- The verses we have now read conclude the story of our Lord's washing the feet of His disciples, the nighu before He was crucified. It is a story full of touching interest, which for some wise reason no Evangelist records except St. John. The wonderful condescension of Christ, in doing such a menial action, can hardly fail to strike any reader. The mere fact that the Master should wash the feet of the servants might well fill us with surprise. But the circumstances and sayings which arose out of the action are just as interesting as the action itself. Let us see what they were.
We should notice, firstly, the hasty ignorance of the Apostle Peter. One moment we find him refusing to al- low his Master to do such a servile work as He is about to do :—" Dost thou wash my feet?" "Thou shalt never wash my feet." — Another moment we find him rushing with characteristic impetuosity into the other extreme : — " Lord, wash not my feet only, but my hands and my head." But throughout the transaction we find him unable to take in the real meaning of what his eyes behold. He sees, but he does not understand.
Let us gather from Peter's conduct that a man may have plenty of faith and love, and yet be sadly destitute of clear knowledge. "We must not set down men as graceless and godless because they are dull, and stupid, and blundering in their religion. The heart may often be quite right when the head is quite wrong. We must make allowances for the corruption of the understand- ing as well as of the will. We must not be surprised to find that the brains as well as the afiections of Ad- am's children have been hurt by the fall. It is a hum- bling lesson, and one seldom fully learned except by long experience. But the longer we live the more true shall we find it, that a believer, like Peter, may make many mistakes and lack understanding, and yet, like Pe-
JOHN, CHAP. XIII. i^
tcr, liave a heart right before God, and get to heaven at last.
Even at our best estate we shall find that many of Christ's dealings with us are hard to understand in this life. The " why " and " wherefore " of many a provi- dence will often puzzle and perplex us quite as much as the washing puzzled Peter. The wisdom, and fitness, and necessity of many a thing will often be hidden from our eyes. But at times like these we must remember the IMaster's words, and fall back upon them : — " What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know here- after." There came days, long after Christ had left the world, when Peter saw the full meaning of all that hap- pened on the memorable night before the crucifixion. Even so there will be a day when every dark page in our life's history will be explained, and when, as we stand with Christ in glory, we shall know all.
We should notice, secondly, in this passage, the plain practical lesson which lies upon its surface. That lesson is read out to us by our Lord. He says, " I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you."
Humility is evidently one part of the lesson. If the only-begotten Son of God, the King of kings, did not think it beneath Him to do the humblest work of a ser- vant, there is nothing which His disciples should think themselves too great or too good to do. No sin is so offensive to God, and so injurious to the soul as pride. No grace is so commended, both by precept and exam- ple, as humility. " Be clothed with humility." " He that humbleth himself shall be exalted." — " Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God : but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him tlie form of a servant, and was