A Work in Progress Bible Commentary
By: Chip Crush

JOHN
CHAPTER 13

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet

1It 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]
2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
10Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

18"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.'[2]
19"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."
21After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, "I tell you the truth, one of you is going to betray me."
22His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, "Ask him which one he means."
25Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, "Lord, who is it?"
26Jesus answered, "It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish." Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon. 27As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
28"What you are about to do, do quickly," Jesus told him, but no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the Feast, or to give something to the poor. 30As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial

31When he was gone, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. 32If God is glorified in him,[3] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
36Simon Peter asked him, "Lord, where are you going?"
Jesus replied, "Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later."
37Peter asked, "Lord, why can't I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you."
38Then Jesus answered, "Will you really lay down your life for me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

This chapter begins the Upper Room Discourse with the washing of feet and the predictions of betrayal and denial. Throughout the first twelve chapters of John (The Signs), we noticed a pattern where Jesus performs a miracle and gives a discourse that brings out the spiritual significance of that miracle. In this second portion of John’s gospel (chapters 13-21; The Glory), the same basic pattern occurs, but in reverse, and on a larger scale. Here, the first segment (chapters 13-17) brings out the significance of the greatest act of all that Jesus performed – His substitutionary death on the cross, together with the corresponding resurrection and giving of the Holy Spirit. And the following chapters (18-21) relate those events in detail. And so, as we look closely at the text of chapters 13-17, we must keep in mind exactly what John is teaching us about the events to follow in chapters 18-21, Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection, and final acts before His ascension. John also wants us to see, in the tabernacle imagery, this portion of his gospel to be explaining how Jesus fulfills that Holiest of Holies place within the tabernacle.

  1. V1-3 - After emphasizing throughout the course of His ministry that His hour had not yet come, Jesus finally announced the opposite after His triumphal entry (John 12:23). Now, at the beginning of chapter 13, John makes the same point: the hour has come, and it is now time for Jesus to undertake that for which He had been sent to the world, namely, the redemption of men. Specifically, this is the night of Passover, and hence, the night when Jesus would celebrate His final supper with His disciples before going to the cross as the Passover Lamb on which they would feast.

    The first point that John would have us understand, as he relates this account, is how poignantly it displays the love of Jesus for His disciples. Yes, He certainly loved them throughout His ministry, and was constantly expressing His love in always providing for them what was ultimately in their best interest. But now, Jesus’ soul is deeply troubled, and the weight of the impending trial and crucifixion, and, what must have been a thousand times more distressing, the unmitigated wrath of His own Father, which was soon to be poured out upon Him, must be unimaginably difficult to bear. So how does Jesus respond to this unspeakable trial? By selfishly, yet deservedly, demanding to be pampered? By forsaking all around Him and pouring out His broken heart in bitter solitude? No, at this very time, when Jesus’ hour of death has arrived, He is serving and ministering as never before. Truly, He loved His own to the very end, or, to the uttermost, or perfectly and completely. Love had never reached its ultimate expression, never once had love been poured out as intended, except in one time and at one place – and that was in this hour for which Jesus had come into the world, His death on the cross to bear our sins and the full wrath of God in our place – and the time leading up to it.

    But we have not yet reached the end of the amazing love which Jesus displayed on this Passover night; for John explains that the foot-washing took place after the devil had already put it into Judas’ heart to betray Jesus! The humility and condescension that Jesus demonstrated when, as the Lord and Master, He stooped down to wash the feet of His servants, is certainly amazing; but that He also washed the feet of the man who was about to betray Him for thirty pieces of silver is, to John, virtually incomprehensible. So it is today, when he showers those who are imposters and reprobates with many gifts, graces, and tastes of the doctrine and power of the gospel. Let us be certain, if we have grown up with the privilege of hearing the gospel and seeing the power of truth and grace, that we do not despise our heritage, as Esau despised his birthright, and so put the Son of Man to an open shame (see Hebrews 10:26-31; 12:15-17; 6:4-6)! Great will be the final misery and punishment of such a man, even as it was with Judas Iscariot.

    Finally, notice in v3 that Jesus is fully aware of His deity, conscious that His mission was nearly complete. Jesus was empowered to complete His present task by reflecting on the past and the future. And we gather from His understanding that all things were under His power combined with what He was about to do (wash His disciples’ feet), that this example of service depicts accurately one of the defining characteristics of God Himself. He is a humble, serving God. If One who holds all things under His power is a humble servant, how ought we be? If Jesus, holding all things under His power, was willing to love us to the end, what is keeping us from humbly serving others? And the answer, of course, is our sin. Our hearts are laid bare before us in understanding this passage.

  2. V4-11 – So what exactly was Jesus demonstrating in this act of humility and service? To answer this question, we must remember both the timing of this event and John’s pattern of joining to the accounts of Jesus’ great acts passages that draw out the true meaning and significance of those acts. If Jesus wanted to demonstrate just what He would be doing that next day by going to the cross, He could not have chosen a better example than this. He, their master, stooped to undeserving men, and humbled Himself in order that they might be cleansed. Tomorrow, He would stoop from His throne of glory to the gruesome and humiliating death on the cross, so that we might be cleansed. Of course, as we have noticed before, the disciples would not understand the depth of these truths until after Jesus had been raised from the dead. But Jesus, when he told Peter, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand” (v7), was indicating that there was more to this act than first met the eye. It was not merely an example of humility – because that much was obvious, and Peter would have understood it immediately. But what he did not yet understand was how this event pictured what Jesus was about to do that next day, when He humbled Himself and so washed away the sins of His people forevermore.

    In v8, Peter makes his famous objection, “You shall never wash my feet!” and so gives opportunity for a second point of instruction. Jesus responds to his objection, which may have seemed modest and humble if it were not disobedient, by saying that, unless He washes someone, that person will have no share with Him. By this, He is indicating that one must accept the humble cleansing work of Jesus if he would share in the gospel-inheritance. But when Peter responds in v9 with misdirected enthusiasm, “Then wash my hands and my head as well!” Understanding that he was ruined apart from this washing, Peter wanted as much washing as he could get. But he failed to trust that Jesus would give him exactly what was needed – not more and not less. Thus Jesus, in v10, takes the opportunity for further instruction, explaining that the disciples are already clean – except one of them, Judas, as John tells us in v11 – and must only wash their feet. There is the hint to examine yourself in this declaration.

    When one has once been cleansed by the humble cross-work of Christ, he is fully and finally clean, and will never again need that cleansing to be repeated. And yet, Christians often stumble and fall into besetting sin, and dirty their feet, as it were, on their journey home. For these wayward but repentant believers, the promise has been given, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The true believer is positionally clean now and forevermore, and Jesus’ once-for-all act of cleansing may never be repeated – but Jesus is ever in the process of cleaning off the day-to-day grime of indwelling sin in His people, through His Spirit who indwells them. This was not the primary point that Christ was making on the occasion of His foot washing, but He took the opportunity that Peter’s ignorance provided to give His disciples added instruction, which they would understand later, after they had seen the resurrected Jesus.

  3. V12-17 – After finishing the washing, Jesus asks if they understand what He has done for them. He is about to argue from the greater to the lesser thereby making a penetrating application. If He, their Teacher and Lord (v13-16), had humbled Himself so deeply for the good of the disciples, then they also ought to humble themselves and serve their fellow-believers. After all, the slave is not greater than his master; and so we, the slaves of Jesus Christ, should not consider any task too lowly for us, when He considered nothing too lowly for Him. The apostles certainly learned this point well, as the letters that they wrote to the churches after Jesus had ascended are filled with admonitions to humility and service. Perhaps the best illustration of an exhortation to follow in the example of Christ’s humility is found in Philippians 2:5-11.

    V14 is often taken so literally that people actually wash other people’s feet attempting to copy the Lord Jesus. But that’s not the requirement here. V15 states the principle that we need to follow. Foot washing was culturally appropriate, as the illustration from v10 depicts. These people walked around on dusty roads with bare feet and sandals. We don’t do that, and so foot washing isn’t the correlation here. Serving one another in love is the idea. V17, which is elsewhere translated, “Happy are you if do these things,” conveys the counter-cultural message that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. He who exalts himself will be lost; the servant is the greatest.

  4. V18-20 – 18I 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’ [Psalm 41:9]. 19I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. 20I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me; and whoever accepts Me accepts the One who sent Me.” John has already told us what Judas was about to do; but now, Jesus tells the rest of the disciples the same thing, so that when it actually happened, they would not stumble at the shocking reality of it (see also John 6:70). Jesus wants them to remember His words – which were an unmistakable claim to Deity (knowledge (I know) and authority (those I have chosen)) – after the fact and believe in Him (v19). Far from being a cause for doubt, it was in fact necessary that Judas should do what he was about to do – for the Scriptures prophesied that this would happen (v18). In Psalm 41, David, speaking as a prophet, lamented his betrayal by his close friend, who ate of his bread. This lament was ultimately over the betrayal of Jesus, the Son of David, and had to be fulfilled in His life.

    The reason that John found it necessary to emphasize that Judas’ act of treachery was prophesied in the Scriptures was no doubt due to his understanding of the doctrine of the election and preservation of all believers. He has emphasized repeatedly, “All that the Father gives Jesus will come to Him; and the one who comes to Him, He will never drive away.” Jesus would lose none of those whom the Father had given Him (John 6:37-45). If God had chosen Judas, and Jesus lost him, then how could we be certain that He will never lose us? From the beginning, Jesus made it clear that the Scriptures predicted Judas’ apostasy (John 6:70), and that God had known and planned from the beginning what his end would be. In fact, when He prayed for all who should believe in Him, that God would bring them to His eternal glory, He intentionally excluded Judas (John 17:12). Above all, Jesus wanted His true followers to be sure of His unshakable intention to keep them forever, and so He taught them of the prophetic necessity for Judas’ betrayal before it happened, so that they would not be shaken in their own faith. Calvin concludes on this passage: “Let us learn that every part of our salvation depends on election.”

    And then, in v20, Jesus reminds His disciples of a truth that He had taught them many times before: that anyone who received Him, was receiving the One who sent Him. In this way, He confirmed to them once again the security of their position. They belonged to the Father, as well as to Jesus, and they would never be lost. Only here, He also gives an additional element, namely, that anyone who should receive the one whom Jesus sent, would be receiving Jesus Himself. This was certainly to begin preparing them for the great commission that He would soon entrust to them, that they should evangelize the nations. Luke 10:16 says, “He who listens to you listens to Me; he who rejects you rejects Me; but he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.”

  5. V21-26 – Notice first that Jesus was troubled in spirit. Perhaps pausing to think about the betrayal He was about to experience was like a penetrating arrow into His soul. Perhaps knowing the love He had for His disciples – including Judas – caused Him pain to know that it wasn’t reciprocated, even if only partially, by Judas. Perhaps this event on the timeline leading to His crucifixion was particularly painful, because it stepped up the pace of everything. There was no turning back.

    Jesus has already prepared His true disciples for this event; now, He brings it about in actuality. First, in deep distress of spirit, Jesus tells all the disciples plainly, so that there could be no more room for doubt, that one of them would indeed betray Him (v21). The depth of the eleven disciples’ love and dedication to Jesus may be seen in their response: stunned silence and amazement (v22). How could it be that one of them, who had seen the goodness and greatness of this Messiah, the true Son of God and Man, ever betray Him? Even impetuous Peter is so taken aback at this revelation that he does not dare to speak openly, but motions for John, reclining beside Jesus, to “Ask Him which one He means” (v23-24). John asked Jesus (v25), and Jesus’ answer once again shows the depth of His mercy; for as Calvin says, He would reveal the traitor to John alone and not to all the disciples, and not by giving some sign of condemnation or curse, but by displaying to this impostor the honor of a dignified guest – He selected a piece of bread, dipped it in the oil, and “gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon” (v26). This gentle display, as we’ll see is why John’s gospel points out Judas’ treachery more frequently than the others, and also why, as we’ll see in v28, why none of the other disciples understand why Jesus said what He said in v27. Let’s look at it now.

  6. V27-32 – So far in this chapter, we’ve seen the commencement of the greatest act of love, and we sadly note that it is met with the most malicious act of treachery ever committed. Having taken the piece of bread from Jesus, but having despised the love that extended it, Judas, fully and finally persuaded by Satan (v27) to betray God Incarnate, obeys the sorrowful command not to delay in that which he had already planned to do. This exhortation is not of such a nature that Jesus can be regarded as exciting Judas to do the action; rather it is the language of one who views the crime with horror and detestation. It’s as if He is saying, “Since you’ve given yourself to destruction, go to destruction.” It echoes Romans 1:24-28. And we get explanations of the misunderstanding that the other disciples had regarding this command in v28-29. Of course, they’d understand it all quite clearly with the passage of time. But in v30, we see Judas depart from the presence of the Lord forever; John adds, “And it was night.”

    Maybe “And it was night” is just a casual comment by John that it was now dark outside; but maybe John is saying something more significant than that. One commentator said, “These are some of the most pregnant words in the whole of literature.” It was dark, but not only outside, not only because the sun had gone down, but it was dark in Judas’ heart. No light shone there, because no love for Jesus shone there, because Satan had entered into him, because sin had taken hold of Him, and because worldly pleasures had captivated him. The Trinity of evil was choking the very life out of him. “And it was night.”

    At this point (v31-32), Jesus begins His final instructions and teachings before He goes to the cross. From here to the end of chapter 17 compose one great block of instructional material which Jesus gives to His disciples, so that they might understand exactly what His death would mean, and why it must come about. Immediately, He brings out the one foundational principle that He will continue to develop and elaborate upon: His impending death is for the glory of God. This must have been unthinkable to His disciples. If there was one thing that did not conjure up thoughts of glory, it was death on a Roman cross. That was the most shameful, despised, and humiliating process the world of fallen men could possible devise. Yet here Jesus was, saying that it would be for the glorification of Himself, the Son of Man, and likewise of the Father. Such is the wonder and the foolishness of the gospel!

    The greatest act of humility and condescension in all history is at the same time the greatest act of self-glorification that God would ever perform. It’s accomplishment was the one great design of God from before time began, a design which brought all three members of the Godhead into a marvelous and mutually-glorifying work, the Father planning, the Son purchasing, and the Spirit applying the redemption of man the rebel! There we see God’s glorious character revealed more clearly than at any other time and place. We see His wrath against sin in the crushing of His own dear Son because of it. We see His free, redemptive love in the lengths He goes to be able to have mercy on those for whom He has decreed mercy. We see His grace, His justice, His sovereignty, and His inter-triune relationships of love and mutual glorification all displayed on the cross, as we could never have seen them in any other way. Truly, in this horrible act of injustice, the Father glorified the Son, and the Son glorified the Father.

  7. V33-35 – Jesus, calling His disciples children, shows how tenderly He cares for them in giving them some sad news: they cannot come where He is going. How would that make you feel – having been with Jesus for three years – and hearing Him say that you can’t come with Him? That’s hard news. But notice too that Jesus tells the disciples that He has already told the Jews this news. So the disciples had heard it before – just not directed to them. And that might have made the news all the more difficult. Just as our guest preacher, Jeff Walling, said about this passage at Southeast a while back, this difficult news caused the disciples to miss the command to love.

    Besides the foundational principle of glory in v31-32, we have a foundational application. The servant is not greater than his master; and so, if Christ so loved us, we ought also to love one another (1 John 4:7-11). This is the one great commandment that will govern all Christian ethics and practice throughout the age – a commandment which, though called “new,” was certainly not foreign to the heart of the Old Testament law (indeed it fulfills the law as Romans 13:10 teaches), but which is here brought into a sharpness of relief that the old shadows could never have realized. V34-35 must give us pause for serious and sober-minded reflection: do we truly love one another in such a sacrificial and Christ-imitating way that the world takes note? This is what it means to be a Christian! “And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love. Yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” Jesus sandwiches this application of love in v34-35 between v33 and v36, where He says, “Where I am going, you cannot come [or follow].” Look now at v36.

  8. V36-38 – 36Simon Peter asked Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.” 37Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.” 38Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for Me? I tell you the truth, before the rooster crows, you will disown Me three times!” The first thing Peter says is, “Where are You going?” He tuned out the command to love, because he was concerned about Jesus’ imminent departure. But in this question, though he may have missed the new command, we see his genuine love for Jesus. It may be an imperfect love, but it’s authentic. It hasn’t been tested yet, but it will be. And Peter will fail the test. Jesus, rather than answer Peter’s “why?” question, responds with a question of His own: “Will you really lay down your life for Me?” Jesus is rebuking Peter’s self-confidence. Then Jesus tells Peter that he will disown Him three times that very night (v38).

    We might wonder how a man like Peter, whose passion for Jesus was always so intense, could betray Him. Jesus said in Luke 22:31-32, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” Satan is there, and Jesus effectively says that Satan has asked to destroy him, but Jesus has prayed for him to prevent destruction – unlike Judas. Knowing that Peter would betray him, Jesus instructs Peter in Luke’s gospel to strengthen his brothers when has turned back. So Peter’s (certain) repentance and restoration will not only prove that his love for Jesus is real, it will strengthen that love, enabling Peter to go to his own death by upside down crucifixion for the truth of Jesus Christ. Peter will indeed lay down his life for Jesus (v37), but it won’t happen until he learns that it is Jesus’ love and grace and mercy and strength that makes his own love genuine. In his own strength, Peter can do nothing. Jesus will explain this further in John 15:5: “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” See Philippians 2:13.

    This is the case for us as well; we mustn’t rely on ourselves for perseverance, but we may still wonder why or how it works. Why does God grant Satan any of his demands? Why does God tolerate Satan’s activity at all? Why doesn’t God put Revelation 20 in action right now? Why doesn’t God cast Satan into the lake of fire right now? Why go on century after century, permitting Satan to wreak this kind of havoc in the Church? Why does God allow ABC or XYZ to happen? Maybe the answer is, “I don’t know.” That’s the test of faith: to walk hand in hand with God – and persevere in so doing – when He doesn’t give you the answer, except that on the pages of Scripture as a glimpse of the answer. The connection between suffering and glory, as Jesus has been speaking about in regard to Himself, is not merely chronological, but it is causal. There is no path to glory except via the pathway of suffering and trial, and many a Christian has discovered the glory of overcoming suffering, on the other side of battle with the evil one.

    Many commentators have pointed out that the comparisons and contrasts of Peter and Judas are the theme in this chapter. We know later that Judas betrays Jesus and feels only remorse over his own condition and situation – this remorse leads to depression and suicide. Peter betrays Jesus and feels a deep and bitter repentance that leads to restoration and transformation. But what’s the difference here in this chapter alone? It seems that there was a sinister attitude in Judas – he didn’t even speak (though in Matthew 26:25, he did say, “Surely not I.”). But Peter was almost naďve to the circumstance. He had no evil intentions, unlike Judas. And so for us, we may often exhibit Peter-like denials, motivated by momentary lapses in reliance on God or pride sticking its nose where it does not belong. And let us repent of those occasions. But let us repent all the more when we show ourselves to be more Judas-like in our malicious and pre-meditated acts and patterns of sly and treacherous and deceitful sin. Let’s pray:

    “Lord, forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil – from the evil one. Lead us by Your Spirit into lives of repentance and love for one another. Your love is enough for us, and we want to love others as You have loved us. Take from us any reliance we might have on our own strength, for it will fail. Remove from us our arrogance and pride. Humble us, teach us to rely solely on You, and fill us with presence, that we might shine as reflectors of Your glory in this dark age. Amen.”

Footnotes

  1. 13:1 Or he loved them to the last
  2. 13:18 Psalm 41:9
  3. 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.

Bible text from Gospelcom.net.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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