Month: April 2021

2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,

and like a root out of dry ground;

he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,

and no beauty that we should desire him.

“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?” And they took offense at him. MAR 6:3

3 He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief;

and as one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not. ISA 53:2-3

13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him.

14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. ACT 3:13-15

John Gill

And you killed the Author of life—Author of life, natural, spiritual, and eternal; who not only is the living God, and has life in himself; and as man, had such a power over his own life, as no man ever had; but he is the author of a spiritual resurrection from the death of sin, to a life of grace, and has procured eternal life for his people, and gives it to them. Now this Lord of life and glory they crucified. His death is laid to them because it was at their request, and through their instigation, and at their earnest solicitations, that Pilate condemned him, and delivered, him to his soldiers to crucify him.

Whom God raised from the dead—Notwithstanding all their spite and malice; so that they had not their whole will, and all their end, not being able to retain him under the power of death, and under the shame and reproach of the cross; and this the apostle the rather mentions, as being the reason why such gifts, and such power were bestowed on them to do the miracles they did.

To this we are witnesses—Either of Christ, for it may be rendered, “whose witnesses we are”; they testifying of his person, office, grace, and righteousness; or of the resurrection of Christ, of which they were eyewitnesses; and of which they had the fullest proof, and were capable of bearing a sufficient testimony, and for which they were chosen and appointed.

Jesus, the Son of God, came to earth and was described as lowly, despised, without beauty, and rejected. Taking on human form was already difficult and a far cry from being a deity. But to become acquainted with grief and identify with the lowest of the low speaks of the great compassion and love that Christ had for us, that he would go so low to save us from our sins and heal us. What does Php 2:3-8 say about how Christ’s demonstration and example of humility affect our view and treatment of others?

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

By insolence comes nothing but strife,

but with those who take advice is wisdom. PRO 13:10

Rashi

By insolence comes nothing but strife—Heb. מצה, controversy.

But with those who take advice is wisdom—But wisdom lies with those who behave with advice.

14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.

15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

John Gill

This is not the wisdom that comes down from above—If it must be called wisdom, as it ought not; an envious, quarrelsome, and contentious spirit, does not deserve such a name; yet if any will call it so, or can think that a man of such a disposition is a man possessed of wisdom; it is such wisdom as does not come from above, from heaven, from the Father of lights, from Christ, in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and from the spirit of wisdom and revelation: what the Jews say of the wisdom of Egypt, may be said of this, that it is “wisdom from below,” or inferior wisdom, as it follows:

But is earthly, unspiritual, and demonic—It is “earthly,” or of the earth, and springs from thence; and it is only conversant about earthly things, and is only suitable to earthly minds: it is sensual, or natural; what a natural man, one destitute of the Spirit of God, and without the knowledge of the things of the Spirit, may have; it is what is acquired by the mere strength of nature, and only relates to natural things; and is only agreeable to corrupt nature, or to a natural and unregenerate man: yea, it is demonic, or such as the devil himself has; and which comes from him, and being used, serves only his kingdom and interest.

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. JAS 3:14-16

John Gill

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist—Where these are cherished in the heart, and especially where they break out into action, in families, neighbourhoods, states, or churches:

There will be disorder and every vile practice—These occasion disturbances, raise uneasiness, make disquietude, and cause tumults whenever they appear; and put persons upon doing everything that is wicked, to gratify such insatiable lusts.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

John Gill

Let no one seek his own—His carnal pleasure and private advantage in eating things sacrificed to “idols,” to the hurt and disadvantage of his brethren; otherwise it is lawful for a man to seek his own good, temporal, spiritual, and eternal, to seek for the necessaries of life, his spiritual peace and comfort, and his everlasting welfare and happiness; but then he should not only seek his own,

But the good of his neighbor—The apostle’s meaning is, that a man, in the use of things indifferent, should not seek the gratifying of his sensual appetite or other passions, what may be pleasing or profitable to himself; but should consult the profit and edification of others.

32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,

John Gill

Give no offense—Avoid everything that may be the occasion of offense, of the stumbling and falling of others; whether things indifferent, when they are offensive to weak minds, and grieve, and wound, and stumble them; especially things sinful, which as they offend God, and are therefore called “offences,” so they are offensive to the churches of Christ, and are cognizable by them; they are staggering and stumbling to weak believers, when committed by professors of religion; are the means of inducing others to sin, and of hardening profane sinners in their iniquities, and give occasion to the enemy to blaspheme: but things that are good, and are made our incumbent duty, are not to be avoided, though persons may be offended; such as the pure preaching of the gospel, the profession of it, and submission to the ordinances thereof; for an offense is either taken or given; to give offense is one thing, which we should carefully avoid; and to take it, when there is no just reason for it, is another, and not to be regarded:

To Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God—Which may be considered as having a peculiar respect to the people of God: the two first of these, namely, Jews and Greeks, being what constituted the first churches, and this at Corinth, so that they may be thought to be the parts, and the church the whole; and the apostle first mentions the one, and then the other, signifying, that they were not to give offense neither to single persons, nor to the whole church; and particularly in the case of eating things offered to idols, care was to be taken that neither Jews nor Greeks were offended, being both members of the church. Or these may be considered as including all sorts of persons; for Jews and Greeks include the whole world, and may here mean all that are without, that have no true faith in Christ, nor any spiritual knowledge of him; and “the church,” all such as know him, believe in him, and profess his name: so that the apostle’s sense is, that care should be taken that no offence be given to any sort of men, neither to the men of the world, of whatever character, nor to professors of religion, and more especially the latter; since offending one of the least of them that believe in Christ, is displeasing to him; and since he was so careful to guard against the offense of them, and will, by his angels, at the last day, gather out of his kingdom all such as offend; and has ordered his churches to mark them which cause offences and divisions; and since it is so hard a thing to reconcile an offended brother, who is harder to be won than a strong castle; though that is not his excellency, yet as it makes the case so difficult, it should be guarded against.

33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1CO 10:24, 32-33

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. ISA 7:14

Rashi

The Lord himself will give you a sign—He will give you a sign by himself, against your will.

A virgin—My wife will conceive this year. This was the fourth year of Ahaz.

Shall conceive—This is actually the future, as we find concerning Manoah’s wife, that the angel said to her (Jdg 13:3): “But you shall conceive and bear a son,” and it is written, “Behold, you shall conceive and bear a son.”

And shall call his name—Divine inspiration will rest upon her.

Immanuel—Lit. God is with us. That is to say that our rock shall be with us, and this is the sign, for she is a young girl, and she never prophesied, yet in this instance, divine inspiration shall rest upon her. This is what is stated below (8:3): “And I went to the prophetess, etc.,” and we do not find a prophet’s wife called a prophetess unless she prophesied. Some interpret this as being said about Hezekiah, but it is impossible, because, when you count his years, you find that Hezekiah was born nine years before his father’s reign. And some interpret that this is the sign, that she was a young girl and incapable of giving birth.

7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

But I am a worm and not a man,

scorned by mankind and despised by the people. PSA 22:7

Chullin 89a:6

I granted greatness to Abraham, yet he said before me: “And I am but dust and ashes” (Gen 18:27). I granted greatness to Moses and Aaron, yet Moses said of the two of them: “For what are we” (Exo 16:7). I granted greatness to David, yet he said: “But I am a worm and not a man” (Psa 22:7).

8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. PHP 2:3-8

his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance. DEU 21:23

Rashi

For a hanged man is cursed by God—This is a degradation of the divine King, for man is made in his image and the Israelites are his children. It may be compared to the case of two twin brothers who very closely resembled each other: one became king and the other was arrested for robbery and was hanged. Whoever saw him on the gallows thought that the king was hanged (Sanhedrin 46b).

Sanhedrin 46a:14

The dead man hangs there for only a very short time, and then they immediately untie him. And if he was left hanging overnight, a prohibition is transgressed, as it is stated: “His body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for he that is hung is a curse by God” (Deu 21:23). That is to say: Were the body left hanging all night on the tree, people would ask: For what reason was this one hung after he was put to death? They would be answered: Because he blessed God, a euphemism for blasphemy. And therefore the name of heaven would be desecrated were the dead man’s body to remain hanging, reminding everybody of his transgression.

The Sacrifice of Isaac

1 After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Rashi

After these things—Some of our Rabbis say (Sanhedrin 89b) that it means after the words of Satan who denounced Abraham saying, “Of all the banquets which Abraham prepared not a single bullock nor a single ram did he bring as a sacrifice to you.” God replied to him, “Does he do anything at all except for his son’s sake? Yet if I were to bid him, ‘Sacrifice him to me,’ he would not refuse.” Others say that it means “after the words of Ishmael” who boasted to Isaac that he had been circumcised when he was thirteen years old without resisting. Isaac replied to him, “You think to intimidate me by mentioning the loss of one part of the body! If the Holy One, blessed be he, were to tell me, ‘Sacrifice yourself to me’ I would not refuse” (Sanhedrin 89b).

Here I am—Such is the answer of the pious: it is an expression of meekness and readiness (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 22).

Sanhedrin 89b:8

Apropos the binding of Isaac, the Gemara elaborates: It is written: “After these matters God tried Abraham” (Gen 22:1). The Gemara asks: After what matters? How does the binding of Isaac relate to the preceding events?

Sanhedrin 89b:14

The Gemara cites an alternative explanation of the verse: “After these matters God tried Abraham” (Gen 22:1). Rabbi Levi says: This means after the statement of Ishmael to Isaac, during an exchange between them described in the verse: “But Sarah saw the son of Hagar . . . mocking” (Gen 21:9). Ishmael said to Isaac: I am greater than you in the fulfillment of commandments, as you were circumcised at the age of eight days, without your knowledge and without your consent, and I was circumcised at the age of thirteen years, with both my knowledge and my consent. Isaac said to Ishmael: And do you provoke me with one organ? If the Holy One, blessed be he, were to say to me: Sacrifice yourself before me, I would sacrifice myself. Immediately, God tried Abraham, to confirm that Isaac was sincere in his offer to give his life.

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1CO 10:13

2 He said, “Take your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”

3 So Abraham rose early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and his son Isaac. And he cut the wood for the burnt offering and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

Rashi

So . . . rose early—He was alert to fulfil the command (Pesachim 4a).

Saddled—He himself: he did not order one of his servants to do so, for love disregards the rule imposed on one by his exalted position in life (Bereishit Rabbah 55:8).

Two of his young men—Ishmael and Eliezer. For a man of high standing should not travel without two men as attendants (Vayikra Rabbah 26:7) so that if one needs to ease himself and goes aside for this purpose the other will still remain with him (Midrash Tanchuma, Balak 8).

And he cut—Its rendering in the Targum וְצַלַח has the same meaning as the verb in (2Sa 19:18) “rushed down to the Jordan,” which signifies cleaving the waters; Old French fendre.

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. LUK 14:26

9 When they came to the place of which God had told him, Abraham built the altar there and laid the wood in order and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood.

Rashi

And bound his hands and feet behind him. Hands and feet tied together is what is meant by עִקֵידָה. It is associated in meaning with עִקֻדִים in (Gen 30:35) “female goats that were streaked”—whose ankles were streaked white so that the place where they are bound could be plainly seen.

And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. MAT 27:2

10 Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son.

17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son,

18 of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.”

19 He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. HEB 11:17-19

11 But the angel of the Lord called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

Rashi

Abraham, Abraham!—The repetition of his name is an expression of affection (Bereishit Rabbah 56:7).

And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” ACT 9:4

12 He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.”

Rashi

Do not lay to slaughter him. Then he (Abraham) said to God, “If this be so, I have come here for nothing; let me at least inflict a wound on him and draw some blood from him.” God replied, “Do not do the slightest thing (מְאוּמָה) to him”—inflict no blemish (מוּם) on him (Bereishit Rabbah 56:7).

For now I know—From now I have a reply to give to Satan and to the nations who wonder at the love I bear you: Now I have a reason (lit. an opening of the mouth), for they see “that you fear God.” (Bereishit Rabbah 56:7).

For now I know—R. Aba said: Abraham said to God, “I will lay my complaint before you. Yesterday you told me (Gen 21:12), ‘for through Isaac shall your offspring be named,’ and then again you said (Gen 21:2), ‘Take now your son.’ Now you tell me, ‘Do not lay your hand on the boy.” The Holy One, blessed be he, said to him (Psa 89:35): “ ‘I will not violate my covenant or alter the word that went forth from my lips.’ When I told you, ‘Take,’ I was not altering that which went out from my lips. I did not tell you ‘Slaughter him,’ but ‘Offer him.’ You have brought him—now take him down” (Bereishit Rabbah 56:8).

37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. MAT 10:37-38

13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him was a ram, caught in a thicket by his horns. And Abraham went and took the ram and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son.

Menachot 82b:13

Rather, the term utensil must be referring to a knife, as the slaughter may be performed only with a knife and not with a sharp stone or reed. The Gemara asks: And with regard to a burnt offering itself, from where do we derive that it must be slaughtered with a knife? This is learned from that which is written: “Then Abraham reached out his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son” (Gen 22:10); and there, Abraham was sacrificing a burnt offering, as it is written: “and offered it up as a burnt offering instead of his son” (Gen 22:13).

Rashi

After the angel had said to him, “Do not lay your hand,” he saw it as it the ram was caught. And that is what we mean when we translate it in the Targum by “And Abraham lifted his eyes after these words, i.e., after the angel said, ‘Do not lay your hand.’ ” Other versions of Rashi have: according to the Aggadah, “after all the words of the angel and the glory and after the arguments of Abraham.”

And behold, behind him was a ram—It was predestined for that purpose from the six days of creation (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 23; Pirkei Avot 5:5).

In a thicket—A tree.

By his horns—Because it was running towards Abraham, but Satan caused it to be caught and entangled among the trees (Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 31).

Instead of his son—Since it is written, “and offered it up for a burnt offering,” nothing is missing in the text; what then is the force of “instead of his son”? At every sacrificial act he performed on it he prayed saying, “May it be your will that this may be regarded as if it were being done to my son—as if my son were slaughtered, as if his blood were sprinkled, as if his skin were flayed, as if he were burnt and reduced to ashes” (Bereishit Rabbah 56:9).

9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

10 He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again. 2CO 1:9-10

14 So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”

Pesachim 88a:4

Rather, the verse specifically mentions Jacob to allude to the fact that the temple will ultimately be described in the same way that Jacob referred to it. It will not be referred to as it was referred to by Abraham. It is written of him that when he prayed at the location of the temple mountain, he called it mount, as it is stated: “As it is said on this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided” (Gen 22:14). And it will not be referred to as it was referred to by Isaac. It is written of him that he called the location of the temple field when he prayed there, as it is stated: “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field” (Gen 24:63). Rather, it will be described as it was referred to by Jacob, who called it house, as it is stated: “He called the name of that place Bethel” (Gen 28:19), which means house of God.

Rashi

The Lord will provide—Its real meaning is as the Targum renders it: The Lord will choose and select for Himself this place to make his divine presence reside in it and for sacrifices to be offered there.

As it is said to this day—In the generations to come people will say of it, “On this mount the Holy One, blessed be he, shows himself to his people.”

To this day—The future days, with the same meaning as “until this day” wherever it occurs in the entire Scriptures: that all future generations who read this passage will refer the phrase “until this day” to the day in which they live. The Midrash Aggadah explains: The Lord will see this binding every year to forgive Israel and to save them from punishment, so that it may be said “in this day”—in all future generations—“On the mount of the Lord the ashes of Isaac heaped up as it were and serving as a means of atonement” (Midrash Tanchuma, Vayera 23).

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

the Lord appeared to him from far away.

I have loved you with an everlasting love;

therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you. JER 31:2

Berakhot 11b:9

That was also taught in a baraita: One does not recite: An everlasting love; rather, one recites: An abounding love. And the Rabbis say that one recites: An everlasting love, and so it says: “And an everlasting love I have loved you, therefore I have drawn you with kindness” (Jer 31:2).

Rashi

Appeared to him—I, the prophet, and told me to say to the congregation of Israel, “I have loved you with an everlasting love.”

From far away—In the merit of the patriarchs.

2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, GEN 18:4

Rashi

Let . . . be brought—By a messenger: therefore did the Holy One, blessed be he, recompense his (Abraham’s) children by a messenger, as it is said (Num 20:11), “And Moses lifted up his hand, and he struck the rock” (Bava Metzia 86b).

And wash your feet—He thought they were Arabians who worship the dust of their feet, and he was particular not to have the object of idolatrous worship brought into his house (Bava Metzia 86b). Lot, however, who was not particular about this, mentioned lodging before washing, as it is said (Gen 19:2) “and lodge and bathe your feet.”

Under the tree—Heb. עֵץ can mean either “tree” or detached “wood”; the Targum clarifies this ambiguity by translating as Aram. אִילָן, meaning specifically “tree.”—from Targumim

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

24 Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it.

Rashi

What you spoke—Evil upon it has come to pass (lit., has been and has come).

25 Yet you, O Lord God, have said to me, “Buy the field for money and get witnesses”—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.

Rashi

Though the city is given—Of what avail is the field to me?

43 Fields shall be bought in this land of which you are saying, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” JER 32:24-25, 43

8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning. ISA 4:4

Rashi

When the Lord shall have washed away—Heb. אִם usually “if.” When the Lord shall have washed away. There are instances of אִם being used in this manner in the usage of כִּי; and so (Job 8:18): “But when (אִם) men destroy him from his place.”

Filth—Defilement, as its Aramaic translation; i.e. to say, when he will remove their iniquity through chastening and purging from the world.

Cleansed—Heb. יָדִיחַ, an expression of “washing” in the language of the Mishnah, and in Scripture (Eze 40:38): “There they will rinse (יָדִיחוּ) the burnt offering.”

By a spirit of judgment through chastening. “Spirit” is equivalent to talant in O.F. When he so desires to judge them.

And by a spirit of burning to purge them from the world, בָּעֵר is like לְבָעֵר, to purge, descombrement in O.F., an expression of doing, going.

Sotah 12b:2

The verse states: “Now the daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river” (Exo 2:5). Rabbi Yoḥanan says in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: This teaches that she came down to the river to cleanse herself from the impurity of her father’s idols, as she was immersing herself as part of the conversion process. And similarly it states: “When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning” (Isa 4:4). This washing clearly refers to the purging of spiritual sins, rather than bathing for the sake of cleanliness.

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

John Gill

Simon Peter said to him—Being convinced of his mistake in not submitting to Christ, fearing he should he deprived of communion with him, than which nothing was more desirable to him, or more highly esteemed of by him, says,

Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head—Which shows the sense he had of the general pollution of his nature, and the need he stood in particularly of having his feet, hands, and head washed both as a minister, and a believer. By his “feet” may be meant, either the grace of faith, which is the foot of the soul, by which it goes to Christ, and walks on in him, and was not without its imperfections; or the affections of the mind, which are that to the soul, as feet are to the body; and when they move right, move heavenward, Godward, and Christward; but sometimes they are inordinate, and cleave to the things of this world: or the outward life and conversation is meant, which is attended with daily infirmities; and each of these need washing in the blood of Christ. His “hands” may design all his actions, works, services, duties, and performances, the hand being the instrument of action; and not only the hands of wicked men, but even of saints, need washing, their best righteousnesses being as filthy rags. By his “head” may be meant doctrines and principles imbibed in the mind, and expressed by the lips, which were not free from mistake and pollution, and needed purging and cleansing; for the disciples were not as yet clear from the prejudices of the Jewish nation, especially relating to the nature of the Messiah’s kingdom.

10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. ECC 7:20

Sanhedrin 46b:17

The Gemara suggests: Come and hear a proof from the fact that the righteous patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were all buried. And if you say that burial is required on account of atonement, do the righteous need atonement? The Gemara rejects this proof: Yes, even the righteous are in need of atonement, as it is written: “Surely there is no righteous person on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecc 7:20), and so even the righteous need atonement for the few sins that they committed over the course of their lifetimes.

Sanhedrin 101a:12

Rabbi Akiva said to them: It is for that reason that I am laughing. As long as I would see for my teacher that neither does his wine ferment and spoil, nor is his flax stricken, nor does his oil spoil, nor does his honey turn rancid, I would say to myself: Perhaps, heaven forfend, my teacher has already received his world in reward for the commandments that he fulfilled, and will not receive a reward in the world to come. But now that I see my teacher overcome with suffering, I am happy. He is receiving punishment in this world for the few transgressions that he might have committed, ensuring that he will receive a complete reward in the world to come. Rabbi Eliezer said to him: Akiva, have I failed to fulfill any portion of the entire law? Rabbi Akiva said to him, you taught us, our teacher: “Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecc 7:20).

11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?

19 And the people said to me, “Will you not tell us what these things mean for us, that you are acting thus?”

Rashi

What these things mean for us—What are these signs to us?

24 Thus shall Ezekiel be to you a sign; according to all that he has done you shall do. When this comes, then you will know that I am the Lord God. EZE 24:19, 24

Rashi

When this comes—When this evil comes.

13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

John Gill

For I have given you an example—Christ is an example to his people, in many things; not in his miraculous performances and mediatorial work, but in the exercise of grace, of meekness, humility, love, patience, and the like; and in the discharge of duty, in submission to ordinances, and in attending on them; and in the several duties, both to them that are without, and to them that are within; and also in his sufferings and death; not that he died merely as an example, but likewise in the room and stead of his people; but here he is spoken of, as an example, in a particular instance:

That you also should do just as I have done to you—Wash one another’s feet, as he had washed theirs; which is not to be understood literally and singly of this action, as though this was an ordinance binding upon all persons, in all places, and to be attended to at certain stated times, as has been the practice of some: it was so understood by the church at Milain, and there practised; and this custom was continued and defended by St. Ambrose, even though not received by the church of Rome; in some places the bishop used to wash the feet of those that were baptized, which in process of time being thought sufficient, instead of baptism, was forbidden by the council at Eliberis. In imitation of this, the pope every year, on Thursday in the passion week, washes the feet of twelve men; and it is an anniversary ceremony performed by the kings of England and France, to wash the feet of twelve poor people, in commemoration of this action of Christ’s: but our Lord is not to be understood literally, nor of anything that was to be done once a year, but of what was daily and constantly to be practised; and which was to be done not by one only, to all the rest, but what they were mutually to do; what they were to do to one another; for the thing signified, reaches to, and is obligatory upon all Christians. Our Lord’s meaning is, that as he had, by this action, given them an example of humility, condescension, and love; so they should exercise these graces, and perform such kind offices to one another, and to all their fellow Christians.