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| Chapter 13 |
| Bible Text | Notes and Thoughts |
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1 ¶ Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, and the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, and took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that He poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded. 6 Then came He to Simon Peter, and Peter said unto Him, "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." 8 Peter said unto Him, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said unto Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." 10 Jesus said to him, "He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean every whit. And ye are clean, but not all." 11 (For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, "Ye are not all clean.") 12 So after He had washed their feet and had taken His garments and had sat down again, He said unto them, "Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call Me Master and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily I say unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. 18 ¶ "I speak not of you all. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 Now I tell you before it come that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am He. 20 Verily, verily I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send, receiveth Me; and he that receiveth Me, receiveth Him that sent Me." 21 When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Verily, verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray Me." 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, not knowing of whom He spoke. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom He spoke. 25 He then, leaning on Jesus’ breast, said unto Him, "Lord, who is it?" 26 Jesus answered, "He it is to whom I shall give a sop when I have dipped it." And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. 27 And after the sop, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said unto him, "What thou doest, do quickly." 28 Now no man at the table knew with what intent He spoke this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the money bag, that Jesus had said unto him, "Buy those things that we have need of for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Judas then, having received the sop, went immediately out. And it was night. 31 ¶ Therefore when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God be glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek Me; and as I said unto the Jews, ‘Whither I go ye cannot come,’ so now say I to you. 34 A new commandment I give unto you: that ye love one another, as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples: if ye have love one for another." 36 ¶ Simon Peter said unto Him, "Lord, whither goest Thou?" Jesus answered him, "Whither I go thou canst not follow Me now, but thou shalt follow Me afterwards." 37 Peter said unto Him, "Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now? I will lay down my life for Thy sake." 38 Jesus answered him, "Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily I say unto thee, the cock shall not crow till thou hast denied Me thrice. |
Luke 22:7-13 tells us that Jesus sent Peter and John to prepare the upper room for the feast and fellowship Jesus had planned with His disciples before His crucifixion. Luke 22:7 shows that the feast was in preparation for the Passover feast, yet John 18:28 shows that the Passover was yet to occur after the trial of Jesus. We therefore have to assume that the meal taken in the upper room was not the Passover. The Jews did not normally sit on chairs round a table, they would sit and lay on the floor round a short legged table, this explains v25, John was leaning on Jesus as they lay on the floor. The opening verses 1-3 shows the spiritual importance of the events soon to happen, His love for His people. The work of the devil through Judas Iscariot. "His hour had come." Here we see the controlling power of God the Father over every event, the final event, why He had been born, the reason for the whole life of Jesus, was approaching. Soon He would be returning to the Father. v4 The action of washing the feet was often done when the guests arrived at a feast, this would usually be done by a slave. "Supper being ended" v2 can be translated as "during the supper," this would make slightly better sense with the rest of the passage. The word "if" is used 3 times during this passage:- 1) v8 "If I wash thee not,", fellowship with Christ. 1 John 1:9. 2) v14 "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet," Humbleness. 1 Peter 5:5. 3) v17 "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them," Happiness. The washing of the feet was clearly a sign to the disciples, as explained in v12-15, it was a totally unexpected act by Jesus and showed humility, knowing who He was and soon to return to the Father, Jesus was still willing to lower Himself for such a low job. The material for the washing of the guests feet would have been obtained earlier Luke 22:10ff, one of the disciples could have done the job but they were too proud. It is worth noting that just a little later they were arguing about who was the greatest. Luke 22:24. When Jesus came to Peter he would not let the Messiah wash his feet like a servant, he felt unfit for Jesus to wash his feet. The reply of Jesus was more than a ‘slaves’ response, Jesus gave an answer which was not about the evening but the future, it was a sign that without washing they could not be part of Him, to be apart from Christ was far worse than the humiliation for Peter, hence Peter wants everything clean for his Lord. The whole event had a spiritual meaning. The washing of sin away by the death of Christ makes us suitable to stand before God, this is also symbolized in the Christian water baptism, an act done once only. Further ‘cleaning’ of failures by the Christian do not need the ‘washing again’ v10. 1 John 1:9. v10,11 "And ye are clean, but not all." Jesus knew all their hearts and of Judas Iscariot’s plans. v12 Jesus had shown the spiritual side of His action, now he points out the human side, ‘a service to others.’ v15. Note that it is an example not a commandment, this rules out the idea that ‘foot-washing’ should be an act of worship, it is a matter of hospitality, caring for your visitors. 1 Tim 5:10. v18-30 Jesus announces His betrayal. It now becomes impossible for Jesus to keep quite about the coming acts of Judas, He reveals that one of them was about to betray Him. This caused much concern amongst the disciples, Peter, obviously some distance from Jesus round the table, asks John, who happens to be laying next to Jesus, to ask Jesus who it was who was to betray Him. Judas had played his part very well, no one had any idea of what he had in his mind. Judas must have been laying close to Jesus for Jesus exposes Judas by the action of giving the ‘sop’ (normally a piece of bread given in ‘favour’ to a person during a meal). Satan now takes full control of Judas. In great wisdom Jesus has informed Judas that He knew all about his plans, but now He needed to remove Judas from the room so that He could proceed with His teaching. None of the other disciples seem to have understood what was happening and thought Jesus had sent Judas out to buy something. It is worth noting that Jesus must have also washed the feet of Judas earlier. Scripture had written about this event Psalm 41:9. v30 ‘And it was night.’ symbolic of Satan’s powers of darkness soon to take over. 13:31 - 16:33 The Upper Room teaching. v31-35 Jesus tells of His soon departure, "Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. ," with Judas gone to complete his task the stage is set for the Glory of the Son and His Father. The death of Jesus would be the fulfillment of the Fathers plans. As a result of this plan, in the resurrection, the glorifying of Jesus and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit on mankind, God the Father would also be glorified. v32 v33,36 "Little children" a sign of love and a goodbye. The disciples and possibly the Jews might try to seek Jesus physically after the coming events, but they will not find Him. v34,35 A new commandment, "that ye love one another," Love for those who belong to Christ, a love for all His followers in the world, an international love, how? "as I have loved you," that sets the level of love, Jesus loved us to the cross. v36-38 Peter the Leader. Peter does not accept the separation from Jesus, "Peter, you cannot follow me now but you will in the future." Peter was prepared to give his life for his Lord, but this loyalty, this faithfulness was soon to be tested, and fail three times. |
Easy English Translation
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