Lesson #24

JOHN 13
Lesson #24
THE TRUE MEANING OF DISCIPLESHIP

• Memory verse: John 13:34

• Review of the gospel:
• Light, Love, and Life:
• Through the first 12 chapters of the gospel of John, Jesus ministers through words and deeds that He is the Light of the world.
• In John chapters 13-17, Jesus ministers to His disciples by demonstrating Love.
• In John chapters 18-24, Jesus ministers demonstrating Life.
• These are the three characteristics that impressed the disciple, John, the most as he was the closest to Jesus.
• These are the three characteristics that the disciple, John wrote about in First, Second, and Third John.
• John mentions Light 5 times in these three little books.
• John mentions Love 28 times in these three little books.
• John mentions Life 12 times in these three little books.
• We have arrived at the place in this gospel where Jesus ministers only to those close to Him in what is called, the upper room discourse. It begins with the washing of the disciples’ feet in a rented room.
• The washing of the disciple’s feet contrasts with the anointing of Jesus’ feet in chapter 12.
• Background:
• Read Exo 21:1-6 The love servant:
• Jesus fulfills the illustration of the love servant.
• After 6 years of service the bond servant was set free.
• However, if the bond servant chose to remain because of love, he was marked by piercing.
• Jesus was free to leave this earth after suffering rejection. However, he chose to remain because of love for us. His choice of love marked him by crucifixion (piercing). He, therefore, became forever marked as the ultimate love servant.

• Read Joh 13:1-17 The washing of the disciples’ feet
• From verse 1-3 we can determine what Jesus knew supernaturally concerning events:
• He knew He had come to complete the full manifestation of God’s love. (1)
• He knew his hour was come. (1)
• He knew who would betray him. (2) (10)
• He knew His authority over the devil. (3)
• He knew from where He had come (3)
• He knew to where He was going. (3)
• “…before the feast of the passover”

(1)

• There is some controversy over the timing of events in regards to reconciling the gospel of John with the other three gospels.
• Only John records the washing of the disciples’ feet and indicates that this event occurs before the last supper with His disciples. (18)
• The three-fold purpose for this action:

• “…when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father…”

(1)

• The event of the washing of the disciples’ feet occurs because Jesus knew this was His last week with His disciples and soon He would go back to heaven (3)
• “…having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end..”

(1)

• Jesus washed the disciples’ feet because He loved His disciples.
• “…the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.”

(2)

• Satan has entered into the closeness of the circle of the disciples, and there needs to be cleansing.
• The actions of our love servant:
• People wore sandals in the Middle East in those days. The roads were dusty and unpaved. Therefore, it was a common practice of hospitality for a host to provide a servant who would wash the feet of the guests who entered his house. For some reason this was not done for Jesus and the disciples. Therefore, Jesus used this lack of gracious hospitality to bring a message to His disciples.
• Read Phi 2:5-6 Jesus takes on the role of a love servant.
• This is the amazing contrast we see in this action. Jesus was the Son of God. He was without sin. He was equal with God, the Father. He came down from heaven and was about to return to heaven. He put aside the honor that was due Him and became a love servant to His disciples.
• The action

: (1-11)

• Peter questions Jesus’ actions: (6)
• Jesus tells Peter that he will not understand this action until later. (7)
• “…Thou shalt never wash my feet….”

(8)

• Why did Peter say this?
• Peter felt guilty because none of the 12 had thought to do what Jesus was now doing.
• “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.”

(8)

• What did Jesus mean by these words?
• We have learned in this gospel that the only way a person can become one of God’s sheep in His family is to go through the door, which is Jesus Christ. (Joh 10)
• We have learned in this gospel that one must be born again by the Holy Spirit. (Joh 3)
• Therefore, to be part of the family of Jesus Christ we must have our sins cleansed or forgiven through the shed blood of Jesus Christ.on the cross.
• Only through forgiveness of sins can we have a relationship with God.
• Of course, the disciples did not understand this yet, for Jesus was not yet crucified.
• Peter is so enthusiastic over these words from Jesus that he wants to make sure he has an eternal relationship with God. He asks Jesus to wash him all over his body, not just his feet.
• “…He that is washed

(bathed) needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.” (10)

• The two Greek words in this verse for “wash”:
• The first Greek word is, “louo” which means = bathed.
• The second Greek word is “nipto” which means = washed.
• What does verse 10 mean? In this very important verse, Jesus makes an important distinction:
• Jesus tells Peter that only the feet are necessary for washing. What did He mean?
• When a person is born again by the Holy Spirit, all of his sins from the past are immediately forgiven. At that moment in time, he is completely “bathed” clean.
• However, the believer in Christ still walks through a dirty world system dealing with temptations and his flesh nature. From time to time, he will still fall into sin.
• When that happens, the believer needs to come to Christ and ask for forgiveness for those new sins. In other words, he needs his feet washed. (Psa 139:23-24)
• Because he is already a believer in Christ, he does not need to be saved again. He only needs to get his feet washed.
• The important difference between cleansing by the blood of Christ and washing by the water of the Word of God: (Eph 5:25-26)
• The blood of Christ cleanses us from all sin the moment we are born again.
• The Word of God (the Bible) is a living Word. It reveals sin to us as we read it. The Holy Spirit uses that Word to convict us of our daily sins. Then as we ask for forgiveness, Christ cleanses us and forgives us.
• Forgiveness is through the blood of Christ.
• Cleansing is through the Word of God. (Joh 15:3)
• “…but not all.”

(10)

• This phrase refers to Judas. In other words, all the disciples will be born again believers after the crucifixion, having their sins forgiven through the blood of Christ, except Judas.
• Did Jesus wash Judas’ feet?
• Evidently He did, for the Bible does not tell us differently. However, Judas was never cleansed by the blood of Christ. He was never born again. He never had a spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ.
• Judas went through the motions of getting his feet washed physically, but neither the blood of Christ nor the Word of God changed his heart and life.
• Summary:
• What is the central truth of Jesus’ teaching in this portion of scripture?
• The significance of the washing of the disciples’ feet is deeper than a model for simple humility. It is performed in conjunction with the celebration of the Passover. The Passover was a type or prefigure of the crucifixion where the Passover lamb was slain to cover the people from the consequences of sin which is death. .
• Therefore, the washing of the disciples’ feet illustrates the distinction between the forgiveness of sins by being born again and the forgiveness of daily sins by the washing of the water of the Word of God.
• The feet present us with the Biblical symbol of our Christian walk, our lifestyle.(Psa 40:2 Psa 56:13)
• Unfortunately too many Christians never get their feet washed by the water of the Word of God. Why?
• They don’t bother to read the Word of God.
• They don’t seek forgiveness of sin once they have received Christ in their hearts.
• Read 1Joh 1:5-10
• They don’t put their Christian walk (their feet) in the hands of Jesus Christ.
• The message

: (12-17)

• Jesus goes on to speak to His disciples about the significance of his actions by extending the message.

• “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”

(14)

• Because Jesus is our Lord and Master through a born-again experience and has cleansed us through the Word of God, we should be obedient to Him and serve others.
• How are we to wash each other’s feet?
• Read Gal 6:1-10
• Read 2Cor 5:19
• “…The servant is not greater than his lord;…”

(16)

• Jesus is the eternal love servant of God the Father.
• The believer is to be the love servant of others.
• Why would understanding this message make one happy? (17)
• It is one of those basic principles of the kingdom of God like giving and receiving, or sewing and reaping.
• Whoever desire to be a chief, let him be a servant. (Mat 20:27)

• Read Joh 13:18-30

• “…He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me. Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.”

(18-19)

• What do verses 18 and 19 mean?
• Jesus quotes Psa 41:9 which is a prophecy that He is about to fulfill.
• The prophecy comes from David’s experience with betrayal by a trusted counselor, Ahithophel, who then hanged himself. (2Sam 16:20-17:3, 23)
• Jesus is speaking of Judas who is about to partake of the unleavened bread of the Passover meal just before he goes out to betray Him.
• Jesus is telling the disciples that when they see this prophecy fulfilled, they can believe that Jesus is the “I am”, the Messiah.
• “…He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.”

(20)

• The descending and ascending spiritual order of authority in God’s kingdom:
• God sent Jesus. Jesus sends the disciples.
• Those who receive the disciples, receive Jesus. Those who receive Jesus, receive God, the Father.
• Because of this aspect of authority in the kingdom of God, it is not the disciples who win people to Christ, it is God, from whom the authority flows. The disciples are only the messengers.
• “When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit…”

(21)

• According to the other gospels, it is at this point that we know Jesus and the disciples are sharing the last supper which is the Passover celebration.
• Read Mat 26:20-30 The last supper of the Passover
• Jesus celebrated an early Passover with his disciples.because He knew that He would die at the very moment of the killing of the Passover lamb on the 14th day of the month of Nisan.
• It was not uncommon to celebrate a Passover without the Passover lamb as part of the meal.
• The Celebration of the Last Supper, the Passover Meal

.

• There is much discussion about whether this last supper was on Wednesday or Thursday.
• Usually the Passover was celebrated from sundown (6 p.m.) on Thursday to sundown (6 p.m.) on Friday. Leviticus tells us that the Passover was to be on the 14th of Nissan. (Lev 23:5)
• The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke seem to indicate that Jesus celebrated the Passover on Thursday.
• The gospel of John seems to indicates that Jesus celebrated the Passover on Wednesday, a day early. (Joh 18:28)

• The arrangement around the table during this Passover meal is very important to understanding the actions that take place.Jesus and the disciples did not sit in chairs as we see in Da Vinci’s famous painting. Instead, they reclined on their left arm on the floor with their feet pointing away from the table. This kept the right arm free to eat. The person to Jesus’ right (John) had the position of greatest honor. John’s ear would be close to Jesus’ mouth. The person on Jesus’ left (Judas) had the second position of honor. Jesus’ would have to turn his head backward to talk to him, but Judas’ mouth would be close to Jesus’ ear.
• Peter reclined across the table from John.
• From this arrangement, you can see why things that were said between Jesus and Judas, and between Jesus and John that were not easily heard by others at the table.
• The sequence of events at the last supper:
• Putting all the gospel accounts together with the Jewish celebration of the Passover meal, the events probably occurred as follows:
• =1= they drank the first cup of wine (Luk 22:17-18)
• In the Passover, there were four cups of wine:
• 1) the cup of sanctification
• 2) the cup of antiquity representing the 10 plagues in Exodus.
• 3) the cup of redemption or the cup of blessing. (passed around seven times)
• 4) the cup of acceptance or the cup of Elijah.

• =2= Jesus replaced the washing of hands with the washing of feet. (Joh 13:4-5)
• =3= A servant brought in a portable table of food. The host broke one of the unleavened pieces of bread. Half of it was put aside for after the meal. Jesus used this half later to initiate our communion.
• =4= A servant filled the second cup. The youngest person at the table asked what was the meaning of the observances. Then the host recited the answers, giving the significance of the first Passover in Exodus and the history of the Jews.
• =5= The second cup was lifted up to God three times. (it represents the Holy Trinity.) They said prayers and sang Psalms 113 and Psalms 114.
• =6= They drank the second cup.
• =7= Everyone present washed his hands and began to eat the meal.
• While they ate, Jesus announced the betrayal. (Mat 26:21-22)
• This announcement is based on the prophecy in Psa 41:9.
• The betrayer was identified as someone present. (Mat 26:23)
• Peter asked John to question Jesus and find out who would betray Jesus. (Joh 13:24)
• John asks Jesus who it is. (Joh 13:25)
• Jesus says to John that it is the person to whom he will give the next piece of bread. (Joh 13:26)
• The first piece of bread was given to the guest of honor. Therefore, Jesus makes Judas the guest of honor.
• According to the arrangement around the table, no one but John heard this identification of Judas.
• Judas ordinarily would take the piece of bread from Jesus.
• This piece of bread was dipped in bitter herbs that represented the suffering of the Jews.
• The bread was not handed to Judas, but Jesus put the bread in Judas’ mouth as an act of love.
• In this act, Jesus is extending love and forgiveness to Judas. When Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. (Joh 13:27)
• Judas was told to go and finish his betrayal.
• For the first time, Judas realizes that Jesus knows about the betrayal plot with the temple leaders.
• Judas left the Passover at this point in the ceremony.
• Because Judas left, he did not drink of the last cup of wine, called the cup of redemption. That cup represented personal identification with Christ’s blood shed on the cross.
• Because of that, it is evidence that Judas was not saved.
• Jesus discussed his glorification and departure with the remaining disciples. (Joh 13:31-38)
• =8= At the end of the meal, Jesus took that piece of broken bread from #3 above and identified it with his crucified body. He gave some to everyone present.
• =9= Then Jesus took the third cup, called the cup of redemption, and gave it to everyone present. They sang Psalms 115-118. (Luk 22:17-20)
• =10= Jesus identifies this third cup with his crucifixion.
• =11= Evidently Jesus did not use the 4th cup of acceptance. Why?
• Perhaps it is because the disciples were not yet born again, in that he had not yet shed his blood.
• Therefore, until the resurrection occurred, they could not have been born again by the shed blood of Christ and were not acceptable to God at this point in time.

• Summary:
• What do you learn about Judas?
• The scripture indicates the point in time when Satan entered Judas.
• However, Judas gradually fell to reach this point. Judas was continually giving in to Satan’s temptations as he stole money from the group’s treasury. Once he crossed a spiritual, unseen line, Satan took full possession. (27)
• Judas had a choice up to the last moment of betrayal. He could have chosen to repent and turn to Christ.
• None of the other disciples had detected Judas’ true character. Therefore, it is easy to pretend to be a believer. It is only by spiritual discernment can the depths of true character be discerned.
• What do you learn about Jesus?
• Jesus demonstrated love and humility as our model for the Christian life.
• Love
• Jesus continually offered Judas a way out by extending to him a hand of love up to the last minute.
• Humility
• Jesus demonstrated humility in His willingness to be a servant.
• When humility and servanthood are combined together as they are in this chapter, it is the highest form of love.

• Read Joh 13:31-38 The test of true discipleship

• “…Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.”

(31)

• The word, glory or glorify, means = to exalt by completing a task or to express the essential nature of something by bringing it to fruition.
• The crucifixion was completing the task Jesus came to accomplish.
• The resurrection brought God’s plan to fruition.
• Now that Judas is gone from the group, Jesus speaks in an endearing manner to the remaining eleven..
• He gives them warning about His departure.
• He gives them a test by way of a new commandment:
• What is the test of true discipleship?
• Disciples of Jesus Christ are to be known by their love: their love of God, their love for other believers, and their love for all people. (Mat 22:38-40)
• Notice that Jesus emphasizes this love three times in two verses with the phrase, “love one another”. (34-35)
• This love is a sacrificial and unconditional love.
• This is the most important commandment and the most violated:
• This commandment comes before serving the Lord.
• This commandment comes before witnessing.
• Notice that Jesus says the unbeliever will know the true Christians by their love, because it is love that draws the non-believer to Christ.
• Usually the unbeliever hears the gossip before the gospel

• By contrast, what true discipleship is not:

• “…I will lay down my life for thy sake.”

(37)

• Peter boasted that he was willing to fight and die to prove his loyalty to Christ.
• A better test of discipleship is love not strength.
• Only a few Christians are called to be martyrs for Christ.
• But even Peter, though he had good intentions, was too weak to stand up for Christ in his own strength.

HOMEWORK
JOHN 14
This is a self-study. Please do not send homework answers to the teacher forcorrection.

• Application of Joh 13
• In which ways can you improve your discipleship qualities?

• Preparation for Joh 14
• Read Joh 14:1-31
• In this passage of scripture, what do you learn about the role of the Holy Spirit?
• What are the benefits to the believer of the presence of the Holy Spirit?
• What do you learn about love and obedience?
• As a member of the Holy Trinity, Jesus claimed equality with God, the Father. Then, how do you explain verse 28?

• Memory verse: John 14:15