John Chapter 13

Commences the Last Passover and the First Lord’s Supper.

In this chapter we see the preparation for the Seder

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The Passover is only eaten during the night, and not later than the middle of the night.

Jesus had observed the Passover with His disciples before, but this was to be the Passover of fulfilment, the Passover of His coming death.

2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

This verse reiterates the fact that Satan had entered Judas.

Jesus had predicted this (John 6:70–71) Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.”

3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

Philippians 2:6-8, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 

Paul teaches that although Jesus was in the form of God, He did not consider existing only in the form of God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself into the role of a servant. He did not cease to be God, but added human nature to His divine nature, taking on the role of a servant. What happened during the Passover Seder and especially during this stage, the washing of hands, exemplifies what Paul taught in the Philippians passage. (CS)

4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.

Dur­ing the hand washing ceremony, the one who takes the servant role (usually the mother or daughter) goes from person to person with a pitcher of water, a bowl, and a towel. The participants would place their fingers over the bowl, the mother or daughter would pour water over them, and then they would dry their hands with the towel. Jesus fol­lowed this Jewish procedure during certain portions of the ceremony at the proper time.

5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus took the servant’s role by performing the washing

Jesus washed the disciples’ feet instead of their hands.

This was usually done by the women of the house.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

The Greek is emphatic, reading, “Is such a one as you going to wash the feet of such a one as I?” It was beyond Peter’s comprehension that the Messiah would take on this kind of role.

7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”

8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”

Peter’s logic was contradictory. He called Jesus Lord, then he told Him what He could or could not do by saying, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus did not try to explain His motive at that point, but Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (Jn. 13:8b).

9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”

The disciple did not yet understand that Jesus was to die and be resurrected. He assumed that the Messiah would soon be setting up His kingdom, so he believed that he was being threatened with loss of position in the kingdom. So he changed his mind and said, in other words, “If that is the case, then go ahead and give me a bath!” (CS).

The contrast was between the body and the feet. By way of application, the washing of the body happens at sal­vation, when the believer is thoroughly washed clean. Because believers still sin in this life (i.e., their feet still get dirty), they must continue to have their feet washed. This happens by means of 1 John 1:9 If we con­fess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. The body is washed and saved by salvation, but our dirty feet, our daily sins, are cleansed by confessing those sins to God.

10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”

During the Second Temple period, only the wealthy class had a pri­vate bath house. Most people went to a public bath house to wash them­selves. On the way home, because the streets of Israel were dusty, one’s feet would be dirty by the time they arrived home. So, a small bowl or pitcher of water for washing the feet was always at the entry of the door to the home. Since one was already bathed and clean, only their dirty feet needed to be cleaned again.

11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

Later in the Pass­over observance, Jesus gave two clues that showed Judas was not saved.

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?

We learn a principle: If the Lord was willing to take on the role of a servant, how much more should those who are His servants take on the role of servanthood.

13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.

The disciples could not yet take in the grand truth, that true Christian greatness consisted in doing good to others. And hence they needed our Lord's word of warning. If He had humbled Himself to do humbling work, His disciples must not hesitate to do the same. (JCR)

16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

These words follow right after the remarkable passage in which we read of Christ washing His disciples' feet. They stand in close connection with His solemn command that the disciples should do as they had seen Him do. (JCR)

We are taught, for one thing, in these verses, that Christians must never be ashamed of doing anything that Christ has done.

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Obedience brings a reward

We are all too apt to dislike any work which seems to entail trouble, self-denial, and going down to our inferiors.

18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’

Jesus was to be betrayed.

He implied it would be someone within His close circle of companions.

19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

The world may despise and ridicule the Apostles because they care more for works of love and humility than the pursuits of the world. But the Master bids them remember their commission, and not be ashamed. They are God's ambassadors, and have no cause to be cast down. (JCR)

The one who would betray Jesus

One of the ceremonial items prepared for the Passover is called charoset, a mixture of apples, nuts, honey, cinnamon, lemon juice, and wine. It is prepared the day before Passover so that by Passover night, it has a deep brown colour, symbolizing brick mortar as a reminder that when the Jews were slaves in Egypt, they had to make bricks and mortar to build the cities of Pharaoh. The host of the Seder dips a piece of unleavened bread first into the charoset and then into bitter herbs, such as horseradish. He then passes the sop on to one of the guests and re­peats this procedure until he and all the par­ticipants received their portion.

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

The whole length and breadth and depth of our Master's troubles during His earthly ministry are far beyond the conception of most people. His death and suffering on the cross were only the heading up and completion of His sorrows. But all throughout His life—partly from the general unbelief of the Jews—partly from the special hatred of the Pharisees and Sadducees—partly from the weakness and infirmity of His few followers—He must have been in a peculiar degree "a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief." (Isa. 53:3.)

He was bitterly distressed by the unbelief and unfaithfulness of those whose welfare he sought. Judas was exposed to the same spiritual privileges as the other disciples, yet they did him no good (CS)

22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,

Typically, ancient biographers showed the reader that they were eyewitnesses of a certain event by writing themselves into the story without actually identifying themselves. In this case it is John.

24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, "Lord, who is it?"

It is possible that Simon Peter, the leader and possible the most emotional charged disciple, wanted to deal with the traitor. Luke (22:38, 49–50) mentioned that the disciples had two swords! Remember Peter was the one who chopped of the ear of the High Priests servant. (CS).

26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it." So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

The Lord’s reply to John was certainly not heard by all the men; in fact, they were carrying on discussions among themselves about who the traitor might be (Luke 22:23).

When Jesus gave the bread to Judas, it was interpreted as an act of love and honour. In fact, Judas was seated at the place of honour, so our Jesus’s actions were seen in that light: He was bestowing a special honour on Judas.

Judas is at the crossroads. Jesus keeps the door open to Judas up to the very last.

27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, "What you are going to do, do quickly."

No wonder Luke 22:24–30 tells us that after Judas left the room. The other disciples where got into an argument over who was the greatest.

The devil had put an evil suggestion into the heart of Judas (13:2 the devil having already put into the heart of Judas, to betray Him). Judas had acted upon that suggestion. Now the devil—here called Satan, i.e., the adversary—puts himself into Judas’ heart. That is his usual method of procedure with those who do not resist him. Satan takes full possession of the betrayer’s soul.

In these verses, the extreme hardness which comes over the heart of a backsliding professor of religion. This is a thing which is most painfully brought out in the case of Judas Iscariot.

28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.

The other disciples were unperceptive at what had happened.

29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, "Buy what we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.

The disciples, as­suming that because Judas had the moneybag, he either had to buy some missing items or give to the poor, it is a common practice to give alms at Passover. (CS)

30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

Normally, the phrase and it was night would be irrelevant because Passover is only observed at night, never in the daytime. However, John recorded this, and it supports his sub-theme of the conflict of light and darkness. Obviously, it was night time, but Judas himself was of the night and of the darkness, and the deed he was about to perform was one of the night and of the darkness. (CS)

Remembering that a part of the original conspiracy was to prevent Jesus’ crucifixion on Passover, this was the chief satanic element of the plot. So Judas must go out and tell the leaders that he has been found out, and they must move quickly.

When Jesus identified Judas as the betrayer, He forced the conspirators’ hands; they had to act on the very night they were trying to avoid, resulting in confusion and disorganization during the initial stages of the Jewish trial.

The elders and chief priests did not have the false witnesses lined up, so they were delayed and subsequently disor­ganized in getting everything together.

Jesus forced their hand, showing that even in the death of the Messiah, God was in full control.

A New Commandment

31 When he [Judas] had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

In this passage we find the Lord Jesus at last alone with His eleven faithful disciples. The traitor, Judas Iscariot, had left the room, and gone out to do his wicked deed of darkness. Freed from his painful company, our Lord opens His heart to His little flock more fully than He had ever done before. Speaking to them for the last time before His passion, He begins a discourse which for touching interest surpasses any portion of Scripture. (JCR)

This is the last use of the title “Son of Man” in John, and it is cantered on eschatological glory.

Judas’ departure guaranteed the betrayal, and the betrayal, in turn, assured the coming death of Jesus. By His death, both the Father and the Son would be glorified. God is glorified in Him because the salvation of the world will be wrought through the Cross.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

These verses show us what glory the crucifixion brought both to God the Father and to God the Son.

The crucifixion brought glory to the SON. It glorified His compassion, His patience, and His power. It showed Him most compassionate, in dying for us, suffering in our stead, allowing Himself to be counted sin and a curse for us, and buying our redemption with the price of His own blood. It showed Him most patient, in not dying the common death of most men, but in willingly submitting to such horrors and unknown agonies as no mind can conceive, when with a word he could have summoned His Father's angels, and been set free. It showed Him most powerful, in bearing the weight of all a world's transgressions, and vanquishing Satan and despoiling him of his prey. (JCR)

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.'

This is the only place in the gospels where the term little children is used.

His death also guaranteed that He would soon leave this world.

Jesus implies that the disciples, though spiritually immature, are, nevertheless, very dear to him.

He is going to the Cross, and no one can go to the Cross as He did. He suffered alone, and there is a suffering of Christ which you and I cannot fully comprehend. Only a few more hours now and the day-by-day (and in a sense physical) fellowship between the Jesus and his disciples will cease forever.

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

This was a well-established rule insofar as the sec­ond most important commandment of the Mosaic Law was to love your neighbour as yourself (Lev. 19:18).

But provides and extension to the Mosaic Law – the love was to match that of Christ.

Almost as soon as the false Apostle had left the faithful eleven, comes the injunction, "Love one another." Immediately after the sad announcement that He would leave them soon, the commandment is given, "Love one another."

It is called a "new" commandment, not because it had never been given before, but because it was to be more honoured, to occupy a higher position, to be backed by a higher example than it ever had been before. Above all, it was to be the test of Christianity before the world. "By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one another." (JCR)

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

Jesus loved us perfectly and unconditionally—enough to die for us. The way the world will know whether someone is a disciple of Jesus is if he has the same kind of unconditional love for others. (CS)

God allows the world to judge whether people are truly Jesus’ disciples by the way they behave toward one another. Genuine, deep-seated, constant, and self-sacrificing love for one another is the distinguishing trait of the Christian.

It is by the outward manifestation of this quality that disciples of the Master can expect to exert an influence upon the world, so that men will begin to recognize that to Christ and to no one else these believers belong. Thus, everybody will begin to see “the Christ in the Christian.” (CS))

Simon Peter’s weakness prophesied

36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward."

These verses show us, lastly, how much self-ignorance there may be in the heart of a true believer. We see Simon Peter declaring that he was ready to lay down his life for his Master. We see his Master telling him that in that very night he would "deny Him three times." And we all know how the matter ended. The Master was right, and Peter was wrong. (JRC)

37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."

Peter three things:

1.       his devotion to the Master; he wants to be where Jesus is;

2.       his impatience (“right now”)

3.       his self-reliance; he thinks that he is ready to follow Jesus even into death, as he clearly indicates by continuing: I will lay down my life for you.

38 Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Our own flesh is weak, but God will supply our every need.

Due to this satanic sifting, Peter would stumble, but would not permanently fall from the faith. Jesus instructed him that once you have turned again, meaning once he had repented, establish your brethren (Luke 22:32b). Peter’s response was self-assured.

This is not to be taken as an actual rooster crowing, because roosters are unreliable timepieces. The term the cock crow referred to specific times of day. There were four watches of the night. These four were as follows: “evening”: 6–9, “midnight”: 9–12, “rooster-crowing”: 12–3, “morning”: 3–6. Hence, what Jesus means seems to be that before 3:00 A. M. Peter will deny him three times. Peter would have denied Yeshua three times.  (CS)