John 13

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

1 Now before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, [and] having loved [his] own in the world, loved them to the end.

2 And [as] a dinner was taking place, [when] the devil had already put into the heart of Judas [son] of Simon Iscariot that he should betray him,

3 [because he] knew that the Father had given him all [things] into [his] hands, and that he had come forth from God and was going away to God,

4 he got up from the dinner and took off [his] outer clothing, and taking a towel, tied [it] around himself.

5 Then he poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe [them] dry with the towel {which he had tied around himself}.

6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after these [things]."

8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet {forever}!" Jesus replied to him, "Unless I wash you, you do not have a share with me."

9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also [my] hands and [my] head!"

10 Jesus said to him, "The one who has bathed {only needs} to wash [his] feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not all [of you]."

11 (For he knew the one who would betray him; because of this he said, "Not all [of you] are clean.")

12 So when he had washed their feet and taken his outer clothing and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done for you?

13 You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and you speak correctly, for I am.

14 If then I--[your] Lord and Teacher--wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that just as I have done for you, you also do.

16 Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor a messenger greater than the one who sent him.

17 If you understand these [things], you are blessed if you do them.

18 "I am not speaking about all of you. I know whom I have chosen, but in order that the scripture would be fulfilled, 'The one who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'

19 From now [on] I am telling you before [it] happens, in order that when [it] happens you may believe that I am [he].

20 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me."

Jesus Predicts Judas’ Betrayal

21 [When he] had said these [things], Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified and said, "Truly, truly I say to you that one of you will betray me."

22 The disciples began looking at one another, uncertain about whom he was speaking.

23 One of his disciples--the one whom Jesus loved--was reclining {close beside} Jesus.

24 So Simon Peter gestured for this one to inquire who it was about whom he was speaking.

25 He leaned back accordingly against Jesus' chest [and] said to him, "Lord, who is it?"

26 Jesus replied, "It is he to whom I dip the piece of bread and give [it] to him." Then [after] dipping the piece of bread, he gave [it] to Judas [son] of Simon Iscariot.

27 And after the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you are doing, do quickly!"

28 (Now no one of those reclining at table knew for what [reason] he said this to him.

29 For some were thinking because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, "Purchase {what we need} for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.)

30 So [after he] had taken the piece of bread, he went out immediately. And it was night.

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

31 Then, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him immediately.

33 Children, yet a little [time] I am with you. You will seek me and just as I said to the Jews, "Where I am going you cannot come," now I say also to you.

34 "A new commandment I give to you: that you love one another--just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples--if you have love for one another."

36 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, where are you going?" Jesus replied, "Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later."

37 Peter said to him, "Lord, why am I not able to follow you now? I will lay down my life for you!"

38 Jesus replied, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly I say to you, the rooster will not crow until you have denied me three times!

John 13 Commentary

Chapter 13

Christ washes the disciples' feet. (1-17) The treachery of Judas foretold. (18-30) Christ commands the disciples to love one another. (31-38)

Verses 1-17 Our Lord Jesus has a people in the world that are his own; he has purchased them, and paid dear for them, and he has set them apart for himself; they devote themselves to him as a peculiar people. Those whom Christ loves, he loves to the end. Nothing can separate a true believer from the love of Christ. We know not when our hour will come, therefore what we have to do in constant preparation for it, ought never to be undone. What way of access the devil has to men's hearts we cannot tell. But some sins are so exceedingly sinful, and there is so little temptation to them from the world and the flesh, that it is plain they are directly from Satan. Jesus washed his disciples' feet, that he might teach us to think nothing below us, wherein we may promote God's glory, and the good of our brethren. We must address ourselves to duty, and must lay aside every thing that would hinder us in what we have to do. Christ washed his disciples' feet, that he might signify to them the value of spiritual washing, and the cleansing of the soul from the pollutions of sin. Our Lord Jesus does many things of which even his own disciples do not for the present know the meaning, but they shall know afterward. We see in the end what was the kindness from events which seemed most cross. And it is not humility, but unbelief, to put away the offers of the gospel, as if too rich to be made to us, or too good news to be true. All those, and those only, who are spiritually washed by Christ, have a part in Christ. All whom Christ owns and saves, he justifies and sanctifies. Peter more than submits; he begs to be washed by Christ. How earnest he is for the purifying grace of the Lord Jesus, and the full effect of it, even upon his hands and head! Those who truly desire to be sanctified, desire to be sanctified throughout, to have the whole man, with all its parts and powers, made pure. The true believer is thus washed when he receives Christ for his salvation. See then what ought to be the daily care of those who through grace are in a justified state, and that is, to wash their feet; to cleanse themselves from daily guilt, and to watch against everything defiling. This should make us the more cautious. From yesterday's pardon, we should be strengthened against this day's temptation. And when hypocrites are discovered, it should be no surprise or cause of stumbling to us. Observe the lesson Christ here taught. Duties are mutual; we must both accept help from our brethren, and afford help to our brethren. When we see our Master serving, we cannot but see how ill it becomes us to domineer. And the same love which led Christ to ransom and reconcile his disciples when enemies, still influences him.

Verses 18-30 Our Lord had often spoken of his own sufferings and death, without such trouble of spirit as he now discovered when he spake of Judas. The sins of Christians are the grief of Christ. We are not to confine our attention to Judas. The prophecy of his treachery may apply to all who partake of God's mercies, and meet them with ingratitude. See the infidel, who only looks at the Scriptures with a desire to do away their authority and destroy their influence; the hypocrite, who professes to believe the Scriptures, but will not govern himself by them; and the apostate, who turns aside from Christ for a thing of naught. Thus mankind, supported by God's providence, after eating bread with Him, lift up the heel against Him! Judas went out as one weary of Jesus and his apostles. Those whose deeds are evil, love darkness rather than light.

Verses 31-35 Christ had been glorified in many miracles he wrought, yet he speaks of his being glorified now in his sufferings, as if that were more than all his other glories in his humbled state. Satisfaction was thereby made for the wrong done to God by the sin of man. We cannot now follow our Lord to his heavenly happiness, but if we truly believe in him, we shall follow him hereafter; meanwhile we must wait his time, and do his work. Before Christ left the disciples, he would give them a new commandment. They were to love each other for Christ's sake, and according to his example, seeking what might benefit others, and promoting the cause of the gospel, as one body, animated by one soul. But this commandment still appears new to many professors. Men in general notice any of Christ's words rather than these. By this it appears, that if the followers of Christ do not show love one to another, they give cause to suspect their sincerity.

Verses 36-38 What Christ had said concerning brotherly love, Peter overlooked, but spoke of that about which Christ kept them ignorant. It is common to be more eager to know about secret things, which belong to God only, than about things revealed, which belong to us and our children; to be more desirous to have our curiosity gratified, than our consciences directed; to know what is done in heaven, than what we may do to get thither. How soon discourse as to what is plain and edifying is dropped, while a doubtful dispute runs on into endless strife of words! We are apt to take it amiss to be told we cannot do this and the other, whereas, without Christ we can do nothing. Christ knows us better than we know ourselves, and has many ways of discovering those to themselves, whom he loves, and he will hide pride from them. May we endeavour to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, to love one another with a pure heart fervently, and to walk humbly with our God.

Footnotes

• [a]. *Here "[and]" is supplied in keeping with English style
• [b]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [c]. *Here "[as]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("was taking place")
• [d]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the temporal genitive absolute participle ("put")
• [e]. *Here "[because]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("knew") which is understood as causal
• [f]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [g]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [h]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [i]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [j]. Literally "with which he was girded"
• [k]. Literally "for the age"
• [l]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [m]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [n]. Literally "does not have need except"
• [o]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [p]. *Literally "the"; the Greek article is used here as a possessive pronoun
• [q]. A quotation from Ps 41:9
• [r]. *Here the predicate nominative ("[he]") is understood, but must be supplied in the translation
• [s]. *Here "[when]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had said") which is understood as temporal
• [t]. *The imperfect tense has been translated as ingressive here ("began looking")
• [u]. Literally "in the bosom of" (a position dictated by ancient banqueting practice)
• [v]. Some manuscripts have "Then he leaned back"
• [w]. *Here "[and]" is supplied because the previous participle ("leaned back") has been translated as a finite verb
• [x]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [y]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("dipping") which is understood as temporal
• [z]. *Here the direct object is supplied from context in the English translation
• [aa]. Some manuscripts have "after dipping the piece of bread, he took [it] and gave [it]"
• [ab]. Literally "of which we have need"
• [ac]. *Here "[after]" is supplied as a component of the participle ("had taken") which is understood as temporal
• [ad]. Some manuscripts have "replied to him"