1Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.
5Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize [know] now, but you will understand hereafter.” 8Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13“You call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14“If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15“For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. 16“Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. 17“If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18“I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘HE WHO EATS MY BREAD HAS LIFTED UP HIS HEEL AGAINST ME.’ 19“From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He.20“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
21When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.” 22The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. 23There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.” 28Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. 29For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. 30So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.
Interesting Words
knowing
(οἶδα – Greek) – eidó ► be aware, behold, consider, perceive, properly, to see with physical eyes, as it naturally bridges to the metaphorical sense, a gateway to grasp spiritual truth (reality) from a physical plane – John 9:29-30; 1Cor 2:11, 12;
own
(ἴδιος – Greek) – idios ► one’s own, belonging to one, private, personal; one’s own people, one’s own family, home, property, by implication, private or separate – Matt 9:1; Mark 4:34; John 1:11; 1Cor 3:8-9;
believe
(πιστεύω – Greek) – pisteuó ► believe, have faith in, trust in, believing that leads to/proceeds from God’s inbirthing of faith – John 1:7, 2:11, 23; 3:18; 4:42; 5:24; 6:29; 7:38; 8:24, 30; 9:35-36, 37-38; 10:37-38; 11:25-26; 12:44-46;
receive
(λαμβάνω – Greek) – lambanó ► receive, get, take, lay hold of by aggressively (actively) accepting what is available (offered), “accept with initiative” emphasizes the volition (assertiveness) of the receiver – John 1:11-12; 3:32-33; 4:45; 5:43; 12:48;
Cross References
▪︎ John 1:11-12 – Receiving and believing are equivalent and have the same result.
▪︎ John 12:48 – If you reject Jesus Christ you will judged by the word at th end.
▪︎ Rom 5:11 – Receiving Christ is equivalent to being reconciled to God.
▪︎ John 14:2-3 – recieve – paralambánō (from pará, “from close-alongside” and lambánō, “aggressively take”). It is a mutual receiving of each other
Discussion Questions
1. What progression do you see here in Judas (John 13:2, 27)? What do you make of this?
▪︎ It is a progression that started even before dinner or may be even before that. Note the adverbial phrase “having already put into the heart”
▪︎ It was in his heart not only to push back against the flow (where rebellion normally starts) but to actually betray Him.
▪︎ Sadly, it ends in the tragic conclusion where Satan apparently took over the mind and heart of Judas.
▪︎ With the final climax now settled, Jesus prompts Judas take action.
▪︎ Jesus now knew the time was complete (John 7:8; 13:1), everything was in place. There was no turning back from His assignment.
2. What was Jesus frame of mind (John 13:1, 2-3) and how did this effect His actions after dinner?
▪︎ Jesus was well aware of everything that needed to happen and of all the pain that He would endure.
▪︎ He was also aware of the beautiful relationship He had with the Father and what it meant to bring many sons to glory thru His death.
▪︎ This was the “joy set before Him”, Heb 12:2; This was part of the plan to encourage us in what we are called to do (Heb 12:1).
▪︎ Joy that it would be all part of the plan to bring many sons to glory (Heb 2:10). The culmination and climax of all time, 1Cor 10:11-12; Rom 13:11, 1Peter_1:10-13
13Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
3. What are some lessons we should take away from this study?
▪︎ Walk circumspectly, watching for the various ways Satan tries to influence your life to gain a foothold and take us off line (Eph 4:14; 2Cor 11:3;)
▪︎ When God gives an assignment, He provides all the necessary resources to complete that assignment (John 13:3; Phil 2:13, 4:13;).
▪︎ We are totally secure in Christ. We a going back to Him who called us from the foundation of the world (Eph 1:4; John 10:28-30; 14:3).
▪︎ We will be called upon to do service to God’s Children. We need to do that with honor and integrity, as if to God Himself.
▪︎ Sometimes, the process of being served can be just as difficult as the process of being the one serving.
4. How would you characterize the interaction of the twelve related to the betrayal (v. 18-30)?
▪︎ Satan is very crafty; no one had a clue who would actually betray Jesus.
▪︎ None of the disciples was arrogant enough to think a sin like this was beneath them.
▪︎ Jesus was very blunt, quoting scripture as to the one who will lift up his heel against Him. This was part of His new approach with the twelve… John 13:19;
5. Believing is a common theme throughout the Gospel of John. A sample of its use is listed above from each chapter. List some observations from these verses.
▪︎ Sometimes (most of the time) we need a little help in our believing (Mark 9:24).
▪︎ Interestingly, He did not circumvent their belief, but gave them the facts beforehand to support belief, supporting 2Cor 5:7; This is similar to OT prophesies for those very familiar with the OT.
▪︎ God provides everything needed to walk with Him, even the required faith.Believers are passed out of death into life, John 5:24;
▪︎ John 6:29 – confirmation that God is the author of our faith. We have nothing to be proud of.
▪︎ Judgement is not the issue here; that has already happened.
▪︎ Faith becomes a resource, a supply line bringing what is needed to the war, to the battlefield.
▪︎ Serious stuff. Massive civilian casualties if they don’t believe, John 8:24.
▪︎ God is seeking believers to worship Him (John 4:23; 9:38)
▪︎ It is not about personalities; its about God; its about life (real life, life indeed)
6. Receiving is also used with almost the same frequency. Receive is an pivot point, highlighting the need to change directions, make a decision or seize the moment. Again a list of uses is shown above. What do you make of this?
▪︎ Believing = Receiving John 1:11-12;
▪︎ Receiving = seizing (λαμβάνω)… aggressively taking hold of God’s provision.
▪︎ Judgement / believing having already been decided, all that remains then is to sieze the moment. Take a hold of God!
▪︎ Set you seal, your approval on God. Side with God (John 3:33)
▪︎ Be very careful to follow God’s Messiah and not an antichrist, a false tacher (John 5:43; 1John 1:1)
7. Is there a decision that God is seeking you to make?
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