John 13 - Lesson Sixteen Outline

 

I.            Introduction (V. 1). 

 

A.        Setting.   V. 1 says "It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love." 

 

1.            In John's Gospel, the death of Jesus is not a tragedy.  It is the highest moment of Jesus' glory

 

  B.      Relationships.  All through Jesus' conversation with His disciples in Ch. 13-16 He uses phrases that refer to relationships.  Roger L. Fredrikson (The Preacher's Commentary - John) says that "the focal point of this section is the Greek word monē, translated 'dwelling place' or a 'place for you' (14:2, 23).  That 'place' is not a geographic location, but it means 'abiding' in Jesus, welcoming the Helper He sends as a 'guide,' being at home with the Father."

 

II.          Last Supper (VV. 2-4a).

 

A.        The  Gospels.  There are two important motifs which appear in the other gospels that we should mention here: (1) Jesus uses the imagery of the Passover bread and wine to point to his death and (2) Luke tells us that there was a dispute among some of the disciples about who was the greatest among them and Jesus responds by telling the disciples about true servanthood (Luke 22:24-27).  John in chapter 13 uses these two themes. 

 

III.        The Footwashing  (V. 4b-17 ).

 

A.        The Sovereign Servant.   As the meal is being served, Jesus gets up to demonstrate the depth of His love for His followers. 

 

1.            Footwashing was common in the ancient world.  The job was so menial that Jewish slaves were exempt and the job was kept for the Gentiles to do.  So when Jesus takes off his outer garments and wraps a towel around himself (V. 4), He is adopting the posture of a slave.

 

2.            The words "took off His garments" (V. 4) and "put on His clothes" (V. 12) are identical to the words Jesus uses when He speaks earlier of His death as the Good Shepherd: "I lay down my life that I may take it up again." (10:11, 15, 17, 18)

 

B.        Symbolic Meaning.  Jesus is not just giving an object lesson in humble service.  He is doing something that symbolizes His greater act of sacrifice on the cross.  The humility we see in the footwashing must be seen through the lens of Jesus' ultimate "washing," His sacrificial death which cleanses us of our sins. 

           

C.        Model To Be Followed.   While the act of the footwashing  symbolized Jesus' redemptive work, His teaching now points to how His disciples might imitate His deeds.  Jesus' sacrifice will be the supreme demonstration of His love for the world.  Jesus now wants His followers to exemplify that same love to one another (VV. 14-15  What is applicable to the master (sacrifice) is likewise applicable to the servant.

 

D.        How Does the Footwashing Incident Speak to Us Today? 

 

1.            The Lord's Supper.  The setting of the footwashing was the Lord's Supper.  The context  of the footwashing by Jesus finds its significance in His death.   So a practical application of the footwashing can be found in observance of the Lord's Supper.

 

2.            Baptism.  The Greek word "to bathe" (louo) also appears in the New Testament for "baptism."  There was  a strong tradition of the early church fathers that interpreted  V. 10 ("A person who has a bath needs only to wash feet; his whole body is clean") as a reference to baptism.

 

3.            Model.   Jesus left us a general command of humility and service and modeled the life of a servant performing unacceptable roles.  How do we wash each other's feet?  Roger L. Fredrikson notes that we get frustrated by those who rub us the wrong way and says that "much of the sickness in the institutional church has been caused by our unwillingness to wash one another's feet."

 

IV.       Betrayal  (VV. 18-30).   

 

A.        References.  The subject of Judas' betrayal appears again and again in Chapter 13.

 

1.            The first appearance is in V. 2  where already Satan was working his plans through Judas.

             

2.            The description of the footwashing scene ends with another reference in V. 11 to Judas, in which John tells us that Jesus knew who was going to betray Him. 

 

3.            Jesus' interpretation of His footwashing act returns again to thoughts of Judas. John writes in VV. 17-19, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.  I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen.  But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'"   Jesus makes clear that His choice of Judas was no mistake but was made so that the purpose of scripture would be fulfilled.  Jesus' reference to Psalm 41:9 underscores the personal offense Judas' betrayal meant.  To "eat bread" is a cultural symbol that refers to personal intimacy, and to expose the bottom of the foot is a symbol of personal contempt.

 

a.            V. 21 is the third and final time that we reading John's gospel that Jesus is "deeply troubled." In 12:21 the phrase was used to describe Jesus at Lazarus' tomb and in 12:27 at the prospect of the cross.  

B.        Setting.  Since the disciples are eating a Passover meal, it is necessary for them to recline (V. 23).  The Beloved Disciple, by tradition interpreted as John, is seated on Jesus' right, a place of honor.  This explains why John can easily lean back and ask Jesus for the name of the betrayer ((V. 24).  Judas likewise has a place of honor near Jesus (maybe on his left?) because Jesus is able to dip some bread into a common dish and serve the piece to him (V. 26).   Jesus says that the betrayer is the one to whom He gives some dipped bread (V. 26) and then He serves Judas (V. 27). 

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C.        The Betrayal.  To serve someone food from the table like this was not unusual and it could have been taken as a simple gesture of honor for Judas.  If that is the case, it is ironic that this last appeal of love is the last thing that Jesus can do for Judas.  Judas' last gesture toward Jesus was to betray Him in the garden.  At this point Scripture tells us that Satan controls Judas and Jesus quietly asks him to act quickly. 

 

1.            So let's make sure we get the picture. Jesus washes the feet of Judas along with the other disciples.  Judas is seated at a place of honor at the table and Jesus honors him further by serving him food from the table, food that in the symbolism of the Lord's Supper represents Jesus' body broken for our sins.  Gary Burge (NIV Application Commentary - John) finds it noteworthy that immediately after taking the bread, Judas falls to Satan's control.

 

2.            V. 30 tells us that the departure of Judas is at night.  We should see this as both literal and symbolic.  Night represents the opposite of Jesus who is the light.   Judas represents a person described in 3:19: "Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil."   Again and again we read about those who choose darkness in spite of their exposure to the light.  And in Judas we have a man who spent three years with Jesus, a man who could have been no closer to divine revelation.  In spite of that proximity to the light, he chose darkness. 

 

D.        The Other Betrayal.  In VV. 36-38, we have Jesus' prediction that Peter will deny knowing Him.  What was the difference between Peter and Judas?  Judas betrayed Jesus and Peter denied Him in His hour of need.  The name of Judas has become one of the blackest shame while, according to William Barclay, there is something "infinitely lovable" about Peter. 

 

1.            Jesus knew Peter in all his weakness.  He knew the strength of his loyalty and the weakness of his resolve to follow Jesus.  Jesus knew Peter as he was.

 

2.            Jesus knew Peter in all his love.  He knew that whatever he did, Peter loved Him.

 

3.            Jesus knew what Peter could become.  And Jesus sees not only what we are but what we can become when we are transformed into His image.  It is that transformative power that can enable us to follow the model of Jesus as the sovereign servant.      

 

V.        The New Command  (VV. 31-38).    

 

A.        Final Instructions.  With the departure of Judas, Jesus is now with "His own," those who are His intimate followers, and He gives them His final instructions.  V. 31 signals that His hour has now come: "now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him." 

 

B.        Jesus' Farewell.   V. 31 through 17:26 contain Jesus' lengthy farewell discourse in which He not only talks specifically about His departure but prays a "departure prayer" in a tradition with deep roots in the Old Testament.

           

C.        Preparation of a Place.  V. 33 contains a key thought in the discourse.   Jesus is leaving so that He can prepare a place for His disciples (Ch. 14). His desire is not to abandon them but to enjoy their fellowship forever.  Jesus' life goes on beyond the grave, and those who believe in Him will possess the same life with Him.   

 

D.        New Command.  The "new" commandment mentioned in VV. 34-35 is also mentioned in Chapter 15:  "A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."  That the disciples are to love one another is not new, but the old command that "you shall love your neighbor as yourself" (Lev. 19:18) was based on mosaic law, not on grace. Jesus tells them that they are to love each other with the sort of love modeled by Him. 

 

1.            Love characterizes Jesus' relationship with the Father (14:31), and love characterizes the Father's relationship with Jesus (V. 35).  

 

2.            Jesus' love is manifested in His obedience to the Father's will (24:31).  Therefore His disciples are to reflect the sort of love known to Jesus - a love expressed through obedience.

 

3.            "As I have loved you" points to Jesus' most immediate act of love, the footwashing, and means that to truly love one another, His followers (including us today) must live a life of servanthood and sacrifice.

 

 

"The distinguishing mark of discipleship is not programs or signs, wonders or eloquence or ecclesiastical power, but Christ's love in us that allows us to love one another.  This does not mean these men were to become a self-centered, ingrown clique.  That may be caused by sentimentality, but not by Christ's love shared among His people.  The world will always confront Christ and have to deal with Him if His people love one another as He has loved them."   (Roger L. Fredrickson)