Chapter 13 – One God Translation

John

   13 Now before the Passover festival[658] Jesus knew that his hour had arrived to depart from this world[659] and to go to the Father. Having loved his own people who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 Now by supper-time[660] the Devil had already put it into the mind of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God[661] and that he was going[662] to God. 4 So he got up from supper, laid aside his robe, picked up the towel, and tied it around himself.
    5 Next he poured some water into a basin and began washing his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing now you do not understand, but afterwards you will understand.” 8 Peter said, “You will never wash my feet — never.” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash your feet you have no part with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “lord, then not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus replied, “One who has had a bath does not need to wash anything except his feet, but he is completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who was going to betray him. That is why he said, “You are not all clean.”
    12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on his robe again, he reclined and said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call me teacher and lord. You are right to do this, because that is what I am. 14 So if I, your lord and teacher, have washed your feet you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you an example that you should do just as I have done to you. 16 On the highest authority I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and the messenger is not greater than the one who commissions him. 17 If you understand these things you are blessed indeed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking about all of you; I know the ones I have chosen. But the Scripture has to be fulfilled: ‘The one who eats food with me has turned against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am he, the Messiah. [663] 20 I tell you on the highest authority: the person who receives someone I commission receives me, and the person who receives me receives the One who commissioned me.” [664]
    21 When Jesus had said this he was inwardly troubled[665] and gave this testimony, “On the highest authority I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” 22 The disciples began looking at one another, uncertain about which one he had in mind. 23 One of his disciples, the one Jesus loved, was reclining at table close beside Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to him to find out who it was Jesus was talking about. 25 So he leaned back against Jesus and asked him, “lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus replied, “It is the one I give the piece of bread to after I have dipped it.” 27 After dipping the bread, he gave it to Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son. After Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you are intending to do, do quickly.” 28 None of those reclining at the table understood why he said this to him. Since Judas was the one who kept the money bag, 29 some thought that Jesus was instructing him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 After receiving the piece of bread Judas went out immediately. And it was night. [666]
31 When Judas 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 He will glorify him at once. [667] 33 My children, I am with you for a little while longer. You will be looking for me, and just as I told the Jews, ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’ I am now telling you the same. 34 I am giving you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. 35 This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” [668]
    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 me later.” [669] 37 Peter asked, “lord, why may I not follow you now? I will gladly lay down my life for you!” 38 Jesus replied, “Will you lay down your life for me? I tell you on the highest authority: the rooster will not crow until you will deny me three times.”

John

[658]

When John uses the word Passover he refers to the entire feast of 7 days. John does not disagree with Matthew, Mark and Luke about which day Jesus was crucified. As Dr. Torrey of Yale observed, “The author of the Fourth Gospel was perfectly familiar with the clear and repeated assertion of the Synoptics that the Last Supper was the paschal meal, and that the crucifixion took place on the 15 th Nisan. He knew that the gospels of Mark and Matthew (at least) were before the public; doubtless also that they were familiar to many of those for whom John was writing” (The Date of the Crucifixion According to the Fourth Gospel, p. 241).

[659]

A human being comes into the world at birth and departs at death, in the case of Jesus to rest in the grave from Friday to Sunday. All others rest in the sleep of death (Ps. 13:3) until the resurrection of the sleeping dead, at the return of Jesus to the earth at his Second Coming.

[660]

This was the occasion of the Passover meal described in the other gospels.

[661]

By the miraculous begetting in Mary (Lk. 1:35; Mt. 1:18, 20; 1 John 5:18). Cp. Isa. 9:6: “A son has been begotten [past tense of prophecy] for us,” i.e., by God (divine passive).

[662]

Not “going back.” See also 16:28; 20:17.

[663]

Believing that Jesus is the Messiah (certainly not GOD the Son, making two GODs) is the great core teaching of the NT, the foundation of the Church (Mt. 16:16-18; 1 John 5:1, 5; 2:22) and the whole point of John’s writing his gospel (20:31).

[664]

The principle of agency. Jesus is the agent of his Father, the one God. They act in perfect harmony and purpose. This is the ideal for all human beings — to obey the Father by obeying the Son, to learn the Father’s “business,” and to represent the Father and reflect Him as the image of God.

[665]

Troubled in his spirit.

[666]

Thursday night by our reckoning. Jesus was crucified the next day, Friday.

[667]

These are past tenses with a future sense. The glorification of Jesus happened in his death and following resurrection. This is true of the glory promised to Jesus in 17:5. That same glory had been given (past tense) to disciples not yet born when Jesus spoke these words (17:22). We see at work the principle that God can speak “of things which are not as though they were” (Rom. 4:17).

[668]

This should raise the soul-searching question as to why it is right for Christians to fight international wars in which inevitably they take the lives of fellow believers in other countries. Do the laws of Jesus cease to be relevant in war time?

[669]

A reference to Peter’s later martyrdom.