Chapter XIII.
Third, concerning the confirmation of the disciples, three things are set forth.
1. Before the feast day of the Passover. Two preambles to the passion have been determined, namely the conspiracy of the Jews and the prediction of the passion; thus in this part follows the third thing to be determined, namely the confirmation of the disciples . The Lord confirms and fortifies the disciples against the impending tribulation first by the example of humility; second, by the word of instruction and consolation, at the beginning of the fourteenth chapter, where it says: Let not your heart be troubled; third, by the aid of prayer, at the beginning of the seventeenth: Jesus spoke these things and lifting up etc.
First, the disciples are confirmed by the example of humility in a fourfold manner.
The present chapter, therefore, in which the Lord strengthens his disciples by example, has four sections, according to the four things which he touches upon there. For first he sets forth the example; second, he exhorts to imitation, where it says: After therefore he had washed etc.; in the third, he shows or uncovers the perversity of Judas for going astray, where it says: When he had said these things, he was troubled in spirit; in the fourth, he shows the weakness of the disciples for following him through the passion, where it says: Little children, yet a little while I am with you.
The example, therefore, which he sets forth for imitation, is described in this order. First is shown the fitness of the time; second, the humility of Christ; third, the reverence of Peter; fourth, his obedience.
2. (Verse 1). The opportuneness of the time is shown in this, that the time of death was already pressing near, on account of which he ought to show special signs of love. Therefore he says: Before the feast day of the Passover, that is, before the first day of unleavened bread, whose evening was the fourteenth day of the moon at evening, when the lamb was sacrificed. Jesus knowing that his hour had come, that he should pass out of this world to the Father. The Passover is a passing over; and therefore the Lord willed to die at the Passover, because his dying was a passing over. This passing over was signified by the crossing of the Red Sea, concerning which First Corinthians 10: "Our fathers all passed through the sea" etc. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them unto the end, that is, he then showed the chief signs of love. Augustine: "Far be it that he should have ended his love by death, who was not ended by death"; and "This is not an end that consumes, but one that consummates." The Lord loves his own; Isaiah 49: "Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb?" The time is touched upon and the hour of the time.
3. (Verse 2). And when supper was done, when the devil had already put into the heart, that is, had suggested, that Judas of Simon Iscariot should betray him; because he had then resolved to betray him, from which betrayal Christ was not diminished but exalted; whence he also adds:
4. (Vers. 3.). Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, according to that passage in the last chapter of Matthew:
"All power is given to me in heaven and on earth"; and knowing that he came forth from God and goes to God, according to that passage below in the sixteenth chapter: "I came forth from the Father and have come into the world; again I leave the world and go to the Father." This knowing, that is, foreknowing that his death was at hand,
5. (Vers. 4.). He rises from supper, to set an example; because the opportune time was already at hand, as it was said to the minister of the Church in Acts twelve: "Rise quickly."
And he lays aside his garments. Here the second point is touched upon, namely the humility of Christ, because he lays aside his garments, so as to be unencumbered like a servant; therefore he says: He lays aside his garments; and also to be prepared like a servant; on this account he says: And having taken a towel, he girded himself; Luke twelve: "Amen I say to you, that he will gird himself," etc. He carries out the office of a servant; on this account he says:
6. (Vers. 5.). Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. This is the office of a servant: such an office the Lord of majesty assumed; Luke twenty-two: "But I am in your midst as one who serves." "For the Son of man came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a redemption for many." And this is the most humble service, the washing of feet.
7. (Vers. 6.). He came therefore to Simon Peter, etc. Here the third point is touched upon, namely the reverence of Peter, by which he refused the Lord's service; on account of which he says: He came to Simon Peter, namely to wash his feet. And Peter says to him: Lord, do you wash my feet? As if trembling with awe, Peter says: You, for me? You the Lord, for me a servant? You the Master, for me a disciple? You the Almighty, for me a wretch? Chrysostom: "With the hands with which you opened eyes, cleansed lepers, raised the dead, you wash my feet?" As if to say: I dare not allow it; and because he was going too far in his reverence, the Lord admonishes him to desist on account of the mystery; whence there follows:
8. (Vers. 7.). Jesus said to him: What I do you do not know now, but you shall know hereafter; therefore it is fitting that you endure until later. But Peter is not swayed by the admonition; whence:
9. (Vers. 8.). Peter says to him: You shall never wash my feet. And because he had resolved to persist in his position, he is deterred by a threat; therefore: Jesus answered him: If I do not wash you, you shall have no part with me; part he calls the eternal fellowship with God, concerning which in the Psalm: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup"; and again: "My portion is in the land of the living."
10. (Vers. 9.). Simon Peter says to him. Here the fourth point is touched upon, namely Peter's obedience, after the threat was made to him. Hence above he was called Peter: " Peter says to him"; but in this response it says: "Simon Peter says to him," that is, obedient, fervent, because he offers more than the Lord commands: hence he says: Lord, not only my feet, as you command, wash, but also my hands and my head. Hence Simon Peter, truly obedient, could say that word of the Psalm: "My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready." But because above he erred in reverence, and now indeed he exceeded in obedience: therefore Peter above was terrified, but now Simon is instructed: on this account he adds:
11. (Vers. 10.). Jesus says to him: He who has been washed, namely with that washing of which it is said in Isaiah 1: "Wash yourselves, be clean"; and Zechariah 13: "There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the washing of the sinner"; Jeremiah 4: "Wash your heart from wickedness, O Jerusalem, that you may be saved"; he, I say, does not need except to wash his feet, that is, his affections: concerning which Song of Songs 5: "I have washed my feet: how shall I defile them"? These feet need to be washed more than other members, because they are more joined to filth; Lamentations 1: "Her filthiness is in her feet, and she has not remembered her end." But, when these feet are washed, then he is wholly clean: Ezekiel 36: "I will pour upon you clean water, and you shall be cleansed from all your defilements." And you are clean: therefore you need nothing except the washing of feet; below in chapter 15: "You are clean because of the word which I have spoken to you." But lest he seem to be ignorant of a disciple's crime, he adds: But not all. And the reason why he said this, the Evangelist states:
12. (Vers. 11.). For he knew who it was that would betray him: therefore he said: You are not all clean. Therefore the Evangelist, where he speaks of the betrayer, shows that the Lord knew, lest anyone believe that Christ as a man could be deceived: above in chapter 6: "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that did not believe, and who it was that would betray him."
QUESTIONS.
13. Question I. Here the inquiry concerns what he says, that this supper was made before the feast day of the Passover.
And from this it seems that the Lord consecrated with leavened bread.
But against this are the other Evangelists, who say that the Lord ate the Passover according to the common custom.
To this the Greeks respond, as is said in the Gloss, that the Lord anticipated, as is said here, the day of the Passover and consecrated with leavened bread, and that John corrects the other Evangelists.
But they speak foolishly: for far be it that the other Evangelists lied in anything, since they spoke by the same Spirit. Hence the day of the Passover is not called here the day of immolation, but the first among the days of unleavened bread, on whose preceding evening the lamb was immolated.