The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 2 — Section 181

clcnn." Thie trnit in Peter's oharacter is 1ho.re, no communion, no oommon inheri- wonderfully accurate, and oorrosponds with tance with me in the honours and blessing• tho portraiture of the same man in the sy- of the kingdom. This may be understood nopho nnrrntivo (see Introduction, p, cxv.). in two WllYB : either, " If I do not by my Thora is hero an nnalogoue blending of re- grace cleanse you from your defilement, verence nnd self-will, of outwardness and wash you in e. deeper sense, in e. more forwnrdness-n new ill ustrn,tion of one who abundant and effectunl manner thlln by would distinguish himself by tho greatness giving you this practical lesson, there is of his humility. utter misunderstanding of my relation to Vers. 7, 8.-J'es118 answered and said to you-you have no part nor share witi, me." him, Thnt whioh I am doing thou knowest And this ver. 11 seems to favour. Heng• not now-thou hnst not absolute knowledge stcnberg strongly defends this view a.s " of, thou hnst not seen through as yet ; but reference by Christ to his power on earth after these things, afterwards when I ~hnll to forgive sins, and confer the pure and hnve completed my present undertaking, now nature ( cf. Ps. Ii. 4, 9-11) ; and this thou ("tvw1111) shalt come by clear proof and doubtle,s lies in the solemn tone of the full discovery and intimate ncquniutance to Lord. A refusal to accept the Divine understand. '.l.'hls is sometimes referred to cleansing is the only ground of ,-xclusion tho subsequent i11uminntion of the Holy from the benefits of the bloodsherliling. Spirit, or even to the higher life of the Still another more obvious meaning arises, future world (Luthardt), but the above '' If you refuse thi~ manifestation of humble interpretation is, more consonant with the love from me, if you put your own pride context. The µeTa. rauTa may (as Westcott between yourself and me, if you disdain suggests) point to the whole manifestation this act of self-surrender, claiming to under- of love as it should complete itself on the stand me and our mutual relations better crnss, and become illumined by the Resur- than I, you ha.ve no part with me. Ti.ais is 1·ection and by the gift of the Spirit, when the a. symbol of my love to you, and of what is same mind should be put into Peter that to be your love to one another (ver. 15); if was in Christ Jesus; consequently we may you refuse to accept it from me, you will reasonably apply this great word to many then have no part with me in the mani- of our earthly experiences. God's ways, festation of the spirit of sdf-saciificing Christ's government of his Church, and the love which I ha.ve come to inaugurate." mystery of our lot, are often so puzzling Peter must learn the beauty and glory of that we cannot be ~aid to know them ob- service for the sake of others ; and if he jectively or absolutely. We know ("tiv-6- were unable to understand and accept this 111<0µ,v) but in part, and see ({J'Abroµell) by act of love, he must separate himself from means of a mirror (I Cor. xiii. 12) ; but all share in the Master's work. This truth eventually in the fulness of the Divine dawned upon him. but only in part, and it manifestation we shall know (fo,,,vw11&µe8a) led to the extraordinary revulsion of feeling completely, subjectively, in the depths of which followed. our personal consciousness. Peter saith to Ver. 9.-Simon Peter makes another im- him, with more emphasis than before, with petuous and characteristic outburst., e.ud an intensity of double negative and els TOV another of his almost gloriona mistakes. alwva, Thou ehalt not ever wash my feet- Once more he will go before and give "not while eternity lasts." "A praiseworthy advice to his Master. The very same Peter modesty," says Calvin, "were it not that who drew the sword in Gethsemane and with God obedience is better than worship." then fied, who went to the high priest's This vehement, Peter-like burst showed that palace and then denied his Lord; the very even yet he had not learned his profound same Peter who rushed into the water and dependence upon his Lord. Exuberant then cried, "Lord, save me, I perish," who utterance of a love which in its superlative cried, even on the Mount of Trausfiguration, 'enthusiasm was in dunger of severing the "Let us build three tabernacles;" and when Telution between his Lord and himself, our Lord spoke of his cross said, "This shall elicited from Obrist a reply which went far not be done unto thee; "-the same Siwon beneath this purely symbolic wushing, and Peter now said to him, "If it comes to the guve even to it a moml significunce which primal experience of being washed by thee it had not possessed before. J'esue answered, in thine unutterable love, if there be any If I wash thee (not thy feet) not, thou hast q uestiou of part a.nd share with thee iu thy no part with me-no µlpos, 1 no portion, no work, I will (cf. ver. 37) go with thee to prison and to death, then, blessed Lord, not 1 Discriminate ~ µepls from T~ p.lpos, the my feet only, but &!so my hands and my head; former usorl in the LXX. (see also Luke xi. i.e. all my uncovered body; seeing that my 86; xii. 46; Matt. xxiv. 51; soe also Josh. power of thinking and all my capacity for :nii. 24, 25; 2 Slim, xx. I; 1 Kings xii, 16), servioe alike need cleansing." Pet,;r no~ 188 'l'HE GOSPtL ACCORDING '1'0 ST. JOliN. (ou. itnt.1--88,