Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1886-08-12
INTERNATIONAL LESSON FOR AUG
is, 1aes--LEssoN SEVENTH.

Explanatory Notes by Rev. John Hall,
d. D., IL. D., of New Torl-From The
sanday school World-Su5jcct: "Jesu-
Teaching Humility" John xiii, III.
We now pass out of tho history of strifg
and into that of tenderest love and fore.
thought Our Lord often spoke parallels
Here Hc acted one, and then, as His manner
was, explained it. He was bent on teachi1;
His disciples, and through them His people ii
all time, how to care for one another.
First of all We may study the state of mind
/. of our Lord Tvs. 1-3). It was before the
feast of the passover, when the cru,ilixion
was to come. He was to depart out of th,,
world, to be no moro visibly with the disci-
Piles, but with the Father. Many in the pros
poet Of elevation forget the companions Of
their lowly estate. Not So Jesus. He loved
to tho end or to the full He chose them;
they followed Him; lis lovc never failed
His own immediate burden did not keep Him
from thinking of them. Our sorrows COM
monty affect Us only when they come. He
saw all along the baptism of grief and pain
That He must so through.
V. Q is parenthesis, or his knowledge Of
Satan's work in the heart of Judas is men
toned as recalling the nearness of the "bap-
tisrn,' for "duriAg supper" the devil having
already put into, etc. (see revisionl. The
@devilp is not a figure Of speech, but per-
sonai tenpter. He can put things into our
hearts. We can welcome them, keep them
and put them in action, or we can close the
door against them or cast them out. He can
do this by instruments; how far he can act
directly we cannot tell. The chief priests
were, by their known feelings, the tempters
of Judas, but he invited their action. He
yielded to temptation in over-love of money,
and he may have resented eur Lords plain
words ON that matter (datthew vi, 1924;
Luke xvi, IL; Mark K, 25). The evil in his
heart thus led to ruin. Lust coneeives, brings
forth sin, and sin finished brings forth death.
The history of Judas is well worth study.
"Leta man examine himself, /" it is constantly
saying. Love of money has its darkest illus
tration in him. Yet how many go back on
the Master whom once they professed toserve,
for money, or the worth of it! And how many
miss their mark and go to ruin! ti
il Jesus had at this moment the full conscious
ness of what he really was. This is mentioned
to show the full extent of his condescension.
VI.
as we may see in q romance He knew whence
he came and whittier he was going So his
people stoop down to the lowest service the
most readily when they most realize their
dignity. They have no mere form Of honor
to guard They are sons of God by grace.
They can in their places show g kind of grace.
He meant to teach a great lesson in q mem
Srable way, first doing something unexpected
and then explaining it. So he said to Peter,
gThou shalt know hereafter" He did not
mean in heaven, but before they left the room.
Now we leok at the typical act Washing
the hands and feet of others was ths act OF a
servant. So he leaves his reclining couch
BUR chair AremVves the loose over robe, like
our coat, only wide and flowing, without
sleeves or buttons, took towel and fastened
It to himself, as servants did at such duties.
Then he put water In the basin and began to
wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with
the towel aThen comcth he to Simon Peter.
The rest were probably amazed but too
Z timid to question or protest. Peter was
among the Oldest and outspoken He was
moreover impulsive, as we see here de
strongly repels the idea of Jesus washing his
feet. He would not let the master stoop SO
low He would not accept such an honorl
His question is one of strong protest. Jesus
replies mildly, in words the secondary and
true application OF which has cheered mil
lions. II is in effect, Il win explain why
afterwards 1t it Is true that what God does
to us we often cannot understand, but after
wards in heayen- we shall see it all clearly,
the why and the wherefore, the need and the
meaning (See I Cor. xiii 12.l But Peter
is resolute Y. S), anever." Y n wv Jesus takes Q
different tone and puts the wo;ds In another
sense ~Why, II thou art net washed by me,
thou hast no part with me'-not in me.
'Thou art not working and toiling in the
same cause with me- Peter sees the mean
ing. aAh. Lord, if that is thy deep meaning
then wash not my feet only, etc. ] viii suffer,
anything rather than not bc with thee.
/ "No,' says Jesus, u am not nowldealing with
tho cleansing of thy soul; that Il entire and
complete / am dealing with the daily walk
ammo showing how assoul is saved, but
whata saved man should do. A man jusi
bathed (Revision) only needs to have his feet
| washed 1t Is something in the daily walk
am pointing out to thee You are saved, yot
are disciples, butr--and then the fact d
Judas plot and trcachery comes in mind
shut not ALL for he thought Of Judas "
III So the evangelist explains it.
Now wc come to the meaning lvs. l2-17)
| v. 10 describes, as one who saw it all woule
do. the movements Of Jesus He is calm anf