Notes on John 13:and 14:by A. E. B.

This last evening spent by the Lord in the upper room with " His own " was a rich unfolding of His love to them. "Having loved His own who were in the world He loved them to the end," is a key thought to all that developed there that evening.

Let us trace out a few links in this golden chain of love, perfect, pure, and everlasting.

1. This love is expressed in three words, "Come from God." In this we get the truth of the incarnation, a wonderful theme for contemplation. Not that this great love then began:"He loved me," "He loved the Church" "loved us," is like Himself eternal-always was, is, and ever shall be.

But we see in His coming into the world, coming from God, the love of Christ beginning to unfold itself. It is divine love made known on human soil, and that perfect also-Deity clothed in humanity that we may trace out and follow its footprints of glory across the desert path. Every step, word, or deed which, during those thirty-three years of His lowly life, has been given, is set before us to reveal the glory of that perfect love. Blessed mission His was; blessed life for us now to contemplate; and blessed the end.

2. The love being fully expressed,-He "went to God." At the manger in Bethlehem the love had entered this scene (in His person) unfolding itself day by day. But at the cross (the way by which He returned to God) it had reached its full expression. '' He loved me and gave Himself for me." " Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be a propitiation for our sins." In that cross the believer sees the perfect removal of all his sin, in righteousness and true holiness; the love expressed in it divinely pure and perfect. As the rainbow is seen in the dark cloud, beautiful and perfect in each and every ray, so the love, grace, and tender compassion of our God and of His beloved Son shine out amid all the darkness of Calvary's cross.

Then His atoning sufferings were endured. Then the basis of God's grace and glory among His own people was firmly laid, and whatever may change here, now, or hereafter, that foundation will remain firm and steadfast forever. This foundation was what love firmly laid, and is what faith in God's children now builds upon for present joy and eternal safety.

As we look back into eternity before Gen. 1:i, we can say, " He loved me." As we see Him enter this scene, "He loved me." As He goes with a firm step to the cross and dies, a victim there for our sins, "He loved me." And "having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end."

3. His love continues. At the cross He fully expressed His love to us, but He did not exhaust it. It is deeper than the deepest sea, higher than the highest heaven, broader than the earth. Nought in time can fully illustrate love so full, perfect, and free. It is as eternity itself, as the boundless, shoreless, blue ocean above us.

This chap. 13:illustrates the service of love which our Lord carries on now. In chap. 12:He speaks of being lifted up on the cross-the brazen altar. But
here He passes on to the brazen basin and its water His priestly care for His own. He desires to keep them clean. The blood of the cross removes their guilt, their sin; but this love of His, as seen in the water, removes any defilement which we may contract after.

We are "bathed," our "bodies washed with pure water" as Aaron's family were washed all over. This is New Birth. But our hands and feet are washed day by day after that, fitting them for holy walk and service in the sacred court and tabernacle of Jehovah. "Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord."

This priestly service – washing the feet of His own, He superintends from the heavens. We have in a very wonderful way access to Him. He also has access to us-all by the Spirit, and for the benefit of those who have faith. We have a new life, our guilt, our sins removed by blood, and all defilement which we may contract through life, removed by the application of the Word.

4. "wash one another's feet. " He has given us an example, and now enjoins the same service upon each of His own.

This is His love active, reproduced, and manifested in the life and acts of God's people with one another, a service they owe to one another. If we say as Cain, ' 'Am I my brother's keeper?" Yes, we are indeed. Love that won us and brought us to know itself, has taken up its abode in us because we are "born of God " (i John 4:7, 8). And as we look back and think of love in Jesus so tender and true, then look up and see this service continue, to follow His example is but the natural and necessary outcome. Living near Him, enjoying communion with Him, we will imitate and reproduce His love, by caring for one another. The gracious, tender, lowly spirit of the Master will enable all to fulfil such service in a true and proper way.

We owe this service of love to all His own, because we are by the Spirit all joined in one. They need this service of love. No one can say to another, "I have no need of thee."We also need to guard the way and manner we approach each other, and see that it is love, the love of Jesus, moving us to such service. If love is prompting us we will proceed with a soft and tender step. And love will temper the very water we use, that we may neither chill nor scald, but be as what our own hand can bear. After this we shall use the towel too, that our work may be well done. This is love, a service of love. 5."leaning on (in) Jesus' bosom" (ver. 23). Every one redeemed by His blood, and whose feet have been washed by the priestly hands of Jesus, now in the heavens, are enabled as this beloved disciple to recline on the Saviour's bosom. Blessed provision! Blessed place of nearness to His heart of love, either for the beloved John, or ourselves now. It is love, in grace, which has opened this to us. The ideal place for every departed saint of old was '' Abraham's bosom."When the saint passed out of this world to be with "Father Abraham" in the other, it was a joy and a consolation (Luke 16:23).John 13:opens up another bosom for us, Christ's bosom. The place Christ has, is a place in the "bosom of the Father," nearness and dearness being expressed in it the nearness and sweetness of a known and enjoyed relationship (John 1:18). The bosom of our glorified Lord is thus our place, our home. We draw near to His heart and feel the throbbings of that love for us. This is how He cherishes His own, His If Church. This is where we ourselves learn the secret power of love, where the chills are removed, where the heart grows warm and expands with the love of Christ. It is thus also " the love of Christ constraineth us," to service.

6." LOVE ONE ANOTHER. "
Such is the parting charge of Love. "A new commandment I give unto you that ye love one another"

(ver. 35).

He was going to leave them; they were, everyone of them, "the excellent of the earth "-the purchase of His blood. He knew what a place the world was for them to abide in after He would leave. They were to expect nothing but hatred from that quarter (John 15:18, 19). He knew also that in themselves was a nature which, if not guarded and kept under control, tended to selfishness. If that worked, love would be inactive. Therefore He gave them a beautiful and suited charge before He left, "Love one another as I have loved you."

We need to read His words in John 13:of ten, and follow in spirit to the side of the cross to learn the way in which He expressed His love for us, "He died for us." " We know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren." "We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." These things show us what the love of our God is, and the love of Jesus leads us to care for, and "by love serve one another."

We are here in the element of our very life and nature as born of God. Oh may love develop from
the mere sparks in us to the flame in our Lord and Saviour.

7.THE CONSUMMATION OF LOVE.

"I will come again." We saw that He "came from God;" then " He went (again) to God "-returned to heaven. But here in John 14:He states, "I will come again."

At this time we will get the consummation of the love of Jesus. His love then will be fully satisfied, yea delighted; and He also will rejoice over His own with singing. How could it be otherwise? At the cross He paid the purchase price for us. He suffered, He died for us. In the heavens for 1900 years He has waited until the company were completed-His Church formed and gathered home.

He views the Church from the throne above. He knows her trials and ills in life. He knows, alas, her unfaithful testimony also. But soon He will come again. The promise is of long standing, but He will fulfil it, and we shall rise as declared in i Thess. 4:13-18. In the air we shall meet as we join the raised saints and the changed ones. He shall conduct us into the Father's house on high. As we enter the glory above, "forever with the Lord" will fill the breast of each one of the vast host; then not only shall we see Him face to face, but we shall bask in the sunshine of His love and abide in it forever.