Lesson #16    John 13 

Introduction

    John chapters 1-12 are called the Book of Signs. They cover the public ministry of Jesus. In these chapters, John presents a miracle or sign and then sets a discourse about the full implication of the sign. The chapters 13-21 are called the Book of Glory. The focus is on the private ministry of Jesus. There is only one comprehensive sign-the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus. There is an extended discourse about the impact of this amazing event in history on our lives.

    It is in chapter 13 that we first encounter the “disciple that Jesus loved.” The commentaries had a variety of ideas. I feel that knowing John and the intensity of his life, the self reference of the disciple that Jesus loved was a statement of his awareness of being loved so completely by Jesus. John was not assuming that he was better than others. This Gospel was written close to the end of his life, a life of living in the love of Jesus. As the years went by, I think John grew in understanding of just how deep this love was and it was truly the core of his being.

    In the Book of Signs there is a foreshadowing about “the time.” There is a cosmic story being played out in the earthly circumstances. There is a heavenly timetable and it will reveal God and glorify him.

      2:4-“My time has not yet come.”

      7:30-“His hour was not yet come.”

      8:20-“His hour was not yet come.”

      12:23-“The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified.”

    Now in the first verse of 13, we find that “Jesus knew his time had come.” The pieces are all in place and the director has called action. Now Jesus moves on to fulfill the purpose for which he came to earth. He had all power and all choice, his obedience to the Father’s will now becomes overwhelming to us. All that now goes forward and is suffered, is for our benefit. It is for love of us that God sent Jesus and for love of the Father and us that Jesus does the impossible. The last part of verse 1 summarizes these last chapters-having loved his own, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The full extent of his love meant dying on a cross and enduring separation from the Father. 

Jesus washes the disciples feet 

    Jesus knew that Judas was to betray him, yet he is included in the feet washing. How profound to serve such a one. In verse 4 Jesus took off his outer clothing, or it could be translated he laid aside his outer clothing. The Greek verb used in this expression is the same verb used in chapter 10-I lay down my life for the sheep. John did not do this haphazardly. Jesus the divine lays down his life for his own, Jesus the master lays down his divinity and becomes a servant. He sets aside rank, honor, prestige to do a task that even Jewish slaves were excused from.     

    Footwashing was common place in the Greco-Roman and first century Jewish culture. Everyone walked in sandals on dusty roads. It was considered basic hospitality to have a guest cared for in this way. It makes Simon the Pharisee’s failure to wash Jesus’ feet to be correctly interpreted as a gesture of hostility, (Luke 7.) The ancient sources all identify footwashing to be a degrading and lowly task. If done by a wife for a husband or a parent for a child it was considered to be an act of extreme devotion. Jesus is modeling the behavior that is right for his disciples-no more discussions about who is the greatest. A student is not above his teacher, a servant is not above the master. If the master can wash feet, so can the servant. The footwashing also is about the death of Jesus, the most complete act of humility was dying on the cross. That is why it was important to have Jesus wash the feet of the disciples-it is through Jesus that one becomes clean. So then Peter accepts that Jesus is going to wash his feet and thinks if that is good, a total bath would be even better. Jesus says no, there is no more work to be done after the cross. 

    Are we to wash each other’s feet today? Where some churches have that as a part of their worship, it is a foreign concept for our culture. It does not convey the power or meaning that it did in that time. To make it more current for us, a similar example would be sweeping the floor. We can all sweep floors, but many homes and business hire people to do it. If you were at home with a messy kitchen floor and the Queen of England stopped by and did the sweeping, the shock would be immense. But in this story the creator of the universe has come to serve us. Here is both the humility of Jesus and the example his love compels us to follow. 

Judas betrays Jesus 

   The betrayal by Judas is mentioned 5 times in this chapter. In verses 2, 11, 18-19, 21, and 26-30. The Passover meal is eaten in a reclining position. John is seated on the right of Jesus and Judas is on the left. Peter is seated a ways off. Jesus was troubled and said that one of them would betray him. I think that there would have been a lively discussion as a result of this announcement. Peter and John were very close friends and Peter motions to John to find out more. Jesus reveals Judas through a piece of bread dipped in a dish and then Satan entered Judas. To share a dish and hand some one food was not uncommon and was a gesture of honor. Even on the edge of death, Jesus’ last act toward Judas is one of respect. Judas was not a believer. As Jesus taught and preformed miracles, the people, the religious leaders, and finally the disciples split in their response-belief and unbelief. Judas loved money and that was why he was the treasurer. It was the unbelief that made Judas available to Satan. In Luke 22, Satan wants Peter as well, but Jesus intercedes for him. I think it is safe to assume that destruction is Satan’s will for our lives. To destroy us and discredit God is his goal. Satan thought he was going to win this one. Theologians have speculated endlessly about the person of Judas and what made him betray Jesus. We don’t know the inner workings of Judas. 

    “Judas is a parable and a warning. We read his story as insiders thinking it depicts someone else. But Judas is a more disturbing figure than Pilate or Caiaphas or any of the Jewish leaders. He saw the light and understood it, but chose the darkness anyway.” Gary Burge. 

    So it remains for us to keep Jesus as the main focus and not be distracted by things that would put us at risk. 

    The last part of the chapter begins the farewell address that continues into chapter 17. In antiquity there was a tradition of the farewell address given when someone was departing on a long journey or dying. It was not only a Jewish practice, but other important people in the ancient world left statements. Jacob and Moses give farewell discourses. There is a tradition that the 12 sons of Jacob also left testaments. There were traditional elements to be included. There was concern for the comfort and well being of those left behind, an exhortation to obey the law and other similar writings, and to name a successor or to pass their spirit on to the next leader. Moses named Joshua and Elijah named Elisha. Jesus’ address has all of these elements and they will unfold in the next chapters. Judas has now departed and Jesus is with his own. He is trying to fortify them for the days ahead and give them the knowledge that will increase their faith.

     In verse 34 Jesus uses the strongest language possible-I give you a new command. The command to love one another had always been there in Jewish law, but the command to love as Jesus has loved us makes it a new thing altogether. And Jesus was insistent that his sacrificial love was to be demonstrated by his followers, they were to be recognized by their love for one another. Jesus understands that we are inadequate in our ability to love. We can not love as he desires for us, because we do not have the power. It is his love that enables us to love one another especially the ones that are hard for us to love. 

    “Unless one has a profound experience of being loved, it is virtually impossible to express profound love for another.” Gary Burge 

   Jesus continually supports us in our relationship with him. Our task is to enjoy and rest in his love.