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. 2During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simonâs son, to betray him, 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciplesâ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, âLORD, do you wash my feet?â 7Jesus answered him, âWhat I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.â 8Peter said to him, âYou shall never wash my feet.â Jesus answered him, âIf I do not wash you, you have no share with me.â 9Simon Peter said to him, âLORD, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!â 10Jesus said to him, âThe one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet,a but is completely clean. And youb are clean, but not every one of you.â 11For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, âNot all of you are clean.â
OVERVIEW. The reformers note that the focus of Johnâs narrative shifts decisively in chapter 13 from Jesusâ public ministry, which included his teaching and miracles, to the passionâthe sufferingâand crucifixion of Christ. With this shift, Jesus speaks openly about what is about to happen. Commentators note that much of this involves a great mystery shrouded in allegory, which was not immediately clear to the disciples.
As Jesus neared the time of his arrest, he prepared his disciples to face what would come next. John omitted the story of the Last Supper. The reformers reason that this omission was due in part because the other Evangelists had recorded it or because its liturgical celebration had already become well known to Johnâs audience. John is also the only Evangelist to record the story of Jesus washing the disciplesâ feet, which some reformers see as a judgment on its importance. Others see this event as an important signifier of Jesusâ imminent passion. They understand the example of Jesus humbly washing the disciplesâ feet like a servant to be not only a preparation for the disciples but also an example for contemporary minsters and laity alike.
Amid the reformersâ commentary on the footwashing, questions arise as to whether Jesus began washing with Judas or possibly with Peter and what implications the story has for the church, its ministry, and its discipline. Although there is no clear consensus about the order in which Jesus washed the disciples, there is general agreement that Jesus demonstrated an extravagant love by washing the feet of both Judas, who would soon betray him, and Peter, who initially rejected the footwashing and would soon deny him. Moving beyond the historical event, many reformers understand this episode to signify a continual washing that is available even now to believers, while some reflect on the sacramental nature and implications of Jesusâ act. Juxtaposed to this love, however, is the working of Satan within Judas, a member of the inner circle. Commentators are keen to discuss how Satan acted in this instance in relationship to the authority of God. They understand that Satan worked in subjection to God, who brought about his plan by allowing Satan and Judas to do their impious deeds. This leads them to warn their audience that if one of Jesusâ disciples could fall, then all Christians should beware.
Commentators emphasize Jesusâ foreknowledge about his impending death and how he warned his disciples, and others as well, of his suffering. These passages demonstrate to the reformers that Christ continued to hold all power even as his passion neared and as he humbled himself to wash his disciplesâ feet. Those, like Peter, who rejected the footwashing, also rejected the scandal of the cross. For the reformers, this scene is important not only because of the historical narrative but also because it points to the continual washing away of the sins of Christâs followers, who remain sinners but are nonetheless justified and loved by God. Just as Christ washed Judasâs feet and allowed him to remain until he departed on his own, so also does he give to everyone the opportunity to repent and return to him.
Introductory Comments
LAST SUPPER DISCOURSES. ALEXANDER ALESIUS: [In] this the second part of [Johnâs] Gospel . . . the Evangelist sets (by way of preface) a summary of Christâs discourses at the Supper. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.1
CAREFUL AND SWEET WORDS. JOHANN WILD: John writes with such careful and serious words that the Catholic Church justly gives thanks to the Holy Spirit because such riches of grace and truth have been poured out from the mouth of the fullness of Christ into the boundless memory of this Evangelist, which he maintained by such completeness. He poured out in the opportune time, so that assuredly the church may be made safe from the heretics by this Gospel alone.
And now that the unbelieving crowd had been dismissed, Christ turned to the disciples for two reasons: First, he knew they would be extremely saddened by his death, and so he fortified them against the impending calamity. Second, because he desired the gospel to be preached to the whole world by them, therefore he took pains to root out from their minds by that pure gospel ruin, jealousy, hatred, greed, arrogance, and flattery and to implant the opposite dispositionsânamely humility, gentleness, and so on before separating from them.
Therefore, those things that we have heard up to now, honor and wealth are assuredly the dwelling of God, but much more important are the following, for we are accustomed to open the secrets of the heart completely among friends rather than enemies. Indeed, these things said from here all the way to the yoke of the cross are nothing other than the recitation of the Testament, which our Father wrote . . . and the designation of the inheritance, which he delegated by wonderful love to his little children in his own struggle with death.
Therefore, just as the words are accustomed to be sweet to the pious and well-loving brothers and to abide more deeply in the memory . . . [they] are to be defended by a humble spirit, and faithful memory. Disciples who do not go astray there may stand, and this John, who was present, lies in between, as if reciting in faithful shorthand. And they may more surely hear, whenever they hope in their inheritance, and in the meantime they may look for the Paraclete and protector, and the worldly person, who attends to each word of the Testament, imitates them in order that they do not miss them, because they belong to them. COMMENTARY ON JOHN.2
JOHNâS GOSPEL IS SELECTIVE. CASPAR CRUCIGER: Just as throughout his history John deliberately passes over narratives that are preserved in the writings of the other Evangelists, so too he here leaves out the eating of the [Passover] lamb and the institution of the Supper for the church to observe, and he recounts only the washing of the feet and the exceedingly sweet discourses that were delivered afterward. INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPEL OF JOHN.3
WHY JOHN NEGLECTS THE LAST SUPPER. JOHANNES BRENZ: John only mentions the Supper, rather than describing it, because it had already been described in sufficient detail by the other Evangelists. EXEGESIS ON THE DIVINE GOSPEL OF JOHN.4
JOHN HAD ALREADY INTRODUCED THE EUCHARIST. MARTIN BUCER: The remaining Evangelists set the account of the holy Supper in this place. . . . But because John has already recalled the discourse of the Lord concerning true communion with him in chapter 6, above, he here passes over the narration of the Supper. For the ceremony of the Eucharist had already begun to be very familiar to all Christians. . . . A little before, offering the bread and the ...