John 13:1-38 • The last day part 1 • The Upper Room

Steve Schott
Jul 29
13 min read

Updated: Aug 1

► In section 1 of our study in the Gospel of John we looked at the 7 signs recorded, and referenced in John 20:30-31, where it says

30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

• We also explored the 7 "I AM" statements that do not always correspond to the signs, but also add definition to the nature and purposes of Jesus.

• I also posted a composite of all of them together to show how they correlate to one another. And to also show some enhanced context for the essence of Jesus' ministry.

• Links to all of these posts can be found at the end of this posting.

► In section 2, I turned my attention to what I call the "passed-over" passages, Those passages from chapter 1 to chapter 12 which I hadn't previously dealt with.

• Links to all of these posts are also down below.

► In section 3, which we start today, we'll deal with chapters 13 to 19, which I call "the end of it all" and/or "the last day"

• Sections 1 & 2 (chapters 1-12) cover approximately 3 years.

• The chapters in section 3 deal with a single 24-hour period, that starts with the last supper in the upper room, and takes us all the way to the cross and the tomb.

► In section 4, when we get to it, we'll end with chapters 20 and 21 that I call "the new beginning".

► So now, here in part 1 of "The last day", we'll look at chapter 13.

► Each of the other Gospels has it's own take on the Upper Room Event...

• Matthew 26:20-35

→ In Matthew, Jesus tells his followers that one of them will betray Him.

→ Then Jesus institutes what we now call "the Lord's Supper" and has become our communion service with bread and wine - "this is My body" and "this is My blood".

→ Then He tells them that they will all fall away, and that Peter will deny Him 3 times that night.

→ Then they leave to go to the Garden of Gethsemane.

• Mark 14:17-31

→ Pretty much the same as Matthew.

• Luke 22:14-38

→ Also they same as Matthew, but it also adds a section where, in the midst of Jesus telling them that one of them would betray Him, they started arguing about which of them would be the greatest.

The Lord's Supper

John 13:1-4 → ¹ Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. ² During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, ³ Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, ⁴ got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself.

► This section carries a stark contrast between the love of Jesus and the betrayal of Judas.

• Jesus, knowing that this was the end, at least of his existing physical human life, also knowing that He had come from God, and had been given all things by God, was about to start the process that would allow Him to return to God.

→ The text talks about how Jesus "loved His own who were in the world" and is referring to his disciples. Probably primarily in this context, the 12, but I can't help but believe that from Jesus' perspective that would have included all of those who had responded to His call upon their lives. Mary, and Martha, and Lazarus. The Samaritan woman at the well of Sychar. Nicodemus. Zacchaeus. The Roman Centurion from Matthew 8:5-13. And so many others.

→ It also mentions that He "loved them to the end", meaning He never once lost His focus on His disciples during this traumatic time He's about to face.

• Judas on the other hand has nothing but concerns for himself. The text says that "the devil... put into the heart of Judas... to betray him." I get the impression that the devil didn't have to do much to accomplish this. One can never know exactly what is going on in another person's heart. We know that Judas sought out financial gain for giving up Jesus (Matthew 26:14-16). Was it possible that Judas was afraid that any negative situations that might arrive for Jesus would possibly have some blow-back for him? Was he just trying to save his own skin?

► This section ends with something unusual. Jesus, the head honcho, gets up, removes His outer clothing, then wraps himself up in a towel. This was probably more like an apron, or some kind of covering that a servant would wear. We'll see why in a second.

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

John 13:5-20 → ⁵ Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

► Seeing as how the most common mode of travel in those days was walking, and apparently the most common type of foot wear at that time was sandals, it was common for people to have dusty or dirty feet.

• What was normally common at that time, when a guest arrived at someone's home, was that the host would provide someone to wash his guest's feet, to both cleanse them and to soothe them from the toll to their feet during travel.

• This task was normally relegated to the lowest level servant in the home.

• Jesus is taking on this role.

⁶ So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, “Lord, do You wash my feet?” ⁷ Jesus answered and said to him, “What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter.” ⁸ Peter said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” ⁹ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” ¹¹ For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

► Typical for Peter, at first understanding the lowliness of the position Jesus has taken on, Peter questions Jesus as to what He is doing, with the connotation on Peter's part that Jesus shouldn't ought to be doing what He is doing.

• Jesus tells him that he'll understand later.

• Peter is adamant - "never shall You wash my feet!".

• To which Jesus responds that if Peter doesn't allow Jesus to do this then he's out.

• Peter still doesn't know what's going on, but faced with the possibility of being kicked out of the club, he responds by asking for a full shower, not just a foot wash.

• Jesus responds by saying a bath isn't necessary, just the feet need to be cleansed.

• He does allude though, that there is at least one of them who isn't clean.

¹² So when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know 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, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵ For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you. ¹⁶ Truly, truly, I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷ If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

► So Jesus, finished with this endeavor, put his street clothes back on and sits back at the table.

• Then He asks them "do you know what I have done to you?"

• He doesn't wait for them to respond but continues speaking, telling them that what He did, He did as an example to them, to help them understand that the way for them to lead when He is gone is to serve one another.

• The principle being that rather than debating on who is the greatest amongst them all, as was documented in Luke's gospel (Luke 22:14-38), that they would realize that they are merely servants.

¹⁸ I do not speak of all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ ¹⁹ From now on I am telling you before it comes to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. ²⁰ Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

► Jesus again makes a veiled mention of a betrayer. He tells them that He is telling them in advance, so that their faith would remain intact when the coming events unfold.

• And then Jesus tells them that if they themselves are received by others, they are in essence receiving Jesus Himself, and then also by default, the Father.

• It's another reminder to them that their mission will be to point people to Jesus, through whom they will be made right with God.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

John 13:21-38 → ²¹ When Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, that one of you will betray Me.”

► Jesus now makes the most clear statement that He will be betrayed by one of them.

²² The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. ²³ There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. ²⁴ So Simon Peter gestured to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” ²⁵ He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” ²⁶ Jesus then answered, “That is the one for whom I shall dip the morsel and give it to him.” So when He had dipped the morsel, He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. ²⁷ After the morsel, Satan then entered into him. Therefore Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

► The disciples, understanding what Jesus had just said, are now confused as to just exactly which of them it could be.

• The concept of someone "reclining on Jesus' bosom" seems kind of weird in the text, but that's only because it doesn't fit with dining standards from our modern world.

• Apparently, back in the day, one would sort of slouch on the floor, in a relaxed fashion, and eat with your fingers. A dining room table and chairs were not necessarily standard equipment in homes at that time. So the idea of actually resting your head on someone else's body, while foreign to us, apparently was normal back then. I can only imagine the mess.

• And also, we know that this person reclining, this person who only referred to as the disciple "whom Jesus loved", is actually the Apostle John. I suspect that Jesus actually loved all of His disciples, but I think John was probably the one He was closest to. I believe this is evidenced by Jesus' request from the cross spoken to John to take care of His mother (John 19:25-27).

► Peter leans over to John, asking him to ask Jesus who the betrayer is.

• Jesus says something about it being the one that He hands some food to.

• He hands the food to Judas Iscariot, and tells him "what you do, do quickly."

²⁸ Now no one of those reclining at the table knew for what purpose He had said this to him. ²⁹ For some were supposing, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus was saying to him, “Buy the things we have need of for the feast”; or else, that he should give something to the poor. ³⁰ So after receiving the morsel he went out immediately; and it was night.

► The disciples still have not figured this out, and are assuming that Judas has been sent on an errand.

³¹ Therefore 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 will glorify Him immediately. ³³ Little children, I am with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

► Jesus now starts talking about being "glorified", what I suppose was probably a somewhat confusing speech, and finishes the words telling them "where I am going, you cannot come."

³⁴ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. ³⁵ By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

► Jesus now gives them a command, one that applies to us as well.

• He has instructed them to "love one another, even as I have loved you,...".

• They don't even understand yet the depth of how Jesus loves them, but they will in time.

• And then Jesus qualifies this statement, by letting them understand that their love demonstrated "for one another", is what will be the evidence of their following Jesus.

³⁶ Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, where are You going?” Jesus answered, “Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.” ³⁷ Peter said to Him, “Lord, why can I not follow You right 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, a rooster will not crow until you deny Me three times.

► Peter asks Jesus where He is going, to which Jesus replies that Peter can't follow Him now, but will do so later.

• Of course, Jesus was talking about His death, as He had been for some time, but the disciples still didn't understand.

• Peter's death wouldn't be for almost another 40 years, but he still didn't understand.

• Peter states that he is willing to follow Jesus now, even if it costs him his life.

• Jesus responds by telling Peter that before the next 24 hours are complete, he will have denied being affiliated with Jesus 3 times.

So what?

► Missing, at least in detail, from this gospel is the setting up of the ordinance of communion.

► But added, or unique to this dialogue is Jesus washing the disciples feet. John really wanted to stress the concept of serving one another. I'm guessing that by the time he wrote his gospel that communion, as a church ordinance, was already in place, but this reminder about servanthood needed repeating.

► And the reminder about love. We prove the depth of our commitment to Christ, by the clear display of sacrificial love toward each other.

► In this age of political and societal extremism, where so many varying opinions about just about everything are expressed so vehemently, we need to remember that Jesus loves all of us.

► Those of us who have a relationship with Jesus are called to represent Him in a way as to clearly communicate the love of Jesus.

Section 1 • The Signs and "I Am" Statements

The Signs

► Sign 1, Water to Wine, Jesus is the master of the ELEMENTS → John 2:1-12

► Sign 2, Nobleman's Son, Jesus is the master over DISTANCE → John 4:46-54

► Sign 3, Lame Man at Bethesda, Jesus is the master over TIME → John 5:1-18

► Sign 4, Feeding of 5,000+, Jesus is the master over DIMENSION → John 6:1-15

► Sign 5, Jesus walks on water, Jesus is the master over NATURE → John 6:15-21

► Sign 6, The Man Born Blind, Jesus is the master over HISTORY → John 9:1-41

► Sign 7, The Raising of Lazarus, Jesus is the master over DEATH → John 11:1-46

The "I AM" Statements

► I AM #1 • I AM the Bread of Life - Jesus ELIMINATES HUNGER → John 6:26-58