UNFAITHFULNESS ANNOUNCED
John chapter 13 v. 21 to 38
The Lord Jesus was troubled in the spirit now that the time was coming for one of his disciples to betray Him, leading to the supreme sacrifice of His own life on the next day. He had been troubled before for different reasons (chapter 11:33 and 12:27): He was one with God (John 5:19) yet he had our real humanity (John 1:14).
When He disclosed that one of the disciples, at the table, would betray Him, it was like a bolt from the blue sky, as the Lord swept his eyes around and looked at them. They began to glance at one another in bewilderment. The word betray is often used in respect of Judas (Matthew 26:21, Mark 14:18 and the same idea in Luke 22:21). The Lord had said a year ago that "one of you is a devil" (chapter 6:70), but it made no such stir then.
Judas had been so clever in disguising his unbelief, that not one of the others could single him out as the traitor. After all, he was the one the disciples trusted to keep their money (chapter 12:6 and 13:29). Each one enquired from one another who it might be, and one by one from the Lord "is it I?" In the midst of the confusion Simon Peter signalled to John to ask Him who it was, as John was in a favourable position to have a whispered word with Him, whereas Peter was evidently further away. The others may not even have noticed it.
It was the custom for the host at a banquet to take a piece of bread, dip it in the sauce, and present it to the guest of honour. When John asked the question, the Lord told him it was the person to whom he would do that. By this gesture the Lord honoured Judas Iscariot, and extended to him the token of friendship. Judas was at the cross-roads. Christ kept the door open to Judas up to the very last. Even in the garden He would say, "Friend, why have you come?" (Matthew 26:50). The Lord knew what Judas would do, but He did not force him to do it. Judas couldn't understand this, and remorsefully ended his own life shortly after.
After the piece of bread, Satan (Adversary; Accuser) entered Judas (it is the only time this word occurs in this Gospel). Satan took over this man gradually, apparently his usual custom: a succession of little falls permits this great enemy to move in gradually until he finally takes over. The Lord gave Judas an opportunity to accept Him, but Judas turned his back on to Him. Then Satan moved in and took him over completely.
Knowing this, the Lord told him to "do more quickly what he was doing." Christ was distressed and wanted to get over this terrible event without delay (Luke 12:50). Having made his decision, Judas is now compelled to cooperate with Him. The religious rulers probably weren't too keen to arrest and crucify this Man while the crowds were there during the feast. It would suit them better to wait until the feast was over. But our Lord tells Judas to be sharp, and he must go out and set the events in motion for His arrest.
The other disciples had not yet perceived the treacherous disposition of Judas. Food had to be bought for the seven days of the feast of Unleavened Bread which came immediately after the Passover, the first day of which was a Sabbath (To Rest from Labour), and at the Passover season donations were given to the poor; so the disciples thought the Lord wanted him, who was the treasurer, to get this over with quickly. It is to be noticed that our Lord did not beg for support, but that He and his group carried on their business in a businesslike way. Neither did He feed them miraculously, for they had to go and buy their food.
Judas, however, knew what the Lord meant, so he acted straight away, going into the eternal night for him. What God does, He does slowly. What the Devil does, he does quickly. The Devil must move fast because his days are limited. God has all eternity to accomplish His purposes.
There was now a change in the room. Judas was gone, and our Lord began to talk in earnest to these men. He lifted their thoughts from the present to the future, from the material to the eternal and from that which is secular to that which is spiritual. Although Simon Peter interrupted Him, His discourse can be said to begin from verse 31.
He begun by saying that the Son of Man was now going to be glorified: this would be accomplished through His death and resurrection. From the human side the Cross looks like shame and defeat, but God is glorified in Him because the salvation of sinners is wrought through the Cross. God is the source of the glory (chapter 17:5) with the Father in heaven succeeding the Cross. There was to be no postponement: first and quickly the Cross, then the Ascension.
Affectionately addressing them as little children, he said that He would be with them only a little longer, then no more: the words he had said to the Jews "Where I am going, you cannot come," also applied to them. He was going to the Cross, and no one can go to the Cross as He did. He suffered alone, and there is a suffering of Christ which none of us can fully comprehend.
He gave them what He called a new commandment: that they love (keep on loving) one another in the same way that He loved them. The commandment to love one's neighbour as oneself wasn't new - it was given through Moses (Leviticus 19:18), but the commandment He now gave them was new in that the measure of the love for another was no longer the love of oneself, but the love of Christ for His disciples.
The love of that kind for one another was to be the evidence for all to know that they were indeed His disciples. He would later even say that it would be evidence that the Father sent Him (chapter 17:23). Such love will not only keep believers strong and united in a world hostile to God, but it will help to bring unbelievers to Christ, by convincing them that believers are indeed followers of Christ, and that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Son of God.
Love in this sense does not necessarily involve emotion, and is more than simply warm feelings; it is an attitude that reveals itself in respect and a deep desire for the well-being of a brother or sister in Christ, with self-sacrifice if necessary, and by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Because it is hard to do and against our human nature, people notice when we do it and realise that it comes from a supernatural source. The world is dying for just a little love, and the Lord said that His disciples are to be known for their love to one another.
We do not win the lost by being Christian cannibals: "But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!" (Galatians 5:15). This is the type of thing that turns the unsaved away from the church, and they don't come in to hear the gospel. They hear the gossip before they can hear the gospel! The most important commandment for a Christian is not to witness, not to serve, but to love other believers!
Peter, still ruminating about what the Lord had said before, asked Him where He was going. Being told that he could not follow Him now, but would afterward, he proudly told the Lord that he was ready to die for Him. But the Lord already knew Peter would deny that he knew Him that very night, to protect himself (chapter 18:25-27), and so corrected him. In our enthusiasm, it is easy to make promises, but God knows the extent of our commitment. We must not think of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3).
R David Jones
21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."
22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke.
25 Then, leaning back on Jesus' breast, he said to Him, "Lord, who is it?"
26 Jesus answered, "It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it." And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, "What you do, do quickly."
28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.
29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him, "Buy those things we need for the feast," or that he should give something to the poor.
30 Having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night.
31 So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him.
32 "If God is glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself, and glorify Him immediately.
33 "Little children, I shall be with you a little while longer. You will seek Me; and as I said to the Jews, 'Where I am going, you cannot come,' so now I say to you.
34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
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 shall follow Me afterward."
37 Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake."
38 Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times.