Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on John 13:16
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Verily, verily, I say unto you, etc.] 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 Gill on “<401024>Matthew 10:24”), (see Gill on “<401025>Matthew 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, f579 who is greatest, he that keeps, or he that is kept? from what is written in (<199111>Psalm 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 (<199112>Psalm 91:12), he that is carried, is greater than he that carries: says R. Simeon, from what is written, in (<230608>Isaiah 6:8), jltçmh ˆm lwdg jlçmh ywh, “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.
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