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13
Jesus washed the disciples’ feet as an example of humble service to each other.
John 13:1-17
1 When it was the evening before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that it was time for him to leave this world and to return to his Father in heaven. He loved us who were his disciples. He knew we would continue to live here in this world, so now he showed us how completely he loved us. 2 We were eating the Passover meal. ◄The devil/Satan► had already suggested to Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth Town), the son of Simon, that he should ◄betray Jesus/enable Jesus’ enemies to seize him►. 3 But Jesus knew that his Father had given to him complete authority to control the situation. He knew that he had come from God and would soon return to God. 4 But before he left us, he wanted to show us how we should love each other. So he got up from where he was eating. He took off his outer cloak and wrapped a long towel around his waist, as a slave would do. 5 Then he poured some water in a basin. He began to wash our feet, and then dry them with the towel that he had wrapped around himself.
6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, it is not right for you [RHQ] to humble yourself by washing my feet!” 7 Jesus replied to him, “Now you do not understand the meaning of what I am doing, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said, “I will never, ever, allow you to wash my feet!” Jesus replied to him, “If I do not wash you, you cannot continue ◄to be my disciple/to belong to me►.” 9 So Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, in that case, do not wash only my feet. Wash my hands and my head, too!” 10 Then, to show him that after God had cleansed people from being guilty for sin, they needed only for God to forgive their daily sins [MET], Jesus said to him, “Those who have recently bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they get dirty very quickly on the dusty roads. The rest of their bodies are clean. Similarly, I have made you disciples free/clean from the guilt of your sins, although not all of you are free from guilt.” 11 He knew which one of us was going to betray him. That is the reason he said, “Not all of you are free from guilt.”
12 After he finished washing our feet, he put his cloak back on. Then he sat down and said to us, “Do you understand what I have done for you? 13 You show that you respect me by calling me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’. You are right to say that, because I am your teacher and your Lord. 14 But if I, who am your teacher and your Lord, have washed your feet, you ought to serve each other by doing things like washing each other’s feet. 15 I have made myself an example for you in order that you should humbly serve each other as I have done for you. 16 Listen to this carefully: A servant is not greater than his master. A messenger is not greater than the one who has sent him. So, since you are not greater than I am, you should not be proud and unwilling to serve each other. 17 Since you now know these things, God will be pleased with you if you do them.”
Jesus predicted that one of them would betray him to his enemies.
John 13:18-30
18 “I am not saying that God will bless all of you. I knew what all of you were like when I chose you. But I also chose the one who will betray me, in order that what is written in Scripture might be fulfilled {to fulfill what someone/the psalmist wrote in Scripture}, ‘The one who is acting like he is my friend by eating with me has become my enemy [IDM].’
19 I am telling you about someone betraying me before it happens, in order that when it happens, you may continue to believe that I am ◄the Messiah/who I say I am►. 20 Listen to this carefully: Those who accept any one of you whom I am sending out, God will consider that they are accepting me. And those who accept me, God will consider that they are accepting my Father, who sent me.”
21 After Jesus said this, he was very troubled. He solemnly declared, “Listen to this carefully: One of you is going to enable my enemies to seize me.” 22 We looked at each other. We had no way to know whom he was talking about. 23 I, the man other people call ‘the one Jesus loved’, was sitting very close to Jesus. 24 Simon Peter motioned to me to indicate that I should ask Jesus whom he was talking about. 25 So I leaned close to Jesus and asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread after I dip it in the sauce in the dish.” Then, to show us that he knew who would enable his enemies to seize him, after he dipped the bread in the sauce, he gave it to Judas Iscariot (OR, Judas, the man from Kerioth Town). 27 As soon as Judas ate the bread, Satan took control of him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 But none of the rest of us who were sitting there knew why Jesus said that to him. 29 Since Judas took care of the money people gave us to help us, some thought Jesus was telling him to go and buy some things we needed for the Passover celebration. Some thought he was telling him to give some money to poor people. 30 As soon as Judas had eaten the bread, he left. It was dark outside, and it was dark [MET] in his soul, too.
Jesus commanded his disciples that they should love each other.
John 13:31-35
31 After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now it will be shown {my Father will show} how wonderful I, the one who came from heaven, am. And by what I do it will be seen {people will see} how great God is. 32 Since by what I do people will see how awesome God is, God himself will show people how awesome I am. And he will do that very soon.
33 You whom I love as though you were my children, I will continue with you only a short time longer. Then you will look for me, but I will not be here. Just like I told the Jewish leaders [SYN], I am telling you now, that where I am going, you cannot come yet. 34 Now I am giving you a new commandment: You must love each other. You must love each other in the way that I have loved you. 35 If you keep loving each other, everyone who is aware of that [HYP] will know that you are my disciples.”
Jesus also prophesied that Peter would deny that he knew Jesus.
John 13:36-38
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus replied, “The place where I am going, you cannot come with me now, but you will come there later.” 37 Peter said, “Lord, why can I not come with you now? I am ready to die for you!” 38 Jesus answered, “You say [RHQ] that you are ready to die for me. But the truth is that before the rooster crows early tomorrow morning, you will say three times that you do not know me!”

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© 2008-2017 Ellis W. Deibler, Jr.