John 13 - CSB Disciple’s Study Bible

13:1 HISTORY, Time—Death and Resurrection came at the decisive moment God planned. They spelled victory, not defeat, allowing the Son to return to the Father and rule time and history.

13:1-17 DISCIPLESHIP, Lordship of Christ—Discipleship does what pride will not. Discipleship forgets my position, my reputation, my title, my family tradition. Discipleship remembers only Christ’s humble example and other people’s needs. As Christ’s followers we must learn our role is that of humble servants. No task or person is beneath us. We are not too good to do anything that ministers to another in Jesus’s name.

13:1-20 JESUS CHRIST, Death—In NT times footwashing was an fundamental courtesy of the host performed by a servant. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an act of humble service, showing the depth of his love for them. They, busy in disputing who would be greatest (Lk 22:24-30), would not do this simple task of hospitality for one another. Jesus, the Master, showed the true humility of God’s Servant and washed their feet. Peter’s impetuous protest gave an opportunity to speak of cleanness and to indicate that one among them was unclean.

13:1-30 ORDINANCES, Lord’s Supper as Humility—John presented a long account of the Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples, but never mentioned the institution of the Lord’s Supper with the bread and the cup as did the other three Gospel writers. John did mention the piece of bread Jesus dipped in the dish and gave to Judas (v. 26) and reported that as soon as Judas had taken the bread he went out into the night. Most of John’s description of the Last Supper focuses upon Jesus’s washing of the disciples’ feet. He did it to demonstrate his role as servant and commanded the disciples to serve one another in this way. Some Christians have taken this footwashing to be an ordinance or sacrament in the same way as baptism and the Lord’s Supper. It is clear from the book of Acts and the rest of the NT that the early church did not practice footwashing as a Christian ordinance like baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The reason may be that footwashing did not mirror the death and resurrection of Jesus as baptism and the Lord’s Supper did. Christians did continue to fulfill the role of servant as Jesus commanded by caring for the sick, feeding the hungry, and probably also by washing dirty feet and bodies. They made it an actual service instead of a ritual.

13:2,27 EVIL AND SUFFERING, Satan—See note on 6:70-71.

13:2 SIN, Individual Choice—Even though Satan may prompt one to sin, the choice to submit is still that of the individual. See notes on Mt 26:14-16,23-25,47-49; Lk 22:1-4,20-23,47-48.

13:13 EDUCATION, Jesus—“Teacher” and “Lord” are not synonymous. As “Lord,” Jesus is sovereign; as “Teacher,” he leads his disciples into all truth. A Christian is one who not only obeys the Lord, but also learns from the Teacher.

13:14-15 EDUCATION, Example—By washing his disciples’ feet to demonstrate the principle of self-giving service, Jesus taught an unforgettable lesson in servant-leadership. Profound truths are often communicated more dramatically through emotional and sensory experience than through verbal instruction.

13:14-16 REVELATION, Actions—Christ used an humble act (washing of feet) to declare God’s heart and mind concerning how people are to understand each other. Christ is in fact the Master, but he reversed roles with those who serve by serving them. Thus he revealed God’s will for his children to be servants of one another in love and commitment to God’s way of life.

13:18-30 JESUS CHRIST, Death—John related the betrayal of Jesus not only to Judas but also to the source of all betrayal, the evil one. John 6:70-71 speaks of Judas as a betrayer from the beginning. Jesus did not choose Judas so that he would betray him. Jesus had to be betrayed, but Judas did not have to do it. All of the disciples were potential betrayers of Christ (vv. 31-38), as are all of his disciples today. The difference between Peter and Judas is that Peter sought forgiveness and Judas did not. Satan entered into Judas (13:2,27) as he does into all willing persons. Judas must be held responsible for his betrayal and we for ours. When Jesus perceived Judas and the high priest’s soldiers coming, he looked behind them to the ultimate betrayer, the prince of this world (14:30). John’s elaborate explanation about the disciples’ misunderstanding as to who was the betrayer explains why Judas could leave freely to complete his betrayal. John’s simple phrase “it was night” is intended not so much to tell the time as to tell the status of the soul of the betrayer. John, who was always adding theological insight to historical details, would connect this with the darkness and light motif that runs through this Gospel.

13:19 JESUS CHRIST, I Am—Jesus predicted his betrayal so his disciples would eventually learn he was divine (Gk egō eimi). See note on Mk 14:53–15:15.

13:31-32 GOD, Trinity—The close relationship of Jesus and God the Father in the Trinitarian understanding of God is illustrated here. To glorify One is to glorify the Other. Such glory came as Jesus faced his atoning death on the cross. See note on Mt 3:16-17.

13:31-32 JESUS CHRIST, Glory—See note on 11:4.

13:34-35 DISCIPLESHIP, Neighbor Love—Disciple love is an important dimension of neighbor love. Jesus said that disciples’ love for one another would identify them to others as his true disciples. The lack of love for one another raises confusing questions for others about Christian discipleship. Hatred, fighting, jealousy, and snobbery have no place among disciples. Love overcomes such worldly attitudes. See notes on Rm 12:10; 13:8.