UNLESS I WASH THEE

^[p. 80] UNLESS I WASH THEE

John 12: 1 - 3; John 13: 1 - 20

JT What is in view initially is to call attention to the fact that the Lord moves, according to this gospel, independently of external religious observances, feasts, days and so on, as if He had done with everything in the world into which He had come, and was in spirit in another world, and another order of things. So that we have, in these two scriptures, first, “six days before the Passover”, a definite number of days; and then, in chapter 13, “before the feast of the Passover”. As accustomed to an annual occasion of this kind according to a great religious date, we are apt to be affected as religionists are affected, by what is accepted generally; and in these days the Lord would draw us out of it all, even the religious side of the world.

The synoptical gospels take the opposite view, they record the Lord as taking part in the Passover, preparing for it. Even in regard to His personal service, there is a difference; in John. He does not wait for John the baptist to be removed. John presents Jesus as serving before, whereas in the other gospels John the baptist is cast into prison before Jesus takes on His work. So that it is “in season and out of season” in John, and particularly in view of the last days, when the so-called christian religion has taken on so definitely the character of the world, apostasy too, the tide running very strong.

The Lord would have us outside, and apart with Him, and would show us how it can be, that is, by Himself washing our feet, not simply that we should in our own view be clean for such an occasion, but “Unless I wash thee ...” — that is, He must do it. The first instance in which He came to Bethany six days before the Passover is evidently to bring out ^[p. 81] what was there, that they were ready for a great occasion, not a merely religious occasion, not an occasion recognised by the world, but one in view of His coming — they were ready for that, they were not taken unawares. He would have in mind to bring out what was there and to add to it. The first scripture is sequential, as we have noticed, the idea of sequence is much stressed. It begins “therefore”. It alludes to what was in the Lord’s mind — that He would bring out what was there as the result of His earlier services.

HC Is the outlook of the religious people governed by the question of observance, as in the religious calendar, in verse 56 of chapter 11? They say, “What do ye think? that he will not come to the feast?”

JT Yes; “many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover, that they might purify themselves. They sought therefore Jesus, and said among themselves, standing in the temple, What do ye think? that he will not come to the feast?” They knew nothing of this occasion at Bethany. They had the idea of purifying themselves; they were only questioning about the Lord, regarded as a public Person, they had no light in their souls about Him. Six days is a measured time before the feast. It would give opportunity to bring out what was there, and what was there was remarkable, especially in what Mary had, that is, she was preparing; it is not presented that she expected Him, but there was readiness to take advantage of an opportunity. We also are to be ready, not simply for a meeting like this, but to be always ready. We never can say when opportunities will come to us, so that the point is to be ready. When the Lord was brought into the temple, according to Luke, Simeon was ready and so was Anna. We have around us the idea of ‘Lent’, which is a preparatory thought,

^[p. 82] but Mary was always ready; even when the Lord visited the house at the outset, according to Luke, she was ready, that is, she was prepared for what was then needed — an open ear to listen to Jesus.

Ques Are you connecting chapter 12 with the thought of the place Bethany, or the household?

JT I think the place at first — He “came to Bethany, where was the dead man Lazarus”. In the previous chapter it says, “there was a certain man sick, Lazarus of Bethany, of the village of Mary and Martha her sister. It was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was sick”. Chapter 11 gives us the importance of the place, Lazarus was characteristically of it as a man. It was the village of Mary and Martha, which makes it more characteristically affected by them; and then we are told who the Mary was, that is, alluding to what happened on this great occasion, which was in the house, so that this visit has in mind where the dead man Lazarus was, that is, the man who had been dead, but “whom Jesus raised from among the dead”. So it would appear as if Lazarus is in mind, but the house would be a great thought, for it was the house — not the place — that was filled with the odour of the ointment.

Ques Is it that persons and conditions like this would attract the Lord to come there?

JT I think that is the thought, carried through to chapter 20 — “the doors shut where the disciples were”. But here particularly “the dead man Lazarus”, who had gone through this extraordinary experience, a person of that kind — ‘where the dead Lazarus was’, as it is literally — and yet he is very much alive, but he is alive by Christ’s power; that is the kind of man. He is not a religious man; I mean he does not represent accredited religion at all, he is a dead man as to all that, but he is very ^[p. 83] much alive in relation to another order of things, made alive by Christ — “whom Jesus raised from among the dead”; hence the occasion is for Jesus — the outcome of the result of His work.

Rem Such a man would be very serviceable to the Lord in view of what He had before Him — going to the Father.

JT Quite so. Take this great result; whilst it may be regarded as the Jewish remnant, the very best result, you might say, seen as a household, it is about to be absorbed in something greater, I mean it is carried forward into chapter 13 into the personnel of the assembly.

Rem In chapter 13 it is what He has, His own, and the washing is stressed, but in chapter 12 it is one raised from the dead. The apostle said, “So that, my brethren, ye also have been made dead to the law by the body of the Christ, to be to another, who has been raised up from among the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God”, Romans 7: 4.

JT I think that enters into this. It is a question, therefore, of how the truth of Romans is taken on by us, but this passage goes further than Romans. Romans does not give us resurrection with Christ; we have to go to Colossians for risen persons — “raised with him through faith of the working of God who raised him from among the dead”. These chapters in John are constructive, the twelfth runs into the thirteenth. The twelfth is the terminus of the line of truth beginning with chapter 9, but then it is not left to stand by itself, for the Jewish remnant is carried over into the assembly, and what comes out in chapter 12 is the new order of humanity conveyed in the Lord saying, “Except the grain of wheat falling into the ground die, it abides alone; but if it die, it bears much fruit”. That intervenes, and chapter 13 involves it, that we are now in the presence of a heavenly order of things. Resurrection ^[p. 84] is essential to it, but there is more in the humanity than is involved in the Lord’s remark as to “much fruit”. The doctrine of it is in Hebrews 2; it became God in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Leader of their salvation perfect through sufferings. So that “both he that sanctifies and those sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren”. That is the full thought of what we get here, but chapter 13 is to bring us into it, that we might have part with Christ in it.

WH Does chapter 12 suggest that the family at Bethany had gained from the exercise of death and resurrection? They evidently had something — they made Him a supper, in view of passing on to what you referred to. It says, “There therefore they made him a supper, and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those at table with him. Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price ...”

JT There was wealth there, such as was needed. So the first thought is the Lord coming to the place, in view of Lazarus; and the second is, they had the means of making Him a supper, and it was mutual — they did it.

Ques What would answer today to the thought of making Him a supper?

JT One can understand it is a Jewish setting; making a supper here for Christ is initially a Jewish thought, I think. He makes us a supper. He has instituted a supper for us, which implies that there is really no place for Him in the world, and that He is absent. As yet there was some place at Bethany, for He went out of Jerusalem at one time to Bethany and spent the night there; I suppose it is characteristic of the Jewish remnant that they will make something for Him. His supper for us would mean there is no place for Him here. His death is in it; it affords an opportunity for us to go out of the world, so after ^[p. 85] it they go to the mount of Olives. It is a means of exit out of the world, but an authorised one; it is in accord with the Lord’s departure which He should accomplish at Jerusalem; He has thus made a way out for us, that is involved in His supper. If applied today, the supper at Bethany would be a question of what there may be in any place; what have you here to eat? He said later. Here they had what was requisite for a supper, such as was suitable for Christ, a meal for the expression of love.

Ques You referred to perfection. I was wondering if you had in mind Hebrews 6 — “Leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ let us go on unto perfection”. They made Him a supper here; had they reached a stage of perfection before they made the supper?

JT I think they had, I believe it is the finished result of a certain ministry. Colossians has the same thing in mind, to present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. The Colossians were not that, they had not gone on to the full result of the light they had — here they did. Here it is not Christ among the gentiles, Christ in you (Colossians 1: 27); it is Christ among the Jewish remnant, but the Jewish remnant seen as having acquired wealth, not from the ministry of Moses and the prophets, but the Lord’s personal ministry; it is final so far. It is a Jewish setting, not yet the assembly, but ultimately merging in it. “He led them out as far as Bethany” corresponds.

HB “Mary therefore, having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price”. Is that a further thought?

JT Yes. The facts given are progressive. We reach the highest point contemplated in the section, that is what is alluded to, as if the full thought was reached, beginning with chapter 9. That is a great inquiry in any given place, as to whether we are going on to perfection or are stationary; satisfied ^[p. 86] with a certain thought reached, a point decided by ourselves. The Colossians were doing fairly well, but they had not gone on to perfection, they were somewhat hindered, and there is always something peculiar to a place, which hinders.

HPW Would you say a word as to how the pure nard is acquired? You spoke of it as being ready, would you say a little as to how what she had was acquired?

JT You took notice of what was said as to its being a sequence — I think that is important. “Martha served ...” “Mary therefore ...” — she is introduced as well known, that is, a previous history is in view; the result in Martha is serving. “Mary therefore ...” raises in your mind the whole recorded history of this sister. How did she acquire this? What is it? “Having taken a pound of ointment of pure nard of great price”, and the Lord’s comment about that is, “Suffer her to have kept this for the day of my preparation for burial”. The history, as recorded in Luke 10, would show that she was governed by the current light. It was not an accident with her that she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to what He was saying — that was according to current light, that was the light that governed her position. The Lord had been on the mount (Luke 9), and the voice from heaven had said, “Hear him”; she moved in that light, or rather, she sat at His feet because of that light. She was passive, but she was active in the sense of hearing. I believe the allusion is to saints, brothers and sisters, who recognise the present light; it is peculiarly intended to attract us, and to bring about what the Lord intends to be brought about. She began thus and the history of John 11 would show how that was perfected, so it is now a deliberate intelligent act. She has the very best thing for the occasion, and she knows what to do with it, and the effect is felt. I think ^[p. 87] the thought is perfection. You have reached the result of the ministry in which you are, which is shining upon you. Would you say that?

HPW It would answer to the hundredfold of Luke 8: 8.

JT Yes. We are often very slipshod in the way we take in the truth and appropriate it and assimilate it, so that there is not full growth. I think the scene presents perfection as the outcome of what the Lord had ministered.

Ques Would you say, that where it speaks of Christ having loved them to the end, that is the object in view of which you are now speaking, the object in view is this state of perfection?

JT Quite so. It is an earthly position that He came to in Bethany, but in chapter 13 it is before the passover, and the identification of the “supper” spoken of is not clear. What happened is stressed, how “Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end”, and “knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came out from God and was going to God” — that Christ is everything is settled. All that man is going on with religiously is just left. Jesus is not moving in relation to it at all, but in relation to another world; He is going out of the present one, going to God, going to the Father. He has everything in His own hand. In the light of all this the believer today is not hindered by current religious conditions.

EG You were saying, if we do not go on to perfection there is something that hinders in the place; do you refer to what is in local gatherings?

JT Well, I referred more to the character of the place. The apostles told God about what happened “in this city” (Acts 4: 27), as much as to say. That is what we have to contend with in this ^[p. 88] city. So it is well to take account of what the characteristics of a city are; our prayers are to have that in mind, for it is what we have to contend with, characteristics that may leaven us and dull our view, not necessarily open opposition.

Ques If we do not get full advantage from the ministry the Lord is giving, but succumb to the influences around, and do not go on to perfection, I was wondering, seeing the concern of the apostles about those at Colosse and Laodicea, whether we might not eventually land in the Laodicean state.

JT Yes. Colosse and Laodicea were adjacent meetings, affected generally by the same conditions. No doubt the subsequent history of Laodicea was in mind.

GC In chapter 13 the Lord says, “Ye call me the Teacher and the Lord, and ye say well, for I am so. If I therefore, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet”. They say Teacher and Lord; the Lord says, Lord and Teacher. Would that be seen in Mary sitting at His feet submitting to the Lord, and then coming under His teaching and learning from Him?

JT Well, that comes under the heading of the instruction flowing out of His act. They had called Him Teacher and Lord, whereas His words are, “If I therefore, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet”. He asserts His position under these circumstances, not here our Lord, but He is the Lord; He has power to subdue, and moreover, He has power to teach — who teaches like Him! He puts the titles in the proper order, saying, the Lord and the Teacher; the first stands related to the commandment, according to chapter 14; and the second to the word; the teaching would involve the word “My words”, as He says. But what we ought to see particularly is the necessity, not only that our feet should be washed, but that He should do it. In the ^[p. 89] light of all the passage states, it says, “Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end. And during supper, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas, son of Simon, Iscariote, that he should deliver him up, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands, and that he came out from God and was going to God”. These facts are to be noted as to the position, the outlook, and what He has; He has a free hand now, and He loves His own that are in the world, but He is in dignity, He is at supper.

AR Will you say a word as to His departing out of the world to the Father? Then in verse 3 it says He came out from God and was going to God. What is the difference between His going to the Father and going to God?

JT The first, I suppose, is what is opened up in chapters 14, 15, 16 and 17 — God viewed by Him as His Father; going back to Him. He had not been there before in the relation of a Son with a Father; He had been there, of course, as to His Person, but He had not been there in that relation; so that it would be the setting up, I think, of the new order of things, the new order of administration above, where He is exalted, receiving all from the Father. It would be the beginning of the new order of things, and administratively, of what we call this dispensation. But then God is a wider thought carrying with it all that belongs to Him under this title. The same order is seen in chapter 20: “My Father and your Father, ... my God and your God”. But here it is “the Father” and “God”.

AR Would you connect it with John 17: 5, “... the glory which I had along with thee before the world was”? Going back to God and taking up His place again in ^[p. 90] the Deity.

JT Verses 1 and 3 of our chapter have the economy in mind: verse 5, “Glorify thou me ... with the glory which I had with thee before the world was”, alludes to His part in the intrinsic Deity, His part in it. His going to the Father and to God in chapter 13, I think, is still in the economy. He is contemplating an economy into which He has come, and that that economy holds as much in heaven as it does here; He carries on there as He carries on here. He would do nothing, but what He saw the Father do; that all refers to the economy, to the inferior place He took outwardly, and that continues. He goes back there as having died, and the dispensation is set up finally in heaven.

McG. Will you say a word as to what is involved in part with Him?

JT We need to see what is in His mind. Judas is there alongside Him with Satan in his heart; Satan had put it into his heart to deliver up Christ. The position is that Jesus is in dignity, but now He rises from supper, which is proceeding. It is not what we do. In chapter 12 they made Him a supper, but it is not said who made Him this; it is something He is proceeding with. He is there; and He rises from that and lays aside His garments. These are not merely religious garments such as are current, they denote what is spiritual, the spiritual dignity that belongs to Him in this position — He lays them aside. We have to note every word that is recorded. He “rises from supper and lays aside his garments, and having taken a linen towel he girded himself: then he pours water into the washhand basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the linen towel with which he was girded. He comes therefore to Simon Peter; and he says to him. Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”

What is to be noticed is, the dignity of Christ in this position; He is going on with this supper, it ^[p. 91] is not finished, He is going on with it, and He divests Himself; He does everything. He has no attendant. Moses had an attendant, the high priest had attendants but the Lord has no attendant here. He does it all, which is another feature of John — He does it Himself, and He comes to Simon Peter. I suppose He carried the basin round as they lay at table, and He comes to Simon Peter. That is, He has to come to this and that person, He is performing a lowly service. Well, what is my thought of what He is doing? Am I ready for it? Do I understand it? Do I see any necessity for it? Maybe I am clean as far as I see; but He says, “Unless I wash thee, thou hast not part with me”. He must do it.

EG Will you open that out — that He must do it?

JT Well, it is the great thought. We may think ourselves quite equal to any position, but the Lord says, I must have to say to everything. John would put that before us, it is what the Lord does, and He will do it, He is doing it. Am I letting Him do it? If not, things are not right, whatever I may think of what is done. He comes to Simon Peter, and he has a reputation that things are right with him, but are they right with him? Is the Lord having His way with him?

Rem It suggests that a certain amount of will on our side oftentimes hinders the Lord.

JT That is the point here. “Unless I wash thee, thou hast not part with me”. It is “first Peter” — Peter had that distinction; well, has the Lord His way with Peter? Is the Lord having His way with him? If He is not, the Lord says, you are out of it; you may be doing much, but you are not having part with Me.

HPW Is the service done at the Supper with us?

JT It may be; it is not easy to say; the point is, primarily, Is the Lord doing the thing? Later the ^[p. 92] teaching is that we are to do it for one another, but it must be in the light of His doing.

AR Would you say what “part with me” refers to?

JT It is what He is going on with. He had been going on with the Jewish system, especially according to the synoptical gospels, but now He is going on with the heavenly order of things. We want to get at what is in His mind. “Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he should depart out of this world to the Father”; and then again, “knowing that the Father had given him all things into his hands”. What is in His mind? The word “knowing” alludes to what is in His mind at this moment, because divinely He knows everything, but what is He speaking about? What is He thinking about? Well, He is going on with the Supper, and the disciples are having part with Him — because they were ceremonially clean. But there is something more needed; there is more needed than was needed in Bethany, and, primarily, even for the supper they are now partaking of.

HPW Do I understand you to mean that what the Lord is particularly going on with now is to bring before us all that His own Supper opens up? There it is not so much a question as to whether adjustment is brought about by the Supper, but as to what is in His mind.

JT Yes. As we proceed with this chapter we see the wonderful things that were in His mind — right up to chapter 17, where He leads us into the greatest possible things.

PSP What is the significance of the act itself?

JT Of course it is in some sense to remove soil, but the disciples were already recognised as clean here, so it is a spiritual matter, above what is ordinary. Many may think themselves quite fit for the things the Lord is going on with, but He would ^[p. 93] inquire, Have I had to do with you in this matter? The service is more to be experienced than to be defined.

PSP Is it the application of the death of Christ?

JT Of course it is, there could be no washing without that. But notice, He puts the water into the basin; that is to say, He is placing it where He can use it in relation to me. Not the great general thought of the water and the blood; it is water placed so that it can be used in relation to me, or to any of us. It is a necessity in view of having part with Christ, and no one who loves Him wants to be out of that.

Ques What is involved in the expression, “thou shalt know hereafter”?

JT That would allude to their then perfect means of knowledge, we are now in the time of knowing everything — “Ye have the unction from the holy one, and ye know all things”.

Rem What you have been saying would guard against any thought that we have ability of ourselves to move forward into this higher realm. Your thought is that it involves some personal service from the Lord.

JT That is the thing one has in mind. Definitions are quite in order, but we want to get hold of this one thought — “Unless I wash thee, thou hast not part with me”.