JOHN 13

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES’ FEET + SHARES THE NEW COMMAND

Jesus gathers the disciples to celebrate Passover, knowing His death is near and loving the disciples until the end. In great humility, Jesus takes on the role of a servant and washes the disciples' feet.  

Influenced by Satan, Judas, one of the disciples, will soon betray Jesus (Psalm 41:9). Judas will turn over His location to the priests for the promise of money. Knowing this, Jesus still washes Judas’s feet.

Although they are confused at the time, Jesus tells the disciples that they will eventually understand His reason for washing their feet. He encourages them to wash one another’s feet, acting as humble servants. Jesus teaches the disciples that whoever receives Him as the Savior would also receive God, the one who sent Him.

During the meal, Jesus tells the disciples that one of them will betray Him. Troubled by this, each disciple questions who will be the one to betray Him. Jesus gives Judas a portion of bread, indicating that he will be the betrayer. After Judas takes the morsel, Satan influences Judas to betray Jesus. Although Satan meant this for evil, God ultimately uses this betrayal to accomplish the payment for sin on the cross through the death of Jesus.

Jesus reminds the disciples of the most important commandment, to love one another the way that God has loved them. Although He has taught this before, He calls this command the “new” commandment, indicating the covenant between God and humanity after His fulfillment of the Law and Prophets on the cross.

After the Passover meal, Peter wants to follow Jesus wherever He is going, but Jesus says he cannot yet go where He is going. He foretells that Peter, His disciple, will deny knowing Jesus three times before the rooster crows. Peter assures Him that he will not deny Him, even if it costs him his life.