The Betrayal Begins
We are now approaching the dark hours when Judas will betray Jesus. Thank you for joining us as we read John chapters 13 through 15.
We’ve seen this story through different perspectives in the other three Gospels, but the reason to keep reading all four is that we see a more detailed look here in John. Scholars believe John is “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:23), the one reclining on the Lord’s chest who asks, “Lord, who is it?” (John 13:25, NIV). The answer to this question, when we are honest with ourselves, is—it is all of us.
The Servant’s Example
Jesus gives us a humbling example of being a servant and washing their feet. I did this to show children and teens when I taught youth ministry. It holds immense strength, impacting both educators and learners. The problem, as Jesus tells us, is that we must not just know these things—we must do them (John 13:17). But we don’t. We talk about them, discuss them, make demonstrations about them. Yet Jesus is telling us: to be conformed to His image, we must live these principles daily (Romans 8:29).
The Way Through Him
Therefore, in John 14:6, when Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” He then specifically adds, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” (NIV) We often assume “by having faith in Jesus,” but that is not what He said. I believe the words God inspired here are precise: He says “through” Him.
Albert Barnes writes, “God has appointed him as the Mediator, and has ordained that all blessings shall descend to this world through him.” (1) All the love of God comes to us through Jesus—the knowledge of the only one who has ever seen God (John 1:18). But we are told we must come to the Father—through Him.
Understanding the Vine
This is confusing. Like Nicodemus, who didn’t understand how one could enter his mother’s womb a second time to be born again (John 3:4), we struggle to grasp this. So Jesus gives us a parable—the vine.
We come through Jesus when we are in Jesus. We know the way is narrow and few will pass through it (Matthew 7:14). Jesus will pass through it. Following Jesus would be a crowd, as we’ve seen—and they would not pass through. We must be closer than that. Grafted onto Jesus like a limb to the vine (John 15:5).
We like to have our life with some Jesus added to us. When we advance in our walk, we want to have Jesus with a little of us added in. But He gives us the picture here of being united—one vine, of which we are branches. The outreach of Jesus to our modern world, to our neighbors—that is what it means to be in Christ. To be that, however, we must let go of all that prevents us from having that closeness.
Judas and the Bread
Judas’s love of money—being the treasurer—made him susceptible to falling away. This did not happen until the devil entered him. We know from Job 1:12 that Satan could not have done so without God’s permission. Jesus handing Judas the bread granted that permission (John 13:26–27). Until that point, I don’t believe Judas had been out making plans and arrangements. Therefore, they were all looking around trying to figure out who it would be (John 13:22). When Jesus hands Judas the bread, then it says, “Satan entered into him.”
Love and Betrayal
We are all commanded to love each other (John 13:34–35), but we only love those we choose to. Even the best Christians I know see evil people, and they find them repulsive. We are to shun evil, yes—but Jesus says we are to love each other. Love is a choice, but we don’t make it. This is betrayal.
It is a betrayal Jesus knew—even before He went to the cross: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8) And He did it, anyway. He knew some would remain attached to the vine and be saved. This is the beauty of the Gospel. Satan thought he was winning, but Jesus was in control—choosing who to give the bread to. Satan lost when Jesus died for all of us who are in Christ (Colossians 2:15).
Fruitfulness and Fire
We must throw off the world and not let it pull us from the vine. It is only then that we can be fruitful. A branch that does not produce fruit will be cut off and burned in the fire (John 15:6). I pray that is not any of us.
Tomorrow, we will read John 16-18.
Footnotes
- Albert Barnes, Barnes’ Notes on the New Testament, commentary on John 14:6.