Our Lord Jesus has just made a lengthy statement explaining the significance of His washing the feet of His disciples and highlighting the mission on which He was sent. John then brings us back to the moment at hand, in the shadow of the cross. “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’” (John 13:21).
To hear Jesus teach we can almost fall into an academic mindset. But there was nothing clinical, nothing dispassionate about what was going on in Jesus’ heart. John tells us that He was troubled in spirit. The distress of the moment engulfed Him and roiled His spirit within.
We find the same term for trouble in the previous chapter of John’s Gospel in respect to the trauma and personal cataclysm of Christ’s mission. ““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” (John 12:27).
We don’t want to mistake Jesus’ resolve for resignation. He experienced an anguish we could never possibly fathom. He embraced His calling with clarity and courage. Just as Abraham wasted no time in sacrificing his son, Isaac, at the command of God, so Jesus, now that His hour had come, set the wheels in motion for His betrayal into the hands of sinful men.
“Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke. Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask who it was of whom He spoke. Then, leaning back on Jesus’ breast, he said to Him, ‘Lord, who is it?’ 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. Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Jesus said to him, ‘What you do, do quickly’” (John 13:22–27).
Those at the table with Him did not comprehend what was happening, thinking it just common occurrence. “But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him. 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” (John 13:28-29). But Jesus fully understood what was happening, that the climax of redemptive history had arrived and the power of darkness was at hand.
Judas, “having received the piece of bread, he then went out immediately. And it was night” (John 13:30). The next time we see Judas, he will be leading a lynch mob intent on murder.
What is significant about the Light of the world following His betrayer into darkness?
