Galatians 5:22-23 — Part 1

Galatians 5 - Standing Fast In the Liberty of Jesus

5. (22-23) Examples of the fruit of the Spirit that walking in the Spirit produces in our lives.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

a. But the fruit of the Spirit: The works of the flesh seem overwhelming – both in us and around us.  God is good enough, and big enough, to change everything with but the fruit of the Spirit.  The fruit of the Spirit can always conquer the works of the flesh.

i. Significantly, it is the fruit of the Spirit set across from the works of the flesh.  Works are works, and fruit is fruit.  Fruit has several important characteristics.

Fruit isn’t achieved by working, but is birthed by abiding.

Fruit is fragile.

Fruit reproduces itself.

Fruit is attractive.

Fruit nourishes.

b. Fruit of the Spirit: Paul used the plural is describing life after the flesh (works of the flesh), but he uses the singular (fruit, not fruits, of the Spirit).  In the big picture, the Spirit has one work to do in all of us.  These aren’t the gifts of the Spirit, which are distributed on an individual basis by the will of the Spirit; this is something for every Christian.

i. “It may be significant that the word fruit is singular; Paul is not speaking of a series of fruits that would be shared around, so that one believer has one, another another.  Rather he is referring to a cluster, such that all the qualities are to be manifested in each believer.” (Morris)

c. The fruit of the Spirit is love: It is fitting that love be the first mentioned, because it encompasses all of the following.  It may even be said that the following eight terms are just describing what love in action looks like.  “It would have been enough to mention only the single fruit of love, for love embraces all the fruits of the Spirit.” (Luther)

i. Love translates the Greek word agape.  There were four distinct words for “love.”  Eros was the word for romantic or passionate love.  Philia was the word for the love we have for those near and dear to us, be they family or friends.  Storge is the word for the love that shows itself in affection and care, especially family affection.  But agape describes a different kind of love.  It is a love more of decision than of the spontaneous heart; as much a matter of the mind than the heart, because it chooses to love the undeserving.  “Agape has to do with the mind: it is not simply an emotion which rises unbidden in our hearts; it is a principle by which we deliberately live.” (Barclay)

ii. More from Barclay on agape love: It “means unconquerable benevolence.  It means that no matter what a man may do to us by way of insult or injury or humiliation we will never seek anything else but his highest good.  It is therefore a feeling of the mind as much as the heart; it concerns the will as much as the emotions.  It describes the deliberate effort – which we can make only with the help of God – never to seek anything but the best even for those who seek the worst for us.” (Barclay)

iii. We could say that this is a love of the Spirit, because it is a fruit of the Spirit.  This is above and beyond natural affection, or the loyalty to blood or family.  This is loving people who aren’t easy to love; loving people you don’t like.

iv. “When you wax indignant because you have been badly treated, and you think of returning evil for evil, remember this text, ‘The fruit of the Spirit is love.’  ‘Ah,’ you say, ‘it was shameful!’  Of course it was: and therefore do not imitate it: do not render railing for raiding, but contrariwise blessing, for ‘the fruit of the Spirit is love.’” (Spurgeon)

v. It is also helpful to understand the works of the flesh in the light of this love of the Spirit.  Each one of them is a violation or a perversion of this great love.

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lewdness are counterfeits of love among people.

Idolatry and sorcery are counterfeits of love to God.

Hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, and murders are all opposites of love.

Drunkenness and revelries are sad attempts to fill the void only love can fill.

vi. This shows us the foolishness of excusing the works of the flesh because of “love.”  “To talk of ‘love’ when a man covets his neighbour’s wife, or when a woman violates the command, ‘Thou shalt not commit adultery,’ is little less than sheer blasphemy against the holiness of love.  It is not love, but lust; love is an angel, and lust a devil.  The purities of domestic life are defiled, and its honors are disgraced when once the marriage bond is disregarded.” (Spurgeon)

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from the New King James translation of the Bible.

John 13:18-30

John 13 - Jesus, the Loving Servant

B. Jesus sends Judas away after favoring him.

1. (18-21) Jesus reveals He will be betrayed by one of the twelve.

“I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.” When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”

a. Lifted his heel against me means “has given me a great fall” or “has taken cruel advantage of me.” To the eastern idea of hospitality, for one who eats bread with Me to lift up his heel against Me was great betrayal and treachery.

b. Jesus was troubled in spirit at this; He was not unfeeling or emotionally detached from the events surrounding His passion. He loved Judas, and was troubled for Judas’ sake, not His own.

c. Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me: By revealing the traitor, Jesus shows that He is in control of these events; He is not being taken by surprise.

2. (22-30) Judas departs.

Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.

a. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke: Peter’s question to John (the disciple whom Jesus loved) may have been prompted by a desire to take preventative action. Peter couldn’t discreetly ask Jesus, so he asked John.

b. Leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him: At a special or ceremonial meal like this they would lay on their stomachs around a U shaped table, leaning on their left elbow and eating with their right hand.

c. It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it: The giving of the dipped bread designated special honor, like a toast; it was a mark of courtesy and esteem.

i. Jesus showed great love to Judas, giving him the chance to repent. Had Judas repented, his past intention would have been secret before the disciples.

ii. Earlier at this dinner, the washing of feet displayed a degree of sacrificial love and service not seen before the cross. Now, the giving of the dipped bread to Judas showed the height of love for enemies, previous to the cross.

d. Judas departs - into the night. It may have been that the events earlier at the dinner made Judas decide that he didn’t want anything to do with a foot-washing Messiah, with a Messiah who would perform such a humble act.

i. “His act, however, was more than an incidental act of treachery; he sold himself to the power of evil.” (Tenney)

ii. Judas is typical of many who reject Jesus, in that he had no lack of opportunity for repentance or he did not lack a good example. Judas simply shows man’s sin nature.

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from the New King James translation of the Bible.

John 13:12-17

John 13 - Jesus, the Loving Servant

4. (12-17) Jesus explains what He did, and calls His disciples to follow His example.

So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

a. You also ought to wash one another’s feet: Jesus plainly and powerfully says that this is the attitude that must mark His followers, especially the leadership of the church.

i. You also ought to wash one another’s feet: Some try to fulfill this with foot washing ceremonies. Surely, if it is done with the right heart it can be a blessing, but Jesus wasn’t talking about a ceremony here. “Every year they hold a theatrical feet-washing, and when they have discharged this empty and bare ceremony they think they have done their duty finely and are then free to despise their brethren. But more, when they have washed twelve men’s feet they cruelly torture all Christ’s members and thus spit in the face of Christ Himself. This ceremonial comedy is nothing but a shameful mockery of Christ. At any rate, Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready all through our life to wash the feet of our brethren.” (Calvin, cited by Morris)

ii. If we are going to wash one another’s feet, we should be careful of the temperature of the water. Sometimes we try to wash someone with our water too hot - we are too fervent and zealous. Sometimes our water is too cold - we are cold and distant in heart to them. The temperature needs to be in the middle. We should also remember that we can’t dry-clean someone else’s feet. Jesus washed us with the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26), we should use the same “water” in ministering to others.

b. Wash one another’s feet: We, like the disciples, would gladly wash the feet of Jesus. But He tells us to wash one another’s feet. Anything we do for each another that washes away the grime of the world and the dust of defeat and discouragement is foot washing.

i. “In the world they criticize: this is the business of the public press, and it is very much the business of private circles. Hear how gossips say, ‘Do you see that spot? What a terrible walks that man must have had this morning: look at his feet! He has been very much in the mire you can see, for there are the traces upon him.’ That is the world’s way. Christ’s way is very different. He says nothing, but takes the basin and begins to wash away the stain. Do not judge and condemn, but seek the restoration and the improvement of the erring.” (Spurgeon)

c. If you know these things, happy are you if you do them: The theory of being a servant isn’t worth very much. But the practice of being a servant pleases God and fulfills our calling.

i. “If there is a position in the church where the worker will have to toil hard and get no thanks for it, take it, and be pleased with it. If you can perform a service, which few will ever seek to do themselves, or appreciate when performed by others, yet occupy it with holy delight. Covet humble work, and when you get it be content to continue in it. There is no great rush after the lowest places, you will rob no one by seeking them.” (Spurgeon)

Unless otherwise noted all Scripture is taken from the New King James translation of the Bible.

John 13:6-11

John 13 - Jesus, the Loving Servant

3. (6-11) Jesus overcomes Peter’s objections and washes his feet.

Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

a. You shall never wash my feet! Knowing the layout of a typical table and Passover meal, we have reason to believe Peter was seated at the far end of the U-shaped table from Jesus. Probably, Jesus came to Peter last of all. Perhaps Peter thought, “All these guys missed the point by letting Jesus wash their feet. He wants us to protest, and proclaim that He is too great, and we are too unworthy, to have Him wash our feet!” So, Peter makes this dramatic statement.

i. At the same time, Peter clearly felt uncomfortable with having Jesus perform such a humble act of service for him. This example of the servant’s heart of Jesus made Peter and the others look pretty proud by comparison.

b. If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me: If we do not accept the humble service of Jesus to cleanse us, we have no part with Him. Jesus does not wash our feet literally, as He did for the disciples. But He did humbly die on the cross to cleanse us, and we must receive it.

i. This foot washing is a powerful lesson in humility. But it is more than that. The deeper meaning here is that there is Jesus has no fellowship with those who have not been cleansed by Him.

c. Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head! Peter, in his request to be fully washed, is still reluctant to let Jesus do as He wants. Peter wants to tell Jesus what to do. Jesus - though the servant of all - is still God’s appointed leader. He won’t allow Peter to monopolize this situation, and set things on a wrong course.

i. Sometimes we show a servant’s heart by accepting the service of others for us. If we only serve, and refuse to be served, it can be a sign of deeply rooted and well-hidden pride. “Man’s humility does not begin with the giving of service; it begins with the readiness to receive it. For there can be much pride and condescension in our giving of service.” (Temple)