The Gospel of John: John 13.12-26

Read and meditate on John 13.12-26.
This account of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet – in the light of all that Jesus knew – is a study in the workings of grace. As His disciples, we must learn from and follow Him in being agents of grace to a lost and needy world.

                            ¹²So having washed their feet,
He took His garments and sat down to eat,
and Jesus said to them, “Now, do you know
what I have done to you? ¹³Since it is so,
You call Me Lord and Teacher, and I am,
¹⁴then learn from My example; understand
if I then, Lord and teacher, washed your feet,
you also ought to wash each other’s feet.
¹⁵For I have shown you that you ought to do
as I have done to you. ¹⁶I say to you,
a servant is not greater than the one
he serves; and someone who is sent by one
cannot be greater than his sender. ¹⁷And
if these examples you can understand,
then you are blessed if you do likewise. ¹⁸I
do not refer to all of you. For I
know those whom I have chosen. But the Word
must be fulfilled, according to the Lord:
“He who eats bread with Me, he will betray
Me.” ¹⁹This I tell, and I want to say
it to you well before it happens, so
that when it comes to pass, then you may know
the I am He.²⁰I say to you, that he
who will receive whom I have sent, receives
Me also; and the one receiving Me,
receives the One Who sent Me.”

                                            ²¹Now when He
had said these things, then He was troubled in
His spirit, and He said, “I say again,
one of you will betray Me.” ²²Then, perplexed
at this, they looked at one another. ²³Next
to Jesus, leaning on His bosom, was
the one whom Jesus loved the most. ²⁴Because
of this, then Simon Peter motioned to
him, indicating he should find out who
it was of whom He spoke. ²⁵He leaned back on
His breast and asked, “Lord who is it? Which one
of us? ²⁶And Jesus answered, “It is he
to whom I give the sop.” And then, when He
had dipped the bread, he gave it to the son
of Simon, Judas.

- John 13.12-26

Reflect
1. In our study of the first part of this chapter, we looked at what Jesus knew, all He understood about what had been given Him and what lay just ahead. In this part of John 13, Jesus leads us to think about the implications of following Him. Jesus is our Master and Sender; we are His servants whom He sends to the world. What are the implications of verse 15 for your daily life? Complete this prayer: Lord, You call me to be like You, and to do what You would do. Today, this means…

2.  As Jesus’ followers, we have been cleansed from our sins. We are clean, Jesus tells us. But how can we know this? The disciples weren’t sure which of them was not clean (v. 22). What made this disciple not clean. How can we be sure we are? I know You have cleansed me, Lord, because…

3.  In verse 18, Jesus offered His disciples a lesson in understanding Scripture. Meditate on John 5.39. We can learn about and from Jesus in every part of the Bible. What are the implications of this for how we should read and study Scripture? All Scripture is inspired, Lord, and it’s all about You. So when I read Your Word, I…

4.  Meditate on Philippians 2.5-11. John 13 provides in microcosm an illustration of Jesus’ entire earthly ministry. Explain. How can Jesus’ example here become more consistently the model for how you live? Thank You, Lord, for coming to earth as God’s Servant for our need. Help me to…

5. From what we’ve seen thus far in John 13, how would you define grace? How does it work? How can we have grace to help in our times of need? What is the role of grace in the life of a disciple? Bring together into one prayer the prayers you composed for questions 1-4.

Summary
“It is not the knowledge of virtue but rather the practice of it that may be appropriately called worthy of both love and enthusiasm.… Whenever actions go hand in hand with knowledge, then assuredly there is no small gain. But when either is lacking, the other will be seriously crippled. And it is written, even faith apart from works is dead. Although the knowledge of God who is one even in nature, and the confession of God in guilelessness and truth is all included in faith, even this is dead if it is not accompanied by the bright light that proceeds from works. Surely, therefore, it is utterly profitless merely to know what is good and yet have no desire to practice it at once.” Cyril of Alexandria (375-444 AD)

The more we set Jesus before us, studying and learning Him from every part of Scripture, the more we will be able to draw from the Master the grace we need to serve Him daily in our callings. How can you encourage your fellow believers to seek the Lord and serve Him more faithfully and consistently?

Closing Prayer
I have set the LORD always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16.8-11

Psalm 16.8-11 (All to Christ: Jesus Paid It All)
You are ever with me, Lord; in You I shall not fall.
But rejoicing in Your Word, I abide within Your call.
    Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
    Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

Soon Your glory I shall see, for as Jesus rose again,
You will come to gather me to my home with You in heav’n.
    Make me know life’s way! Pleasures fill Your hand;
    Fill my life with joy each day! Before Your face I stand.

T. M. Moore
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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing adapted from The Ailbe Psalter. All quotations from Church Fathers from Ancient Christian Commentary Series IV a and b: John, edited by Joel C. Elowsky, General Editor Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2006. Verse translation of John by T. M. Moore.