John 13 Study Notes

13:21-22 Jesus’s being troubled in his spirit (cp. 11:33; 12:27) parallels the emotions of David, who expressed anguish over the betrayal of a close friend (Ps 55:2-14; cp. Ps 31:9-10; 38:10).

13:23 The reference to one of his disciples, the one Jesus loved . . . reclining close beside Jesus (Gk kolpos), echoes the description of Jesus as the one who is “at the Father’s side” (Gk kolpos) in 1:18. This disciple is mentioned again in 21:20. Clearly he was an integral member of Jesus’s group. Tradition identifies him as John, author of this Gospel.

13:24-28 See note at 13:18. On a human level, Jesus’s action of giving bread to Judas constituted an indication of friendship as well as a final appeal that Judas rejected.

13:29 The supposition that Jesus may have sent Judas to give something to the poor harks back to 12:5, where Judas presented himself as a champion of charity. Almsgiving was an important part of Jewish piety (Mt 6:2-4).

13:30 The phrase it was night strikes an ominous note. Compare Lk 22:53: “But this is your hour—and the dominion of darkness”; see Mt 26:20; Mk 14:17; 1Co 11:23.

13:31 This verse echoes Isaiah (Is 49:3; see note at Jn 2:4).

13:31-16:33 Jesus’s farewell discourse in John’s Gospel is patterned after Moses’s farewell discourse in Dt 31-33. Such discourses typically include predictions of a person’s death and departure; predictions of future challenges for his followers after his death; arrangements for succession; exhortations to moral behavior; a final commission; an affirmation and renewal of God’s covenant promises; and a closing doxology. While Jesus’s farewell discourse is generally true to this pattern, there are differences as well. Jesus’s farewell was only temporary (his followers will see him again after “a little while,” Jn 14:19), so his final words focused on the future rather than the past. Also, the vine allegory in Jn 15 is distinct from OT or second-temple farewell discourses. Overall, Jesus made provision for the Holy Spirit to continue his mission through the disciples. Jesus himself would continue to direct their mission from his exalted position with the Father.

13:31-32 Looking through the eyes of faith, Jesus’s glorification refers to his death.

13:33 Jesus’s words repeated to the Jews and the disciples mean different things. The Jews would not be able to find him, but Jesus would prepare a place for his disciples.

13:34-35 Love must be the distinguishing mark of Jesus’s disciples. Jesus’s new command closely resembled the Mosaic commands to love the Lord (Dt 6:5) and one’s neighbor as oneself (Lv 19:18; cp. Mk 12:28-33). Elsewhere Jesus said we must love even our enemies (Mt 5:43-48). While the command to love God and one’s neighbor was thus not new, Jesus’s example (as I have loved you) was unparalleled, as was his insistence that we should love our enemies.

13:36-38 Peter would indeed deny Jesus three times (see 18:15-18,25-27). After his resurrection, Jesus would ask Peter three times, “Do you love me?” (21:15-17).