13:1Jesus knew he would be betrayed by one of his disciples, denied by another, and deserted by all of them for a time. Still he “loved them to the very end.” God knows us completely, as Jesus knew his disciples (2:24, 25; 6:64). He knows the sins we have committed and the ones we will yet commit. Still, he loves us. How do you respond to that kind of love?
Life Application Study BibleJohnChapter 13
John 13
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1783, 1784, 1785
A few verse numbers on this page were hard to read in the scan and are marked with a dotted underline — compare with the original page image if in doubt.
13John 13
1Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.* 2It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,* son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, Sand poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him. 5When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, 6LORD, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus replied, “ You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.” 8"No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me.” 9Simon Peter exclaimed, “ Then wash my hands and head as well, LORD, not just my feet!” 10Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,* to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘LORD,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14And since I, your LORD and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 11 have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. 16I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. 18“T am not saying these things to all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But this fulfills the Scripture that says, ‘The one who eats my food has turned against me.’* 191 tell you this beforehand, so that when it happens you will believe that 1 Am the Messiah.* 2° tell you the truth, anyone who welcomes my messenger is welcoming me, and anyone who welcomes me is welcoming the Father who sent me.”
Jesus and the Disciples Share the Last Supper
(211/Matthew 26:20-30; Mark 14:17-26; Luke 22:14-30) 21Now Jesus was deeply troubled,* and he exclaimed, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” 22The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 2°The disciple }3in 19:26 Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table.* 24Simon Peter motioned to him to ask, 43:25 “Who’'she talking about?” 25So that disciple leaned over to Jesus and asked, “LORD, whois it?” John 24:20 26Jesus responded, “It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.” And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. 2” When Judas had eaten the bread, 13:27 Satan entered into him, Then Jesus told him, “Hurry and do what you're going to do.” gyn ta.2 28None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29Since Judas was their treasurer, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30So Judas left at once, going out into the night. Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial (212/Luke 22:31-38) 31As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man* to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32And since God receives glory because of the Son,* he will soon give glory to the Son. 33Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” 36Simon Peter asked, “LORD, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “ You can't go with me now, but you will follow me later.” 37“But why can’t I come now, LORD?” he asked. “I'm ready to die for you.” 38Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me. Jesus Is the Way to the Father (213)
Textual footnotes
- that I am the LORD; Greek reads that I am. See Exod 3:14.
- was reclining on Jesus’ bosom. The “disciple Jesus loved” was probably John.
- 13:1 Or he showed them the full extent of his fove.
- 13:2 Or the devil had already intended for Judas.
- 13:10 Some manuscripts do not include except for the feet. 13:18 Ps 41:9.
- 13:19 Or that the 1 Am’ has come; or
- 13:21 Greek was troubled in his spirit.
- 13:23 Greek
- 13:31 “Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself.
- 13:32 Some manuscripts omit And since God receives glory because of the Son.
Life Application Notes 11 notes
13:1ffChapters 13-17 tell us what Jesus said to his disciples on the night before his death. These words were all spoken in one evening when, with only the disciples as his audience, he gave final instructions to prepare them for his death and resurrection, events that would change their lives forever.
13:1-3For more information on Judas Iscariot, see his Profile in Mark 14, p. 1655.
13:1-17Jesus was the model servant, and he showed his servant attitude to his disciples. Washing guests’ feet was a job for a household servant to carry out when guests arrived. But Jesus wrapped a towel around his waist, as the lowliest slave would do, and washed and dried his disciples’ feet. If even he, God in the flesh, is willing to serve, we his followers must also be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God. Are you willing to follow Christ's example of serving? Whom can you serve today? There is a special blessing for those who not only agree that humble service is Christ's way, but who also follow through and do it (13:17).
13:6,7imagine being Peter and watching Jesus wash the others’ feet, all the while moving closer to you. Seeing his Master behave like a slave must have confused Peter. He still did not understand Jesus’ teaching that to be a leader, a person must be a servant. This is not a comfortable passage for leaders who find it hard to serve those beneath them. How do you treat those who work under you (whether children, employees, or volunteers)?
13:8,9When Jesus responded: “Unless I wash you, you won't belong to me,” he may have meant (1) that unless he washed away Peter’s sins by his death on the cross, then Peter could have no relationship with him, or (2) that unless Peter submitted to him and allowed Jesus to minister in this way, Peter would never learn the lesson of humility. Either way, Peter seemed to grasp the significance of Jesus’ words, for he then wanted to be bathed completely: “Then wash my hands and head as well, LORD, not just my feet!”
13:12ffJesus did not wash his disciples’ feet just to get them to be nice to each other. His far greater goal was to extend his mission on earth after he was gone. These men were to move into the world serving God, serving each other, and serving all people to whom they took the message of salvation.
13:22Judas was not the obvious betrayer. After all, he was the one the disciples trusted to keep the money (12:6, 13:29).
13:26The honored guest at a meal was often singled out like this.
13:27Satan’s part in the betrayal of Jesus does not remove any of the responsibility from Judas. Disillusioned because Jesus was talking about dying rather than setting up his Kingdom, Judas may have been trying to force Jesus’ hand and make him use his power to prove he was the Messiah. Or perhaps Judas, not understanding Jesus’ mission, no longer believed Jesus was God’s chosen one. Whatever Judas thought, Satan assumed that Jesus’ death would end his mission and thwart God’s plan. Like Judas, Satan did not know that Jesus’ death was the most important part of God’s plan all along.
13:27-38John describes these few moments in clear detail. We can see that Jesus knew exactly what was going to happen. He knew about Judas and about Peter, but he did not change the situation, nor did he stop loving them. In the same way, Jesus knows exactly what you will do to hurt him. Yet he still loves you bragging, demonstrate your commitment step by step as you grow in your knowledge of God’s Word and in your faith.
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unconditionally and will forgive you whenever you ask him. dudas couldn’t understand this, and his life ended tragically. Peter understood, and despite his shortcomings, his life ended triumphantly because he never let go of his faith in the one who toved him. 13:34 To love others was not a new commandment (see Leviti- Cus 19:18), but to love others as much as Christ loved others was revolutionary. Now we are to love others based on Jesus’ sacrificial love for us. Such love will not only bring unbelievers to Christ; it will also keep believers strong and united in a world hostile to God. Jesus was a living example of God’s love, as we are to be living examples of Jesus’ tove. 13:34, 35 Jesus says that our Christlike love will show we are his disciples. Do people see petty bickering, jealousy, and division in your church? Or do they know you are Jesus’ followers by your love for one another? Love is more than simply warm feelings; it is an attitude that reveals itself in action. How can we love others as Jesus loves us? By helping when it’s not convenient, by giving when it hurts, by devoting energy to others’ welfare rather than our own, by absorbing hurts fram others without complaining or fighting back. This kind of loving is hard to do. That is why people notice when yau do it and know you are empowered by a supernatural source. The Bible has another beautiful description of love in 1 Corinthians 13. 13:37, 38 Peter proudly told Jesus that he was ready to die for him. But Jesus corrected him. He knew Peter would deny that he knew Jesus that very night to protect himself (18:15-18, 25-27). ‘n our enthusiasm, it is easy to make promises. but God knows the extent of our commitment. Paul tells us not to think of our- Selves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3). Instead of