Gospel of John Made Easy
Chapter 13
Verse 1-5
It is the last Passover supper that Jesus will have with his disciples.
Passover supper is every year in the springtime.
Passover was a time to remember when God brought the Hebrew people out of Egypt. They had gone to Egypt to find food during the time of famine (no food). They stayed in Egypt, but then a new king-Pharaoh came to the throne. He made them work as slaves.
After 400+ years, God brought them out of Egypt. God told them to remember that time once a year.
The Passover time was the time that each family took a lamb, killed it, roasted it, and ate it. In Egypt—long ago— they had taken the blood of the lamb and painted a little of it on the top of the door, and on each side of the door. Later at night, the death angel came to Egypt. Any door than had blood on the door—-the angel passed over. If there was no blood on the door—the death angel killed the oldest son.
It was a time of great death and sadness. In these years now, they did not paint blood over the door, but they still killed a lamb and ate it in remembering that time long ago.
Jesus called himself the Lamb of God. He was soon to go to the cross and be killed. His blood was to wash away people’s sin. Anyone who believed in Jesus and asked him to forgive them —-would be forgiven and all their sins would be gone. They would not die in hell for their sin.
Jesus knew his time was near to go to the cross. After that he knew he would be going back into heaven.
This verse says that Jesus loved those people who were “His own people”—-meaning those who believed in Jesus. And Jesus loved them to the end.
The devil has been whispering in Judas’ ear about betraying Jesus to the church leaders. Jesus knew what Judas was going to do.
The verse says Jesus knew that God had given all things into His hands. He knew that he was come from God the Father, and that he would be going back to God the Father.
After supper, Jesus took off his outer robe. He got a towel, water in a basin (pan)—-knelt down and began to wash the feet of the disciples.
Men and women wore sandals. It was a hot country. The roads were dirt.
So the roads were hot dry dirt—dusty. People’s feet got dusty walking. When they came into a house—if it was a rich person’s house—there would be servant who would kneel and wash their feet as they came in to the house.
Jesus is now doing this for the disciples. He is their teacher. He is their leader.
Yet he is doing a job that a servant would do.
Verse 6-14
When Jesus came to wash Peter’s feet—– Peter said, “Jesus, are you going to wash my feet?” Peter could not believe that Jesus should be the one to wash his feet.
Jesus told Peter that he would not understand why Jesus was doing this—–but later—-in the future—-he would understand.
Peter felt embarrassed to have his teacher wash his feet. He tried to tell Jesus, “No”. Jesus said, “If I do not wash your feet, you will not have any part with me.”
Peter wanted to be a part of Jesus and what He was doing—-so Peter said, “Wash all of me then.” Jesus said, “A person who has washed “taken a bath” does not need to be washed all over. Just your feet are dirty.”
Some preachers have used this verse to explain: That when we have been saved, our sins have been forgiven——then we have “been washed, bathed”. But in everyday life—we do wrong, we sin—-but our heart is right—we want to please God—-we are trying to follow Him but we fail. This is like getting our feet dirty.
We do not need to be saved again. We are already believers. We just need to come to Jesus everyday and say forgive me for any sin I have done today.
Jesus said to Peter: “But not all of you are clean.” Jesus meant Judas—was not “clean” because Judas was going to betray him.
So after Jesus washed their feet, he talked to the disciples and he said, “Do you know what I have done to you.” “You called me Master, and Lord, and I am that. But as your Master—I have washed your feet. I have served you as a servant. And so you should do the same for each other.”
In other words, the “leader” the “Master” the “teacher” or “preacher” —–was to serve the people. This was a different idea from what happen in the Jewish church.
The priest and the leaders in the Jewish church wanted much respect and praise. They wanted to be treated as high special leaders—like “kings”. They thought the people were lower than them and the people should serve them.
Now, Jesus is telling the disciples—-do not be like that. You will be a leader of people, but you are to serve them. You be willing to do the “dirty jobs” the “low jobs” to help them. Do not act like a “king”.
Verse 15-17
Jesus said, “I have been an example.” “I have shown you what you should do.”
If I the “Lord” have washed your feet, then you the “servants” are not better than me. So you need to wash each other’s feet.”
Some churches feel that this verse is telling people that they should wash each other’s feet, and so some churches have a “foot washing” time once a year in their church.
There is not much need for us to wash a person’s feet in our time or country.
But there are many “humble jobs” that need done.
When someone is sick—–you could clean their house to help them. Wash their clothes, or dishes. Cook a meal. Drive them to the doctor’s.
We had a pastor who came to see my parents who were old. He saw that they needed a handrail for their outside steps. He came back one day and built a handrail for them. They used that handrail for many years, and it was a blessing to them.
Some pastors would think they were too high or too important to do that. Yet this pastor did a servant’s job—-just like Jesus said.
There are many things we can do little, humble jobs to help others. Leaders are not to just do the big, important jobs that everyone sees. We are to do the little humble jobs that maybe no one even knows we do.
My father was a board member (deacon) in the church for most of his life. But any time my father was at the church, I saw him do many little jobs to help out. He picked up scraps of paper on the floor. He cleaned up messes if someone spilled something. He carried in extra chairs. He stayed after meetings and parties and helped clean up and put away chairs. He was a deacon, but he did many little humble jobs that needed done. He did not think he was too “high, or important” to do them.
Verses 18
Jesus quotes a verse from the Old Testament (Psalms 41:9) “He that eats bread with me, lifts up his heel against me.” We would say: He that eats bread and shares my food is now against me.”
Jesus is talking about Judas. Judas has shared 3 years with Jesus. He has eaten many meals with him. But now Judas will betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders.
Verse 19
Jesus told his disciples that they would not understand what he is saying now. But later he they would remember. And when they see what will soon happen —-they will think of the Old Testament verse spoken hundreds of years before—-they will know that the verse talked about the Messiah-Jesus. Those words in Psalms were like many other places in the Old Testament that told about how things would be with the Messiah when he came to earth.
Verse 20
Jesus said —whoever will receive those I send out to preach, they are also receiving Me (Jesus), and if they receive Me (Jesus) they are also receiving my Father who sent me.
Verse 21
Jesus becomes troubled— sad, upsetting thoughts. He said, “One of you will betray me.”
Verse 22
The disciples look at each other. They can not believe that one of them would do that.
Verse 23-25
One of the men—who was very close to Jesus—-he loved Jesus and Jesus loved him —-very much—was sitting very close to Jesus. Peter said to that man—ask who it is that will betray him. So that man asked Jesus who is was. People have often thought that this “man” was John, because John and Jesus were very close.
Verse 26-27
Jesus said, “The one who will betray me will be the one a give the bread to after I have dipped it into wine or sauce. So Jesus gave the piece of bread to Judas. The Bible says that after Judas received the piece of bread, that Satan entered into his heart.
Jesus told Judas to go do whatever he planned to do.
Verse 28-29
The men at the table saw Judas leave but they did not know what Judas planned to do. Some of the men thought that because Judas was the treasurer and kept the money bag—–that maybe he was going out to buy something for the Passover supper, or he was going to give some things to the poor.
Verse 30
Judas went out into the night.
Verse 31-32
After Judas left, Jesus said, “Now is the time that the Son will be glorified and the Father will be glorified, too.”
Verse 33-35
Jesus said, “I will be with you only a little more time. And where I am going, you can not come. So I am telling you a new commandment: That you love one another as I have loved you.”
“And this is how all men will know that you are my disciples (followers), because you have love for each other.”
In the 2000 years since Jesus was on this earth—–this is the “mark” of a true believer and follower of Jesus—-that he loves people—-that he shows love for people.
Christian people have changed the world. It has been Christians that have made just and fair laws and government. It has been Christians that have built hospitals, and orphanages. It has been Christians that have built schools and colleges. It has been Christians that have started groups like the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. It has been Christians that go to jails, prisons and talk to the people there about Jesus.
In so many ways, Christians have showed love and caring for other people. More than any other religion you can name—-Christians have done the most to be kind and generous to others.
Verse 36
Simon Peter said to Jesus, “Where are you going that we can not follow?
Jesus said, “You can not follow now, but afterward you will follow me.”
Verse 37
Peter said, “Why can I not follow you now? I would lay down my life for you.”
Verse 38
Jesus said, “Is that true? Will you lay down your life for me? Before the rooster crows in the morning—you will have said 3 times you do not know me.”
Where Jesus is going now (to the cross), the disciples can not follow him now.
It is true that in the future they will follow the same path to a cross. Many of the disciples were killed because of their faith in Jesus. Several of them died on a cross.
And Jesus would be going to heaven. The disciples would follow Jesus to heaven when they died. And we, too, if we believe in Jesus will follow Jesus to heaven when we die.