End of John 12 and Chapter 13

Published Aug. 30, 2023, 12:51 p.m.

Summary of 12:  Mary annoints Jesus Feet.  Jesus Enters Jerusalem as its King.  Jesus restates that "The Son of Man must be lifted up" (John 3).  People wrestle with their expectation that "The Christ remains forever" and Jesus saying that he must die.
As we move through the rest of John's Gospel, let us take the opportunity to see Jesus more clearly and to know him better.


Jesus Came to Save the World

44 And Jesus cried out and said, “Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. 45 And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. 46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 47 If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. 48 The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. 49 For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. 50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”


  1. Jesus is (kind of) using the mathematical property of equality;  If A == B then C*A == C*B:   If you've believe in me, you belive in him who sent me.  If you've seen me, you've seen him who sent me.  Jesus uses logical reasoning.

  2. Jesus claims again to be light in a dark world.  He also claims to be equal with God the Father and at the same time he submits to God's authority.  

  3. What comforts can we take from these verses?

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

13 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 


  1. Footwashing was apparently the duty of a non-Jewish servant.  Jesus is then taking on the role that some rabbis would say was so demeaning that it was not acceptable to require a Jewish slave to perform.  This action would be quite shocking to his diciples.
     
  2. The world loves to embrace what I think of as "Half-Gospels".  I would define a half-gospel as promoting a God who
    (A) loves you and accpets you just the way you are.  But not a God who
    (B) Commands you to "Go and sin no more"  
    An equally insufficient gospel would promote (B) without (A) -- (Though that is not as popular today).

  3. Footwashing got some "Super" attention recently based on an advertisement.  Encouraging humble service is good and Christ-like.  Christ was modeling servant leadership as we will see.  Christ did not wash the feet of every person he encountered.  Beware of pop-culture Jesus.  (John 15:18-20, John 17:14-16, Romans 12:2) "In the world and not of the world".

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”


  1. "Afterward you will understand".  Do you have any examples of this in your life?  This reminds me of the order: Believe and See (rather than see and believe).

  2. Peter doesn't seem to have a medium setting.  He goes from "You shall never wash my feet" to "not only my feet, but my hands and head!"  Does that resonate with anyone?  "If a little washing is good, then a lot is better!"

  3. Jesus uses 2 different words for "wash" : nipsō and similar forms early on and leloumenos (root louo) later rendered here as  (wash) and (has bathed).  Also two different ideas. What are the two ideas?  What other scripture suports these ideas? (1 John 1:9 ; I Cor 6:11, Heb 10:22, Eph:5:25-27)

  4. Who is still present for this footwashing?

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled,[d] ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”


  1. Spend some time in these verses this week.  As we get to know Jesus better and better, it will change us.  We will be better spouses, parents, children,  friends, workers, etc.  Immitating Jesus will have a cost.  What stands out the most to you here?

  2. Jesus quotes Psalm 41:9;  A Psalm of David which includes a description of his betrayal by his councelor Ahithophel.  (Ahithophel is a 'type' of Judas)

  3. In Verse 20  Jesus invokes something like the transitive propery: If A == B and B == C then A == C.

One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,[e] 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus[f] of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.


  1. Possible seating order:  Peter is next to John.  John is next to Jesus.  Jesus is next to Judas.

  2. The population swelled by as much as a factor of 30 (from 100k to 3M) during passover. Matthew and Mark record that the religious leaders did not want to "deal" with Jesus during Passover (Mark 14:2, Matthew 26:5) "lest there be an uproar among the people".  John established that they fear Rome removing them and destroying Israel (John 11:50).  So why did they act when they did?  Who is controling the timing?

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.


  1. Jesus saves this message for after Judas leaves. (I don't know if there is any significande to that.)  Jesus: God Incarnate gives us a new commandment.  Does that feel big to you?  What is the commandment?  How does Jesus want us to be known?

  2. How are we known?

Footnotes

  1. John 13:10 Some manuscripts omit except for his feet
  2. John 13:10 The Greek words for you in this verse are plural
  3. John 13:16 Or bondservant, or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
  4. John 13:18 Greek But in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled
  5. John 13:23 Greek in the bosom of Jesus
  6. John 13:24 Greek lacks Jesus
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  • Introduction to John's Gospel

  • John Chapter 1

  • John Chapter 2

  • John Chapter 3

  • John Chapter 4

  • John Chapter 5

  • John Chapter 6

  • John Chapter 7 (and end of Ch.6)

  • John Chapter 8

  • John Chapters 9 and 10

  • John Chapter 10 and 11

  • John Chapter 12

  • End of John 12 and Chapter 13
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  • John Selections from Ch. 18 and 19

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