John 13 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: John 13:1-5: Jesus at the Last Supper

A. Find Out:

1. When was it and what did Jesus know? v.1a
   •  It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.
2. What had he done and so what did he now do? v.1b
   • Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
3. What had Satan done? v.2
   • The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
4. Yet what did Jesus know? v.3
   • Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;
5. So what did he then do? v.4
   • so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist.
6. And what did he then proceed to do? v.5
   • After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.

B. Think:

1. How is Jesus an example of confidence?
2. What sort of confidence?
3. How is he also an example of loving humility?

C. Comment:

The end is coming, and Jesus knows it! Again and again, John shows us that Jesus had complete understanding of what was happening and was in full control of it all. Note that he is fully aware of what Judas has been doing but that is simply part of the plan and will not distract him from his time with his closest followers. Note also, in what follows that Judas is completely included in what Jesus does!

Jesus has faithfully loved and kept this motley bunch of disciples, who came nowhere near understanding what it was all about, and now he goes to perform an act of selfless love by washing their feet before the meal. It was customary, after travelling, to come in and have a servant wash your feet. However, no servant is available, it seems, and none of the disciples volunteer to do it, so Jesus himself takes on the role of servant to these men.

Here we find an amazing form of teaching. In like circumstances we would probably instruct those below us what they should be doing, but Jesus gives no word of admonition but simply does what needs to be done. What a powerful form of teaching that also conveys the sort of heart that he is looking for! Jesus always showed by example when he wanted others to follow.

D. Application:

1. Jesus KNOWS and is in FULL CONTROL – then and now!
2. Jesus taught by example. Do we?

Passage: John 13:6-11: Peter & foot washing

A. Find Out:

1. What did Peter ask? v.6
   • He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’
2. What did Jesus first tell him? v.7
   • Jesus replied, ‘You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’
3. What did Jesus tell him when he refused to let Jesus wash him? v.8
   • ‘No,’ said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’
4. What was Peter’s response to that? v.9
   • ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’
5. What principle did Jesus then state? v.10a
   • Jesus answered, ‘Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean.
6. What did he say about them all? v.10b,11
   • And you are clean, though not every one of you.’ 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

B. Think:

1. Why, do you think, Peter objected to Jesus washing his feet?
2. Why, according to Jesus, did they only need their feet washing?
3. What do you think that signifies?

C. Comment:

It seems fairly obvious from the dialogue in these verses that Jesus is communicating some spiritual truths by his physical actions. What are they? Note first of all, that Peter objects to having Jesus wash his feet for him. He knows it is usual to have your feet washed when you arrive, because the combination of sandals and dusty roads make for dirty feet, but he doesn’t think “the Master” should do it. He is yet to learn something about leadership and servanthood.

But Jesus is insistent that he needs washing. Well, says Peter, if you are going to wash me, do the whole of me please. No, it’s all right, says Jesus, you are clean generally, it’s just your feet that have picked up dirt. Now it is at this point that we begin to get a sense that Jesus means more than just a physical literal meaning, especially when he starts referring to one of them (the betrayer) not being “clean”. Being “clean” therefore, in this sense, must refer to the general absence of wrongdoing in their lives. Judas by comparison, has submitted to Satan’s leading and is not, therefore, “clean”. Washing of feet must, therefore, indicate the need we have to receive daily washing by Jesus of the small things we pick up each day that mar our “cleanness”. We are saved but we still need daily washing from “dirt” picked up.

D. Application:

1. Do we let Jesus “wash” us daily?
2. Beware the accumulation of “dirt” from living in a sinful world.

Passage: John 13:12-17: An Example

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus ask the disciples? v.12
   • When 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.
2. What did he acknowledge he was? v.13
   • ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am
3. What did he say they should do? v.14
   • Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.
4. What did he say he had done? v.15
   •  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
5. Who is not greater than whom? v.16
   •  Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
6. So how are we blessed? v.17
   • Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

B. Think:

1. What sort of attitude is Jesus teaching?
2. How does he convey it?
3. How may we apply it today?

C. Comment:

Having washed their feet, Jesus now explains his intentions. Very well, he says, you’ve seen what I’ve just done, now I want you to remember it, and you to do it. Does he mean he simply wants them to wash each other’s feet whenever they come to the end of a journey? No, the meaning is far greater than that. Outward action follows inward attitude. Jesus wants his disciples to have a humble servant attitude, not merely towards Jesus himself, but towards each other as well.

Look, says Jesus, I am your teacher and Lord and if I can do this, then so can you. Again and again, Jesus taught by example: watch what I do, and now you do it. It had happened in respect of prayer and ministry and now, in his closing hours with them, he paints a graphic picture that they will remember, to communicate what is at the heart of all that he is: servant-heartedness.

No wonder the apostle Paul taught that we are to esteem others better than ourselves (Phil 2:3) and that we were to submit to one another (Eph 5:21) for this is the heart of Christian life and service. How tragic it is when we elevate leaders to positions of power and prestige, when all of Jesus’ teaching was about weakness and humility in service. Leaders (and followers) are all called to be servants of Christ and thus of the people. May it be so.

D. Application:

1. Christ calls us to be humble servants.
2. Servants aren’t worried about doing lowly jobs.

Passage: John 13:18-30: Judas

A. Find Out:

1.  What Scripture did Jesus refer to? v.18
   • ‘I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfil this passage of Scripture: “He who shared my bread has turned against me.”
2. Why did he say he was telling them this now? v.19
   • ‘I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.’
3. What did he tell them? v.21
   • After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, ‘Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.’
4. What was the disciples’ response and what did they do? v.22-25
   • His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, ‘Ask him which one he means.’ 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, ‘Lord, who is it?’
5. How did Jesus indicate who it was? v.26
   • Jesus 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, the son of Simon Iscariot.
6. What then happened in respect of Judas? v.27-30 
   • As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, ‘What you are about to do, do quickly.’ 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

B. Think:

1. How does Jesus show he is in complete control?
2. Yet how is the free will of man involved here?

C. Comment:

Some things here are obvious, others less so. It is obvious that Jesus is fully aware of what has been going on in Judas and that Judas will betray him, so he communicates this first by a scripture reference (v.18), then by direct statement (v.21), and then by act (v.26).

 Satan had already prompted Judas to go and tell on Jesus (v.2), and he had agreed a sum to betray Jesus (see Mt 26:14-16). Now was coming the time when Judas would actually go and tell the authorities where they could easily apprehend Jesus. When Jesus points him out with the bread, it is as if Judas’s resolve is hardened and he lets Satan push him to the point of perhaps saying, “Right! I’ll do it!”. Whether Judas thought Jesus wanted him to do it is unclear. Whatever it was, he got up and went out to do it.    

The rest of the disciples are confused. This comes like a bolt out of the blue! One of us betray you? The “disciple whom Jesus loved” is probably the writer John and he, being the closest to Jesus, asks him who he means. After he shows them, there seems to be no further comment from them, Jesus is just holding centre stage, and he is more concerned to encourage the rest of them than condemn Judas. 

D. Application:

1. Jesus knows everything about us. He knows when we are going to fail  him – and he allows us to do it! He has given us free will.
2. We can choose whether or not to submit to Satan’s suggestions; we will never be forced to go his way, we do it voluntarily.

Passage: John 8:31-38: Peter

A. Find Out:

1. What did Jesus say would now happen to him? v.31,32
   • When he was gone, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
2. What did he say about what was to happen? v.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.
3. What command did he give them and how were they to do it? v.34,35
   • ‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’
4. What did Peter ask and what was Jesus’ response? v.36
   • Simon Peter asked him, ‘Lord, where are you going?’
   • Jesus replied, ‘Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.’
5. What did Peter then ask and then declare? v.37
   • Peter asked, ‘Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.’
6. What did Jesus then ask and then declare? v.38
   • Then Jesus answered, ‘Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times!

B. Think:

1. What does Jesus say about his leaving them?
2. What does he say about their love?
3. How is Peter going to lie about Jesus?

C. Comment:

Judas has left to inform the authorities, so time is getting short. By letting Judas go Jesus is setting in motion all of the hatred of mankind against him that will culminate in the Cross. The whole thing has started, so already he IS glorified. In heaven the Father and all the angels look on and glory is now being given to the Son who is stepping into the place of supreme judgement in history, and as it is so, so also is the Father praised and worshipped for the wonder of it all!

So, says Jesus, soon I won’t be with you and you won’t be able to come after me – at least not yet – but in the meantime I want to leave you with a new command: you are to love each other like I have loved you. How had Jesus done that? Selflessly, graciously, accepting them as they were, laying down his very life for them, as a servant! When you love like that, says Jesus, then everyone else will know that you are my disciples.

Peter, as always, speaks out. I’ll come with you Lord, I’ll even lay down my life for you if need be. Really, asks Jesus, will you really do that? No, the truth is you will lie about your relationship with me and deny me. Jesus knows exactly what will happen.

D. Application:

1. We are to love one another as he loved us – selflessly & sacrificially.
2. Jesus knows we will fail him, but he also knows that our heart intent is to follow him, even when we do fail. He loves us as we are!