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. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart
of Judas Iscariot, Simon's _son_, to betray him. Jesus knowing that
the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come
from God, and went to God. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his
garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth
water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to
wipe _them_ with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to
Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but
thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never
wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no
part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but
also _my_ hands and _my_ head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed
needeth not save to wash _his_ feet, but is clean every whit: and ye
are clean, but not all.--_St. John xiii: 1-10._
* * * * *
_NOTE BY THE ARTIST_
_A dwelling house, claiming to be one of the most ancient in
Jerusalem, supplied materials for the study of the "large upper
room," represented in this and some other of the paintings. The
general features of the chamber, with its arched ceiling and
flattened dome, its_ leewans _(raised platform) and the
entrance-passage of colored stones, where guests leave their
foot-gear before stepping upon the mat-covered floor of the room,
may, for the reasons adduced elsewhere, be accepted as typical of
similar apartments of the period under consideration._