John – Chapter 13:1-20
The sea washes the brick, the Abyss washes the clay And it does not destroy its structure, But binds its substance and wipes clean its purpose. Behold the disposition of the One who made us. See of what sort is the attitude of the Creator for His creatures; They have reclined and He has stood, they are fed and He serves, they are washed and He wipes them clean; And the feet of clay are not cast into a mold in the hands of fire. Have mercy, have mercy, have mercy on us, Thou who dost bear with all men and receive all men,,, May sleep take me to death, if I allow Thee, the Immortal, To bend down before me, a mortal. The enemy would laugh at me, if Thou dealest in this way with me, Is it not enough that Thou dost consider me as Thine? Is it not much that I am considered and called the first of Thy friends? But art Thou to wash my feet and limbs of clay. Thou, the Potter of the universe? O Redeemer, dost Thou wish to wash my mortal limbs and feet? Have mercy, have mercy, have mercy on us, Thou who dost bear with all men and receive all men. ( Romanus Melodus, Kontakion on Judas 17.8,I0) 13:1-3 “When Jesus knew that His hour had come…” – Ch. 13 begins what has been called “the Book of Glory,” with 1:19-12:50 being “the Book of Signs.” Ch. 1-12 Show Jesus’s public ministry of Word and signs for a wide audience, provoking a crisis of faith—some believed and some refused to believe. The signs demonstrate Jesus’ authority and anticipate what Jesus would do for all when He was glorified. Now, the second book describes His glorification, “the hour” of passion, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. Some describe the narrative from the glorious prologue as a pendulum, v. 12 being the low point of the swing. Ch. 13 begins a final discourse with His disciples telegraphing and interpreting everything that is about to happen (ch. 13) and the time after the ascension (ch. 14-17). The transition is signaled by the double introduction of v.1 and v.3, with v. 2f mentioning the “Passover” resuming 12:37-40. v. 2-3 “And supper being ended” – The chronology of John’s Gospel varies from the Synoptics. John doesn’t connect the institution of the Lord’s Supper…