JOHN 13
OPENS WITH JESUS, THE LOVING SERVANT WASHES THE DISCIPLES' FEET
JOHN MACARTHUR SAYS IT PRICELESSLY OF THIS CHAPTER OF JOHN.
"We live in a very proud and egotistical generation. It is now considered acceptable and even normal for people to promote themselves, to praise themselves, and to put themselves first. Pride is considered a virtue by many. Humility, on the other hand, is considered a weakness. Everyone, it seems, is screaming for his or her own rights and seeking to be recognized as someone important.
The preoccupation with self-esteem, self-love, and self-glory is destroying the very foundations upon which our society was built. No culture can survive pride run rampant, for all of society depends on relationships. When all people are committed first of all to themselves, relationships disintegrate. And that is just what is happening, as friendships, marriages, and families fall apart.
Sadly, the preoccupation with self has found its way into the church. Perhaps the fastest growing phenomenon in modern Christianity is the emphasis on pride, self-esteem, self-image, self-fulfillment, and other manifestations of selfism. Out of it is emerging a new religion of self-centeredness, pride--even arrogance. Voices from every part of the theological spectrum call us to join the self-esteem cult.
Scripture is clear, however, that selfism has NO place in Christian theology. Jesus repeatedly taught AGAINST pride, and with His life and teaching He constantly exalted the virtue of humility. Nowhere is that more clear than in John 13.
John 13 marks a turning point in John's gospel and the ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus' public ministry to the nation of Israel had run its course and ended in her complete and final rejection of Him as Messiah.
On the first day of the week, Jesus had entered Jerusalem in triumph to the enthusiastic shouts of the people. Those people nevertheless misunderstood His ministry and His message. The Passover season had arrived, and by Friday He would be UTTERLY rejected and BRUTALLY executed. God, however, would turn that execution into the great and final sacrifice for sin, and Jesus would die as the true Passover Lamb.
He had come unto His own people, the Jews, "and those who were His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11). So He had turned away from His public ministry to the intimate fellowship of His disciples.
Now it is the day before Jesus' death, and rather than being preoccupied with thoughts of His death, sin-bearing, and glorification, He is totally consumed with His LOVE for the disciples. Knowing that He would soon go to the cross to die for the sins of the world, He is still concerned with the needs of twelve men. His love is NEVER impersonal--that's the mystery of it.
In what were literally the last hours before His death, Jesus kept showing them His love over and over. John relates this graphic demonstration of it."
Verse 1 tells us Jesus and His disciples at a LAST meeting before His arrest.
"Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."
Jesus knew that His hour had come...
Jesus lived His life in anticipation of this hour. He knew when it had not yet come (John 2:4). Up to this point, Jesus enjoyed a unique protection because His hour had not yet come (John 7:30, 8:20). Now, Jesus knew that His hour had come. He spoke of this awareness in John 12:23-27 and even said that for this purpose I came to this hour.
Indeed, His hour had come. Jesus' public ministry is over. In close to 24 hours, Jesus will hang on the cross. This is the beginning of the end, and Jesus will use these last precious hours to minister to His disciples.
That He should depart this world to the Father...
The cross is not specifically mentioned in John 13:1, but casts a shadow over almost every word. We see the shadow of the cross over His hour had come. We see the shadow of the cross over loved them to the end. But we also see the shadow of the cross over depart this world. It is phrased softly, but there is an iron-hard reality underneath the soft cover. Jesus would only depart this world through the cross.
Having loved...
Surely, Jesus had loved His disciples. He led them, taught them, cared for them, protected them. What Jesus had given them already was more than any other teacher or leader could EVER give his followers.
Having loved His own...
There is a love Jesus has for all people, and then there is a love for His own. It is NOT so much that Jesus' love is different, but the dynamic of the love relationship is different. The love of Jesus for His own is greater, because it has a response, and love answers to love.
Jesus has done some things for all men. He has also done all things for some men - His own who were in the world.
He loved them to the end...
Jesus had loved His own. But He had NOT finished loving them. He would love them to the end. The idea behind the phrase to the end is "to the fullest extent, to the uttermost."
To the end means to the end of Jesus' earthly life. Though the disciples gave up on Him, He never gave up on them. Though they stopped thinking about Jesus, and were only thinking of themselves, He never stopped thinking of them. Whose problems were worse - Jesus' or the disciples'? Who was concerned more for the other? He loved them to the end.
To the end means a love that will never end. Jesus will never stop loving His own. It isn't a love that comes and goes, that is here today and gone tomorrow.
To the end means a love that reaches to the fullest extent. Some translations have "He loved them to the uttermost. " Jesus poured out the cup of His love to the bottom for us.
Verses 2-5 tells us Jesus washes the disciples' feet.
"And supper being ended, the devil having already put it 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 had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded."
BRUCE clarifies ancient manuscripts. "'Supper was now in progress' is a preferable reading to the variant 'Supper having ended,' chiefly because the sequel (verses 12-30) makes it plain that supper had NOT ended. The point is that supper had already begun when Jesus rose from the table and began to wash the disciples' feet."
JOHN MACARTHUR says it well, "Everyone in that culture faced the same problem. Sandals did little to keep dirt off the feet, and the roads were either a thick layer of dust or deep masses of mud. At the entrance to every Jewish home was a large pot of water to wash dirty feet. Normally, foot washing was the duty of the LOWLIEST slave. When guests came, he had to go to the door and wash their feet--not a pleasant task. In fact, washing feet was probably his most abject duty, and only slaves performed it for others. Even the disciples of rabbis were NOT to wash the feet of their masters--that was uniquely the task of a slave.
As Jesus and His disciples all arrived in the upper room, they found that there was no servant to wash their feet. Only days before, Jesus had said to the twelve, "Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave" (Matthew 20:26-27). If they had given mind and heart to His teaching, one of the twelve would have washed the others' feet, or they would have mutually shared the task. It could have been a beautiful thing, but it NEVER occurred to them because of their selfishness. A parallel passage in Luke 22 gives us an idea just how selfish they were and what they were thinking about that evening.
The devil having already put it into the heart of Judas...
Judas was led by the devil. Before this chapter is finished, John will show us the extent of Judas' depravity. Luke 22:1-4 describes how Satan entered Judas shortly before this.
It may well be that a better translation is the devil had already made up his mind that Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, should betray him. Satan was looking for a man to betray Jesus, and had probably been "cultivating" Judas for a long time. But now the choice was made. Judas was his man.
JOHN MACARTHUR says, "Love...in Deed and Truth"
How could anyone reject that kind of love? Men do it all the time. Judas did. "During supper, the devil [had] already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him". Do you see the tragedy of Judas? He was constantly basking in the light, yet living in darkness; experiencing the love of Christ, yet hating Him at the same time.
The contrast between Jesus and Judas is striking.
And perhaps that is the very reason the Holy Spirit included verse 2 in this passage.
Set against the backdrop of Judas' hatred, Jesus' love shines even brighter. We can better understand its magnitude when we understand that in the heart of Judas was the blackest kind of hatred and rejection. The words of love by which Jesus gradually drew the hearts of the other disciples to Himself only pushed Judas further and further away. The teaching by which He uplifted the souls of the other disciples just seemed to drive a stake into the heart of Judas. And everything that Jesus said in terms of love must have become like chafing shackles to Judas. From his fettered greed and his disappointed ambition began to spring jealousy, spite, and hatred--and now he was ready to destroy Christ, if need be.
But the more men hated Jesus and desired to hurt Him, the more it seemed He manifested love to them. It would be easy to understand resentment. It would be easy to understand bitterness. But all Jesus had was love--He even met the greatest injury with supreme love. In a little while He would be kneeling at the feet of Judas, washing them.
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands...
This was NOT, as many wrongly teach, that it was something that Jesus came to know JUST at this hour. Several years before in His ministry, Jesus said The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. (John 3:35) But this means that at this particular time, and in this particular circumstance, it was important that Jesus knew the Father had given all things into His hands.
It was important because of the hour. Jesus is about to face the agony of crucifixion and the terror of standing in the place of guilty sinners before the righteous wrath of God the Father. At the same time, Jesus went into this situation as a victor, NOT as a victim. He could have backed out any time He wanted to, because the Father had given all things into His hands.
It was important because of the circumstance. Jesus is about to lower Himself, literally stooping in humble service to His disciples. But as He serves in this humble way, He does not do it from weakness. He does it from a position of all authority, because the Father had given all things into His hands.
And that He had come from God and was going to God...
Jesus did NOT only know His authority, He also knew His relationship with God. He knew His identity, as one who had come from God, and as one who was going to God. Knowing His past with God the Father, and His future with God the Father, what else could He do but glorify Him in the present?
At this critical moment, at this evening before the torture of the cross, Jesus does NOT think of Himself. He thinks about His disciples. Truly, this is loving them to the end. After all, Jesus' disciples treated Him badly - and were about to treat Him even worse, forsaking Him completely - yet He loved them.
Jesus completely gave Himself to washing their feet. Look at how thorough He was in this work. First, He rose from supper. Then Jesus laid aside His garments, which had to remind Him of what waited in just a few hours, when He would be stripped of His garments and be crucified. Jesus then took a towel and girded Himself. Finally Jesus poured water into a basin. If Jesus wanted to just display the image of a servant, He would have had a servant or one of the disciples do all this preparation work. He then would have quickly wiped a damp cloth on a few dirty feet and consider the job done. That would give the image of servanthood and loving leadership, but Jesus gave Himself completely to this work.
This was an extreme act of servanthood. According to the Jewish laws and traditions regarding the relationship between a teacher and his disciples, a teacher had NO right to demand or expect that his disciples would wash his feet. How much more unthinkable was it that the Master would wash His disciple's feet?
And to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded: As Jesus went around the table, washing and drying the feet of His disciples, it was a dramatic scene. Luke 22:23 says that the disciples entered the room debating who was greatest. By what He did, Jesus illustrates true greatness.
This was more awkward than we might think. First, because of the sandals they wore and the roads they walked on, the feet would be dirty. Second, the disciples would eat a formal meal like this at a table known as a triclinium. This was a low (coffee-table height), U-shaped table. The guests would sit, and their status at the meal was reflected by how close they were seated to the host or leader of the meal. Because the table was low, they did NOT sit on chairs. They leaned on pillows, with their feet behind them. This meant that dirty feet could be unpleasantly close to the table during the meal. So the unwashed feet were conspicuous.
In all of this, Jesus essentially acted out a parable for the disciples. Jesus knew better that actions speak louder than words. So when He wanted to teach the proud, arguing disciples about true humility, He did NOT just say it - He showed it. And He showed it in a way that illustrated His whole work on behalf of His own.
1. Jesus rose from supper, a place of rest and comfort
2. Jesus rose from His throne in heaven, a place of rest and comfort
3. Jesus laid aside His garments, taking off His covering
4. Jesus laid aside His glory, taking off His heavenly covering
5. Jesus took a towel and girded Himself, being ready to work
6. Jesus took the form of a servant, and came ready to work
7. Jesus poured water into a basin, ready to clean
8. Jesus poured out His blood to cleanse us from the guilt and penalty of sin
9. Jesus sat down again (John 13:12) after washing their feet
10. Jesus sat down at the right hand of God the Father after cleansing us
We know this whole lesson did "stick" powerfully. Decades later, when Peter wrote to Christians about humility, he put it like this: Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility (1 Peter 5:5). More literally, Peter wrote: "wrap the apron of humility around yourself. " Surely, what Jesus did here stuck in his mind, and in his heart.
Verses 6-11 tells us 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."
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 WILL NOT allow Peter to monopolize this situation, and set things on a wrong course.
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.
Verses 12-17 tells us 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."
Jesus plainly and powerfully says that this is the attitude that must mark His followers, especially the leadership of the church.
You also ought to wash one another's feet...
Some false religiosities TRY to fulfill this with foot washing ceremonies. Surely, if it is done with the right heart it can be a blessing, but Jesus was NOT talking about a ceremony here.
MORRIS says it well of these FALSE religious services, "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."
There is profound meaning in Jesus' words, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." You see, the typical Jewish mindset could NOT AND WOULD NOT accept the Messiah humiliated.
EVEN IN Peter's mind, there was no place for Christ to be humiliated like this. He must be made to realize that Christ came to be humiliated. If Peter could NOT accept this act of humiliation, he would certainly have trouble accepting what Jesus would do for him on the cross.
There is yet another, more profound, truth in Jesus' words. He has moved from the physical illustration of washing feet to the spiritual truth of washing the inner man. Throughout John's gospel, when He dealt with people, Jesus spoke of spiritual truth in physical terms. He did it when He spoke to Nicodemus, the woman at the well, and the Pharisees. Now He does it with Peter.
He is saying, "Peter, unless you allow Me to wash you in a spiritual way, you are not clean and you have no part with Me." All cleansing in the spiritual realm comes from Christ, and the only way anyone can be clean is if he is washed by regeneration through Jesus Christ (Titus 3:5).
NO ONE has a relationship with Jesus Christ unless Christ has cleansed his sins. And NO ONE can enter into the presence of the Lord unless he first submits to that cleansing.
Peter learned that truth--he preached it himself in Acts 4:12: "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." When a man puts his faith in Jesus Christ, he's clean, and not until then.
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.
If you know these things, happy are you if you do them...
The theory of being a servant is NOT worth very much to the blind, dismissive, sense of self and entitlement in the world then and now. But the practice of being a servant pleases God and fulfills our calling.
Verses 18-21 tells us Jesus reveals He will be betrayed by one of the twelve. Jesus sends Judas away after favoring him.
"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."
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 GREAT treachery.
Jesus knew which of the disciples were truly cleansed by redemption. Furthermore, He knew what Judas' plans for the evening were: "For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, 'Not all of you are clean'". That should have pricked the heart of Judas.
Judas KNEW what He meant. Those words, combined with Jesus' washing his feet, constituted what would be the LAST loving appeal for Judas not to do what he was planning to do. What was going through the mind of Judas as Jesus knelt washing his feet? Whatever it was, it had NO deterring effect on Judas.
Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me...
By revealing the traitor, Jesus shows that He ALREADY KNEW JUDAS WOULD BETRAY HIM. HE IS TELLING US THAT HE IS IN TOTAL CONTROL of these events; He is NOT BLIND-SIDED; HE IS NOT being taken by surprise, as some wrongly teach. There are some false religiosities that teach and believe AT THIS POINT, IS WHERE JESUS SUDDENLY WENT FROM HUMAN MAN, AND GOD FILLED HIM WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF THAT HE WAS THE CHOSEN SON OF GOD...BUT THEN OTHER FALSE RELIGIOSITIES TEACH, THAT THE JESUS WHO WAS CRUCIFIED...WENT BACK TO BEING JUST A HUMAN MAN...THAT THE REAL JESUS CAN NOT, AND DID NOT SUFFER AND DIE.
JOHN 13 FOREVER PUTS THE LIE TO THESE FALSE TEACHINGS AND BELIEFS.
Verses 22-30 tells us 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."
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 could NOT discreetly ask Jesus, so he asked John.
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.
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.
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.
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.
There we see Jesus and Judas--the epitome of opposites: the Perfect One and the absolutely wretched; the best and the worst. The purity of Jesus and the vileness of Judas, by contrast, became very obvious.
Judas was an ULTIMATE tragedy--probably the GREATEST tragedy that ever lived. He is the perfect and prime example of what it means to have opportunity and then lose it. He becomes all the more terrible because of the glorious beginnings he had. Judas followed the same Christ as the others.
THINK ABOUT THIS...WHEN PEOPLE SAY IF JESUS APPEARED BEFORE ME, TALKED WITH ME, PROVIDED MIRACLES IN MY PRESENCE...THEN I WOULD BELIEVE.
JUDAS PROVES THAT DEMAND OR PRECEDENT TO BE A TOTAL LIE.
For three years, day in and day out, he occupied himself with Jesus Christ. He saw the same miracles; heard the same words; performed some of the same ministries; was esteemed in the same way the other disciples were--yet he did NOT become what the others became. In fact, he became the very opposite. While they were growing into true apostles and saints of God, he was progressively forming into a vile, calculating tool of Satan.
For three years, he moved and walked with Jesus. Initially, he must have shared the same hope of the Kingdom that the other disciples had. He likely believed that Jesus was the Messiah. He too, had left all and followed Jesus. Certainly he became greedy, but it is doubtful that he joined the apostles for what money he could get, because they never really had anything. Perhaps his motive at the outset was just to get in on this Kingdom that Jesus would bring and he being a disciple would one day become wealthy, powerful, and on top of the mountain.
Whatever his character at the beginning, he gradually became the treacherous man that betrayed Christ, a man who had no thought for anyone but himself, a man who finally wanted only to get as much money as he could and get out.
Greed, ambition, and worldliness had crept into his heart, and avarice had become his besetting sin. Perhaps he was disappointed because of unfulfilled expectations of an earthly Kingdom. Maybe he was tormented by the unbearable rebuke of the presence of Christ. Surely it created a great tension in his heart to be constantly in the presence of sinless purity, and yet be so infested with vileness. Perhaps, too, he began to sense that the eye of the Master could see who he was and what he was. Or it may be that all those things had begun to eat at him.
Whatever the reasons, he ended in absolute disaster, the greatest example of CHOSEN LOST opportunity the world has ever seen. On the night he betrayed Jesus, he was so prepared to do Satan's bidding that Satan was able to enter him and take COMPLETE control of him. A few days before this in Bethany, he had met with the leaders of Israel and bargained for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave--about twenty to twenty-five dollars. Now his evil deed comes to full fruition on the eve of the crucifixion.
Jesus and his disciples (including Judas) were in the upper room. The vile traitor was sitting there, having already made his bargain to betray Jesus for money. He had already initiated the plan, and now he had returned to spend these moments with the disciples, looking for the right moment to betray Jesus' presence to the Jewish leaders.
Jesus had revealed in verse 10 that He knew Judas's heart, saying, "'You are clean, but not all of you.' For He knew the one who was betraying Him" (vv. 10-11). Judas had been sitting there all through Jesus' wonderful lesson on humility and washing of the disciples' feet. Jesus had even washed his feet. He sat there, the wretched hypocrite, letting the blessed Lord wash his feet, while in his head he was plotting the betrayal of Jesus, hardly able to wait until he could LEAVE and get his hands on the thirty coins.
Even though Jesus KNEW what Judas was about to do, He washed his feet. It was only one example of the marvelous love of Jesus Christ and the way He reached out to Judas. The measures He took to win Judas even at this LATE hour made His love all the more wonderful. One would think the experience of having Jesus wash his feet would be enough to break any man's heart. But not Judas's, so cold was he. He was determined to sell the Master to the executioners.
From verses 18 to 30 the dialogue centers on Judas himself. This is the final confrontation between Jesus and Judas, leaving only a kiss later on.
It is important to understand WHY Jesus brought up the subject of His betrayal at this point. Unless He had in some way prepared the disciples for what was about to happen, it could have had a serious, adverse affect on them. If Judas had suddenly and without warning betrayed Jesus, the disciples may have concluded that Jesus was NOT all He claimed to be; otherwise He would have known that Judas was like this, and He never would have chosen him.
WHAT ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES OF JUDAS BETRAYAL OF JESUS?
PSALM 41:9, PSALM 55:12-14 & 20-21, ZECHARIAH 11:12-13.
Judas, through his life of treachery, supplies sinners with a solemn warning. We learn from the example of Judas that a person can be very near to Jesus Christ, and yet be lost and damned forever. Nobody was ever closer to Christ than the Twelve. Judas was one of them, and he's in hell today, because while he may have given intellectual assent to the truth, HE KNEW THE WORD, HE KNEW THE TRUTH OF WHO JESUS WAS, HE COULD QUOTE SCRIPTURE..he NEVER embraced Christ with heartfelt faith.
Judas was NOT deceived; he was a phony. He understood the truth, and he posed as a believer. Furthermore, he was good at it--the cleverest hypocrite we read about in all the Scriptures, for no one EVER suspected him. He had everyone fooled except Jesus, who knew his heart.
And mark it, wherever God's work is done, there are impostors like Judas. There will always be hypocrites among the brethren. The favorite trick of Satan and those he employs is to "disguise themselves as servants of righteousness" (2 Corinthians 11:15). The devil is a master at making his work look good--and he is busily at work among the Lord's people.
Judas departs - into the night.
Verses 31-32 tells us Jesus saw the cross as supreme glorification, NOT supreme humiliation.
"So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately."
It is emphasized in these two verses: glorified … glorified … glorified … glorify … glorify. Five references to glory in two verses! Jesus saw the cross in terms of glory, instead of humiliation.
Verses 33 tells us Jesus plainly reveals His soon departure.
"Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,' so now I say to you."
I shall be with you a little while longer … Where I am going, you cannot come...
This would have been like an earthquake to the disciples. They had literally left everything to follow Jesus, and expected to be high-ranking officials in His government when He took political control of Israel as Messiah. They have followed Him for three years, enduring a lot, and now He says, "I'm leaving you"?
Jesus will explain this dramatic statement and comfort the disciples concerning this all the way through the end of John 14.
Verses 34-35 tells us In light of the coming storm, Jesus tells of a new commandment.
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
A new commandment...
The specific ancient Greek work used here for new here implies freshness, or the opposite of outworn, rather than recent or different. It is NOT that this commandment was just invented, but it will be presented in a new, fresh way.
That you love one another...
Whereas the Old Testament demanded that men should love their neighbors as themselves, the New Law is that they should love the brethren better than themselves, and die for their friends.
As I have loved you...
The command to love was NOT new; but the extent of love just displayed by Jesus WAS new, as would be the display of the cross. Love was newly defined from His example.
By this all will know that you are My disciples...
Love is the mark of the fellowship of true believers, and all other criteria are strictly secondary.
Verses 36-38 tells us Peter's denial of Jesus is predicted.
"Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward. " Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake. " Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times."
I will lay down my life for Your sake...
Poor Peter! He would have died for Jesus right then but he later failed because his devotion was based on emotion.
Emotion in vital to the Christian walk, but it can NOT EVER be its power or foundation.
We see a different Peter when his walk is no longer built on emotion, but on the work of Jesus on the cross and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.
Till you have denied Me three times...
Poor Peter! He would have died for Jesus but he could NOT stand being laughed at for Jesus' sake. To him, a servant-girl's tongue was sharper than an executioner's sword.
JESUS SHOWS US AND TEACHES US SO MANY CRUCIAL LESSONS IN JOHN 13.
Jesus took the opportunity to elevate them and encourage them to keep their eyes on their calling and on their ministry, where they belonged.
We need to be aware of that truth as well. No matter what Satanic opposition we run into, no matter how frustrating the work becomes, nothing can lower our commission. Some will face so much opposition that they begin to wonder if they are in the right place.
Opposition is to be expected. Anything we do for God is going to meet with opposition. If every missionary looked at a mission field and said, "Oh, they might not believe me over there;" we would never get anything done. Just because it's going to be difficult, and just because there's going to be opposition does NOT lower our calling. We are Christ's ambassadors in the world. Those who reject us reject Christ, so regardless of what happens, we stand with Him. That's as high as you can get.
When a believer moves out into this world, he represents Jesus Christ.
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:20, "Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were entreating through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."
In Galatians 4:14, the apostle Paul says, "You received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself."
And that's the way everybody ought to receive a believer. When a man rejects our witness for Christ, he rejects Jesus and he rejects God. That's how strategically important believers are. And that is Jesus' point in John 13:20.
Notice that He uses the word "whomever." That refers to ambassadors of Jesus Christ in EVERY age, including those of us who represent Him today.
Have you ever heard someone use hypocrites as an excuse for NOT following Christ? People often say, "There are too many hypocrites in the church for me." Or, "Well, we do NOT go to church, because we went when I was nine and we saw a hypocrite. Have NOT been back in forty-two years!" That will be a pathetic excuse when they rattle it off to God in the day of judgment.
But it is true that there are too many hypocrites in the church. They ARE everywhere. And one hypocrite is one too many. But the fact that some are hypocrites does NOT diminish the glory of God or lower the high calling of every true child of God. One betrayer among the apostles did NOT tarnish the commission of the rest.