Lesson 16: Jesus Prepares His Disciples For His Departure

Opening Questions:

1. What was the significance of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (hint: it was significant for more than one reason)?
2. Why did Jesus reveal that Judas would betray Him and that Peter would deny Him?
3. What questions do you have from the text?

All four gospel accounts record Jesus’ celebrating the Passover with His closest disciples. However, while the synoptic accounts focus on Jesus instituting the Lord’s Supper (see Matthew 26.17-30; Mark 14.12-26; Luke 22.7-39), John’s focus is on the various ways the Lord sought to prepare the disciples for His departure: “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’” (John 13.33). Accordingly, John’s devotes significant attention to Jesus’ final discourse to His disciples (spanning John 13-17). The aim of this lesson is to examine how the Lord began to prepare His disciples for His departure.

Vss. 1-17, By Teaching Them About Service

Chapter 13 is best known for the example of Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet. Three aspects of this act stand out in the text. First, Jesus was motivated by love (vss. 1-4). John sets a somber scene with Jesus’ knowing that His hour had come, the time when He would return to the Father by means of the cross, and that Judas had already determined to betray the Lord. Yet, “having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” Jesus’ actions in this chapter were out of love and concern for others, even Judas. When everyone else would have been solely focused on their own needs, Jesus demonstrated selfless love.

Second, vss. 5-11 reveal that Jesus washing the disciples’ feet foreshadowed the greatest act of service: His crucifixion. Jesus donned the attire of a slave (vs. 4) and then did for the disciples what they never would have done for each other; He washed their feet (vss. 4-5). “Doubtless the disciples would have been happy to wash his feet; they could not conceive of washing one another’s feet, since this was a task normally reserved for the lowliest of menial servants. Peers did not wash one another’s feet, except very rarely and as a mark of great love. Some Jews insisted that Jewish slaves should not be required to wash the feet of others; this job should be reserved for Gentile slaves, or for women and children and pupils” (Carson). However, it’s Jesus’ conversation with Peter in vss. 6-10 that show the true significance of Jesus’ action. After Peter’s initial refusal of Jesus washing his feet, the Lord responded, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (vs. 8). That statement wasn’t fulfilled by the washing of feet, but the true washing that comes from Jesus’ blood (Revelation 7.14). And when Peter then insisted that the Lord also wash his hands and head, the Lord replied that “you are clean, but not every one of you” (vs. 10). Jesus would later clarify that “you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you” (John 15.3). Thus, Jesus’ act of washing the disciples feet signified that complete cleansing comes from His word and His sacrifice.

Finally, Jesus instructed His disciples to learn from His example (vss. 11-17). “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13.14). While some insist that obedience to Jesus’ teaching requires institutionalizing the practice of footwashing, the better understanding is that Jesus was emphasizing the attitude of service. Serving each other permeates the New Testament (Matthew 20.26-28), while footwashing is hardly mentioned in the early church. “Two factors have prevented most Christians, rightly, from so institutionalizing footwashing. First, nowhere else in the New Testament, or in the earliest extra-biblical documents of the church, is footwashing treated as an ecclesiastical rite, an ordinance, a sacrament. The mention of footwashing in 1 Timothy 5:10 is no exception: there it is not introduced as a universal rite, but is placed in a list of good deeds of open-hearted hospitality that qualify a widow to be included in the support list. Wise theologians and expositors have always been reluctant to raise to the level of universal rite something that appears only once in Scripture. Second, and perhaps more importantly, the heart of Jesus’ command is a humility and helpfulness toward brothers and sisters in Christ that may be cruelly parodied by a mere ‘rite’ of footwashing that easily masks an unbroken spirit and a haughty heart” (Carson).

Vss. 18-30, By Revealing His Betrayer

After serving all of His disciples, Jesus turned His attention to Judah, His betrayer. Already John had revealed that “the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him” (vs. 2). Now Jesus declared that Judas’ betrayal was the fulfillment of prophecy (vs. 18; see Psalm 41.9). Later in the text we are told that “Satan entered into” Judas. However, the text is not telling us that Judas was just a pawn with no responsibility for his actions. John had already pointed out that Judas was a thief (John 12.6), thus Satan was able to tempt Judas through greed to betray his master (see James 1.13-15).

Significant for our purpose is why Jesus revealed that Judas would betray Him: “I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he” (John 13.19). Jesus knew that the upcoming events were going to be hard for them to understand. Their Lord was about to die, and He would be betrayed by one of them! Jesus revealing this beforehand meant that this terrible event would one day bolster their faith. That they had difficulty fathoming that one of themselves could possibly betray Jesus is on full display in vss. 21-30. Even though Jesus plainly indicated that Judas was His betrayer (vss. 25-26), they still failed to grasp that Judas left to betray the Lord (vss. 28-29). The final statement, “And it was night” was more than a time indicator; Judas had completely left the light (cf. John 12.35-36).

Vss. 31-35, By Giving A New Commandment

This section began with Jesus proclaiming that He and the Father were about to be glorified (vss. 31-32; see John 12.27-28). But His glorification meant that Jesus would be leaving them (vs. 33). Note that while Jesus had previously informed the Jews that they would not be able to follow Him (see John 7.34), Jesus would soon promise that He would be reunited with His followers (John 14.1-6). But it was Jesus’ leaving that gave greater significant to His commandment in vss. 34-35; the Master was leaving and He expects His disciples to love each other as He loves them.

Vss. 36-38, By Foretelling Their Denial

The chapter concludes with Jesus’ foretelling that Peter would deny Him three times before the rooster crowed. The immediate reason for Jesus’ prediction was the misplaced boast of Peter (vs. 37). However, it would seem that Jesus also wanted this to be an opportunity for their faith to grow (see vs. 19). The fact that Peter denied Jesus, and all of the apostles forsook Him, could have been a cause for enduring shame. But Jesus foretelling the denial before it occurred would allow the disciples to grow in their faith and furnish opportunity for Peter’s growth (see John 21).

Notes from the text:

• Vs. 1:
  • “The “feast” began on the fourteenth day of the first month when the paschal lamb was killed (cf. Lev. 23:5; Luke 22:7, 13-14). On the evening of that day the Passover “supper” was eaten (Lk. 22:15).” (Harkrider)
  • “His hour” see John 12.23.
  • “His own” see John 1.11-13.
• Vs. 3: see John 10.17-18.
• Vs. 12: “We need to read Luke 22:24-30 and Matt. 20:20-28 to fully realize that Jesus was doing this at a time when the disciples had just displayed attitudes of pride and jealousy. Jesus knew that if these attitudes prevailed, their work for Him would be greatly hindered (cf. James 3:16).” (Harkrider)
• Vs. 20: see Matthew 10.40. “Though Judas would betray Jesus, assurance is given to the other apostles that their work would not be affected. All who receive the apostles receive Jesus Christ; and all who receive Jesus Christ receive the Father. To reject any of these is to reject all!” (Harkrider)
• Vs. 23: The “disciple whom Jesus loved” is never specifically identified in this book, but generally it is agreed that John, the writer, is meant (cf. 21:20-24; 19:26; 20:2; 21:7). Otherwise he is not once named in this book. Jesus loved all of His disciples, but He evidently had a closer relationship with Peter, James, and John (Matt. 17:1; 26:37; Luke 8:51).
• Vs. 26: “The regular sop of the Paschal supper consisted of the following things wrapped together: flesh of the Paschal lamb, a piece of unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. The sauce into which it was dipped does not belong to the original institution, but had been introduced before the days of Christ. According to one authority it consisted of only vinegar and water (compare Ruth 2:14); others describe it as a mixture of vinegar, figs, dates, almonds, and spice” (Vincent).