The Lord, ever full of gentleness and meekness, forgets Himself in His care for His disciples, and says to them, “He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Lk. 22:26). He knows how to teach them, by His own example, what the love of God is; and at the same time He shows them the grace which is in Him, and all the faithfulness for which they are indebted to Him. “Ye are they which have continued with Me in My temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me” (Lk. 22:28–29).

Instead of being irritated by the abominable conduct of His disciples, He shows them that, if there is no grace in men, there is grace in one Man, that is in Himself. This grace is perfect in Jesus; and He places His disciples in it, whatever they may have been toward Him. He has fixed them firmly in the principle of grace, instead of the folly of the flesh which had just shown itself among them, as though He had said, I am all grace towards you, and I trust the kingdom to you.

We are put under grace, and its voice is always heard. It assures us that, notwithstanding all our weakness, we have continued with Jesus, and that He gives the kingdom as His Father gave it to Him. Nevertheless, the soul which is to enjoy these things must be exercised. The flesh must be made manifest to us as men; and therein we see the necessity of all the trials we pass through. But Jesus enables us to persevere because we belong to Him.