Daily Bible Reading (Monday, April 23rd)

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John 13 (ESV)

Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,[a] but is completely clean. And you[b] are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant[c] is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled,[d] ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus' side,[e] 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus[f] of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter's Denial

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 afterward.”37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.

Footnotes:

  1. John 13:10 Some manuscripts omit except for his feet
  2. John 13:10 The Greek words for you in this verse are plural
  3. John 13:16 Or bondservant, or slave (for the contextual rendering of the Greek word doulos, see Preface)
  4. John 13:18 Greek But in order that the Scripture may be fulfilled
  5. John 13:23 Greek in the bosom of Jesus
  6. John 13:24 Greek lacks Jesus

8 Comments

Tyler, I think this is really driving at the truth that individual is teaching and it’s reception, not really the individual themself. I could receive a gospel preacher into my home physically, but want nothing to do with their truth and not meet the intent of this passage. But, for example, if I receive what Pastor Blakey preaches as the truth of God but never physically have him in my home, I have still met the intent of this passage. Make any sense?

"If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them." In a Jewish culture you really didn't know something unless you did it. In our culture we can be comfortable with just knowing. I need to be careful not to be content with just knowing what the Bible teaches but that I am being a careful doer of the Word. That's where the blessing is.

Cf. Matt. 10:40

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Correct me if I am off here, but I've always been a bit confused by this statement. As well as the passage [I summarize] "the one who receives a prophet receives also a prophet's reward." I've heard the used in strange ways to give people assurance. I think there's an expectation, in this verse that the disciples will be ambassadors for Him, and that the people who are not hearing the message will inevitably not fully recieve them. That doesn't mean it's justifiable to be obnoxious, but that if we are fulfilling our duty to be ambassadors, inevitably we will be received or refused on the basis of ones acceptance or denial of Christ.

That's a heavy responsibility, if I am understanding correctly. (But I confess this concept still catches me a bit)

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” What a reminder that we are supposed to be serving one another! We are to be following Christ's example and humbly serving each other. Thank you for expounding on this topic yesterday Pastor Blakey!

Judas, son of Simon Iscariot (v. 2 & 26), plays a pivotal role in this chapter. In verse 2 we read that the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus, but John doesn't specifically mention when. We do read about Jesus publicly rebuking Judas at a house in Bethany when Jesus was anointed, in John 12:1-8. The same event is described in Matt. 26:6-16, where we learn that Jesus and the disciples were at the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany. Presumable he was formerly a Leper, for he would not have been allowed back into the city of Bethany, and to mingle with people, if he were still a Leper. It is at Simon's house that Jesus has his feet anointed by a woman (Luke describes her as a "sinner", the same word for a prostitute, while John tells us this is Mary the sister of Martha and Lazarus). Judas objects that the ointment could be sold and the money given to the poor, but Jesus publicly rebukes Judas for criticizing what this woman has done, in the house of his own father Simon, and it is then that Judas immediately goes to betray Jesus to the Pharisees in Matt 26:14-16. It would truly seem that pride comes before the fall. Oh Lord, grant us humility to accept rebuke as sons of a loving Father.

Jesus, being Teacher and Lord over His disciples, humbled Himself and served them, even washing their dirty, stinky feet. In the same way, God has commissioned me as teacher and lord over my wife and children. I must humble myself and serve them like Jesus would. Father, humble me to serve my family like Jesus, and please grow this work into saving faith; choose them and know them.

The washing of the disciples feet is a true example of humility; not only that, but Jesus also intends to use this time to teach his disciples and us. In v. 9 Jesus says, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” We then read that Peter wanted his whole body washed. Come to find out, once we are completely clean (v. 10) we need only to wash our feet. I am reminded that while I still live my body and heart will remain sinful, and thus requiring my feet to be washed through the regular confession of sin. Lord I pray for courage to run from the attractiveness of sin in my life. Clean my feet so that I may be worthy to enter into your kingdom. Thank you for your Son and His work on the cross. Amen.

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