John 13 - Farewell Discourse
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Tonight, we find a noticeable transition in the book of John. The past 12 chapters, we have looked at seven miracles, we have looked at the public teachings of Christ, the conversations he had with pharisees, the interactions he has had, but tonight we will see a transition from public ministry to an inward focused ministry. Last week I mentoned that the road to the cross has now become visible, and over the next 4 chapters, we will see Jesus preapare his disciples for the things which are to come.
In John 13, we come to see that Jesus and his disciples are together. In fact, in this passage we find Johns account of the last supper. It differs in many ways from the other three gospels. For one, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, they all mention the institution of the Lords Supper. However, John’s Gospel does not include the Lords Supper. Instead, John is the only Gospel that includes that Jesus washed the feet of his disciples. In the Synoptics Gospels, their mention of the Lords Supper is very brief. In Johns Gospel, he includes four chapters of Jesus’ teachings at the last supper. What we will see tonight is the love, the humility, and the example that Jesus sets for his disciples.
So tonight, lets start by reading John 13:1-5
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Now when it was time for supper, the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had given everything into his hands, that he had come from God, and that he was going back to God. So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
Right from the beginning of chapter 13, we find something similar to what was said in chapter 12. In John 12:23 Jesus states, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.” Last week we had mentioned that JEsus was referring to the cross. That becomes more clear here in chapter 13. John tells us, “Before the passover festival, Jesus Knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father… in John 13:1. Jesus’ focus now is purely on preparing his disciples for what is to come. This very night that this conversation is taking place is the beginning of the end. We will see Judas singled out and then depart from Christ in order to betray him. So in this moment, JEsus is very aware, very focused on preparing his disciples.
Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Jesus replied to them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.
Jesus’ Love on Display
So he got up from supper, laid aside his outer clothing, took a towel, and tied it around himself. Next, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel tied around him.
In order to grasp what it is that Jesus is doing, we need to understand how footwashing was viewed during this time period. This was an age in which you walked if you wanted to go somewhere. You’d walk through mud, you’d walk through water, there’s a good chance you would walk through animal feces. Feet would be sweaty, probably caked in dirt. And when you would enter into someones home, the common practice was to wash your feet. When possible, this task would have been done by slaves.
Some rabbis even taught that the task of foot washing was so demeaning that it was unacceptable for a Jew to do it. It was disgusting. So when we see that Jesus gets up from the table and begins to wash the disciples feet, he is doing something that is counter cultural He is doing something that is sure to stick with the disciples, because it required such humility. We see how shocking this was to the disciples in verse 6 which says, “He came to SImon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” John 13:6
He came to Simon Peter, who asked him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
He was shocked. And in verse 8 he says, “You will never wash my feet.” John 13:8
“You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
He understood who Jesus was, He knew that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah. He knew how worthy of Worship Jesus was and how unworthy he was. He knew that Jesus had no place washing anyones feet, let alone his own. He didnt want Jesus to touch him. But this is where Jesus begins to teach his disciples. He tells Peter in verses 7 and 8, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.” And then in verse 8, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
Jesus answered him, “What I’m doing you don’t realize now, but afterward you will understand.”
“You will never wash my feet,” Peter said.
Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are speaking rightly, since that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done for you.
“Truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves. Everyone should look not to his own interests, but rather to the interests of others.
“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.
3. Jesus Gives a New Command
We love because he first loved us.
“You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don’t resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don’t turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward will you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what are you doing out of the ordinary? Don’t even the Gentiles do the same?
