John 13 - Jesus Raises The Bar On What It Means to "Love One Another"!

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Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

For Jesus' last meal with his disciples, he does something dramatic to reveal the type of Messiah he is. The Passover meal is also called Jesus' Last Supper. The devil had already prompted Judas to betray Jesus and the meal was "go time". 

After the meal, it was customary for the servant of the house to wash the guests' feet. But tonight this job was reserved for Jesus. He took off his outer garment, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. 

Then, he began to wash the disciples dirty, dusty, smelly feet. Remember they wore sandals and most of the days walked down dusty roads. We've all seen what our feet look like after a day like this in sandals. Peter thought it was below Jesus to do such a menial job reserved for the servants of the house.  After all, this was not the type of Messiah Jesus envisioned. 

But Jesus is dead serious about the message he is conveying to the disciples, so He says to Peter, 

"Unless I wash you, you have no part with me!"

What did he mean by this? 

This foot washing was a powerful lesson in humility but it was more than that. It also shows that Jesus has no fellowship, no deep connection with those who have not been cleansed by Him. - Guzik

We are grateful Jesus did not say, If you do not have great holiness, you have no part with Me. We are happy He did not say, If you are not a Bible expert, you have no part with Me. Having a part with Jesus begins simply with receiving something from Him, not achieving something our self. - Guzik

Peter misses the spiritual meaning of the foot washing when he says, "All right then Lord wash my whole body!" If you use the metaphor of washing as a cleansing for sin. Jesus washes us whiter than snow, when we come to him in faith. We are completely made clean by what he did for us on the cross. But there is a sense in which we need to come to God through Jesus on a daily basis to repent of the ways we have disobeyed God and receive God's cleansing through Christ. 

But at the end of the dinner, Jesus explains probably the most important thing he wanted to get across to his disciples. If he was their master and Lord, and he washed their feet, they should also wash one another's feet. This was the way the community of Christ would treat each other in the days and years to come. In humility, they would consider each other as better than themselves, as Paul says in Philippians 2. 

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

John says Jesus was troubled in spirit, as he began to think about Judas' betrayal. Though he knew Judas was going to do it, it didn't make it any less easier for him. There was still something in Jesus that loved Judas, perhaps because he knew how things would end up for Judas. 

As Jesus was sitting at the table, he revealed this to them. At once, the disciples started asking each other who Jesus was talking about. Jesus was closest to John, who is also called "the disciple whom Jesus loved." So, Peter asked John to ask Jesus about it. Then, Jesus announced it would be the one who he gave the bread to, after he had dipped it into the dish. 

As soon as Judas took the bread, it was clear to everyone he was the traitor. Then, John says, "Satan entered Judas". 

How did this happen? 

It was already in the heart of Judas to betray Jesus (John 13:2). Yet when Judas rejected the love and favor of Jesus it broke some barrier within him and Satan entered him. - Guzik

“Satan could not have entered into him had he not granted him admission. Had he been willing to say ‘No’ to the adversary, all of his Master’s intercessory power was available to him there and then to strengthen him.” (Bruce)

Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial

Judas wasn't the only one that was going to betray Jesus that night. But before he does this, he issues the disciples a new commandment. He says, "Love one another, as I have loved you!"

In what sense is this new?

The newness lies in what he means when he says, "As I have loved you!". Jesus was going to show his love for them by dying for them on the cross. That is quite a high bar. It is by this self-denying, self-giving, and self-sacrificing love that will show the world they are Jesus' disciples.

And this holds so true for us today! Do you think we as Christians in our church obey this new commandment using the term as Jesus just defined it? 

It's interesting that whenever I do a new member's class it is not the awe-inspiring worship. amazing preaching, or the AV system that draws people to the church. It is when people feel accepted and loved by the others in the congregation. Many say, "It feels like home to me!" This is the kind of love Jesus was talking about!

After Jesus says to Peter that where he is going Peter cannot come, Peter says, "Lord, why can't I follow you now. I will lay down my life for you!" 

To which Jesus replies, "Before the rooster crows you will have denied me three times."

As zealous as Peter was for Jesus, he had his own agenda for serving him. Jesus had to humble Peter in front of the others to teach him a lesson. Though Peter will in fact deny Jesus three times, in the end Jesus would use it to make Peter one of the finest apostles the world has ever seen!