John (12-18)

"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." (John 13.1) Every now and then, I noticed how we are reminded of Jesus' eternal and unconditional love towards humanity. It is impressing that aside from the fact that he knew who was going to betray him, he knew his unfortunate destiny, Jesus was able to remain loyal, something most of us strive to achieve.

In chapter 13, a charming scene is described. After finishing supper, Jesus washes and cleans of of his disciples feet. "After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe themwith the towel wherewith he was girded." (John 13.5) I found this to be extremely humble, for him to surrender to the ground and wash one's feet. However, this is not the point I found most surreal. As he is admired by one of his disciples, Peter, for such an act, he then encourages them to do the same to one another. "If I then, yourLord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 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." (John 13.14) This is one of the most true and simple teachings I have found so far. What this is basically saying is that the servants are not greater than their lords, nevertheless, we must learn to serve one another willingly.

"A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you." (John 16.21) This is a nice comparison, I think, the way Jesus describes his own death as a new child's birth. It might seem paradoxical, describing death and birth, however this is exactly what he wants his disciples to understand. He might be going away from this world and leaving his bone and flesh body, but all of this is required in order to reach the eternal kingdom. He might die, but Jesus wants us to see death as a path, a door towards a better place.