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… We must not think that we have then obtained to the right knowledge of the truth when we have broken through the outward shell of words and phrases that house it up; or when, by logical analysis, we have found out the dependencies and coherences of them one with another, or when, like stout champions of it, having well guarded it with the invincible strength of our demonstration, we dare stand out in the face of the world and challenge the field of all those who pretend to be our rivals. We have many grave and reverend idolaters that worship truth only in the image of their own wits; that could never adore it so much as they may seem to do, were it anything else but such a form of belief as their wandering speculations had at last met together in; were it not that they find their own image and superscription on it. There is a knowing of "the truth as it is in Jesus" — as it is in a Christ-like nature, as it is in that sweet, mild, humble, and loving spirit of Jesus, which spreads itself, like a morning sun, upon the souls of good men, full of light and life. There is an inward beauty, life and loveliness in Divine truth, which cannot be known but when it is digested into life and practice. (John Smith, M. A.) 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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