In considering John 13
● see in the clause “when Jesus knew that his hour had come” (1) a new instance of John’s assertion of Jesus’ knowledge and control of events,
● notice that John’s adds a consequence of Jesus’ knowledge: “he loved them to the end”(1),
● recognize that Jesus initiates the footwashing ceremony with a three-part, God-connected preface in his mind, “knowing” (3) he had been “given all things” (3) by the Father, knowing he came from God, and knowing he was going to God,
● count the verbs packed into this densely elaborated account of Jesus’ actions (4-5),
● be not surprised that it is Peter, who tends toward extremes, who engages in quite a little exchange about the proceedings,
● reckon with Jesus’ explanation of what he has done with its double emphasis on “do” (15,17) and with its Judas exception (18),
● note the compounding references to Judas (2, 11, 18, 26, 30),
● notice the time reference, “now” (31), that follows Judas’ departure, again showing the march of events toward a purposeful end,
● understand that the driving force of God’s purpose is not named here as the horrible event of crucifixion but rather the glorification of the Son of Man and the glorification of God (noted first in 31 then compounded in 32), and
● embrace Jesus’ “new commandment” (34), seeing in this love of disciples one for another the sign that will cause others to know that these people are truly disciples.
Thank you,
Randy Tumlinson