John 13:21-30

THE SELFISH SERVANT OF SIN

Text 13:21-30

21

When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in the spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.

22

The disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.

23

There was at the table reclining in Jesus-' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

24

Simon Peter therefore beckoneth to him, and saith unto him, Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh.

25

He leaning back, as he was, on Jesus-' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?

26

Jesus therefore answereth, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him. So when he had dipped the sop, he taketh and giveth it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

27

And after the sop, then entered Satan into him, Jesus therefore saith unto him, What thou doest, do quickly.

28

Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.

29

For some thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus said unto him, Buy what things we have need of for the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.

30

He then having received the sop went out straightway; and it was night.

Queries

a.

Why was Jesus troubled in the spirit?

b.

Why did none of the disciples know for what intent Jesus spoke to Judas?

c.

Why did Jesus instruct Judas to do quickly what he was doing?

Paraphrase

Having prophecied these things concerning his betrayal and the disciples-' future need for faith, Jesus was deeply disturbed of spirit and said to his disciples, I tell you solemnly, One of you will hand me over to the authorities. The disciples began looking at one another in startled perplexity, and kept looking at one another in silent suspicion, puzzled concerning whom he spake. One of his disciples, the one with whom Jesus was especially delighted and loved, was reclining at the table next to him on the same couch. So Simon Peter, on the next couch, signaled with a nod to this disciple and said, Tell us who it is of whom he is speaking. That disciple, leaning his head back upon the bosom of Jesus, whispered to him, Lord who is it? Jesus answered softly, It is that one to whom I shall give this morsel of bread after I have dipped it into the sop. Taking the piece of bread he dipped it into the sop and gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. After Judas had taken this piece of bread he made up his mind completely and allowed Satan to enter his heart and totally possess him. Jesus said to him in a voice loud enough for all to hear, What you are going to do, do quickly! None of those reclining at the table, not even those who were told about the traitor, understood the meaning of what Jesus said to Judas. Some of them thought since Judas had the money purse, that Jesus was instructing Judas to hurry and purchase provisions for the seven-day festival of Passover, or that he was instructing Judas to make haste on a mission of alms-giving to the poor. So Judas took the piece of bread and then went out quickly; and it was night!

Summary

In spite of the lesson on humble love and in spite of the Master exposing his shameful, deadly scheme, the selfish servant of sin, Judas, surrenders completely to the Devil.

Comment

After Jesus had prophecied concerning the betrayer (John 13:18), He became deeply disturbed in His spirit. The inward turmoil of spirit was apparent to John who later recorded it. His heart is troubled by the one who is planning to betray Him and He repeats His warning. His heart was sick and groaned within Him over the imminent spiritual suicide of Judas. Jesus loved Judas! He tried until the very end to bring Judas to repentance. The tender Shepherd of souls is not willing that any should perish. Jesus was also much concerned about the spiritual weakness of the other disciples which they had exhibited here at this last supper. When He thought of the betrayer He also looked forward prophetically when they would all flee from Him like scattered sheep (cf. Matthew 26:31). The anguish of spirit here was also a prelude to the anguish of spirit in Gethsemane and Golgotha where He suffered the burden of all man's sins.

Judas was a master at deception. Outwardly no one could tell the difference between him and the other eleven disciples of Jesus. He was an excellent play-actor (hypocrite). He had even faked a concern for the poor (John 12:4-5) with such finesse that he prompted the others to criticize Jesus at one time. He had fooled the other eleven completely. When Jesus uttered His solemn warning (John 13:21) it fell like a bombshell in the midst of that festive evening. The disciples were startled, incredulous, perplexed and began looking round about at one another in silent suspicion. Judas joined in, skillfully portraying one who was innocently dumbfounded.

Now the Jews did not sit upright when they ate at a festive table such as this. The Greek word anakeimenos means reclining at table. The table was usually a low solid block. The couches were arranged around the table in U shape. The couches were placed with their heads toward the table and their feet away from the table in an oblique fashion (see diagram below). The chief place is near the center of the right side of the table. The next place of honor is that at the left side of the host (occupied by Judas) and the next place of honor at the right side of the host (occupied by John). The diners reclined by resting upon their left elbow, thus leaving the right hand free to deal with the food. Reclining in such a way a man's head was literally upon the bosom of the person reclining on his left.

THE SUPPER SCENE. Around a low, Eastern table, oval or rather elongated, two parts covered with a cloth, the single divans or pillows are ranged in the form of an elongated horseshoe, leaving free one end of the table, somewhat as in the accompanying cut. Here, A represents the table; BB respectively the ends of the two rows of single divans on which each guest reclines, lying on his left side, and leaning on the left hand, with his head (H) nearest the table, and his feet (F) stretching back towards the ground. Thus we see how Jesus could wash their feet. As to the arrangements of the guests, the chief personage would sit near one end of the table. If there were three persons, he would sit between the two. We know from the Gospel narrative that John occupied the place on Jesus-' right, at that end of the divans, as we may call it, at the head of the table. But the chief place next to the Master would be that to his left, or above him.

After a few moments of stunned silence and suspicious glances, the disciples began to ask one by one, Is it I, Lord? (Matthew 26:22; Mark 14:19) and they began to question one another, which of them it was that would do this (Luke 22:23). The first answer of the Lord was a general one simply indicating that the betrayer was sitting and partaking with Him at the same table (cf. Matthew 26:23; Mark 14:20). It is plain that the other disciples did not yet know who was meant. It seems that Jesus was conducting an almost private conversation with Judas. Judas even asked, Is it I, Lord? Jesus replied, Thou hast said! And apparently, no one heard this replynot even John.

Simon Peter, the impetuous, signaled with a nod to the disciple whom Jesus loved, the one reclining upon His bosom, to tell the rest of them who the traitor was. Peter assumed that John, favored with a place so close to the Master, would know if anyone did. John, however, did not know and so he leaned his head back upon the bosom of Jesus and whispered, Lord, who is it? John's question was probably unheard by the others. Evidently the reply of Jesus, He it is, for whom I shall dip the sop, and give it him, was also inaudible to all except John and Judas (and perhaps, Peter).

There must be some significance that Judas was sitting so close to the Saviour, on His left in the place of honor, that night. Even the offering by the host of a special morsel dipped in the sop to a particular guest was a sign of special concern. When the Jews wanted to show their concern for a guest, they invited the guest to dip food with them (cf. Ruth 2:14). The very fact that Jesus kept reminding Judas that his scheme was known was an attempt to rescue Judas from his headlong rush into spiritual suicide. All of these acts of love and concern were appeals from the very heart of Jesus toward Judas-' reclamation.

After Judas had taken this piece of bread he made up his mind completely and surrendered his whole heart to Satan. Then Satan entered into Judas. The point to remember is that Satan accomplished total victory over Judas only because Judas allowed him to do so. We are warned ... neither give place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). We are encouraged Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7). We are warned that Satan can take advantage of us if we are ignorant of his devices (2 Corinthians 2:11). Satan is a spiritual being and he operates in the spiritual realm. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. but against ideas, philosophies and thoughts. Unless we fill our minds with the thoughts and revelations of the Holy Spirit, we are leaving it open for Satan to enter. And when we willingly concentrate on worldliness and evil, Satan has a completely unrestricted highway into our heart. This is what Judas did! He so loved money that he was trapped and drowned in destruction and perdition (cf. 1 Timothy 6:7-10).

When men deliberately and rebelliously exchange the truth of God for a lie, (Romans 1:25), God gives up! When men do not wish to retain God in their knowledge (Romans 1:28), when they have no love for the truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12), God gives up and allows them to be deluded into believing a lie!

Jesus knew that Judas had allowed the devil to take complete possession of him. Judas had exchanged the truth of God for a lie. The Incarnate God could do no more for Judas and so He said, What thou doest, do quickly! Why would Jesus make this command? Perhaps to drive the betrayer from the midst of the others immediately so that the few remaining hours may be directed toward those who will profit from the instructions. Judas had bargained to hand Jesus over to the authorities but the exact time for His arrest and death had not yet been set. The authorities had definitely decided Jesus should not be killed during the feast (Matthew 26:5). Judas thought that Jesus was in his hand; Jesus tells him that the reverse is true. Jesus orders Judas to do this business quickly, to carry it out when Jesus wants it done (Matthew 26:2) during the feast!

John knew who the betrayer was. Perhaps even Peter knew his identity, but none seemed to know the meaning of Jesus-' last command to Judas. It appears that they thought Judas was sent quickly to buy something needed for the remainder of the passover feast, or, perhaps to act quickly in giving something to the poor. Judas was the treasurer of the group and these two suppositions seemed the only reason for the command.

Some commentators use John 13:29 to prove that the supper here recorded in John 13:1-38 is not the passover supper because the disciples would have known that Judas could not purchase anything that night for a feast which was already over. However, the Passover lasted seven days. It is, therefore, entirely reasonable to record that the disciples supposed Judas to have been sent for more supplies for the remaining days of the feast. Especially would he be sent with haste if the next day was a holy day of the feast when nothing could be purchased.

Judas acted the deception out to the end. He brazenly took the morsel offered to him by Jesus. And then, probably to be away from the penetrating and meaningful looks of Jesus as quickly as possible, he went out straightway.

The phrase and it was night, has great impact. It was night for the sun had gone behind the horizon, but it was night for another reason also, The outer darkness had overtaken Judas for he had allowed the god of this world to blind him to the Son of Righteousness. It is always night when a man turns his back on Jesus Christ the True Light. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going and he stumbles and falls because the darkness blinds his eyes (cf. John 1:4-5; John 3:19-21).

Quiz

1.

Give 3 reasons why Jesus would be troubled in the spirit.

2.

How would the principle characters of this section probably be located around the supper table?

3.

How did Satan enter into Judas?

4.

Why did Jesus command Judas to act quickly?

5.

How many do we suppose knew who the traitor was?