John 13:1-19 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world to the Father… The reference of all the world tells us that Christ's example was perfect. The admissions of enemies tell us; our own hearts and consciences tell us; but did you ever think how strange it is that these four little tracts, telling us such fragmentary stories, and of so brief a period of a life, in which there was a conspicuous absence of very many of the important circumstances of that life, should have been accepted by all the centuries, and by all sorts and conditions of men, women, and children, wise and foolish, learned and ignorant, bond and free, happy and sad, as an all-sufficient guide for them, and that these little stories should he felt by us all to contain an adequate guide and rule for our conduct? It is not enough to say, "Men's circumstances change, but the essentials of their duty are very few, and you can put them into two or three words and they will be enough." That is quite true, and we thank God for it. It is a great thing instead of a whole host of precepts to have got two or three fruitful principles. We have got the Divine example in human form, and the stimulus of His deeds, when pondered, opens out into majesty and greatness; and what a blessed thing it is instead of being handed over to a mere law — Do that and thou shalt live; Be this, and so forth — to be told, "Do as I do"; and still more blessed, "Do as I do, because I love you, and you love Me." (A. Maclaren, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. |
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