John 13:19

19 1I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.

John 13:19 Meaning and Commentary

John 13:19

Now I tell you before it come
That is, gave them notice of this before hand, that one of them should betray him:

that when it is come to pass;
and they had seen it fulfilled exactly to a tittle, and according to this Scripture:

ye may believe that I am he:
the Lord God omniscient, who knows and declares things before they come to pass, just as they do come to pass, which none but the eternal God can do; and that he was the Saviour and Redeemer, the Messiah spoken of and promised, the very person prophesied of, in Psalm 41. For that whole "psalm" is applicable to Jesus Christ, the true Messiah; in ( Psalms 41:1-3 ) , the happiness of such is declared, who "consider the poor"; the Messiah, in his low estate of humiliation, who became poor for the sake of his people; in ( Psalms 41:5 ) , his enemies are represented as wishing for his death; their hypocrisy, perfidy, and vile designs upon his life, are aptly described in ( Psalms 41:6 Psalms 41:7 ) , which they executed by suborning false witnesses, bringing a wrong charge, (leylb rbd) , "a wicked accusation against him", ( Psalms 41:8 ) , which succeeded, to the taking away of his life; and then they are introduced as triumphing over him, lying dead in the grave, whom they believed would never rise more; but in this they were mistaken, for he was raised up again; for which he prays, ( Psalms 41:10 ) , that he might requite them, as he did, by destroying their city, temple, and nation; and the whole is concluded with thankfulness to God, for raising and exalting him, and setting him before his face for ever, ( Psalms 41:11-13 ) . There is but one passage in it, which has any difficulty in applying it to Christ, and that is, ( Psalms 41:4 ) , where he is spoken of as having sinned against the Lord; but the words may be rendered thus, "heal my soul", i.e. deliver me out of my sorrows and afflictions, (Kl) (ytajh yk) , "because I have made an offering for sin unto thee"; and well agrees with Christ, who was to make, and has made his soul an offering for sin.

John 13:19 In-Context

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled,'He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.'
19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he.
20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, "Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me."

Cross References 1

  • 1. John 14:29; John 16:4
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.