise, any student who was so presumptuous as to offer a legal decision in front of his teacher might be struck dead.A-394 Many also envisioned proper limits to their humility; thus R. Judah ha-Nasi, head of the rabbinic academy at the beginning of the third century, was so modest that he would do whatever anyone asked of him—except relinquish his position to place another above him.A-395 R. Judah also felt that one should observe honor distinctions, starting with the greatest when bestowing greatness and from the least when bestowing humiliation.A-396

Ancient Mediterranean etiquette required a leader to carefully observe rank when bestowing honor or gifts,A-397 and many viewed it an honorable ambition to become great and famous.A-398 Judean society included a heavy emphasis on honor and even hierarchy,A-399 which Essenes characteristically seem to have taken to an extreme;A-400 later reports testify to the special rank accorded esteemed sages.A-401 Seating by rank was important in ancient banquets,A-402 public assemblies,A-403 and other events,A-404 as it is even in much of the Middle East today.A-405 Among Jewish teachers, others stood when more learned sages would enter,A-406 just as young men in antiquity would rise before elders to offer their seats,A-407 and elders normally spoke first in public settings.A-408 The Therapeutae reportedly sat in order of their tenure in the community (Philo Contempl. Life 66–69); those in the Sanhedrin were reportedly seated by rank (m. Sanhedrin 4:4). By the late second century, a sage could exercise much of the authority over a disciple that a master could over a slave; he was even permitted to beat pupils.A-409 Disciples of the sages should attend on the sages; studying under rabbis involved serving them.A-410 John 13 repudiates the conception of servant-disciples prevalent in the rabbinic movement and probably the larger culture.A-411

[Craig S. Keener, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, vol. 2A, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 140.]

Transitional Sentence (TS): sentence indicates change and progression to next major idea; use the unifying word

What an opportunity to learn from Jesus, here’s the lesson He wants you to master:

II. Obedience that Leads to Blessedness (John 13:14-17).

EXP:

A. Faithfully Fulfill Your Obligation to the Master (John 13:14-15).

1. In Serving One Another (v. 14a).

John 13:14 KJV 1900

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

Do you perceive the meaning of this action? By washing their feet He had washed their heart. By stooping to this menial service He had made them all ashamed of declining it. By this simple action He had turned a company of wrangling, angry, jealous men into a company of humbled and united disciples

[Marcus Dods, The Gospel of St. John (New York: George H. Doran Company, n.d.), 817.]

Disciples normally served their teachers,576 after the model of Elisha serving Elijah and Joshua serving Moses. One expression of service, however, was not required even of disciples: dealing with the teacher’s feet. Jesus goes beyond the service expected even for disciples. Disciples would do for their teachers almost anything a slave would do—except deal with their feet, which was considered too demeaning for a free person.

[Craig S. Keener, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, vol. 2A, Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2019), 139.]

The master we obey shows whose slaves we are. ~ Leon Morris

“Ought” -

Above and beyond this, ὀφείλω expresses the obligation to act in a specific way: be obligated. . . the ethical obligation is grounded, esp. in Johannine literature, in the corresponding example of the conduct of Christ or God (John 13:14; 1 John 2:6; 3:16; 4:11; also Rom 15:1-3; Eph 5:25, 28 . . .).

1 John 2:6 KJV 1900

6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.

1 John 3:16 KJV 1900

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

1 John 4:11 KJV 1900

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

Romans 15:1–3 KJV 1900

1 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.

Ephesians 5:25 KJV 1900

25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

Ephesians 5:28 KJV 1900

28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself.

Ὀφείλω is in this respect . . . almost takes on the function of an imperative . . . By way of analogy this also applies to the obligations in Rom 15:27 and 3 John 8.

Romans 15:27 KJV 1900

27 It hath pleased them verily; and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things.

3 John 8 KJV 1900

8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellowhelpers to the truth.

[Horst Robert Balz and Gerhard Schneider, Exegetical Dictionary of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1990–), 551.]

This ought to make us think. So often, even in churches, trouble arises because someone does not get his or her place. So often, even religious dignitaries are offended because they did not receive the precedence to which their office entitled them. Here is the lesson that there is only one kind of greatness, the greatness of service. The world is full of people who are standing on their dignity when they ought to be kneeling at the feet of their brothers and sisters. In every sphere of life, desire for prominence and unwillingness to take a subordinate place wreck the scheme of things. A player is one day omitted from the team and refuses to play any more. An aspiring politician who felt entitled to promotion to a particular post is passed over and refuses to accept any subordinate position. A member of a choir is not given a solo and will not sing any more. In any society, it may happen that someone is given a quite unintentional slight and either explodes in anger or broods in sulkiness for days afterwards. When we are tempted to think of our dignity, our prestige or our rights, let us see again the picture of the Son of God, wrapped around with a towel, kneeling at his disciples’ feet.

Truly great people have a regal humility which makes them both servants and monarchs among their fellow human beings. In The Beloved Captain by Donald Hankey, there is a passage which describes how the beloved captain cared for his men after a route march. ‘We all knew instinctively that he was our superior—a man of finer fibre than ourselves, a “toff” in his own right. I suppose that was why he could be so humble without loss of dignity. For he was humble, too, if that is the right word, and I think it is. No trouble of ours was too small for him to attend to. When we started route marches, for instance, and our feet were blistered and sore, as they often were at first, you would have thought that they were his own feet from the trouble he took. Of course after the march there was always an inspection of feet. That is the routine. But with him it was no mere routine. He came into our room, and, if anyone had a sore foot, he would kneel down on the floor and look at it as carefully as if he had been a doctor. Then he would prescribe, and the remedies were ready at hand, being borne by a sergeant. If a blister had to be lanced, he would very likely lance it himself there and then, so as to make sure it was done with a clean needle and that no dirt was allowed to get in. There was no affectation about this, no striving after effect. It was simply that he felt that our feet were pretty important, and that he knew that we were pretty careless. So he thought it best at the start to see to the matter himself. Nevertheless, there was in our eyes something almost religious about this care for our feet. It seemed to have a touch of Christ about it, and we loved and honoured him the more.’ The strange thing is that it is the person who stoops like that—like Christ—whom men and women in the end truly honour, and the memory of whom they will not willingly let die.

[William Barclay, The Gospel of John, vol. 2, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY: Edinburgh, 2001), 162–164.]

2. After the Pattern of Jesus (v. 14b-15a).

John 13:15 KJV 1900

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Jesus has made a logical connection between what he has done and what he expects his disciples to do, but since what he has done is so illogical—a superior serving an inferior—Jesus needs to support such illogic with a logical argument.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 585.]

“Example”

A pattern, in morals or manners; a copy, or model; that which is proposed or is proper to be imitated.

I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. John 13.

[Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).]

John calls this act an “example,” which implies that the emphasis is on the inner attitude of humble and voluntary service for others. Perhaps it was the basis for the Pauline exhortation to the Philippians:

Philippians 2:5–8 KJV 1900

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

[Merrill C. Tenney, “John,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 137.]

SERVE ONE ANOTHER

Peter’s enthusiasm is rather funny. But Jesus was being a serious example to them. He was demonstrating that if they wanted to be greatest in the kingdom of God, they must be the servant of all (see Mark 9:35). And later, he would instruct them to do this for one another—to serve one another, help one another, and encourage one another. Ironically, Luke’s Gospel tells us that an argument broke out in Jesus’s presence as to who would be the greatest in the kingdom (see Luke 9:46–48). They were willing to fight for the throne, but no one wanted the towel.

I often wonder, as I read this story, what Jesus must have felt as he washed the feet of Judas. It’s one thing to serve those we love—that seems to come easy for most of us. But here was Jesus, humbling himself not only before the disciples who had been his faithful friends but before the one who was about to betray him. When we speak of serving one another, are we willing to include serving our enemies? Are we willing to embrace them with the love of God, just as Jesus himself showed his love to Judas? Can we make room in the servant heart we want to cultivate to include those who wrong us? If we want to be like Jesus, we must.

[Greg Laurie, Walking with Jesus: Daily Inspiration from the Gospel of John (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 2007).]

The word example comes from the Greek “hypodeigma” and carries the idea of a pattern. It is a word that speaks of a pattern or an example to be imitated. Jesus, the Lord of creation, has just stooped to condescending place of a servant to wash the feet of His disciples. What humility! What service! Imagine the humility and grace it took for the Lord Jesus to wash the feet of Judas. Jesus knew that Judas would soon betray Him. Here is Jesus serving a man that He knew was going to sell Him out thirty pieces of silver. He also washed the feet of Peter whom He knew would deny Him, cuss and swear that he didn’t know Him. Yet, our Lord was gracious and humble enough to serve these two men.

[Glen Spencer Jr., The Gospel according to John, vol. 2, Expository Pulpit Series (Wordsearch, 2019), 41.]

(keep on doing). Doing what? Does Jesus here institute a new church ordinance as some good people today hold? If so, it is curious that there is no record of it in the N. T. Jesus has given the disciples an object lesson in humility to rebuke their jealousy, pride, and strife exhibited at this very meal. The lesson of the “example” applies to all the relations of believers with each other. It is one that is continually needed.

[A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 13:15.]

3. For the Purpose of Being Like Him (v. 15b).

It is this illogic—that Christ served us—that provides the reason or purpose (“in order that”) to do the same.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 585.]

Jesus’ disciples cannot treat humility as merely a nice idea that is unrelated to Christian life. . . .But the model of Jesus is not merely one of self-giving service to others epitomized in the foot washing. The model is, in fact, one that also represents the dying Lamb of God. Therefore the servant/follower of Jesus should realize that the self-giving washing of feet may be far more costly a calling than merely a matter involving a basin of water and a towel. To follow Jesus may cost one’s life (cf. Jn. 12:24–26; 21:18–19; 1 Pet 2:21),

John 12:24–26 KJV 1900

24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit. 25 He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. 26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.

John 21:18–19 KJV 1900

18 Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. 19 This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

1 Peter 2:21 KJV 1900

21 For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

a price Peter rather glibly offered to pay (John 13:37).

John 13:37 KJV 1900

37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

He soon discovered, however, that he did not realize what that offer had meant (cf. Jn. 18:17, 25–27).

John 18:17 KJV 1900

17 Then saith the damsel that kept the door unto Peter, Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? He saith, I am not.

John 18:25–27 KJV 1900

25 And Simon Peter stood and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples? He denied it, and said, I am not. 26 One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? 27 Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.

[Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 86.]

The Sum of Christianity February 17

Mark it down. We are what we see. If we see only ourselves, our tombstones will have the same epitaph Paul used to describe enemies of Christ:

Philippians 3:19 KJV 1900

19 Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Humans were never meant to dwell in the stale fog of the lowlands with no vision of their Creator.…

Seeing Jesus is what Christianity is all about. Christian service, in its purest form, is nothing more than imitating him whom we see. To see his majesty and to imitate him, that is the sum of Christianity.

God Came Near

[Max Lucado and Terri A. Gibbs, Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year (Nashville, TN: J. Countryman, 2000), 64.]

Application:

If vv. 6–11 interpret the washing of the disciples’ feet as Jesus’ cleansing of disciples from their daily sins by his death, then how should vv. 14–15 be read? Two matters deserve attention, one from this text (v. 15), the other from the context. (a) Verse 14 says, “You ought also repeatedly to wash [present infinitive] one another’s feet.” This could be taken as a command analogous to 1 Corinthians 11:24 (“Go on doing this for my remembrance”) were it not for v. 15: “You should go on doing as I have done to you.” Jesus does not say, “Do what I have done to you,” but rather, “Do as I have done to you.” A disciple’s actions should be of the same character as those of Jesus when he washed the disciples’ feet. Verse 15 clarifies the meaning of v. 14, preventing v. 14’s being taken as a command to go on washing feet in the Christian community. (b) Does “doing as Jesus did” mean being a humble servant? It may mean that in 1 Peter 5:5 and Philippians 2:3, 8, but it does not mean that in this context. If the washing in vv. 6–11 symbolizes the forgiveness of disciples’ daily sin by Jesus, then for the disciples to wash one another’s feet (i.e., act as he did toward disciples) means for them to forgive one another those daily trespasses that characterize one human being’s infringement upon another. That is, to do as Christ has done to them has a specific (forgive one another), rather than a general (be a humble servant), application. The point is similar to that in Matthew 18:21–22, 23–35, and in Luke 17:3–4. Moreover, if the disciples act as Jesus acted, since he did this as part of preparation for supper, this will apply above all to preparations for mealtime with Jesus. “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (v. 17).

To this point, the train of thought in 13:1–35 has led to reflection on preparations for mealtime with Jesus. There have been two matters specified. First, a prerequisite for table fellowship with Jesus is the washing of one’s feet by Jesus (= having the stains of daily sin removed by the benefits of Jesus’ death). Second, preparation for mealtime with Jesus includes doing to other disciples as he has done to us (= forgiving others their trespasses as he has forgiven ours; cf. Matt 5:23–24; 18:23–35).

[Charles H. Talbert, Reading John: A Literary and Theological Commentary on the Fourth Gospel and the Johannine Epistles, Rev. ed., Reading the New Testament Series (Macon, GA: Smyth & Helwys Publishing, 2005), 201–202.]

B. Find Your Own Fulfillment from the Blessedness of Loving Obedience to His Example (John 13:16-17).

The Blessing of Obedience Based on Knowledge of Jesus' Example (vv. 16-17).

1. He IS LORD, We Are His “Servants”; He Is the Sender, We Are the Messenger (v. 16).

John 13:16 KJV 1900

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

The recurrence of “sent” (pempsantos) at this point is a reminder that Jesus was constantly conscious of being commissioned by the Father. Jesus included his disciples in the commission and also included them in the action of servanthood. Jesus portrayed for them the true nature of Christian living: serving one another. And for those who would be willing to take this role on themselves, Jesus said there would be blessings.

[Merrill C. Tenney, “John,” in The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: John and Acts, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein, vol. 9 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1981), 138.]

That is, the “example” of Christ redefines (illogically) the identity of the disciples (i.e., the servants) and motivates (logically) their mission.58 This exhortation regarding the identity and mission of a disciple of Christ establishes an important foundation for the “sending” the disciples are soon to receive from “the Lord” (see Jn. 20:19–23), as well as for the mission of all Christians.

John 20:19–23 KJV 1900

19 Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. 20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. 21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: 23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 585.]

The correlativity of lord and servant

Note - Webster’s Def. of “Servant”

In Scripture, a slave; a bondman; one purchased for money, and who was compelled to serve till the year of jubilee; also, one purchased for a term of years. Ex. 21.

[Noah Webster, Noah Webster’s First Edition of An American Dictionary of the English Language. (Anaheim, CA: Foundation for American Christian Education, 2006).]

[!!!NOTE - Provide clarification that the following should NOT be misunderstood to be implying “Lordship Salvation”!!!]

The issue of so-called lordship salvation is important, for it concerns one of the fundamentals of the faith—a truth basic to God’s plan of salvation and the assurance of everlasting life. Many Christians, and countless others on the brink of believing, are confused regarding the answer to the question “What must I do to be saved?” What is lordship salvation? This is the view that for salvation a person must trust Jesus Christ as his Savior from sin and must also commit himself to Christ as Lord of his life, submitting to His sovereign authority. This teaching is false because it subtly adds works to the clear and simple condition for salvation set forth in the Word of God.

[Livingston Blauvelt Jr., “Does the Bible Teach Lordship Salvation?,” Bibliotheca Sacra 143 (1986): 37.]

But there is another connotation of the term kyrios that is germane to our discussion. When believers sing or recite the confession ‘Jesus is Lord’, we are affirming his absolute supremacy,5 not only over the physical and moral universe (Matt. 28:18; 1 Pet. 3:22), and not only over human history (Rom. 9:5), not only over all human beings (Acts 10:36; Rom. 10:12), whether living or dead (Rom. 14:9), not only over the church (Eph. 1:22), but also over our own lives as his willing servants. The simple but crucial point is that the two words ‘Lord’ and ‘servant’, kyrios and doulos, are correlatives. That is, they form a matching pair, comparable to ‘lightning and thunder’. Not that thunder is the opposite of lightning, or that ‘servant’ is the opposite of ‘lord’—‘servant’ and ‘free’ are opposites—but when you see lightning, you usually hear thunder immediately afterwards; they belong together.6 So, too, the word ‘servant’ belongs naturally with the term ‘lord’.

This correlativity of lordship and slavery is evident in many New Testament passages. Consider, for example, the following statements where the two terms kyrios and doulos are used in close proximity.

Matthew 10:24–25 KJV 1900

24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?

Matthew 25:21 KJV 1900

21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Matthew 25:23 KJV 1900

23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

John 13:16 KJV 1900

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

John 15:15 KJV 1900

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

2 Corinthians 4:5 KJV 1900

5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.

2 Timothy 2:24 KJV 1900

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

James 1:1 KJV 1900

1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

Now it is true that on occasion there may be a kyrios without douloi (‘servants’), as when a Roman emperor was given the title kyrios as indicating his unquestioned supremacy and authority. Roman citizens were not the slaves of the emperor, although they addressed him as kyrios.7 For example, the Roman procurator of Judea, Porcius Festus, refers to the emperor Nero as ‘sovereign lord’ (tō kyriō) when discussing Paul’s fate with Herod Agrippa II (Acts 25:26). But more often than not, when there was a kyrios, there were douloi.8 On the other hand, wherever there were douloi, there was a kyrios.9 In this case, ‘servant’ always implied ‘lord’. We may summarize the point by saying that ‘servant’ is the natural concomitant of ‘lord’, while ‘lord’ is the necessary corollary of ‘servant’.

Now if Jesus Christ was called ‘Lord’ but there was never a reference to Christians as ‘servants’, then it would be possible to regard Jesus as ‘Lord’, a person of exalted status and supreme authority, who nevertheless had no ‘servants’. But even in that case it would normally be expected that he had people whom he called his servants. But as it is, not only is Jesus regularly called ‘Lord’ in the New Testament; his followers are described or depicted as his servants, both after and before his resurrection. In

Ephesians 6:6 KJV 1900

6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

household servants are called ‘the servants of Christ’, while in

1 Corinthians 7:22 KJV 1900

22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.

the free person is designated as ‘Christ’s servant’. And even in the gospels there are unambiguous indications that the followers of the earthly Lord were seen as his servants.10 Four instances will suffice to establish the point.

Luke 12:35–38 records a parable in which a kyrios returns from a marriage celebration to his household of douloi. When Peter asks,

Luke 12:41 KJV 1900

41 Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all?

he receives no direct reply, but Jesus speaks further of a kyrios who, on his delayed arrival, metes out reward or punishment to his douloi, depending on the nature of their service (vv. 42–48). Clearly, as the coming Son of Man (v. 40), Jesus is the master who will certainly return, and all his disciples, but in particular, leaders must faithfully discharge their duties (vv. 42–43) as his watchful servants (vv. 35, 37).

Luke 12:35 KJV 1900

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

Luke 12:37 KJV 1900

37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

A similar point is made in the parable of the talents (Matt. 25:14–30; cf. Luke 19:11–27). During his absence, Jesus’ servants (douloi, six uses) must engage in profitable service, for on his return as ‘the master (kyrios) of those servants’ (v. 19) he will reward productive, faithful service (‘good and trustworthy doulos’, vv. 21, 23), while unproductive work will incur judgment. In John 13:12–16 Jesus instructs his disciples ‘to wash one another’s feet’ because he, their Teacher and Lord (kyrios), had washed their feet (John 13:1–11) and ‘a servant (doulos) is not greater than his master (kyrios)’. Finally, the parallelism in

John 15:20 KJV 1900

20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

(servant—master//you—I) shows that Jesus is the kyrios and his disciples are his douloi: ‘Remember the word that I spoke to you, “A servant (doulos) is not greater than his master (kyrios). If they persecuted me, they will persecute you”.’

So whether we approach this matter of correlativity from the vantage-point of the word kyrios or from that of the word doulos, the result is the same: Jesus is ‘Lord’, and his disciples are his ‘slaves’.

[5 In keeping with the original adjectival sense of kyrios (‘having power’), the cognate verb kyrieuō means ‘have dominion over’, ‘exercise lordship over’, ‘be master’ (seven NT uses; all Pauline, except for Luke 22:25). Only the context indicates whether the rule being exercised is regarded as positive (e.g., Rom. 14:9) or negative (e.g., 2 Cor. 1:24, of spiritual imperialism), or neutral (e.g., Rom. 7:1).]

[6 Other comparable correlatives are ‘parent—child’ and ‘king—subject’. Where you have a king, there are usually subjects; where subjects, usually a king.]

[7 But see above, n. 2.]

[8 Of course, when Sarah is said to have called her husband Abraham her ‘master’ or ‘lord’ (kyrios, 1 Pet. 3:6, alluding to Gen. 18:12, where the LXX has ho kyrios mou, ‘my master’), we cannot infer that Sarah was his slave!]

[9 It was only in the niceties of Roman legal terminology that the concept of a ‘masterless’ slave existed. In the standard Roman definition of slavery as ‘an institution of the law of nations by which, contrary to nature, a person is subjected to an alien dominion [dominio alieno]’ (Florentinus, in Justinian’s Digest 1. 5. 4. 1), it is inappropriate to translate dominio alieno as ‘to the dominion of another [person]’ (as Watson 1987: 7). Buckland (1969: 3) notes: ‘Dominus and dominium are different words. The statement that slaves as such are subject to dominium does not imply that every slave is always owned. Chattels are the subject of ownership: it is immaterial that a slave or other chattel is at the moment a res nullius’ (‘a chattel belonging to no-one’). A slave who had been abandoned or illegally manumitted, or a free person who had been sold into slavery fraudulently, might technically be ownerless for a temporary period. But as Patterson (1982: 366 n. 13) rightly observes: ‘In reality all that being a servus sine domino [‘a slave without a master’] meant was either that a potential relation of slavery existed, although the person in question—for example, the abandoned slave—was not at the time actually in a slave relationship or in a position to claim free status, or that the person was actually in a relation of slavery but was potentially a free person and could legally claim such a status. Legal technicalities aside, in actual practice all Roman slaves had at least one master.’ Even convicted criminals condemned to slavery (servi poenae,) and slaves of the Treasury and slaves serving in a temple were effectively responsible to some individual who acted in the capacity of a kyrios. Moreover, one could argue that such slaves were owned by the state or by a particular temple and so were not ‘masterless’.]

[10 There are also, of course, passages in the gospels in which God is pictured as the Master and his adherents as slaves (e.g., Matt. 6:24; 18:23–35).]

[Murray J. Harris, Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ, ed. D. A. Carson, vol. 8, New Studies in Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, IL; England: InterVarsity Press; Apollos, 1999), 90–93.]

2. The Blessed are the “Doers,” not merely the “Knowers” (v. 17).

John 13:17 KJV 1900

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

“if ye keep on doing.” Both conditions with the one conclusion coming in between, “happy are ye.” Just knowing does not bring happiness nor just occasional doing.

[A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Jn 13:17.]

True happiness in life doesn’t come from merely knowing what is right, but in doing what is right.

[Glen Spencer Jr., The Gospel according to John, vol. 2, Expository Pulpit Series (Wordsearch, 2019), 41.]

1 John 3:18 KJV 1900

18 My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.

Finney said, “Whereas mind and conscience may assent to the truth, when revival comes, obedience to the truth is the thing that matters. Revival is nothing less than a new beginning of obedience to God.” Ezekiel’s listeners heard his words but did them not. If we hear and do not, we deceive ourselves, says James. Our Lord summed it up: “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:17). Our Lord makes Himself real to those who have His commandments and keep them (John 14:21). Revival comes when Christians begin to obey God. Obedience, like repentance, is a lost word in our Christian vocabulary. The Great Commission sends us out teaching disciples to observe all things commanded. “By faith Abraham … obeyed” (Hebrews 11:8). Children do not learn to obey in the home today. Students resent discipline in school. Church members despise the prophet who preaches obedience to God. They substitute religious formalities but “to obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22).

[Vance Havner, Pepper “N” Salt (WORDsearch, 2009), 71.]

In this case Jesus (as Teacher/Lord and indeed Judge) renders a favorable verdict upon his followers who both “know” (oidate) and practice or “do” (poiēte) what he has instructed. In the teaching of Jesus there is no division between head-understanding and life-practice. Moreover, as in the case of most beatitudes the happiness or blessedness is not to be limited to earthly well-being, for the implication is that the blessedness has eschatological ramifications.

[Gerald L. Borchert, John 12–21, vol. 25B, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2002), 87.]

ILL:

“Blessed”

. . . privileged recipient of divine favor.

[William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 611.]

In short, to understand and to do service exemplified by Jesus is to experience the goodness of God, even more, the grace of God. “Blessedness is a divine gift.”62 This explains how God the Son, although he left his superior status to serve his inferiors at the same time acted entirely in character as God himself.63 In the same way, when a disciple of Jesus serves others, he or she is not experiencing a demotion but a promotion to the kind of “life” God offers his children.

[Edward W. Klink III, John, ed. Clinton E. Arnold, Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2016), 586.]

APP:

With this saying may be compared the words of Jesus, in response to the exclamation, “Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked!” “Yea, rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.” (Luke 11:27, 28.)

Luke 11:27 KJV 1900

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

Luke 11:28 KJV 1900

28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

[Alvah Hovey, Commentary on the Gospel of John, The Complete Commentary on the New Testament (Philadelphia: American Baptist Publication Society, 1885), 271–272.]

Conclusion:

- forceful, attractive, interesting

- motivational in reporting God’s action (good news)

- possible recapitulation of major ideas or proposition

- in harmony with stated purpose in MO, SO, and all APP

- encourage the hearer in his/her response

The Technique of the Towel

If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:14.

Our Lord steps from magnificence to meniality: “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands … began to wash the disciples’ feet.” From sublimity to service!

In the early days of Communism one leader wanted to admit all who accepted the theory and purposes of the movement. Lenin insisted that only those who were so devoted as to be willing to do the most menial tasks be received. “Fewer but better” was his motto. He said, “Give me one hundred fanatics rather than a thousand indifferent followers.”

“The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.” Considering how we have to coax and beg church members to do a few things for our Lord, we can easily see how we are loaded down with excess baggage, nominal disciples who agree in theory but have never learned our Saviour’s technique of the towel.

The average church member would do well to look in his concordance and see how many columns it takes to list all the “serve,” “servant,” “service” references. We come to church to sit but will not go out to serve.

[Vance Havner, Day by Day: A Book of Bible Devotions (Baker Publishing Group, 1953), 30–31.]