John 13: Last Supper preparations

• v.1-17 Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
• v.18-30 Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
• v.31-38 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

v.1-17 Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

v.1-4a Setting the scene

v.1 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. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

v.2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.

v.3,4 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

[Note: Just before Passover Jesus shows his love for his disciples as the meal is under way and acted as a servant.]

v.4b-11 Jesus washes their feet, despite Peter’s protestations

so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.

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 around him.

v.6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

v.7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

v.8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

v.9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

v.10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

v.11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

[Note: He started to wash the disciples’ feet when Peter questions him. Jesus says he will understand – later, but nevertheless Peter stops him, and Jesus insists. All of me then, says Peter. No, only your feet need it and then refers obliquely to Judas.]

v.12-17 He teaches servant heartedness

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.

v.13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am.

v.14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet.

v.15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

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.

v.17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

[Note: He started teaching with a question and then declared, yes, I’m your lord so if I do this, so should you; I’ve set you an example so it’s now a matter of obedience and you’ll be blessed if you do it,]

v.18-30 Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

v.18-22 Jesus speaks of a betrayer

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.’  

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.

v.20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

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.”

v.22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant.

[Note: He again obliquely refers to the betrayer [Psa 41:9] and says you’ll remember this later. Acceptance flows up through him to the Father. And then he speaks openly about the betrayer, but the disciples are confused.]

v.23-26 John asks who it was, and Jesus shows him

v.23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him.

v.24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

v.25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

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.

[Note: John was next to him (various times in this Gospel, this description [v.23] is used of him) and Peter prodded John to ask Jesus who he meant, so he did. He told him to watch what he did and indicated it was Judas.]

v.27-30 Judas leaves

v.27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.  So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.”

v.28,29 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 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.

v.30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.

[Note: Judas decides to do it and Jesus sends him off but no one else understood, and so Judas leaves in the dark. [figurative and literal].

v.31-38 Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

v.31-33 And so it begins

v.31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.

v.32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.

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.

[Note: Jesus affirms his time has come, that God will glorify him, and he will glorify the Father, and declares he has to leave soon.]

v.34-38 Jesus predicts Peter’s denials

v.34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

v.35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

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.”

v.37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

v.38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!

[Note: He issues an old command to love, in a new form, and this will reveal they are his disciples. Peter asks where he is going and proclaims his loyalty, but Jesus replies that that night Peter will disown him three times.]

For those who may wish to make a study of this chapter, to perhaps think some more about what you have been reading, use the link below: