“Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said…” -John 13:31

In the verse above we see the departure of Judas from the other eleven disciples: he was going out to betray Jesus. And, upon his leaving, Jesus immediately began teaching His remaining disciples some of the deepest and most meaningful spiritual knowledge that He had uttered thusfar. (See John chapters 14-17 for His valuable lessons.) And so almost as a cause and effect between the wickedness of Judas and the holiness of Jesus, we read that: “when he was gone out, Jesus said…”

I believe Jesus’ revelation to His disciples was brought about by two reasons: first, an urgency on Jesus’ part: since Judas was already on his way to betraying Him, Jesus knew He had to give His disciples His last departing instructions before He would be taken away and crucified.

The second reason why I believe Jesus chose to share such significant and relevant knowledge with His disciples was because of the departure of Judas. In other words, it was the purity of the congregation.

While Jesus was in the midst of the traitor, He used some restraint in His spiritual teachings, and ended some of His messages cryptically, with phrases such as: “ye are clean, but not all…” (John 13:10b), implying that one of them (Judas) was not clean.

Yet when that evil man Judas left, Jesus was much more at liberty to share the deep spiritual secrets that were on His heart with His true and loyal followers. He stripped back His encrypted parables, and spoke such staggering spiritual insights to His disciples, that by the end of His lessons (found in John chapters 14, 15, and 16) that He received a response of near astonishment:

“His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God.” -John 16:29-30

All this came about, at least in part, from the absence of Judas. For that would be as casting pearls before swine, or giving that which is holy unto a dog. But to His true followers, God is longing and reaching out to show Himself, and share His heart with those that are pure in His sight.

“Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation.” -Psalm 24:3-5

“Fear is the tax that conscience pays to guilt.” -George Sewell

That is to say, when we commit any wrongdoing, and we do not seek forgiveness both to God, and to the person whom we have wronged, we may very well be plagued by bouts of fear on account of our guilty conscience.

While our dark deeds are concealed, we have no rest, but as an invisible moral tax that is due on all misgivings, our conscience is continually paying sums of fear at the expense of our own peace.

Here are some Bible verses pertaining to this principle:

He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. -Proverbs 28:13

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. -1 John 4:18

And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. -John 3:19-21

With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. -Psalm 18:26

In the verse above, the writer of this psalm (David) is summarizing an important Scriptural principle: we get what we give. The preceding verses are as follows:

Therefore hath the LORD recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward. -Psalm 18:24-26

The first line says it well: “the Lord has recompensed me according to my righteousness,” (or lack thereof). That is to say, God has repaid David according to his deeds. This principle is found all throughout the Bible, even the New Testament.

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. -Galatians 6:7

How we deal with others and how we deal with God are both directly repaid to us. According to the verse above, the Bible likens our actions to seeds, which once performed, are in a way “planted.” If they’re good actions (seeds), they’ll bear good consequences (plants), and if they’re bad actions, they’ll bear evil consequences.

Jesus reinforces this idea many times in His messages; how we deal with others is how God will deal with us: either for good, or for bad.

Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. -Matthew 5:7

If we would like to have God show us mercy, and not punish us or go after us for every little offense, then we ought to show mercy to others.

The same goes for forgiveness. Do we not pray in the Lord’s prayer: “forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us”? That is to say, we are praying and asking God to forgive us and deal with us in the same way that we forgive others who wrong us.

If we hold something against our brother or sister, and bear a grudge—if God is faithful and hears our prayers—then He will also hold us accountable for our sins. This is not to say that we will be unforgiven in the final judgment: the Bible is clear that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Yet in not forgiving others, I truly believe that we keep God from giving us His full blessing. How many heartaches and pains might be averted or avoided if we would only forgive and show mercy on those who offend us?

Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses. -Matthew 18:33-35

Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. -John 13:7

Sometimes God brings us through an experience, and it doesn’t make sense. We may not see the purpose or the good that God has behind it. Such was the case when Jesus began to wash His disciples’ feet.

When He got to Peter, he was a bit taken aback by the offer of his master to wash his feet. “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” (John 13:6b) he questioned. To which Jesus gives the loving and patient reply:

“What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” -John 13:7

In other words, what Jesus was saying was: “I know you don’t understand what I’m doing now, but afterward you’ll see the purpose.” He was trying to get Peter to simply trust Him in a child-like faith.

Pride, and a lack of trust

Yet in the same way that we respond to God’s actions all too frequently, Peter displayed a pride and a lack of trust in what His Lord had told him. For, even though Jesus specifically explained to him that he wouldn’t understand in the present moment what was going on—that it would only make sense in the future—Peter stubbornly refused His request. “Thou shalt never wash my feet” (John 13:8a).

Love and yielding

Yet in all of this stubbornness, Jesus had patience with Peter, and simply explained to Him in more detail his need to be washed by Him. It should be noted that Jesus still didn’t explain His ultimate purposes to Him at the time, even after Peter’s refusal, but He simply nudged him into the direction of trust and obedience.

“Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.” -John 13:8b-10a

And so it was, that Peter finally consented.

Jesus washing Peter's feet at the Last Supper, Ford Madox Brown (1865)

And Peter did indeed learn a valuable lesson: both in his assenting to be washed, and also from the ultimate lesson and purpose that Jesus wanted to teach His disciples. Even though Jesus used the washing to demonstrate how leaders of His kingdom ought to be servants, Peter also learned to trust God in confusing times as well—and we see hints at this increased trust in his writings later in life.

The same Peter that would not consent for His Lord to do even so much as wash his feet, had later learned to trust God in all sorts of difficult and trying circumstances. Even though puzzling and trying things were to come upon him, he learned to accept them with peace and gratitude. Take a look at a portion of one of his epistles:

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. -1 Peter 4:12-13

For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing… -Romans 7:18

It should be noted that Paul included in parenthesis: (that is, in my flesh). He did not say, “in me dwelleth no good thing.” What he did say was “in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” Contained within this verse is a balance between pride and a perverse humility.

Pride

Paul did not succumb to pride and take credit for God’s working in him. He didn’t say, “in my flesh dwelleth some good thing.” For in Scripture we see that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). And in regard to Paul’s good works: they are good only through Christ’s righteousness.

But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. -Isaiah 64:6

Perverse humility

On the other end of the spectrum, Paul also did not abase himself so low to put himself in contradiction with God. For we are made in the image of God, and because of God’s glory, we ought to have some elementary respect for ourselves. For the apostle Peter also writes elsewhere: “Honour all men” (1 Peter 2:17).

Furthermore, Paul could not without exception say that “in me dwelleth no good thing,” but added: “that is, in my flesh.” As a born-again believer, Paul had God’s Spirit dwelling in Him. Woe unto him if he had said of the Holy Ghost, “in me dwells no good thing!” We have a priceless gift within us, which the Bible refers to as the “hope of glory.”

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: -Colossians 1:27

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. -Matthew 16:25

They say that quitters never win, and never more has that been more true than in eternal life. Jesus said that whoever will save his life shall lose it. That is to say, whoever seeks to sidestep the gospel, and save his own life rather than confess the name of Jesus before men, will lose his life. He may save his skin, and his temporary earthly life: but he’ll lose the life of his soul.

But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. -Matthew 10:33

Walking away

Jesus tells in the parable of the seed and the sower of a seed that is cast onto stony ground: “where it had not much earth; and immediately it sprang up, because it had no depth of earth: But when the sun was up, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away” (Mark 4:5-6). This is a perfect picture of the quitter: things get tough, and he/she quits.

Hear Jesus’ interpretation of the parable for an even clearer picture:

And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended. -Mark 4:16-17

Take notice of what makes a man quit, and walk away from the faith: Jesus says it comes by trouble or persecution. Yet, if we have a true and abiding faith—one that has been planted on good soil, and has taken firm root—we cannot be shaken. If we believe that Jesus Christ has saved us from an eternity in hell, and has given His very life for us, then what could be too much to ask of us in return? What can a man give in exchange for the redemption of his soul?

And yet, there are those in whom the gospel message never truly takes deep root, and with an outward faith they profess to know Jesus, but when trouble comes, they’re surprised and caught off guard. They weren’t prepared for the difficulties, and feel that they do not owe Christ anything: though He gave of His very own lifeblood. Perhaps the quitter thinks that nothing ought ever to go wrong in his life once he professes to know Christ, yet this couldn’t be farther from the truth.

A proper expectation

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. -James 1:2-4

All throughout Scripture, if we take the time to plant God’s words deep within our hearts, we ought to be prepared for the persecution that will undoubtedly arise. For the apostle Paul wrote: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).

And again, the apostle Peter says something similar:

Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. -1 Peter 4:12-13

It’s clear that God never meant to have the Christian life be as a bed of roses. If God’s very own Son was persecuted, misunderstood, mocked, and even killed, what do you suppose will happen to those that follow Him?

Jesus has said: “The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub [devil], how much more shall they call them of his household?” (Matthew 10:24-25).

In all these sayings and verses, God is trying to prepare the hearts of His people. He is trying to give us a proper expectation for the Christian life. He doesn’t want us to be as the seed that fell on stony ground, which immediately springs up, and after things get hot it withers away. God wants us to take deep root, and grow into a lasting tree. We ought not to be offended when persecution arises, but we ought to expect it; God has given us fair warning.

These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. -John 16:1

Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. -John 13:23

The reference above to a certain disciple “whom Jesus loved” perhaps seems a bit cryptic at first glance, but later in the gospel account we find that it was none other than the writer of the gospel himself: John.

Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; …This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things: and we know that his testimony is true. -John 21:20, 24

A godly example

We ought to take heed to John’s example, and seek to follow his ways. The fact that he was preferred above all other disciples is something to consider solemnly. Consider John’s unique place, not only in Christian history, but in the writing of Scripture as well.

John had an advantaged position to write from, and we ought to be glad that he did write. John was not merely a convert to Christ, or an early follower of Christ, as perhaps Mark or Luke had been; nor was he simply among the twelve original disciples as Matthew was: but John was in the inner-circle of Christ’s favorites: a valuable position from which to write his gospel.

Along with Peter and James, John was included and privileged to see certain revelations that not everyone was allowed to see. For instance, take the vision of Christ’s transfiguration, which Jesus commanded them to keep secret:

And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead. -Matthew 17:9

And in John’s unique gospel account, we see other stories that are priceless and valuable: cherished by Christians for centuries worldwide. For instance, all the other gospels go from the passover feast to Jesus praying in the garden of Gethsemane, with nothing in between. Yet in John’s account, we see a deep and intimate conversation between Jesus and His disciples (John 14-16). Afterward, there’s also a prayer recorded between Jesus and His Heavenly Father which is also cherished, found only in John 17.

The profound and deep impact of these chapters—along with those found in John’s epistles—are foundational, and help us to understand the role of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life. We would be at a huge disadvantage if this unique insight in the New Testament was not present.

Privileged information

The evidence that John was Jesus’ favorite and preferred disciple becomes even more clear when Jesus announces that one of the disciples is going to betray Him. All the disciples become worried, and want to know who it will be.

Even Peter, who was among the three preferred disciples of Jesus, knows who to ask to get this privileged information from Jesus: “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake“ (John 13:23-24). And John asked, very simply, “Lord, who is it?” And Jesus gave John His secret answer: that He would show him who it was by dipping bread and giving it to the one who would betray Him: which turned out to be Judas Iscariot.

Later in his life, John was given another secret: an exceedingly important and privileged secret. God chose John to bear the revelation of the end times:

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. -Revelation 1:1-2

Saint John the Evangelist in Patmos, Hans Burgkmair

And even in this revelation, which has been read, studied, and interpreted by Christians for thousands of years, John is shown deep secrets: secrets of the voices of the seven thunders, which remain unknown to this day. Who knows what profound things of God were contained in those voices? Nonetheless, we ought to take heed to John’s superb example of love and devotion, and seek always to do things that are pleasing to God: for who knows if God will chose us out for an important task because of our faithfulness?

And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not. -Revelation 10:4