Juan 13

1 ANTES de la fiesta de la Pascua, sabiendo Jesús que su hora había venido para que pasase de este mundo al Padre, como había amado á los suyos que estaban en el mundo, amólos hasta el fin.

2 Y la cena acabada, como el diablo ya había metido en el corazón de Judas, hijo de Simón Iscariote, que le entregase,

3 Sabiendo Jesús que el Padre le había dado todas las cosas en las manos, y que había salido de Dios, y á Dios iba,

4 Levántase de la cena, y quítase su ropa, y tomando una toalla, ciñóse.

5 Luego puso agua en un lebrillo, y comenzó á lavar los pies de los discípulos, y á limpiarlos con la toalla con que estaba ceñido.

6 Entonces vino á Simón Pedro; y Pedro le dice: ¿Señor, tú me lavas los pies?

7 Respondió Jesús, y díjole: Lo que yo hago, tú no entiendes ahora; mas lo entenderás después.

8 Dícele Pedro: No me lavarás los pies jamás. Respondióle Jesús: Si no te lavare, no tendrás parte conmigo.

9 Dícele Simón Pedro: Señor, no sólo mis pies, mas aun las manos y la cabeza.

10 Dícele Jesús: El que está lavado, no necesita sino que lave los pies, mas está todo limpio: y vosotros limpios estáis, aunque no todos.

11 Porque sabía quién le había de entregar; por eso dijo: No estáis limpios todos.

12 Así que, después que les hubo lavado los pies, y tomado su ropa, volviéndose á sentar á la mesa, díjoles: ¿Sabéis lo que os he hecho?

13 Vosotros me llamáis, Maestro, y, Señor: y decís bien; porque lo soy.

14 Pues si yo, el Señor y el Maestro, he lavado vuestros pies, vosotros también debéis lavar los pies los unos á los otros.

15 Porque ejemplo os he dado, para que como yo os he hecho, vosotros también hagáis.

16 De cierto, de cierto os digo: El siervo no es mayor que su señor, ni el apóstol es mayor que el que le envió.

17 Si sabéis estas cosas, bienaventurados seréis, si las hiciereis.

18 No hablo de todos vosotros: yo sé los que he elegido: mas para que se cumpla la Escritura: El que come pan conmigo, levantó contra mí su calcañar.

19 Desde ahora os lo digo antes que se haga, para que cuando se hiciere, creáis que yo soy.

20 De cierto, de cierto os digo: El que recibe al que yo enviare, á mí recibe; y el que á mí recibe, recibe al que me envió.

21 Como hubo dicho Jesús esto, fué conmovido en el espíritu, y protestó, y dijo: De cierto, de cierto os digo, que uno de vosotros me ha de entregar.

22 Entonces los discípulos mirábanse los unos á los otros, dudando de quién decía.

23 Y uno de sus discípulos, al cual Jesús amaba, estaba recostado en el seno de Jesús.

24 A éste, pues, hizo señas Simón Pedro, para que preguntase quién era aquél de quien decía.

25 El entonces recostándose sobre el pecho de Jesús, dícele: Señor, ¿quién es?

26 Respondió Jesús: Aquél es, á quien yo diere el pan mojado. Y mojando el pan, diólo á Judas Iscariote, hijo de Simón.

27 Y tras el bocado Satanás entró en él. Entonces Jesús le dice: Lo que haces, haz lo más presto.

28 Mas ninguno de los que estaban á la mesa entendió á qué propósito le dijo esto.

29 Porque los unos pensaban, por que Judas tenía la bolsa, que Jesús le decía: Compra lo que necesitamos para la fiesta: ó, que diese algo á los pobres.

30 Como él pues hubo tomado el bocado, luego salió: y era ya noche.

31 Entonces como él salió, dijo Jesús: Ahora es glorificado el Hijo del hombre, y Dios es glorificado en él.

32 Si Dios es glorificado en él, Dios también le glorificará en sí mismo, y luego le glorificará.

33 Hijitos, aun un poco estoy con vosotros. Me buscaréis; mas, como dije á los Judíos: Donde yo voy, vosotros no podéis venir; así digo á vosotros ahora.

34 Un mandamiento nuevo os doy: Que os améis unos á otros: como os he amado, que también os améis los unos á los otros.

35 En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si tuviereis amor los unos con los otros.

36 Dícele Simón Pedro: Señor, ¿adónde vas? Respondióle Jesús: Donde yo voy, no me puedes ahora seguir; mas me seguirás después.

37 Dícele Pedro: Señor, ¿por qué no te puedo seguir ahora? mi alma pondré por ti.

38 Respondióle Jesús: ¿Tu alma pondrás por mí? De cierto, de cierto te digo: No cantará el gallo, sin que me hayas negado tres veces.

Juan 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.