When the hour came for Jesus to depart out of this world unto the Father, he turned his attention to unfinished business. Two problems pressed heavily upon him at that late hour. First, he needed to save one of the apostles which his Father had given him, that nothing be lost, (John 18:9) and second, he needed to choose one of them to deliver him up to the chief priests, that he (Jesus) might be lifted up. (John 3:14)
Jesus came to save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11-12), and he was in the process of laying down his life with power. (John 10:17-18)
Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, was one of the sheep of the Good Shepherd, given to the Shepherd by the Shepherd's Father; and he alone was lost of all that were given to him. (John 17:12) He was as a sheep strayed from the fold, and he was in danger of perdition. It was from this danger that Jesus should save him that he might be born anew, the son of perdition.
Scripture reveals two damning facts about Judas that illustrate his fallen state. First, he was a thief; and second, he betrayed Jesus.
First, Scripture reveals that Judas was a thief in order to explain his criticism of Mary, whom Jesus loved, after she took a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus. The odor of the ointment filled the house, and Judas said, “Why was not this ointment sold for three hundred pence, and given to the poor?” Scripture explains editorially, “This he said, not that he cared for the poor; but because he was a thief, and had the bag, and bare what was put therein.” (John 12:3-6)
Second, Scripture reveals that Judas trespassed against Jesus when, after Jesus rebuked him for his criticism of Mary, he went to the chief priests and made a covenant to deliver Jesus to them. After making the covenant, he sought opportunity to deliver Jesus to them. In other words, Judas betrayed Jesus by offering aid to his enemies. (Matthew 26:14-16)
Jesus knew, in general, that in order to save that which was lost, that is, in order to gain his brother, he would have to go to him and tell him his fault between himself and him alone. (Matthew 18:15) The challenge for Jesus was to find a way to do that while he was assembled with the twelve.
And Jesus, whose meat was to do the will of him that sent him, (John 4:34) knew that the identity of “he that eateth bread with me,” that is, he that cooperates with him in doing the will of him that sent him, was dictated by Scripture – it was he that had lifted up his heel against him.
John 13 relates how Jesus applied Psalms 41:9 with remarkable economy to solve both problems.
Here is the verse in which Jesus found solutions to both problems:
“Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.”
Jesus seized upon two ideas in this verse: “bread” and “an heel of offense.” Playing upon these two ideas, Jesus staged a scene in which he washed away the uncleanness of the heel of offense. Then he explained his action in such a way that only Judas knew what he had done – he had told Judas his fault, and he had forgiven him for his trespass against him.
Jesus was successful in his response to the trespass against him. He saved Judas; he gained his brother. Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the last one of them.
The hour had come for him to depart out of this world unto the Father, so he sent Judas that he might give himself up by way of his servant, that nothing be lost and that the scripture be fulfilled. (Galatians 1:3-4)
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Commentary On John 13:1-31
(John 13:1) Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
The phrase “unto the end” might be translated “unto the last,” and it might refer to the last of his own, which were in the world. Significantly, all lists of the apostles place Judas last, and Judas is introduced in the next verse.
(John 13:2) And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him;
Verse 2 indicates that Judas was in need of the kind of love that Jesus had to offer.
If verse 1 told us that the love of Jesus extended even to Judas, and verse 2 tells us that Judas was in need of that love, then we are led to expect in the verses to follow the narration of a specific act of love designed to meet the needs of Judas.
As it happened, the influence of the devil had progressed beyond the urge to betray Jesus, and Judas had already trespassed against him before this supper. Judas had already gone to the chief priests, and he had already made a covenant with them to deliver Jesus to them.
Jesus taught his disciples how to respond if a brother should trespass against them. He said, “Go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Now, Jesus has an opportunity to practice what he preached.
The future of the relationship between Jesus and Judas depended upon the effectiveness of the response by Jesus to the trespass against him.
(John 13:3) Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;
The clause, “the Father had given all things into his hands,” means that he was given power over all things. He was given power over the chief priests. He was given power over the scribes and Pharisees. He was given power over Judas Iscariot. And if he chose to confront Rome, he could pray to his Father and expect to receive immediately more than twelve legions of angels. (Matthew 26:53) Nevertheless, he studied the scriptures for guidance on the use of the power given to him, and he used that power not to do his own will, but to do the will of the Father that sent him. In this manner, he glorified his Father.
Likewise, Judas will glorify Jesus shortly, when Jesus sends him to do his will.
“...If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.” (John 14:28)
(John 13:4-5) He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. (5) After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
This is the response of Jesus to the trespass against him. These verses begin the narration of the act of love for Judas which we were led to expect in the introduction to this foot washing.
This response of Jesus to the trespass against him was chosen deliberately to be incomprehensible to those who witnessed the action. None of them understood the action until Jesus referred to Psalms 41:9, and then only Judas understood. This was done to meet the condition, “between thee and him alone,” specified by Jesus when he taught how to respond to the trespass of a brother.
(John 13:6-7) Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? (7) Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
These verses demonstrate the effectiveness of the response of Jesus to the trespass against him in keeping the matter private, between him and Judas alone. See “On Stonewalling Peter, a Revision.”
(John 13:8) Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
The feet of those who are his own are his own feet. In washing their feet, he is washing his own feet. If one's feet are not washed when Jesus washes his own feet, then that one has no part with Jesus.
(John 13:9-10) Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. (10) Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
In order to fulfill all righteousness, Jesus was bathed by the baptism of water by John. (Matthew 3:15) Having fulfilled all righteousness, Jesus was clean every whit. Nevertheless, he needed to wash his feet because the feet of one of his own were not clean.
(John 13:11) For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
Jesus withheld this revelation from the apostles in order to maintain privacy in his response to the trespass of Judas. Scripture gives this revelation to us editorially.
(John 13:12) So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
At the time that Jesus asked this question, none of the disciples knew what he had done to them. Furthermore, the explanation that he offers after this question will allow none of them to know, but Judas.
The shepherd left the ninety and nine to save the one that was lost (Matthew 18:12)
(John 13:13-15) Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. (14) If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (15) For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Jesus knows that the disciples don't know what he has done to them by washing their feet. Still, he tells them that they should wash one another's feet. When they learn hereafter what he has done, then they will already have received this instruction. In the meantime, they will not feel completely neglected with regard to this matter.
(John 13:16) Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
These words are reminiscent of words that Jesus spoke when he sent forth the twelve to preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. They lead to the idea that it is enough for the servant that he be as his lord. "If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household?" (Matthew 10:24-25)
The time has come for him to send one of the twelve to deliver him up to the chief priests, and with these words he begins to address this matter.
Although the devil had already put into the heart of Judas to deliver him up, and Judas had already made a covenant to deliver him up, and he was looking for an opportunity to deliver him up, Jesus could not allow those forces to prevail for several reasons.(Luke 22:3-4; Matthew 26:14-16)
First, as was stated in verse 1, Jesus loved his own who were in the world. He could not countenance the loss of one of his own. He loved them even to the last one of them.
Second, Jesus was not an hireling, and he would neither flee nor stand idly by on seeing the wolf come. Judas was given to him by his Father; and if need be, he would give his life for this one sheep. In this case, however, Jesus had only to call out to his sheep.(John 10:11-13) His sheep heard his voice, and resisted the wolf, and fled from the wolf. Jesus knew that saving Judas would be this simple. He knew that he had this power over him. (John 10:27-29) All things were given into his hands, as was stated in verse 3.
Third, Jesus was laying down his life with power. No man was taking his life from him. He had power to lay down his life, and he had power to take it again. (John 10:17-18) Jesus could not allow the devil to usurp his power to lay down his life. It was by his use of this power to lay down his life that he glorified his Father, not by passivity toward the usurper of his power. (John 17:4)
(John 13:17) If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
From the preceding verses:
- If you know that you ought to forgive the trespasses of one another, and you forgive them.
- If you know that you are not greater than your lord, but you be as your lord.
And looking forward to the next verse:
- If you know that he that eats bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me, and you eat bread with me.
(John 13:18) I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
We learn in John 4:34 that the meat of Jesus is to do the will of him that sent him, and to finish his work. And we learn in John 6:51-58 that Jesus uses the words meat, flesh and bread synonymously with reference to spiritual food. Accordingly, the bread of Jesus is to do the will of him that sent him, and to eat bread with him is to cooperate with him in doing the will of him that sent him.
The act of lifting up one's heel against Jesus would seem to disqualify one from being chosen to eat bread with him, that is, chosen to cooperate with him in doing his work; but that the scripture may be fulfilled, that is the one whom Jesus has chosen.
None of the disciples of Jesus knew what business he was about in this address to them until he spoke these words of verse 18. Now, with these words, Judas began to understand.
First, Judas realized that Jesus was telling him his fault by way of the expression “[he] hath lifted up his heel against me.” This expression describes well the covenant that Judas had made with the chief priests to deliver Jesus to them. None of the other disciples knew about the covenant; none of the others could understand the reference.
Second, Judas associated the “heel” to which Jesus referred with the foot washing. He recognized that the foot washing was a symbolic act performed to convey a message of forgiveness for the trespass against him. Jesus had told them that they were not all clean, but the statement was vague. Judas knew that he was not clean; none of the others could understand the reference. After the foot washing, Judas could feel (literally) the cleanness of the heel which he had lifted up (figuratively) against Jesus.
Now, Judas alone knew what Jesus had done to them and what example Jesus had given to them. Jesus had forgiven the one who trespassed against him; and if Jesus, their Lord and master, had forgiven the one who trespassed against him, then they should forgive one another's trespasses.
The other disciples would have to wait until later to receive fully this knowledge of the example that Jesus had given to them.
(John 13:19) Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
Between the time that Jesus spoke these words and the time that Judas would realize the happiness that Jesus offered, Judas would suffer a degree of woe which Jesus characterized as “good for that man if he had not been born.” (Matthew 26:24) Nevertheless, Judas began to realize that happiness when he went into the sepulchre, and he saw, and he believed that Jesus is.(John 20:8)
(John 13:20-21) Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. (21) When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
Again, we have words that tell us that Jesus is sending his servant on his behalf.
But here we have the great disaster of the English translations of the scriptures, the sheer bias of the translation of “paradidomi” as “betray” for every single instance where the word occurs with reference to Judas. Despite the fact that Judas betrayed Jesus, the translation of “paradidomi” should be “deliver (up).” And so here, Jesus announces to the twelve that one of them shall deliver him up.
After Jesus was bathed by the baptism of water by John, the Spirit led him up into the wilderness for forty days, where he was tempted of Satan. (Mark 1:12-13) Now, just after Judas was washed by Jesus, Jesus will send him out into the night. Jesus knows that Satan will enter Judas after he gives him the sop. Jesus knows that Satan will do all within his power to make Judas fail. Jesus knows that Satan will be merciless in his attacks on Judas. "Woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is delivered up." (Matthew 26:24) Jesus knew these things; that's why he was troubled in spirit when he spoke these words, “One of you shall deliver me up.”
(John 13:22) Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
The disciples knew that Jesus was assigning a task to deliver him up, but they didn't know exactly what that meant or to whom the task was being assigned.
Judas could have been fairly certain about what Jesus meant, but not about who he meant. Judas could only conjecture that the identity of the one to deliver Jesus up was dictated by the words of Jesus in 13:18.
(John 13:23) Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
This disciple whom Jesus loved is the one for whom Jesus has been performing an act of love at this supper. That act of love, the foot washing, was designed specifically to meet his needs. His uncleanness was identified as his heel of offense, and that heel of offense was washed clean by Jesus.
Jesus knew that he had power to save that which was lost, and in the spirit of joy in that knowledge, he had assigned him a place of honor at this supper, where his salvation would occur.
(John 13:24-25) Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. (25) He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
Simon beckoned to Judas, the son of Simon.
(John 13:26) Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
The conjecture of Judas is confirmed to be correct. Jesus took of the bread which he had been eating, dipped it, and gave it to him. All doubt was removed because Jesus performed this act in direct response to the question, “Who is it [that shall deliver you up]?”
Previously, Satan entered into Judas, and the devil put into his heart to deliver up Jesus to the chief priests. Now, Jesus put the same into his heart. Satan meant it for evil. Jesus meant it for good. (Luke 22:3-4; John 13:2)
(John 13:27) And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
Literally, Judas ate bread with Jesus at this supper. On receiving the sop, he ate of Jesus' bread. Now the time has come for him to eat that bread in the figurative sense.
As the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, where he was tempted of Satan, Jesus sent Judas into the night. Satan was already tempting Judas when Jesus instructed him to act quickly.
(John 13:28-29) Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. (29) For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
No man at the table knew because he that had been lying on Jesus' breast arose quickly upon receiving the instruction to act quickly. He was preparing to go out.
Jesus was still gone away from the ninety and nine. (Matthew 18:12)
(John 13:30) He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
Judas began to eat bread with Jesus figuratively, that is, he began to cooperate with Jesus in the work that Jesus was doing. His role was to serve as guide for those who would arrest Jesus. (Acts 1:16) Jesus was giving himself up for our sins. (Galatians 1:4)
(John 13:31) Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
As Jesus glorified his Father by doing his will, so Judas glorified Jesus by doing his will. (John 17:4)
It is the glory of God to conceal a thing. (Proverbs 25:2)
I offer these words only in my own name.
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