John 13

1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;

3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God;

4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?

7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.

8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.

10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.

11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

I noticed that the focus is heavily on both Peter and Judas… and both of them were in error here . Judas already had it in his heart to betray Jesus. In verse 3 Jesus knew all things were in his hands and the choice was his, he chose to lay down his life and to do what he came to do…. so then he dipped the sop and gave it to Judas which was the point where the devil entered Judas, and he left to betray Jesus. I think the sop being given to Judas was Jesus allowing the devil to enact his plan because Judas was already on board with the idea of betrayal. Some say Jesus washed the feet of Judas and others say he didn’t, I think Jesus did….or the verse would have told us this clearly. Jesus also washed Peter’s feet, but at first Peter was in the flesh and resisted, then Jesus cleared things up for Peter. Jesus washed his feet and yet Peter ended up denying Jesus 3 times before the cock crowed. I imagine that Peter was disgusted with himself and repented deeply for the denials. I’ve been there myself… I’ve gone very wrong after knowing Jesus and when I repented it was hard for me to forgive myself. I think the knee-jerk behavior for this type of grief over our own sins is to try and find a way to make up for it, as if we could….but in the end we come to the conclusion that we are gifted the forgiveness because of the blood that was shed…. we are forgiven by the grace of God… who then also cast your sins in the sea of forgetfulness. At which point we also need to stop living like we are trying to make something up to Jesus, because we can’t… we are sinful humans… we need to accept the grace and repent by changing our behavior. I thank God for including these stories about Peter in the Bible because it makes me feel hopeful about myself… I’m a Peter kind of person who makes a LOT of mistakes. God’s grace was sufficient for Peter, and it’s sufficient for me too… Glory be to God!

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.

17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

First, Jesus knew Judas was going to betray him, he washed his feet anyway… and then said we are to take his example….and just so it was clear that he intended to wash his enemies feet, he clearly says that he knew one of the disciples was not of him… speaking of Judas. So we are to love our enemies and do good to those who spitefully use us. Matthew 5:44 (Another tie in to my morning prayer was that this morning I was led to speak a blessing on those who I forgave for things that did that hurt me…. something I’ve never mindfully done before… but God led me to do it this morning knowing that I would read this and tie it all in. ABBA father knows how to teach his children so lovingly and tenderly. We are told by Jesus to follow his example… and to love and serve each other and our enemies.

19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

It’s important… Jesus was about to be betrayed, and he told his disciples before it happened so they would not be shaken in their beliefs… he wanted them to know that things were moving along as planned and not to lose hope. Here is what trips Peter up… Jesus was speaking of spiritual things and Peter was in the flesh thinking fleshly things. It’s a lesson to adhere too… that the flesh doesn’t have the courage to lay down it’s life for Jesus…… the flesh gets drawn in by the emotions of the moment and mistakes feelings for actual spiritual strength. Spiritual strength is feed by the word, prayer, praise and worship… by communing with God and living a life of dedication and faithfulness… it comes by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. That’s where the courage and strength comes from to count this world a complete loss and the willingness to lay down our lives for Jesus. With this comes the convincing of your own soul that to die is gain. The fleshly man can never produce this, because this is a spiritual thing.

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.

Simon Peter wanted to know who it was… Now maybe he was worried it was him… or maybe he was so convinced that he could never stumble like this…. perhaps this need to know came from a place of superiority…. and fleshly confidence. You know, I write this from a place of knowing how Peter may be thinking because he thinks and acts a lot like me in cases like this. But for the grace of God go I.

25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

John loved Jesus and Jesus loved John…. John’s head rested over Jesus’s heart… he could hear his heart beating. This is one of the most touching points in Revelation when John after many years was sent to Patmos as a banishment only to find his beloved Jesus there.

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

Jesus stated that the betrayer was going to be given a sop….Judas heard this… you know he did since it was already swirling around in his head to betray Jesus….Jesus knew he was going to do it… Judas had already decided. For the LOVE of money is the root of all evil (Timothy 6:10) And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (Romans 1:28). Right now you have entire Churches looking to make money and profit off of their betrayal of the gospel of Jesus…. they are seduced and led astray by filthy lucre.

28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

Jesus spoke the verse 26 to Judas.

29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

The disciples didn’t understand the conversation Jesus had with Judas. They wrote it off as Judas being sent out for something.

30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

Jesus knew what was coming…of course he did, he’s the son of God…. but he said it anyway to reassure the disciples that he came here for this reason…. “Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

My thoughts: The love for one another is how the world will know a real Christian from a fake one.

36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.

Peter was crucified later on.

37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.

Peter was caught up in the fleshly emotions… he missed the entire assigment that he was being prepared all those days where he was being taught of Jesus to bring the gospel to the world after Jesus died. Peter was in the flesh. My notes: I can’t wait to meet Peter… his failures and then restoration to Jesus gives me hope for myself.

38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.

This gives me hope… Jesus knew what Peter was going to do… and still he knew that Peter was going to repent and come back. Jesus knew that Peter was a work in progress and didn’t give up on him…. and Jesus never gave up on me either. God searches the hearts of man… and only God knows the treasures that lay in their… Peter loved the Lord, he just needed training a disciple… so do I. Judas was a different story, I don’t know that Judas loved the Lord… my gut says he didn’t… but Judas knew the truth and so after he tried to return the money he got from betraying Jesus, he was aware of what he had done and that he had just betrayed the Son of God… this means he had to have believed that Jesus is the Son of God, but he was swept up in the fleshly lust and was giving this lust place in his life to operate, unlike Peter who, while swept up in the flesh was not given over to it… his desire was to walk in the spirit. They say Judas could have repented and gotten right with Jesus…. and I believe that is true, but Judas didn’t have repentence, he had regret that was spawned from the reality of the punishment he was going to face for betraying Jesus. He tried to give them money back and when he could not undo his actions, he killed himself…. and the money he received bought his grave.