seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
John 13:1 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
18 “I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned[a] against me.’[b]
19 “I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. 20 Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”
21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”
22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”
25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.
So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night.
31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him,[c] God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
36 Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”
Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”
37 Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”
38 Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times!
Footnotes:
a. John 13:18 Greek has lifted up his heel
b. John 13:18 Psalm 41:9
c. John 13:32 Many early manuscripts do not have If God is glorified in him.
This is from the easy English commentary.
Like the other disciples, Judas had been with Jesus during three years. He had listened to Jesus when he taught. And Judas had seen Jesus do miracles. But the devil had put a wicked thought into Judas’ mind. And Judas had decided to do what the devil wanted. We do not know why. Many Jews expected the Messiah to fight against the Romans. Perhaps Judas expected Jesus to do this. And so Jesus had disappointed Judas. Perhaps Judas even thought that he could force Jesus to fight. Perhaps Judas thought that Jesus might fight to prevent his arrest. Or perhaps Judas just wanted the money that the High Priest paid him.
However, Jesus knew already that Judas would betray him. He knew that this was part of God’s plan to save people. Jesus knew that he had come to the earth for this purpose. He knew also that he would return to his Father in heaven.
What Jesus did next would have surprised his disciples. He washed their feet. Usually, a slave did this task. It was the custom for slaves to wash the feet of their master’s guests. The slaves would do this as soon as the guests entered the house. But Jesus did it during the meal.
He wanted to show his disciples how to behave towards each other. He wanted to show them that they must serve each other. He did not just tell them what to do. He was serving them as he knelt down to wash their feet. He was their leader. But he did what a slave would do on their behalf. That is what Jesus wants Christians to do. He wants us to serve each other. It is very important that leaders serve, too. We should be humble. We should not be too proud to serve other people. Jesus, God’s Son, did the job of a slave on behalf of his disciples. We should always be willing to serve each other in any way.
At the Passover, the Jews did not sit at the table for the special meal. They lay on couches (long seats) next to the table. This was a Roman custom. But slaves always sat or stood to eat. So, at the Passover, this custom reminded the Jews that they were not still slaves. God freed their ancestors at the time of Moses. And that was the meaning of the Passover.
This disciple was leaning by Jesus on the couch (long seat). Because of his position close to Jesus, this disciple was able to whisper to him. The other disciples could not hear their conversation.
It was the custom to give a piece of bread like this to a special guest or friend. So Jesus was showing love and honour to Judas when he (Jesus) did this. Jesus knew what Judas intended to do. However, Jesus still loved Judas.
Nightfall was also important for another reason. Jewish festivals begin at nightfall. So at this moment, the Passover began.
Of course.... everyone is aware of the "rooster crows three times" part of the story. I'm not a huge fan of Peter's.... to me Peter is like those two Zebedee brothers.... in it for the political and/or the financial benefit. I'll probably regret writing that later.... as I get into the disciple part of the story...
I had not studied it before.... but I think it's really interesting that Judas walked out the door just as the sun went down and Passover was beginning. That's a really interesting detail. From the beginning... this would be the last Passover for Jesus in His earthly body.
Now I wonder.... I've been talking about God creating, designing, sculpting..... and discussing the characters who play an important part in the story. Did Jesus get a look at Judas before Judas was born? Did Jesus have a part in the design of His betrayer? Like the hairs on Mary's head.... that would absorb some of that perfume as she sopped at His feet.... did the Father and the Son discuss the creation of the betrayer.... or did the Father work in silence knowing the grief and pain this character would ignite against the Son.
Expensive perfume can last a long time... I wonder if His feet still stunk of Lazarus..... Was Jesus washing the residual stink of Lazarus during the meal?
Wouldn't that be an interesting event as well? Wouldn't washing the stinking rot of death be just as important [and possible] as being a slave to sin? If Jesus doesn't wash our sin away.... we still stink of death.
The commentaries described the seating arrangement for the Passover.... they didn't sit at the table in nice little chairs. There wasn't a fine spread that they passed.... to be ladled out with big silver spoons. They were reclined...... one commentary said they were laying like Romans. Another described eating... they had to lay on their bellies.... leaning on their left hand and eating with their right hand. Boy that had to be uncomfortable.....
The original Passover had to be a horrible night..... The original Passover happened back in Egypt. Moses warned pharoah that the first born of every family that was not covered by the blood would die. The Jews slaughtered a lamb from their flock and painted the door with its blood.... in those homes... covered by the blood... everyone lived.... but in the homes that were not covered... the oldest died...... I know there was a bunch of sobbing and wailing.... cussing and fighting... it was a horrible night back in Egypt at the original Passover.
I wonder.... How long did it take the Egyptians to bury all the dead from that original Passover.... did they have a problem with the smell of bloated rotting bodies? Did they dig mass graves or a massive number of private graves..... like we are digging now with this virus? Was there a need for borrowed tombs back in the days following the original Passover?
