Servant of Servants
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His divinity; but He had laid aside His royal crown and kingly robes,
and had taken the form of a servant. One of the last acts of His life on
earth was to gird Himself as a servant, and perform a servant’s part.
Before the Passover Judas had met a second time with the priests
and scribes, and had closed the contract to deliver Jesus into their
hands. Yet he afterward mingled with the disciples as though innocent
of any wrong, and interested in the work of preparing for the feast.
The disciples knew nothing of the purpose of Judas. Jesus alone could
read his secret. Yet He did not expose him. Jesus hungered for his soul.
He felt for him such a burden as for Jerusalem when He wept over
the doomed city. His heart was crying, How can I give thee up? The
constraining power of that love was felt by Judas. When the Saviour’s
hands were bathing those soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel,
the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with the impulse then
and there to confess his sin. But he would not humble himself. He
hardened his heart against repentance; and the old impulses, for the
moment put aside, again controlled him. Judas was now offended
at Christ’s act in washing the feet of His disciples. If Jesus could
so humble Himself, he thought, He could not be Israel’s king. All
hope of worldly honor in a temporal kingdom was destroyed. Judas
was satisfied that there was nothing to be gained by following Christ.
After seeing Him degrade Himself, as he thought, he was confirmed
in his purpose to disown Him, and confess himself deceived. He was
possessed by a demon, and he resolved to complete the work he had
agreed to do in betraying his Lord.
Judas, in choosing his position at table, had tried to place himself
first, and Christ as a servant served him first. John, toward whom
Judas had felt so much bitterness, was left till the last. But John
did not take this as a rebuke or slight. As the disciples watched
Christ’s action, they were greatly moved. When Peter’s turn came,
he exclaimed with astonishment, “Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?”
Christ’s condescension broke his heart. He was filled with shame to
think that one of the disciples was not performing this service. “What I
do,” Christ said, “thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
Peter could not bear to see his Lord, whom he believed to be the Son
of God, acting the part of a servant. His whole soul rose up against
this humiliation. He did not realize that for this Christ came into the
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