Chapter Thirteen

1–20. The washing of the disciples’ feet by Christ at the supper. – 21–30. The revelation of the betrayer. – 31–35. The Lord’s address to the disciples with his last instructions. – 36–38. The question of the apostle Peter and the answer of the Lord.

From chapter 13 to chapter 17 of the Gospel of John are depicted the last hours spent by the Lord in the circle of his disciples. This section in John represents something independent in the exposition of the history of Christ’s life. It can be called “Christ in the close circle of the twelve.” Here the Lord, in view of his approaching separation from them, gives them his last instructions to strengthen their faith and courage.

John 13:1. Before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, loved them to the end. This verse has in the original text a rather unusual construction, which is why the Russian translation found it necessary to make a certain insertion here for the sake of clarity, adding the words “showed by deed that.” But it is difficult to agree with the interpretation of the Russian translation. This addition suggests that the Russian translation sees the highest manifestation of Christ’s love for the disciples only in the washing of feet, which “showed by deed” this love. Meanwhile, if anything could be called a manifestation of love, it is not the symbolic instruction regarding the necessity of humility for the disciples given in the rite of foot-washing, but rather the entire subsequent frank conversation of the Lord with his disciples, in which he spoke to them precisely as to his beloved children, as to his friends. Therefore to limit the meaning of the first verse only by putting it in relation to the washing of feet, as is done in the Russian translation, is completely unfounded. In accordance with the interpretations of the holy fathers and ancient translations, this verse should be rendered thus: “But since before the feast of Passover he knew that his hour had come – to go from this world to the Father – Jesus, as one who had loved his own (disciples), who were (remained) in the world, loved them to the end.” It is clear that here is a remark of the evangelist relating not only to the following story of the washing of feet, but to the entire section from chapter 13 to chapter 17. The Lord with all his power loved the disciples (“to the end,” cf. Matt 10:22) precisely at this time, felt toward them extraordinary compassion precisely now because this feast of Passover was, as was known to him, the last days in which the disciples could still have their support in close communion with him. Soon they will be alone, and the Lord foresees how difficult it will be for them at that time, how miserable and abandoned they will feel then!

John 13:2. And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him, “And during supper.” The evangelist does not determine when, on what day this supper was taking place. But taking into account the fact that at this supper the revelation of the betrayer takes place, which, according to the Synoptists, happened precisely at the last Passover supper, when the Eucharist was instituted, we have the right to conclude that John also is speaking here of the last Passover supper of Christ. To this must be added that at both places and here the disciples receive instruction from Christ regarding humility. But why does John report nothing about Christ and the disciples partaking of the Passover and about the institution of the Eucharist? Probably because he found it fully sufficient that the Synoptic Gospels report on this. (On the day of the Last Supper according to the Gospel of John – see the commentary on John 18:28). “The devil put...” See the commentary on Luke 22:3.

John 13:3. Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, “Jesus, knowing that...” These words are commonly interpreted as a concessive clause: “although Jesus knew... yet” and so forth. But such an interpretation is hardly correct. In accordance with the context of the discourse, it is more fitting to see here an expression of cause and to convey the meaning of the entire verse thus: “Jesus, since it was known to him that the Father gave all things – and consequently, first of all these twelve apostles, who were to become witnesses to Christ – into his hands and, consequently, he was obliged to prepare them to fulfill the task appointed to them by God, and on the other hand, knowing that in a few hours he was destined to return to his Father, from whom he came and that, consequently, he had little time left for teaching the disciples the most important virtues – humility and love for one another, which they would so need in their future ministry, “rose from the supper,” that is, imparted to them the last lesson of humility and love.”

John 13:4. rose from the supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. According to custom, before the supper the servant would wash the feet of those who came to the meal. On this occasion, no servant was present, and apparently none of the disciples wished to offer Christ and his companions the appropriate service. Then the Lord himself rose from the supper and prepared to perform the washing, which should have been done by a simple servant. It is very likely that the occasion for this was provided by the dispute that had arisen among the disciples over precedence (see Luke 22:24).

John 13:5. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. In describing the washing of feet, John does not say with whom Christ began. It is most likely that the first one to receive this honor was John, who was reclining on the breast of Christ, and who usually takes care not to mention his own name where he is placed before others. “Began.” The evangelist adds this word because the washing was soon interrupted by the conversation of the Lord with Peter.

John 13:6. He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet? John 13:7. Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will understand after this. John 13:8. Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me. The disciples, struck by what their Lord and Teacher was beginning to do, were unable to utter a word and silently accepted the washing from Christ’s hands. But Peter, as a man, cannot contain the feelings that overcame him and expresses a heated protest against what Christ wishes to do for him. The Lord does not consider it possible at this time to explain to Peter the full meaning of his action: Peter will understand this “later,” that is, partly in the coming night, when Peter through his own experience of falling understood the necessity of humility and self-abasement, which the Lord manifested in the rite of foot-washing, and partly afterwards, after the resurrection of Christ, when Peter saw to what Christ’s self-abasement would lead (cf. 1 Pet 3:22). However, Peter from humility, which, however, was far from true humility, because at the same time it was accompanied by his resistance to the will of the Lord (true humility always accompanied by obedience to the Lord), insisted. To overcome Peter’s stubbornness, the Lord somewhat explains to him the meaning of the washing of the disciples’ feet being performed by him. He says to Peter that the washing of feet signifies the washing of the whole person in general: “unless I wash you,” and not “your feet” only... “You have no share with me.” See the commentaries on Matt 24:51; Luke 12:46. The Lord impresses on Peter that he, not being cleansed by Christ, will not participate with him in those blessings which are contained in the kingdom founded by Christ, or in eternal life. Thus the washing of feet is interpreted here by the Lord not only as an invitation to the disciples to practice humility, but also as an action by which a cleansing gracious power, necessary to every person for the attainment of salvation, is imparted to the disciples.

John 13:9. Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. John 13:10. Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need except to wash his feet, but is entirely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you. John 13:11. For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “You are not all clean. Peter understands the importance of the washing which Christ offers and, in order to be fully assured of receiving a “share with Christ,” asks Christ to wash him not only his feet but his head, as the most important part of the body. The Lord answers Peter that he has no need of complete cleansing, just as one who has bathed in a river has no need, upon coming out on shore, to pour water over himself: he needs only to rinse off his feet, to which dirt has adhered while the person walked to the place where he laid his garments. In baptism of repentance and in constant communion with Christ, the disciples of Christ already became clean, to the extent that was possible before the sending of the Holy Spirit, but nevertheless “walking” among a generation made corrupt and sinful (Matt 17:17) could not but leave some dirty spots on the feet of the disciples, which the Lord offers them to wash with his grace or love. It is very possible that in this the Lord wished to give Peter to understand that he should divest himself of the narrow Jewish view of the Messiah and his kingdom, this in fact hindered Peter from accepting the thought of the necessity of Christ’s suffering death (Matt 16:22). “But not all of you.” By this the Lord, on the one hand, was giving to understand that the intention of the betrayer was well known to him, on the other, he was even in these last minutes appealing to the conscience of Judas, giving him time to come to his senses. The evangelist especially emphasizes the first aspect, because at the time he was writing the Gospel, some enemies of Christianity raised as an objection against Christians that Christ did not foresee that among his closest disciples there would be a traitor. No, – the evangelist would seem to say, – Christ knew this well.

John 13:12. When he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? John 13:13. You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. John 13:14. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. John 13:15. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. In explaining the immediate meaning of the washing of feet, the Lord says that he has thereby given an example of how his followers should conduct themselves in relation to one another. “You ought to wash...” This commandment is of course to be understood not in a literal, but in a symbolic sense. So in 1 Tim 5:10 the washing of feet is mentioned as a manifestation or synonym of active Christian love for one’s neighbor. The Lord here does not speak of what exactly his disciples should do, but of how they should, with what thoughts and feelings, perform service to their neighbor. It is necessary to do this not only out of obligation, but from love, as Christ did it himself. “Lord and Teacher.” These names correspond to the Hebrew titles then used, by which the disciples called their rabbis: “mara” and “rabbi.” But Christ of course gives these names, with which the apostles addressed him, real significance. His apostles, of course, see in him the one true Teacher and true Lord, and they are entirely right, because he truly is such. And from this it follows that they are obliged to obey his commandments exactly.

John 13:16. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is one who is sent greater than the one who sent him. John 13:17. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. That the apostles must be prepared for any self-sacrifice, the Lord bases on the same consideration that he expressed when he first sent the apostles out on their mission. See the commentary on Matt 10:24. “Blessed are you...” See Matt 5:3.

John 13:18. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘he who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ John 13:19. I am telling you this now, before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. With sorrow again Christ observes that not all his disciples can be called “blessed.” “I know whom I have chosen,” – adds Christ. The disciples do not yet know that there is a betrayer among them, but Christ has known this for a long time. But, submitting to the will of the Father, expressed in Sacred Scripture, he took no steps to remove the betrayer from among the apostles surrounding him. Psalm 40, from which a verse is cited here (Ps 40:10), is understood by the evangelist as undoubtedly a prophetic psalm, foretelling the terrible fate of the Messiah. “Lifted his heel against me,” that is, pretending to be my friend, wanted to crush me when I lay on the ground. Some, however, see here a comparison with a horse, which unexpectedly strikes with its hooves a master standing behind it, or a servant appointed to lead the horse. Let the apostles know that the betrayal did not catch Christ by surprise! “That I am he.” The Lord speaks of himself as the omniscient Jehovah. See the commentary on John 8:24.

John 13:20. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives anyone I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me. Here Christ returns to the main thought of his discourse with the disciples about the meaning of the washing of feet and wishes to establish the thought that they can be called “blessed” (see verse 17). In content this saying is similar to verse 40 of chapter 10 of the Gospel of Matthew, but here it has the meaning that the self-humiliation to which Christ will subject himself and which he has depicted through the symbolic action of washing the disciples’ feet will in no way actually damage his majesty. “To receive Christ,” that is, to believe in him – is all the same as to believe in God, and to trust the apostles is all the same as to hear with faith the preaching of Christ himself. Should the apostles not feel themselves blessed, having such a conviction of the power of their preaching, with which they will go into the world? If they too will go to any self-abasement for the sake of Christ and their brothers in faith, this will in no way damage them. It should be noted that even some of the fathers and teachers of the Church interpreted the washing of feet in a symbolic sense, seeing here either a relation to the Sacrament of the Eucharist, or understanding this action as a foreshadowing of the Sacrament of Christian Baptism. In modern times, Loisy has elaborated in detail the significance of this action from the symbolic point of view. “Jesus,” says Loisy, predominantly dwelling on the relation of the washing of feet to the Eucharist and to the death of Christ which lies at the foundation of this Sacrament, “in his death became a servant of man out of love. The Eucharist is a perpetual remembrance, a real symbol of this service.” But this service of Christ to man is also accomplished in the rite of foot-washing. The evangelist John therefore does not mention the institution of the Eucharist because he considers the washing of feet as a complete correspondence to the Eucharist. The removal of his garments by Christ denotes the laying down of his life; the towel with which Christ girded himself signified the burial clothes with which Christ was wrapped at his burial, and so forth. The water of baptism is also symbolically represented by the water which Christ poured into the basin. But such interpretations appear to be extremely artificial, and it is simpler to say together with the well-known preacher Nebe, that the washing of feet, first, is an example of humble love, second, a symbolic depiction of the action of Christ’s grace on our heart and, third, a guiding model for us in our relations to the brothers.

John 13:21. After saying this, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me. The thought that there is a betrayer among the disciples troubled the soul of Christ (see John 11:33); this was noted only by John, as the one reclining closest to Christ. But this disturbance soon passed, and in a few moments the Lord spoke clearly and definitely, not being agitated (“testified”), that one of the apostles will betray him. See the commentary on Matt 26:21.

John 13:22. The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. John 13:23. One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him; John 13:24. Simon Peter therefore made a sign to him, asking him to inquire of whom he was speaking. John 13:25. So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus’ breast, said to him, “Lord, who is it? Only the evangelist John reports that at the request of Peter the disciple reclining on Jesus’ breast quietly asked Christ whom he had in mind, speaking of the betrayer. See the commentary on Matt 26:20. “One of his disciples...” This was, of course, John, who usually does not mention himself by name (cf. John 1:40). “Simon Peter therefore made a sign to him.” The apostle Peter apparently could not speak anything to Christ without being heard by the others: he was not reclining on the same bed as Christ was reclining. But he was facing John, and the Lord was facing in the opposite direction from where Peter was, and therefore Peter made John a sign, expressing a request to quietly ask Christ about the betrayer. Then, Peter after his unsuccessful remark made to the Lord concerning the washing of feet felt of course some confusion, preventing him from addressing the Lord with a question (St. John Chrysostom).

John 13:26. Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. The Lord, by giving Judas the dipped morsel, thereby pointed out the betrayer. What kind of morsel it was, the evangelist does not say. Some (Bishop Michael) suppose that it was an unleavened cake dipped in a sauce of bitter herbs, and such a supposition is very likely. The action of the Lord was not noted by the other disciples as something unusual, because at a banquet in the east the master – and in this case Christ was the master – usually distributed pieces of bread and meat to his guests. From this one can draw a further conclusion that the Lord, offering a morsel of bread to Judas, even now wished to awaken in him better feelings.

John 13:27. After this morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are about to do, do quickly. John 13:28. Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. John 13:29. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. John 13:30. So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night. Judas should have been touched by this sign of love, but he was already too hardened. And on hardened people even the greatest benefactions of those against whom they are hardened produce an even more hardening effect. Having received a sign of love, Judas became even more hardened, and then into him “entered Satan,” that is, took possession of him completely, never to let him go again. In him there flared up even more hatred toward Christ; it was painful for him to remain in the company of Christ and the apostles, and he began to devise a pretext for leaving the supper. The Lord sees his torments and lets him go: let him quickly accomplish what his soul strives for. But none of the disciples, of course, except John, understood Christ’s words. They thought Christ was sending Judas to buy something for the festival. From this it is evident that the shops in Jerusalem were not yet closed (cf. Matt 25:9-11) and consequently the supper which Christ celebrated was celebrated one day before the lawful time for the celebration of Passover. “And it was night.” With these words the evangelist marks the beginning of that dark time, of which the Lord spoke to the disciples earlier (see John 9:4).

John 13:31. When he went out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. John 13:32. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and will glorify him at once. With the departure of the betrayer, who went to get the detachment that was to arrest Christ, the Lord sees his activity as already finished. The Son of Man, or Messiah, now appears as glorified, but this is not yet that eternal, final glorification of which the prophets predicted and which will take place only in the future (verse 32: “will glorify him”), but glorification through the acceptance of suffering and a martyr’s death for all mankind. “The fullness of the glory of Christ was revealed in his suffering for the sins of the world” (St. Cyril of Alexandria). In calling himself here the Son of Man, the Lord wishes to give his disciples to understand that in his sufferings he appears as the representative of mankind before Divine Justice and that consequently, through his deed, all mankind will be glorified. “And God has been glorified in him.” Through Christ, God fulfilled all his promises given to mankind, and at the same time he himself received glorification from people, who had not previously glorified him as they should have (Rom 1:19). Moreover, mankind itself in a state of glorification or restoration is the glory of God, because in the sufferings and death of Christ, mankind manifested those ideal requirements of obedience to God which God had presented to it when he introduced the progenitors of mankind into paradise (see Silchenkov. The Farewell Discourse, p. 15). “If God has been glorified in him...” Here first of all is spoken of that glory which awaits Christ himself. God glorified in himself the representative of mankind, that is, he will clothe with his highest, heavenly glory the human nature of Christ, while the divine nature of Christ was never deprived of divine glory, as is evident from the fact of the Transfiguration, when temporarily this divine glory, always present in Christ, shone through the bodily covering. “And will glorify him at once.” Some (for example, Zahn) see here a limitation of the thought about glorification expressed by Christ: Christ would seem to have in mind only what will follow in the nearest future, that is, only his resurrection. But it is more correct to see here an indication of the rapidity of subsequent events – the elevation of Christ on the cross and the ascension to heaven: the days of Christ’s sufferings will pass quickly and the glorification is not far off!

John 13:33. “Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews so I say to you now, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ Since the way before Christ is a way of suffering and death and since the disciples do not now go this way, they must separate from Christ. At the thought of this separation, the love of Christ for them awakens with special force and compassion for them seizes his heart. Therefore he calls them by the most affectionate name by which a father calls his beloved children: “little children,” or more correctly from the Greek – “little ones” (τεκνία). “You will seek me...” Being persecuted and hunted by the world, the disciples will seek him, the Lord and Teacher, but they will not be able to go after him. Such words the Lord had spoken earlier (John 7:34), but there these words were addressed to the unbelieving Jews and had the meaning of a threat. Here they express sympathy for the remaining in the world disciples. “As I say to you now.” From now on the Lord does not consider it possible to delay informing the disciples of the approaching separation from him. St. John Chrysostom says that Christ warns them of this separation so that this separation will not strike them with its unexpectedness and so that unexpectedly arriving misfortunes will not confuse them.

John 13:34. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. As a father parting with his children, Christ imparts to the disciples his last instructions. First of all, he gives them the chief commandment which they are bound to observe – this is the commandment about mutual love. In this connection, Christ calls the commandment about love “new” not because he had not taught them before to love one another, but because he speaks here as a King founding his kingdom. His new kingdom is founded on new principles – namely first of all on love, which from now on in the kingdom of Christ becomes the fundamental law of life of the members of this kingdom. In other earthly human kingdoms as fundamental state laws were established other principles and, first of all, the principle of state egoism, for the sake of which every human person was sacrificed. In the kingdom of Christ there is no place for such a principle, and the person retains all its lawful rights as an image and likeness of God. Furthermore, the commandment about love, which Christ here gives, is new even in relation to the commandment about love which already existed in the Old Testament (Lev 19:18), because in the Old Testament this commandment also did not have the significance of a principle of morality on which all Old Testament ethics would be constructed. And most importantly, in the Old Testament it was required to love “one’s neighbor,” that is, a distinction was made between people: some were closer, others farther away. The Lord here speaks not only of a neighbor whom one should love, but in general of people, who all stand in relations of closeness to one another. “Love one another” – this means that among the followers of Christ there cannot be people who are not close to us, that we should love all, as our neighbors. Some interpreters thought that the newness of Christ’s commandment consists also in the degree of love, in its strength, reaching a readiness for self-sacrifice (“love your neighbor more than yourself,” – ancient Greek and some modern interpreters thought). But it is hardly possible to accept such an opinion, because the particle “as” (καθώς) in the expression “as I have loved you” does not denote degree, but rather (cf. John 17:2) the disposition of the one loving, which in its foundation, – and not in degree, measure, – should be similar to the disposition which was in Christ (cf. Phil 2:2).

John 13:35. “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another. May this love in the spirit of Christ serve as a distinguishing mark of a true follower of Christ (cf. 1 John 3:10). Of course, this does not deny other signs of a true disciple of Christ, faith and good deeds, nevertheless it is undeniable that in the writings of the apostle John all these other virtues are subsumed under one concept – love (1 John 3:10; Rev 2:4), just as in the apostle Paul love is recognized as the sum of perfection (Col 3:14). But this love, in order to be love in the spirit of Christ, must be free from all sectarianism and intolerance toward people who do not profess our faith. It is necessary, of course, to begin with love toward people, our own in spirit and origin, but then to go further and further in expanding the sphere of love, which must necessarily rise to the degree of love for all people, even for our enemies.

John 13:36. Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow later. John 13:37. Peter said to him, “Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you. John 13:38. Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, before the rooster crows, you will have denied me three times. The divine requirements presented to the apostles occupy their attention less than the thought that troubles them – that Christ is leaving them. The representative of the feelings of the disciples in this case is the apostle Peter. The brief conversation of the Savior with Peter John depicts here similarly to the account of the evangelist Luke (cf. Luke 22:31-34). The evangelists Matthew (Matt 26:31-35) and Mark (Mark 14:27-31) differ here from John in depicting the time, place, and occasion of the conversation. Peter perhaps thought that the Lord was going somewhere out of Judea in order to establish his church in another land, where the disciples could not follow him for some reason (St. Cyril of Alexandria). He did not think or did not want to think that the Lord was destined to die. In his answer to Peter, Christ almost literally repeats what he said earlier to all the apostles (verse 33), and thereby makes it clear that he will not say anything more to clarify for them the fact which he has in mind. And the addition “you will follow me later” encourages Peter and the other disciples, giving them to understand that they will go the same road of asceticism and martyrdom which he goes, and thus will be united with him again. “Why cannot I...” Peter already now feels ready to sacrifice his life for Christ, but the Lord predicts to him that on the contrary he will not only be unwilling now to lay down his life for Christ, but until the break of day will deny Christ. It is clear that John here supplements the account of the evangelist Luke, in which the prediction of Christ to Peter is not placed in immediate connection with the preceding words of Christ (see Luke 22:31 and following). It is best to make such a combination from the two Gospel accounts: 1) John 13:36-37; and 2) Luke 22:32-33; and 3) John 13:38. The evangelists Matthew and Mark, however, describe only the continuation and end of Christ’s conversation with Peter (Matt 26:30-31; Mark 14:29-31; Matt 26:32-35).