John 13
Washing the Disciples’ Feet
13:1 Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end.
Jesus was the Good Shepherd who loved the sheep. Jesus was to spend His last day on earth loving His sheep.
13:2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus.
Jesus and the disciples were celebrating the Passover. Satan had already influenced Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus.
13:3 Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 13:4 he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself.
Jesus came to serve his sheep. Great leaders serve God. Poor leaders demand that others serve them.
King Louis VIV of France called himself the Sun King. He believed in divine right. He believed that he was chosen by God to rule. He believed that his light shined upon everyone. The Bible teaches that God chooses the basest of man to rule. King Louis XIV could have served God by serving man. The light that he was supposed to shine was the light of Christ. Kings and leaders often twist the Word of God to make it fit their own agenda. Modern politicians are often guilty of this same type of arrogance.
13:5 He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself.
Jesus was the God of the universe in human form, but He chose to become a servant to His creation. No Greco-Roman god would ever stoop to wash the feet of man, but Jesus did.
13:6 Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 13:7 Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” 13:8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”
The disciples did not yet understand that Jesus came to serve God by serving others. After the death and resurrection of Christ, the disciples would also become servants of Christ by serving man. Paul wrote the Book of Romans to teach all men that they were to become bond-servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.
13:10 Jesus replied, “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not every one of you.”
Man is a dirty, rotten, stinking sinner. He can only be cleansed by the Holy Spirit. The Word of God is the soap and water which cleanses the believer. Judas was not cleansed by the Holy Spirit. He was influenced by Satan himself. Fallen angels are called “unclean spirits.” This is because they are dirty and they stink.
13:11 (For Jesus knew the one who was going to betray him. For this reason he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”)
Jesus was omniscient. He knew who would betray Him. It was part of the sovereign plan of God.
13:12 So when Jesus had washed their feet and put his outer clothing back on, he took his place at the table again and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13:13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and do so correctly, for that is what I am. 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet. 13:15 For I have given you an example – you should do just as I have done for you. 13:16 I tell you the solemn truth, the slave is not greater than his master, nor is the one who is sent as a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 13:17 If you understand these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
On the last day of the life of Jesus, he taught his disciples that their job was to humbly serve Christ by serving others. This is the call of all believers.
The Announcement of Jesus’ Betrayal
13:18 “What I am saying does not refer to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who eats my bread has turned against me.’
Notice that God chose the disciples. The Greek word for “chose” is ἐξελεξάμην (exelexamain), an Aorist Middle Indicative verb, meaning that Jesus Himself chose the disciples as a onetime completed action of the past. The verb is indicative, meaning that it is a 100% statement of fact.
He chose them before the foundations of the world were even created. If God did not choose the disciples, then they would have never understood Jesus. They would never have sought after Jesus. (Romans 3:10-11) Jesus did not choose Judas. If a man is not chosen by God, then he will reject, betray, and even blaspheme Jesus.
Jesus quoted Psalm 41:9. Just as David was betrayed by his trusted table companion Ahithophel, so was Jesus betrayed by his table companion Judas. Just as Ahithophel hanged himself, so did Judas hang himself.
13:19 I am telling you this now, before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I am he.
After the betrayal of Judas, all of the disciples knew that Jesus was the Messiah. They knew that the crucifixion and the betrayal were part of God’s sovereign plan.
13:20 I tell you the solemn truth, whoever accepts the one I send accepts me, and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
Whoever accepted the disciples were also accepting Jesus. Jesus and the disciples delivered the same message.
13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.”
Jesus sensed the spiritual hardness and deadness which sin had produced in Judas. This hatred for God distressed Jesus.
13:22 The disciples began to look at one another, worried and perplexed to know which of them he was talking about.
The disciples were completely surprised that anyone who was in this close of fellowship could actually betray Jesus.
13:23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was at the table to the right of Jesus in a place of honor.
John, the author of this gospel, was sitting next to Jesus.
The Apostle John
13:24 So Simon Peter gestured to this disciple to ask Jesus who it was he was referring to.
At the Passover dinner, Peter was reclining further away from Jesus. He asked John to relay a message to Jesus.
13:25 Then the disciple whom Jesus loved leaned back against Jesus’ chest and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
John asked Jesus for the name of the betrayer.
13:26 Jesus replied, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I have dipped it in the dish.” Then he dipped the piece of bread in the dish and gave it to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son.
The host gave the bread to a guest as a sign of friendship. Jesus was offering Judas one more chance to change his mind.
13:27 And after Judas took the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”
Judas was not demon possessed, but Satan possessed. Jesus commanded Satan to betray him.
13:28 (Now none of those present at the table understood why Jesus said this to Judas.
No one knew that Satan had possessed Judas.
13:29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him to buy whatever they needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor.)
Judas was treasurer. The disciples thought that he left to purchase money for the poor.
13:30 Judas took the piece of bread and went out immediately. (Now it was night.)
Judas was leaving the Light of the World and going out into the darkness of sin.
The Prediction of Peter’s Denial
13:31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 13:32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him right away.
A God who becomes a man and dies for the sins of all men should be glorified.
13:33 Children, I am still with you for a little while. You will look for me, and just as I said to the Jewish religious leaders, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ now I tell you the same.
The Greek word for “children” is teknia, meaning little children, Jesus would be with the disciples for the rest of the night. After this night, He would enter death.
13:34 “I give you a new commandment – to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
After Christ left the world, the eleven disciples were to love others in the same way that Jesus loved others.
13:35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples – if you have love for one another.”
The love for other believers is a sign to the world of God’s love for them.
13:36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later.”
Jesus was going to be martyred on the cross for the sins of the world. Peter could not follow Jesus in this area of sin-bearer.
13:37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!”
Peter claimed that he would lay down his life for Jesus.
13:38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? I tell you the solemn truth, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!
Peter did not understand the satanic forces which were working against him. Jesus predicted that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed in the early morning.