Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of John 13:16
Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
16. The servant is not greater than his lord ] This saying occurs four times in the Gospels, each time in a different connexion: (1) to shew that the disciples must expect no better treatment than their Master (Mat 10:24); (2) to impress the Apostles with their responsibilities as teachers, for their disciples will be as they are (Luk 6:40); (3) here; (4) with the same purpose as in Mat 10:24, but on another occasion (Joh 15:20). We infer that it was one of Christ’s frequent sayings: it is introduced here with the double ‘verily’ as of special importance (Joh 1:51).
he that is sent ] An Apostle ( apostolos).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The servant is not … – This was universally true, and this they were to remember always, that they were to manifest the same spirit that he did, and that they were to expect the same treatment from the world. See the notes at Mat 10:24-25.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. The servant is not greater than his lord] Christ has ennobled the acts of humility by practising them himself. The true glory of a Christian consists in being, in his measure, as humble as his Lord.
Neither he that is sent] Nor an apostle. As I think these words were intended for the suppression of all worldly ambition and lordly conduct in the apostles and their successors in the ministry, therefore I think the original word , should be translated apostle, rather than he that is sent, because the former rendering ascertains and determines the meaning better.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
16, 17. The servant is not greaterthan his lord, &c.an oft-repeated saying (Mt10:24, &c.).
If ye know these things,happy are ye if ye do thema hint that even among realChristians the doing of such things would come lamentablyshort of the knowing.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Verily, verily, I say unto you,…. This is a strong way of asseveration, and is used when anything of moment and importance, and worthy of attention and observation is delivered.
The servant is not greater than his Lord; it is enough that he be as his Lord, which was a common phrase among the Jews;
[See comments on Mt 10:24],
[See comments on Mt 10:25]; and as it is there made use of, to inform the disciples they must expect persecution, and to encourage them to bear it with patience; here it is designed to engage to humility; for if a master condescends to perform such an action, much more may a servant:
neither he that is sent, is greater than he that sent him. This is also a way of speaking in use among the Jews;
“R. Meir says, z who is greatest, he that keeps, or he that is kept? from what is written in Ps 91:11, he that is kept, is greater than he that keeps: says R. Judah, which is greatest, he that carries, or he that is carried? from what is written in Ps 91:12, he that is carried, is greater than he that carries: says R. Simeon, from what is written, in Isa 6:8, , “he that sends, is greater than he that is sent”.”
Which is the very phrase here used by Christ; and his meaning is this, that if it was not below him, who had chose and called, and sent them forth as his apostles, to wash their feet, they who were sent by him, should not disdain to wash one another’s.
z Bereshit Rabba, fol. 68. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Is not greater ( ). Comparative adjective of (greater) followed by the ablative case (contrast between slave, lord) and (articular participle of , to send, with contrast with apostle, “one sent” () from ). Jesus here enforces the dignity of service. In Lu 22:27 Jesus argues this point a bit. In Lu 6:40 the contrast is between the pupil and the teacher, though some pupils consider themselves superior to the teacher. In Mt 10:24 Jesus uses both forms of the saying (pupil and slave). He clearly repeated this often.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Verily, verily. See on Joh 1:51; Joh 10:1.
The servant. No article. Better a servant, as Rev., a bond – servant. He that is sent [] . Literally, an apostle. See on Mt 10:2.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “Verily, verily, I say unto you,” (amen amen lego humin) “Truly, truly, I tell you all,” as my friends, my church, my servants, and ambassadors, Joh 15:14-15; 2Co 5:20. In solemn tones He said it.
2) “The servant is not greater than his lord;” (ouk estin doulos meizon tou kuriou) “A servant is (exists) not greater than his lord or master,” Joh 15:20, and should not be, or hold himself to be above, or too good to do lowly service, to which our Lord condescended, Php_2:5-7. It is the duty of the servant to serve his master.
3) “Nor he that is sent,” (oude apostolos) “Nor is that one who is commissioned, or mandated,” Jesus was not greater than His Father who sent Him, Luk 19:10; Joh 3:16. Nor were the apostles whom He had ordained and sent.
4) “Greater than he that sent him.” (meizon tou pempsantos auton) ”Greater than the one who sent, ,commissioned, or mandated him,” Joh 20:21; The sent is servant to the sender, and should be obedient and respectful to Him, is the idea, Mat 10:24. The spirit of the servant should be:
“Wherever He Leads I’ll Go”
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
16. Verily, verily, I tell you. These are indeed proverbial sayings, which admit of a far more extensive application, but which ought to be accommodated to the case in hand. In my opinion, therefore, they are mistaken who suppose them to have a general acceptation, as if Christ were now exhorting his disciples to bear the cross; for it is more correct to say that he employed them to serve his purpose.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(16) The servant is not greater than his lord.These words have already occurred in the earlier Gospels in another connection. (Comp. Note on Mat. 10:24, and Luk. 6:40.) They occur again in this Gospel in Joh. 15:20.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
“With the strongest emphasis (truly, truly) I tell you, a slave is not greater than his Lord, nor is one who is sent (Gk. ‘an apostle’, one who is sent) greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things you are blessed if you do them.”
This statement is so patently true that it cannot be denied. He was saying, ‘as I am greater than you and have done this, so you too must be ready to behave in the same way’. The trouble is that the Lord and the Sender were so deeply humble and so ready to serve that it makes it difficult for us arrogant humans to follow suit. We are so the opposite of being humble. We are good at putting on an act at the right time when we feel it necessary, but we find it difficult to do it all the time, especially when it is out of the limelight. It is one thing to know these things. It is another to do them. But blessing only follows if we do them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Joh 13:16-17 . Truly you, the lesser ( : one sent ), may not dispense with the performance of that which I, the greater, have here performed. Comp. Joh 15:20 ; Mat 10:24 ; Luk 6:40 .
] That which I have set forth to you in accordance with the above (Joh 13:13-16 ) by my , by means of the feet-washing, and have made an obligation.
expresses the general, and the particular, additional condition. Comp. on the twofold protasis , Stallbaum, ad Plat. Phaed . p. 67 E, Apol . p. 20 C; Klotz, ad Devar . p. 512; Ellendt, Lex. Soph . I. p. 493. The makes a definite supposition ( , Euth. Zigabenus); is in case you, etc. The knowing is objectively granted, the doing subjectively conditioned.
.] said in reference to the happiness of the present and future Messianic . Comp. on Joh 19:29 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Ver. 16. The servant is not greater, &c. ] This answers all our exceptions against brotherly offices: I am his elder, better, greater than he, &c. But which of us can say, I am a god? Christ washed his disciples’ feet, though he knew that the Father had given all things into his hands, &c., as is expressly and for this very purpose noted here by the evangelist, Joh 13:3 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
16, 17. ] The proverbial expression . is used here in a different sense from ch. Joh 15:20 . Here it is, ‘if the Master thus humble Himself, much more should His servants and messengers:’ see Mat 10:24 ; Luk 6:40 ; and on Joh 13:17 , Luk 12:47-48 . The mere recognition of such a duty of humility, is a very much more easy matter than the putting it in practice .
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Joh 13:16 . And as confirmatory of this example and in rebuke of their pride, He adds: . In Mat 10:24 a similar saying occurs; cf. also Luk 6:40 , and Luk 22:27 . The slave whose function it is to serve is not “greater,” , than his lord, who may expect to receive service, and therefore the slave may well stoop to the offices which the lord himself discharges and count on no exemptions the lord does not claim.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Verily, verily. The eighteenth occurance of this solemn expression. See Joh 1:51. Three more occurances in this chapter: Joh 13:20, Joh 13:21, Joh 13:38.
servant = bond-servant. Greek. doulos. Once applied to the Lord (Php 1:2, Php 1:7). Frequent in Paul’s epistles. lord. ‘Greek. kurios. App-98.
neither. Greek. oude.
he that is sent = an apostle. Greek apostolos. Occurs 81 times, always translated “apostle”, except here, 2Co 8:23, and Php 2:25.
sent. Greek. pempo. App-174.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
16, 17.] The proverbial expression . is used here in a different sense from ch. Joh 15:20. Here it is, if the Master thus humble Himself, much more should His servants and messengers: see Mat 10:24; Luk 6:40; and on Joh 13:17, Luk 12:47-48. The mere recognition of such a duty of humility, is a very much more easy matter than the putting it in practice.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Joh 13:16. , , verily, verily) The force of this affirmation belongs to Joh 13:17, If ye know these things, happy are ye, if ye do them.-, greater) Nor ought he to refuse to do the same things, and submit to the same things.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Joh 13:16
Joh 13:16
Verily, verily, I say unto you, A servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.-If the Master could perform such acts for the servants, the servants should not object to doing it for one another. I send you-do not think you are better than I. If you are my servants, as you are sent by me, you should not feel yourselves above doing what I do; you should follow my footsteps and be led by the Spirit that moves me.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Verily: Joh 3:3, Joh 3:5
The servant: Joh 15:20, Mat 10:24, Mat 10:25, Luk 6:40
Reciprocal: 1Sa 8:7 – they have not Mat 5:18 – verily Joh 1:51 – Verily Joh 12:26 – serve Joh 14:28 – Father Joh 15:15 – I call
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
6
This verse is more teaching along the same line as the preceding ones. In the kingdom of Christ there are to be no great and small members as men count greatness.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
If we would understand the full meaning of these verses, we must mark carefully where they stand in the chapter. They follow hard after the remarkable passage in which we read of Christ washing His disciples’ feet. They stand in close connection with His solemn command, that the disciples should do as they had seen Him do. Then come the five verses which we have now to consider.
We are taught, for one thing, in these verses, that Christians must never be ashamed of doing anything that Christ has done. We read, “Verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.”
There seems little doubt that our Lord’s all-seeing eye saw a rising unwillingness in the minds of the Apostles to do such menial things as they had just seen Him do. Puffed up with their old Jewish expectation of thrones and kingdoms in this world, secretly self-satisfied with their own position as our Lord’s friends, these poor Galileans were startled at the idea of washing people’s feet! They could not bring themselves to believe that Messiah’s service entailed work like this. They could not yet take in the grand truth, that true Christian greatness consisted in doing good to others. And hence they needed our Lord’s word of warning. If He had humbled Himself to do humbling work, His disciples must not hesitate to do the same.
The lesson is one of which we all need to be reminded. We are all too apt to dislike any work which seems to entail trouble, self-denial, and going down to our inferiors. We are only too ready to depute such work to others, and to excuse ourselves by saying, “It is not in our way.” When feelings of this kind arise within us we shall find it good to remember our Lord’s words in this passage, no less than our Lord’s example. We ought never to think it beneath us to show kindness to the lowest of men. We ought never to hold our hand because the objects of our kindness are ungrateful or unworthy. Such was not the mind of Him who washed the feet of Judas Iscariot as well as Peter. He who in these matters cannot stoop to follow Christ’s example, gives little evidence of possessing true love or true humility.
We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the uselessness of religious knowledge if not accompanied by practice. We read, “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” It sounds as if our Lord would warn His disciples that they would never be really happy in His service if they were content with a barren head-knowledge of duty, and did not live according to their knowledge.
The lesson is one which deserves the continual remembrance of all professing Christians. Nothing is more common than to hear people saying of doctrine or duty,-“We know it, we know it;” while they sit still in unbelief or disobedience. They actually seem to flatter themselves that there is something creditable and redeeming in knowledge, even when it bears no fruit in heart, character, or life. Yet the truth is precisely the other way. To know what we ought to be, believe, and do, and yet to be unaffected by our knowledge, only adds to our guilt in the sight of God. To know that Christians should be humble and loving, while we continue proud and selfish, will only sink us deeper in the pit, unless we awake and repent. Practice, in short, is the very life of religion. “To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (Jam 4:17.)
Of course we must never despise knowledge. It is in one sense the beginning of Christianity in the soul. So long as we know nothing of sin, or God, or Christ, or grace, or repentance, or faith, or conscience, we are of course nothing better than heathens. But we must not overrate knowledge. It is perfectly valueless unless it produces results in our conduct, and influences our lives, and moves our wills. In fact knowledge without practice does not raise us above the level of the devil. He could say to Jesus, “I know Thee who Thou art, the Holy One of God.” The devils, says James, “believe and tremble.” (Jam 2:19.) Satan knows truth, but has no will to obey it, and is miserable. He that would be happy in Christ’s service must not only know, but do.
We are taught, for another thing, in these verses, the perfect knowledge which Christ has of all His people. He can distinguish between false profession and true grace. The Church may be deceived, and rank men as Apostles, who are nothing better than brethren of Judas Iscariot. But Jesus is never deceived, for He can read hearts. And here He declares with peculiar emphasis, “I know whom I have chosen.”
This perfect knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ is a very solemn thought, and one which cuts two ways. It ought to fill the hypocrite with alarm, and drive him to repentance. Let him remember that the eyes of the all-seeing Judge already see him through and through, and detect the want of a wedding garment. If he would not be put to shame before assembled worlds, let him cast aside his false profession, and confess his sin before it is too late. Believers, on the other hand, may think of an all-knowing Savior with comfort. They may remember, when misunderstood and slandered by an evil world, that their Master knows all. He knows that they are true and sincere, however weak and failing. A time is coming when He will confess them before His Father, and bring forth their characters clear and bright as the summer sun at noon-day.
We are taught, finally, in these verses, the true dignity of Christ’s disciples. The world may despise and ridicule the Apostles because they care more for works of love and humility than the pursuits of the world. But the Master bids them remember their commission, and not be ashamed. They are God’s ambassadors, and have no cause to be cast down. “Verily, verily,” He declares, “He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me receiveth Him that sent Me.”
The doctrine here laid down is full of encouragement. It ought to cheer and hearten all who lay themselves out to do good, and specially to do good to the fallen and the poor. Work of this kind gets little praise from men, and they who give themselves up to it are often regarded as miserable enthusiasts, and meet with much opposition. Let them however work on, and take comfort in the words of Christ which we are now considering. To spend and be spent in trying to do good, makes a man far more honorable in the eyes of Jesus than to command armies or amass a fortune. The few who work for God in Christ’s way have no cause to be ashamed. Let them not be cast down if the children of the world laugh and sneer and despise them. A day comes when they will hear the words, “Come ye blessed children of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you.” (Mat 25:34.)
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Notes-
v16.-[Verily, verily, I say unto you, etc.] This well-known mode of expression is doubtless used here to show the great importance of the lessons which our Lord is imposing on the disciples at this point. It is as though He said, “Do not think lightly of what I am teaching you now. It is no trifling matter. Love and humility are weighty things in my service. I solemnly charge you to remember that, as I have often told you, the servant is not greater than his master, but must strictly follow his example. The messenger sent on an errand is not greater than him that sends him, and must carefully do as he is bid. If I, your Master and Head, have done these actions of love and humility, never be ashamed of doing the same, or similar ones. If you are really my disciples and messengers, you must prove it by shrinking from nothing which you have seen Me do.”
The Greek word which we render here, “He that is sent,” is the same that is elsewhere rendered, “the Apostle.” Our translators seem to have translated the word as they have to show more forcibly the connection between “the sender” and “the sent,” which, to a reader ignorant of Greek, would not have appeared if the word “apostle” had been used.
v17.-[If ye know…happy…do them.] The object of this verse seems to be the confirmation of the preceding one. “Be not content with knowing these things with your heads. See that you actually practice them. If you really know and understand my meaning, you will find it your happiness to put it in practice.” The latent idea seems to be, “Wretched and miserable Christians are ye, if you know these things, and then stop short, and do not practice them.”
Let us note the solemn principle which lies beneath the verse. Knowledge without practice is the character of the devil. None knows more truth, and none does more evil than he. Let us not forget that!
v18.-[I speak not of you all.] It is not quite clear what our Lord meant by these words. Some think, as Bishop Hall, that the connection is with the verse before, and that our Lord meant, “When I speak of happiness, knowledge, and practice, I do not speak as if there was no false Apostle among you.”
Others think that the sense should be carried forward. “I am not speaking as if you were all equally faithful, and equally sent by Me.”
[I know whom I have chosen.] This sentence again admits of being taken in two senses. Some think, as Calvin, Poole, Rollock, and Hutcheson, that it refers to the eternal election and choice of those disciples who were true believers. “I know whom I have really called and chosen to be mine by my Spirit.”
Others think, as Zwingle, Musculus, Hall, Whitby, Hengstenberg, and Burgon, that it only refers to the official choice and calling of the twelve when our Lord selected them to be His disciples, and has no reference to the inward call of grace. It would then mean, “I know the real inward character of all those whom I have called to be my professing disciples.” It certainly favours this view, that our Lord uses precisely the same expression in Joh 6:70 : “Have not I chosen you twelve, and one of you is a devil?”
Any one who cares to see the question well discussed, will find it ably examined by Gomarus.
[But that the Scripture…fulfilled.] Our Lord’s meaning seems to be filled up in the following way: “I speak not of you all, as if I thought you all faithful. I know that ye are not all clean and trustworthy, and I know that in this way you will see the words of Scripture fulfilled.”
Here, as in many places where the expression occurs, “This was done that the Scripture might be fulfilled,” we must not for a moment suppose that “things were done in order that Scripture might be fulfilled,” but that “when things were done the Scripture was fulfilled.” “I know the characters of all my disciples,” our Lord seems to say, “and I know that very soon something will happen by which the Scripture will be fulfilled.”
[He that eateth bread, etc.] The forty-first Psalm is here shown to apply to one greater than David, and one worse than Ahitophel. The ninth verse here quoted says, “Mine own familiar friend, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
The expression implies the act of one who like a stubborn and vicious horse, suddenly turns round against his master and kicks at him. “This,” our Lord says, “is about to be fulfilled in the conduct of Judas Iscariot to Me.”
It cannot of course be said that this quotation is positive proof that Judas ate the Lord’s Supper. But it certainly rather increases the probability of it. The words, “eateth bread with Me,” used in such close juxtaposition to the institution of the Lord’s Supper, are very remarkable.
The grand lesson, that we must be prepared for much disappointment in friends and companions in this life, is very plain in this passage. The less we expect from man the better.
v19.-[Now I tell you before, &c.] There can be little doubt that this verse applies to the warning of Judas’ approaching apostasy which our Lord had just given. “I tell you of the coming fall of one of your number before it takes place, in order that when it takes place you may not be confounded, but may see fresh reason for believing that I am the promised Messiah.”
The expression, “I am He,” in the Greek is literally, “I am.” Is there any reference to the famous “I AM” hath sent me in Exodus? It comes in close connection with “sending” in the next verse.
v20.-[Verily, verily I say, etc.] Our Lord’s purpose in this verse seems to be to encourage and cheer His faithful disciples. “Be not dismayed” he seems to say, “though one of your number is unfaithful and falls away. Persevere and fear not. Remember the high dignity of your office. I solemnly declare to you that he who receives you or any one else whom I send forth to preach the Gospel, receives Me, because ye are my representatives. Nor is this all. He that receives Me, receives not Me only, but God the Father who sent Me. Ye have no cause therefore to be ashamed of your calling however unworthily some may behave.”
Let us note that it is no light matter to reject and despise a faithful minister of Christ. A weak and ignorant servant may carry a message for a royal master, and for his master’s sake, ought not to be lightly esteemed. Contempt for Christ’s ministers, when they are really faithful, is a bad symptom in a church or a nation.
The connection of this verse with the preceding passage is certainly not easy to see, and has puzzled all commentators. Some, as Alford, have thought that our Lord intended to show the wickedness of Judas in giving up such an honourable office as that of the Apostleship. This seems far-fetched.-Some refer it back to the command to imitate our Lord’s humility by washing one another’s feet, and think it is meant to remind them that even they are Christ’s ambassadors. I prefer the view already given, that the words are meant to cheer and comfort the disciples. Though not all were faithful, the true-hearted ones were Christ’s commissioned ambassadors.
Stier says, “The whole circle of the Apostles seemed to be disgraced and broken up by the treachery of Judas, and therefore our Lord confirms the faithful in their election, and that very fitly by repeating an earlier promise.”
Fuente: Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
Joh 13:16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, No servant is greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him. How often does Jesus speak of Himself in this gospel as the Sent of God! It is impossible to dissociate this usage from the words here, so that the same word is applied to the disciple in reference to his Lord as is applied to the Lord Himself in reference to God (comp. Joh 17:18). The disciples are the sent, taking the place of Him who was first sent but is now gone to the Father.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Joh 13:16-20. Verily, the servant is not greater than his lord And therefore ought not to think much either of doing or suffering the same things. If ye know these things Therefore, knowing your duty in this particular, ye are happy if you practise it. I speak not of you all When I call you happy; nor do I expect that all of you will hearken to me; I know whom I have chosen I know there is one among you whom no instruction will profit, and that I should have called such a one to the apostleship need not surprise any of you, for I was well acquainted with the dispositions of each of you when I made choice of you, and did not make choice of a traitor to be my apostle through ignorance of his character; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled Particularly Psa 41:9; He that eateth bread with me And has been nourished by my care and favour; hath lifted up his heel against me Like an ungrateful brute, that kicks at the kind master who feeds him. Such treatment David met with from those whom he trusted, and such I know that I am to expect. Now I tell you before it come I give you this intimation before I am betrayed; that when it is come to pass That when what I thus foretel is accomplished, you may be so far from doubting of the truth of my mission on that account, that, on the contrary, you may more firmly believe that I am he That I told you I was, even the true Messiah. Verily, he that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth me I put my own honour upon you, my ambassadors; and assure you that he who receives in faith, love, and obedience, the doctrine of you my apostles, or of any other messengers whom I send to preach the word of eternal life, receives mine, and he who receives mine, receives that of him who sent me. Whatsoever therefore I shall suffer, let not your zeal to carry on my cause be lessened, but steadfastly persevere in your adherence to it, with a firm persuasion that I will support you in it; for in this view I look upon your interest as my own. See on Mat 10:40; Luk 10:16.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Jesus again introduced a statement with a strong asseveration to indicate its importance. He put it in the form of an aphorism (cf. Joh 15:20; Mat 10:24; Luk 6:40; Luk 22:37). An aphorism is a concise definition or statement of a principle. By common consent slaves occupy an inferior role to that of their masters, and messengers (Gr. apostolos) do the same to those who send them. This, by the way, is the only occurrence of apostolos in the fourth Gospel. Jesus was contrasting roles, not essential worth. His point was that no disciple of His should think it beneath him or her to serve others since He, the master and sender, had humbled Himself to serve.
Jesus had repeatedly referred to the fact that the Father had sent Him and that He had come from the Father. Likewise He would send the disciples (Joh 20:21).