| John 13 | |
|---|---|
 Opening of John XIII with 2-line initial, written with verses alternating red and blue. Bibliotheca Swaniana, 13th century. | |
| Book | Gospel of John |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 4 |
John 13 is the thirteenth chapter of theGospel of John in theNew Testament of theChristianBible. The "latter half",[1] "second book",[2] or "closing part"[3] of John's Gospel commences with this chapter. The nineteenth-century biblical commentatorAlexander Maclaren calls it "theHoly of Holies of the New Testament" and the "most sacred part of the New Testament",[1] as it beginsJohn's record of the events on the last night before thecrucifixion ofJesus Christ, emphasising Jesus'love for hisdisciples, demonstrated in the service ofwashing their feet, and hiscommandment that they love one another in the same way.[4] The author of the book containing this chapter isanonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed thatJohn composed thisGospel.[5]
The original text was written inKoine Greek.This chapter is divided into 38 verses. Some earlymanuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Greek are:[6]
Another ancient manuscript containing parts of this chapter isPapyrus 6 (AD ~350; extant verses1–2,11–12)[7] which is written in theCoptic language.
All the events recorded in this chapter and the succeeding chapters up toJohn 17 took place inJerusalem. The precise location is not specified, butJohn 18:1 states that afterwards, "Jesus left with his disciples and crossed theKidron Valley".
Using the Greeksyntax and theme perspective, evangelical scholarD. A. Carson regards verse 1 as an introduction to the whole 'Farewell Discourse', while verses 2 and 3 show the first demonstration of the full extent of Christ's love.[11]
The narrative beginsbefore the Feast of thePassover, when Jesus knew that His hour (Greek:η ωρα) had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, [when]having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.[12] The appointed hour, anticipated earlier in the gospel (John 2:4 and7:30), had now arrived. Jesus had announced publicly inJohn 12:23 that "the hour when the Son of Man should be glorified" had now arrived, and he had declined, inJohn 12:23, to ask his Father to "save [him] from this hour" (Greek:εκ της ωρας ταυτης).
Heinrich Meyer notes, "How long before the feast, our passage does not state",[13] butBengel's Gnomon[14] andWesley's Notes,[15] which drew widely on Bengel, both associate this passage with theWednesday of the week leading to the Passover. TheNew International Version translation saysIt was just before the Passover Festival.[16]
Jesus' love for his own continued "to the end".Henry Alford takes this to mean "even to the end of his life in the flesh",[17] andWilliam D. Mounce refers to "the very end".[18] However,Baptist writerBob Utley notes that "this is the Greek wordtelos, which means an accomplished purpose. This refers to Jesus' work of redemption for humanity on the cross."[19]
During or after supper, (Greek:δειπνου γενομενου,deipnou genomenou) the narrative explains that "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God" (John 13:3). TheKing James Version speaks of "supper being ended" (John 13:2), whereas theAmerican Standard Version says "during supper" and the New International Version has "the evening meal was in progress".[20] There was still food to be shared atJohn 13:26, so the reading "after supper" sits less harmoniously with the passage as a whole. By this time,the devil had "already put it into the heart ofJudas Iscariot, Simon’s son (Greek:ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου,Ioudas Simōnos Iskariōtou), tobetray Him". Alfred Plummer, in theCambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges argues that "the true reading of τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν (tou diabolou ēdē beblēkotos eis tēn kardian) gives us, "The devil having now put it into the heart, that Judas, Simon's son, Iscariot should betray Him", and asks "whose heart?"Grammatically, the meaning can be read as either "the heart of the devil" or "the heart of Judas", but the received reading (i.e. "the heart of Judas") is preferred[21] and mostEnglish translations follow this reading. TheJerusalem Bible andJ B Phillips' version both have "the mind of Judas".[22][23]
Jesus washes and dries the feet of each of his disciples. The evangelist "concentrates" on this narrative,[2] providing a detailed account of the actions Jesus took, removing His outer garment and wrapping a towel around his waist. Scottish commentatorWilliam Robertson Nicoll says, "Each step in the whole astounding scene is imprinted on the mind of John".[3]John 13:5 says that Jesusbegan to wash their feet: the washing was interrupted byPeter's initial refusal to allow Jesus to wash his feet, butJohn 13:12 suggests that the task was later completed and the feet of all the Disciples were washed, including those of Judas,[14] as Jesus then took back His garments and reclined [at table] again.
The interruption consists of a question from Peter, "Lord (Greek:κυριε,Kyrie), are You washing my feet?", Jesus' reply that at present they would not understand what He was doing, Peter's refusal to have Jesus wash his feet, Jesus' reply that "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me", Peter's willingness to have his whole body washed by Jesus, and Jesus' closing statement that "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you". The evangelist adds a note, "He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean" (John 13:6–10). Peter calls Jesus 'Lord' in two of his three statements,[14] and Jesus later (John 13:13) acknowledges the title as correctly used.
From verse 12 onwards, the action having been completed, Jesus explains what he has done.Henry Alford calls the foot-washing "a pattern of self-denying love for His servants".[24] Carson sees the episode pointing in two directions: one as a symbolic spiritual cleansing (John 13:8–10) and the other as a "standard of humble service", followed by a calling to the disciples to "wash one another's feet" (John 13:12–17).[25] The words "Do you know what I have done to you?" (verse 12) are uttered to introduce Jesus' teaching, but without expectation of an answer.[24]
Jesus quotes the words ofPsalm41:9:
in shorter statement: 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me' (John 13:18 NASB).
According to thePulpit Commentary, in the Psalm, "Ahithophel (who had been a counsellor toKing David) is almost certainly intended",[28] and Plummer notes that "the words of the Psalm are not a direct prediction, but the treachery and the fate of Ahithophel foreshadowed the treachery and the fate of Judas".[21] The Jerusalem Bible translates John 13:18 as "Someone who shares my table rebels against me".[29] Francis Moloney identifies this verse not only with Judas' betrayal of Jesus, but also withPeter's denial of Him (John 18:15–27).[30]
The evangelist reports Jesus saying, "I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am". Indeed, the whole of John's Gospel is written so that [his readers] "may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing [they] may have life in his name" (John 20:30). Jesus anticipates being betrayed by one of His friends (John 13:21), a consideration which He finds deeply troubling. The disciples cannot imagine who Jesus might be referring to, and ask "Lord, who is it?" (John 13:25). Jesus does not identify His betrayer by name, but provides an answer by sign:[3]
The formal introduction of the Beloved Disciple is a “stunningly apparent” stroke of "narrative genius",[31] for he is introduced immediately after Jesus demonstrates his love for the disciples in the act of washing the disciples' feet (John 13:1–20) and immediately before the commandment to “love one another just as I have loved you” (John 13:34). Theframing device places the Beloved Disciple at "center stage",[32] highlighting his importance in the Gospel and his special relationship with Jesus. His position next to Jesus (literally, the one “who is in the bosom of Jesus”,John 13:23) describes not only his proximity to Jesus at the supper but also his "closest communion"[33] with him.
The word inGreek:βάψας (bapsas, "dipped"),appears only once in the New Testament, here. The text refers to "the piece" or "morsel"[35] or "sop"[36] of bread (Greek:τὸ ψωμίον,to psómion), and Nicoll states that "some argue from the insertion of the articleτὸ that this was the sop made up of a morsel oflamb, a small piece ofunleavened bread, and dipped in the bitter sauce, which was given by the head of the house to each guest as a regular part of the Passover; and that therefore John as well as theSynoptists considered this to be the Paschal Supper. But not only is the article doubtful, but it is an ordinary Oriental custom for the host to offer such a tid-bit to any favoured guest; and we are rather entitled to see in the act the last appeal to Judas’ better feeling. The very mark Jesus chooses to single him out is one which on ordinary occasions was a mark of distinctive favour".[3]
The wording iscomparative: do more quickly: hasten.[13] TheEvangelical Heritage Version (2019) adopts this wording.[38] Meyer suggests that Jesus now wishes to surmount this final crisis "as soon as possible": his "resigned, characteristic decision of mind brooks no delay".[13]
John's Gospel is the only one which observes that Judas was responsible for the disciples' "common fund" or "money box", both inJohn 12:6 and again here. The word γλωσσοκομον (glōssokomon) "means literally "a case for mouthpieces" of musical instruments, and hence any portable chest. It occurs in theSeptuagint texts of2 Chronicles 24:8,11.[39]
Judas left immediately, and of his own free will.[21] Nicoll suggests that "[he took] the purse with him no doubt".[3] After his departure, Jesus provides no further explanation to address the disciples' question. Instead, the evangelist moves the narrative forward. It is now night-time (Tzet Hakochavim) and therefore the day of the Passover has begun.[14]
As soon as Judas had gone out, the spirit of Jesus rose.[3] The discourse which Jesus commences after his departure, "the solemnvaledictory discourse of our Lord",[28] begins with three topics:
Jesus has said to the Jews,Where I am going, you cannot come,[43] so now he says [the same] to his disciples.
"Judas is already beginning that series of events which will end in sending Jesus away from them to the Father".[21] Just as Judas had left "immediately", (Greek:ευθεως,eutheōs)[45] so theglorification of God begins "immediately" (Greek:ευθυς,euthys). Maclaren identifies three forms of glorification presented here:
The evangelist then has Jesus address his disciples asGreek:Τεκνία (teknia, "little children") - a word frequently used by John in hisfirst epistle[46] but not used elsewhere in this gospel.[47] Many commentators note the tenderness of this word.[48] Theologian Harold Buls suggests "it denotes endearment. It likely also indicates the disciples' immaturity and weakness".[49] Jesus tells his disciples that shortly He will be leaving them; where He is going they cannot come (John 13:33), or at any rate they "cannot follow now, but ... will follow later" (John 13:36). The apostles Peter (in verse 37),Thomas andPhilip (in thenext chapter) raise questions about where Jesus is going. Peter seems to have recognised the connection between following Jesus and dying:[21] "Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you"[50] or "on your behalf".[51] Jesus questions whether Peter will lay down his life for Him and tells him that in fact he will havedenied Jesus three times "before therooster crows" (John 13:38, cf.John 18:27).
InLuke's Gospel (Luke 22:34) the prediction of Peter's denial also takes place within the room where they had been eating, whereas inMatthew 26:31–35 andMark 11:27–31, "the announcement of Peter's fate is made on the way to theGarden of Gethsemane".[52]
| Preceded by John 12 | Chapters of the Bible Gospel of John | Succeeded by John 14 |