The Fourth And Last Passover Week. John 13:1–17:26.

Church History: Christ, having finished his public discourses, in which he "endured the contradiction of sinners," now applies himself to a private conversation with his friends. We have an account of what took place between him and his disciples, who were to be entrusted with the affairs of his household, when he was gone into a far country; the necessary instructions and comforts he furnished them with. His hour being at hand, he applies himself to set his house in order. He washes his disciples' feet. He foretells who should betray him. He instructs them in the great doctrine of his own death, and the great duty of brotherly love. And he foretells Peter's denying him.
When he had convicted and discarded Judas, he set himself to comfort the rest, who were filled with sorrow about what he had said of leaving them. He spoke a great many good and comfortable words to them. It was designed to keep trouble from their hearts.
It was at the close of the last supper, the night in which he was betrayed, and it is a continued discourse, what he chooses to discuss was very pertinent to the present sad occasion of a farewell sermon. Now he was about to leave them. They would be tempted to leave him, and return to Moses again; and therefore he tells them how necessary it was that they should by faith adhere to him and abides in him. They would be tempted to grow strange one to another; and therefore he presses it upon them to love one another, and to keep up that communion when he was gone which had until now been their comfort. They would be tempted to shrink from their apostleship when they met with hardships; and therefore he prepared them to bear the shock of the world's ill will.
Christ concludes his farewell sermon to his disciples with troubling words in the notice he gives them of the troubles that were before them. He spoke comfortingly as he administered to them for their support under those troubles. He told them would send them the Comforter. That he would visit them again at his resurrection. That he would secure to them an answer of peace to all their prayers. That he was now returning to his Father. That, whatever troubles they might meet with in this world, by virtue of his victory over it they should be sure of peace in him.
There was one Lord's prayer which he taught us to pray, and did not pray himself, for he did not need not to pray for the forgiveness of sin; but this was properly and peculiarly his, and suited him only as a Mediator, and is a sample of his intercession, and yet is of use to us both for instruction and encouragement in prayer.