Verse by Verse

6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”

7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”

8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

Are You washing my feet (v. 6) emphasis in original Greek

after this (v. 7) — after the Spirit had come and made things clear

part (v.8) — fellowship, new nature communion (2 Corinthians 6:15)

he who is bathed (v. 10) — the new birth, regeneration by water (the Word) and the Spirit (Titus 3:5). Once accomplished, it cannot be repeated.

needs only to wash his feet (v. 10) — referring to the believer’s walk which needs the cleansing of the Word (Ephesians 5:25-26). But the believer needs no further washing because, before God, he is spotless.

The first “washing” in verse 10 is from the Greek word for “bathed.” The second washing is from the Greek word for “cleaning the extremities.”

This same distinction was plainly marked in the Old Testament. When Aaron and his sons were consecrated, they were bathed all over (Exodus 29:4; Leviticus 8:6); but at the laver it was only their hands and feet which were daily cleaned (Exodus 30:19-21). — Pink, page 308

2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him,

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,

4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.

5 After that, 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.

Judas (v. 2) — a devil (John 6:70)

put it into the heart (v. 2) = dropped into (Matthew 26:14)

Verse three shows the tremendous love and condescension in what Christ was about to do.

rose from supper (v. 4) = should read “during supper.” This was probably the Passover meal. The Lord’s supper hadn’t yet been instituted.

garments (v. 4) — His long, loose outer robe

girded Himself (v. 4) — took on the form of a servant (Philippians 2:5-11)

Midway through the meal our Lord rose from the table, laid aside His garments, and tied a long linen towel about His waist. In the Eastern culture of the day, a towel girded about the midsection was the sign of a servant or slave. According to Luke’s account (Luke 22:24), we know that at this supper the disciples were arguing among themselves about who was the greatest! While this contentious spirit manifested itself, Jesus put on the badge of a servant. — Comfort, page 211

foot washing (v. 5) — a rite of hospitality (Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; Judges 19:21) an act of humility and love

water (v. 5) — symbolizes the Word (Psalm 119:9; Ephesians 5:25-26)

There is a difference between the washing of regeneration and the washing for continued fellowship, sanctification, and communion. Our daily contact with the evil all around causes the dust of defilement to settle upon us so that the mirror of our conscience is dimmed and the spiritual affections of our heart dulled. The believer’s initial cleansing cannot be repeated — and does not need to be, for it cannot be canceled. But our daily walk must be brought under review and everything removed that would hinder the full experience and enjoyment of our privileges as children of God. We are human and, therefore, easily defiled by the world. We don’t need to be saved again, but we do need to have the grime of the journey of life washed from us. Ephesians 5:26 speaks of our sanctification and cleansing with the washing of water by the Word. The Word of God is likened to water, and its daily application to our lives keeps us in fellowship with our Lord. — Comfort, page 211

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Three things are to be carefully noted here as reasons why He washed His disciples’ feet on this occasion. First, He knew that His hour was come when He should depart out of this world (13:1); second, He loved His own unto the end (13:1); third, because all things had been given into His hands, and He that had come from God was returning to God — for these reasons He arose from the table and girded Himself with a towel. As we shall see, all of this finds its explanation in the Lords’ words to Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me” (13:8). For three years the disciples had had “a part” with Him. But now He was about to leave them; but before doing so He would assure them (and us) that His wondrous love continues undiminished and unchanged after His return to the Father. Christ began a service in the Glory which, in another manner, He will continue forever. The service in which He is now engaged is to maintain our “part” with Him. — Pink, page 298

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

From chapter 13 to chapter 17, Jesus is alone with His disciples.

His own — the 12 disciples

He loved them — Even with the knowledge that all would abandon Him, one would deny Him and one would betray Him.

to the end — can also be translated “to the utmost.”

Knowing full well that He was soon to suffer and die, Jesus’ main concern was for His disciples. He expressed His love by service — washing their feet — as a foretaste of His greater service soon to come.

It would be natural for the disciples to conclude that His ministry unto them was also ended. But not so. It would continue, and that is what this blessed section of John’s Gospel is primarily designed to show us. He loves these disciples (and us) not only unto the Cross, but “unto the end.” His return to the Father would neither terminate not diminish the activities of His love for His own: in Heaven, He is still occupied with the interest of His people. — Pink, page 292.

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“Now before the feast of the Passover,” immediately before, for on the morrow Christ was to die as the true Lamb. The “Passover” itself was eaten at the close of the fourteenth day of Nisan (Exodus 12:6, 8); but “the feast,” which lasted seven days, began on the fifteenth (Numbers 28:17). What we have here, then, transpired on the eve before our Lord’s death. — Pink, page 294.

44 Then Jesus cried out and said, “He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me.

45 And he who sees Me sees Him who sent Me.

46 I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.

47 And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world.

48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.

49 For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak.

50 And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak.”

believing in the Son (v. 44) = believing in the Father — total unity.

Him who sent Me (v. 45) — Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves (John 14:8-11).

I did not come to judge (v. 47) — Not at His first coming. His judgment will come at His second coming (verse 48).

reject (v. 48) = displace, don’t accept His authority or receive His words. It can be neglect, not just outright rejection.

His words will judge (v. 48) because His words are true.

command (v. 49) = charge, commission

This final public statement by Christ is a summation of His ministry over the previous three years. It may be John’s summation of things Jesus said earlier (John 1:18; 5:24; 8:12; 8:19; 9:5; 10:38)

This solemn utterance [vs. 48] of Christ corrects an erroneous conclusion which has been drawn by some Calvinists, who deny the responsibility of unregenerate souls in connection with the Gospel. They argue that because the natural man is devoid of spiritual life, he cannot believe; a dead man, they say, cannot receive Christ. To this it might be replied A dead man cannot reject Christ. But many do! It is true that a dead man cannot believe, yet he ought to. His inability lies not in the absence of necessary faculties, but in the willful perversion of his faculties. When Adam died spiritually, nothing in him was annihilated; instead, he became “alienated from the life of God” (Ephesians 4:18). Every man who hears the Gospel ought to believe in Christ, and those who do not will yet be punished for this unbelief (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7). As Christ here teaches, the rejector of Him will be judged for his sin. — Pink, page 287

37 But although He had done so many signs before them, they did not believe in Him,

38 that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke:”Lord, who has believed our report?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe, because Isaiah said again:

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, Lest they should see with their eyes, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.”

41 These things Isaiah said when he saw His glory and spoke of Him.

42 Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue;

43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

That the saying (v. 38) = Consequently the saying

report (v. 38) — Christ’s words and His miracles

They could not believe (v. 39) — The nation of Israel was already in spiritual darkness when Isaiah wrote this 700 years earlier.

blinded (v. 40) — see back to verse 36 — The Light hid Himself from them. The same thing will happen again in the Tribulation (Isaiah 55:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:10-12; Hebrews 2:3)

Isaiah (v. 40-41) — Because they would not believe (Matthew 13:14-15; Acts 28:25-31), they were given over to blindness in which they could not believe — until a future prophesied in Zechariah 12:9-10 — It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. “And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.

This is no doubt a very solemn and awful subject. It seems at first sight to make God the author of man’s destruction. But surely a moment’s reflection will show us that God is a Sovereign in punishing, and may punish in any way He pleases. Some He cuts off suddenly the moment they sin. Others He gives over to judicial blindness, and ceases to strive with their consciences. “The Judge of all the earth will certainly do right.” Those whom He is said to “harden and blind” will always be found to be persons whom He had previously warned, exhorted, and constantly summoned to repent. And never is He said to harden and blind, and give men up to judicial hardness and blindness, till after a long course of warnings. This was certainly the case with Pharaoh and with the Jews. — Gaebelein, page 238

These things Isaiah said (v. 41) — Isaiah 6:1

saw His glory (v. 41) — Isaiah saw the preincarnate Christ.

Chief rulers believed (v. 42) — Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea (John 5:44).

Loves the praise of men (v. 43) — Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God (James 4:4).

31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.

32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself.”

33 This He said, signifying by what death He would die.

34 The people answered Him, “We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?”

35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going.

36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.

now (v. 31) — Looking forward to the cross — this hour (v. 27). The result will be judgment and the casting out of Satan. Christ’s death condemned the world and sealed Satan’s fate. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2:15). It is certain and therefore accomplished.

judgment (v. 31) — because they rejected and crucified Him

ruler of this world (v. 31) — Satan

lifted up (v. 32) — on the cross. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up (John 3:14).

all peoples (v. 32) — all who hear and believe. Eventually, all will acknowledge Him, although not all will be saved.

a little while longer (v. 35) — It was just a few days before He died. Then it would be too late for Israel as a nation (for the time being).

Christ remains forever (v. 34) — They were referring to Psalm 72:17; 89:4; 110:4; Isaiah 9:6-5; Ezekiel 37:25). They didn’t realize that Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 also referred to the Messiah.

Verse 36 marks the end of Christ’s public ministry.

The casting out of Satan was to be a gradual process. In the light of this verse [v. 31], and other passages (e.g. Hebrews 2:14-15), we believe that Satan’s hold over this world was broken at the Cross. The apostle tells us that Christ “spoiled principalities and powers, having made a show of them openly; triumphing over them” (Colossians 2:15), and this statement, be it noted, is linked with His Cross! We believe, then, the first stage in the “casting out” of Satan occurred at the Cross, the next will be when he is “cast out” of heaven into the earth (Revelation 12:10); the next when he is “cast into the bottomless pit” (Revelation 20:3); the final when he is “cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:10). — Pink, page 273.

27 “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour.

28 Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, saying, “I have both glorified it and will glorify it again.”

29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to Him.”

30 Jesus answered and said, “This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.”

save Me (v. 27) — Christ’s humanity, though sinless, did suffer. Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).

1. He shrank from suffering (v. 27)

2. He submitted (v. 27)

3. His greater desire was to glorify God (v. 28).

This was the third time God the Father spoke to His Son from heaven.

1. His baptism (Luke 3:21-22)

2. On the Mount of Transfiguration (Luke 9:28-36)

have glorified it (v. 28) — perhaps referring to the resurrection of Lazarus or to Jesus’ entire life

Will glorify it again (v. 28) — Jesus’s death and resurrection. Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4).

Some (or most) who heard the Father’s voice didn’t understand it.

for your sake (v. 30) — it strengthened the faith of believers and left unbelievers without excuse.

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified.

²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.

²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

There is no indication that Jesus met with the Greeks.

Previously (John 2:4; 7:30), Jesus had said that His hour had no come. Now it had (v. 23).

glorified (v. 23) — His death, which fulfilled His purpose (John 13:31-32).

When a grain of wheat dies (v. 24), it produces other grains. The life in grain is passed through death. So Christ’s life is passed to us through His death.

Verse 25 — Matthew 10:39; 16:25; Mark 8:35; Luke 9:24; 17:33. See also Philippians 3:7-10; Colossians 3:1-4. By giving up themselves and serving Christ, they may do without earthly benefits but would be honored by God.

²⁰ Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.

²¹ Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

²² Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn Andrew and Philip told Jesus.

These Greeks (v. 20) likely weren’t Grecian Jews, but native Greeks who had become proselytes to the Jewish faith. They came up for Passover.

Philip = lover of horses — a Greek name

wish (v. 21) = asked reverently (Haggai 2:7)

¹² The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,

¹³ took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!’ The King of Israel!”

¹⁴ Then Jesus, when He had found a young donkey, sat on it; as it is written:

¹⁵ “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.”

¹⁶ His disciples did not understand these things at first; but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things were written about Him and that they had done these things to Him.

¹⁷ Therefore the people, who were with Him when He called Lazarus out of his tomb and raised him from the dead, bore witness.

¹⁸ For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign.

¹⁹ The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!”

In John 6:15, the Jews wanted Jesus make King by force, but it wasn’t His hour. Now He presents Himself as King to fulfill Zechariah’s prophecy.

Zechariah 9:9-11 —  “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem; the battle bow shall be cut off. He shall speak peace to the nations; His dominion shall be ‘from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.’“As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit. This prophecy was partly fulfilled at this time. The remainder will be fulfilled at His second coming.

The crowd had heard about His miracle with Lazarus and rushed to see Him (v. 13). Josephus estimates the Passover crowd in Jerusalem to be about three million people.

Palm branches (v. 13) symbolize victory. They were waved for kings and generals (Revelation 7:9). They will also be found in the Millennial temple (Ezekiel 40:31).

Hosanna! (v. 13) = Save Now! (Psalm 118:20-27; Zephaniah 3:15; John 1:49)

There is no record that Jesus responded to the crowd in any way.

donkey (v. 14) — a symbol of humility (Matthew 21:7; Luke 19:29-35). He came meekly. The Romans could not see Him as a threat to Caesar. At His second coming, He will ride a horse (Revelation 19:11).

He who came before in humiliation and shame shall return in power and majesty. He who once had not where to lay His head shall then sit on the throne of His glory (Matthew 25:31). He who was nailed to a malefactor’s cross shall, in that day, wield the sceptre of imperial dominion. Just as the “ass” was well suited to the One who had laid aside His glory, so the white “war-horse” of Revelation 19 is in perfect keeping with the fact that He is now “crowned with glory and honor.” — Pink, page 257.

His disciples did not understand (v. 16) until after the resurrection when Jesus was glorified (John 14:26), after the Spirit came on them at Pentecost. They believed, but they didn’t understand.

The Pharisees (v. 19) had tried to turn the people against Jesus, but hadn’t been able to — yet. The people thought Jesus would be a victorious King who would defeat the Romans and restore the kingdom. When He didn’t, four days later the same people shouted, “Crucify Him!”

This event took place exactly on the day of the completion of Daniel’s 69th week. It also fulfilled prophecies of Genesis 49:9-11; Daniel 9:24-27.

Jesus fulfilled these obvious prophecies and presented Himself publicly so there could be no doubt who He was. All their excuses for rejecting Him were gone.