Love Among Believers

MEMORY VERSE: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” —John 13:35

JOHN 13:1-5, 12-14, 34, 35

THE setting of this lesson is near the close of Jesus’ ministry. His confrontations with the scribes and Pharisees were essentially at an end, except as they appeared as his accusers the next day when on trial before the high priest, and as he painfully sensed the result of their venom as he hung upon the cross. His paramount thought now was one of concern for his disciples.

These disciples had listened to his parables; they had witnessed his miracles; they had heard him in his masterly defense of the truth as the scribes and Pharisees endeavored to prove that he was a blasphemer. But now that was all over. His few remaining hours of service were to be devoted to his own apostles—those whom he had appointed to carry on the ministry of the Gospel following his departure in death, and his subsequent return to his Heavenly Father.

What great lesson would he impart to them at this important juncture? Would he remind them of one of his parables? Would he set forth some profound truth which he had not previously mentioned? Well, to start with, Jesus preached a powerful sermon to his disciples by means of an object lesson. At that time the washing of feet was quite customary when people gathered for any special occasion. The roads were dusty, and nearly all wore sandals, so if one walked very far his feet became rather uncomfortable; therefore one of the servants in the home would wash the feet of the guests to help them feel comfortable and more at home.

There were no servants in the upper room where Jesus met with his apostles the night before he was crucified. None of the disciples took advantage of the opportunity thus to serve his brethren, so Jesus did it himself. Jesus then proceeded to draw lessons from this act of courtesy. First he asked, “Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”—vss. 12-14

Here was a valuable, though menial service. Jesus did not, we think, intend that it be used as a ritual for all of his disciples later to follow, although there are some small groups of professed Christians who have taken this thought from the lesson. The conditions which called for feet-washing were quite different then, and do not exist in most countries today. But it was a wonderful and—much appreciated service on the part of most travelers—at that time.

But Jesus made it plain that at that time this was a privilege which belonged to his disciples any time the need might arise. He wanted them to display this brotherly interest in one another, even as he had displayed it toward them. Even though he was their Lord and their Master he was glad to humble himself and thus do what he could to make his apostles comfortable.

Humility is one of the characteristics of love. The New English Bible reads on this point: “Love is never boastful nor conceited” (I Cor. 13:5) When love is in control of the heart, the disciple of Christ will not be boastful of any great thing which he may think he has accomplished. He will be just as happy to do the little services for his brethren as those in the world might do only in connection with the “important” things.

In verse 34 of the chapter Jesus is quoted as saying, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” No true Christian will ever say to the Lord that he is willing to do anything he wishes him to do just so long as it is in an executive capacity. The truly consecrated heart will esteem the little and menial services as “important” and will render them gladly.

Verse 35: “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” What a summary this is of the intent of Jesus’ ministry as it entered the hearts of his disciples! If they had learned this lesson they were ready to graduate into their great assignment in the working out of the divine plan.

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