Tuesday of Holy Week (March 30, 2021) Joh 13:21-38

One of You Will Betray Me

21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”

22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke.

When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt, he said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?” GEN 42:1

John Gill

When Jacob learned that there was grain for sale in Egypt—That is, to be sold there, or otherwise it being there, unless it could be bought, would have been of no avail to foreigners; wherefore the Septuagint version is, that there was a sale there, a sale of grain; the word has the signification of “breaking” in it, because that bread grain is broke in the mill, or is broken from the heap when sold or distributed, or because when eaten it breaks the fast. Now Jacob had either seen persons passing by with grain, of whom he inquired from whence they had it, who replied, from Egypt; or he understood by the report of others that grain was to be bought there; though some of the Jewish writers would have it, as Jarchi observes, that he saw it by the revelation of the Holy Spirit:

He said to his sons, “Why do you look at one another?”—Like persons in surprise, distress and despair, at their wits’ end, not knowing what to do, what course to take, and which way to turn themselves, and scarce able to speak to one another, and consult with each other what was proper to be done; for it seems not so agreeable that they should be charged as idle persons, careless and unconcerned, indifferent and inactive; but rather, if the other sense is not acceptable, the meaning may be, “why do you look?” here and there, in the land of Canaan, where it is to no purpose to look for grain; look where it is to be had.

23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table at Jesus’ side,

24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking.

John Gill

So Simon Peter motioned to him—Peter perhaps lay at a distance from Christ, or in some such position, that he could not whisper to him himself; and besides, knew that John might use more freedom, as he was admitted to more familiarity with him; and being at some distance also from him, he motioned to him; which was usually done at meals, when they could not, by reason of their posture, discourse together: this being the case, “they made signs,” by nodding to one another; that is, as the gloss explains it, they pointed with their hands and fingers, and by nodding or beckoning; such a method Peter took, signifying his desire,

To ask Jesus of whom he was speaking—Which he did not out of mere curiosity, but from an honest intention and pure zeal, that he, with the rest, might show their abhorrence of such a person, and avoid him; and do all that lay in their power to hinder him from putting his designs into execution, and that the innocent might be free from all suspicion.

25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”

John Gill

So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus—Being on the couch just before Jesus, with his back to him, he bends backwards, and falling on Jesus’ breast, whispers in his ear:

And said to him, “Lord, who is it?”—Using his interest in Christ, and making thus free with him, in compliance with Peter’s request; and was no doubt desirous himself of knowing who the person was.

26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

John Gill

Jesus answered, “It is he”—Jesus replied, by whispering; for had he spoken out, the rest could not have been so ignorant, as they still continued, after the sign was given: Christ, I say, whispered to John, and told him by what sign he might know the person, and that it was he,

To whom—Says he,

I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it—This was not the Passover morsel of bread, which was dipped into a sauce made of various things, called by the Jews; for this was not the “paschal” supper, but a common supper at a private house, two days before the feast of the Passover; but this morsel of bread, or rather crust of bread, which whether dipped into a liquid, or only a piece of dry bread, which Christ dipped his hand into the dish for, and took, as some think, is not very material, was a piece of common bread, which Christ took up, without regard to any custom, or ceremony used at any feasts, and gave it to the betrayer, as a sign by which John might know him:

So when he had dipped the morsel—Either into some sort of broth, or any other liquid, or had dipped his hand into the dish for it:

He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon—So called, to distinguish him from another apostle, whose name was Judas, and was then present.

27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.”

John Gill

Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him—After he had taken and eaten the morsel, or crust of bread, by which he was pointed out to be the betrayer, “Satan entered into him”; possessed his body, and filled his mind, and stirred him up more eagerly to pursue with rigour his wicked design. The Jews have a saying, that

“no man commits a transgression, until, ‘a spirit of madness enters into him.’ ”

Such an evil spirit entered into Judas, which pushed him on to commit this horrid iniquity:

Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly”—This he said, not as approving his wicked design, and exhorting him to it as a laudable action, but rather as deriding him, having nothing to care about, or fear from him; or as upbraiding him with his perfidy and wickedness, and signifying that he should take no methods to prevent him, though he fully knew what was in his heart to do; and it seems also to express the willingness of Christ, and his eager and hearty desire to suffer and die for his people, in order to obtain salvation for them.

28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him.

John Gill

Now no one at the table—Not one of those who lay upon the couches at the table, excepting John, to whom the signal was given:

Knew why he said this to him—And perhaps he might not know the meaning of his last words, that he spoke concerning the act of betraying him; nor did not imagine that the thing was so near and so speedily to be done, as it was.

29 Some thought that, because Judas had the moneybag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

John Gill

Some thought that—This was the thought of some of the disciples, it may be of all of them but John;

Because Judas had the moneybag—Which was for the common supply of Christ and his disciples, and for the relief of the poor (see Gill on Joh 12:6).

Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast”—The Feast of the Passover, which was to be two days after; and shows, that this was not the Passover which Christ now ate with his disciples:

Or that he should give something to the poor—For whom Christ cared, and had a hearty concern, and for whom Judas had very little, notwithstanding his high pretensions.

30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.

John Gill

So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he—As soon as ever he received it, he

Immediately went out—Fearing lest an entire discovery should be made, and he be prevented accomplishing his design; or being more violently stirred up to it by, Satan, who after the morsel of bread entered into him, he directly went from Bethany to Jerusalem, to the chief priests, there, in order to consult and agree upon the delivery of him into their hands:

And it was night—This circumstance is added, to show how eagerly he was bent upon it; that though it was night, it did not hinder or discourage him from setting out on his journey to Jerusalem; and as this was a work of darkness, the night was the fittest time for it, and was a proper emblem of the blackness of the crime he was going to perpetrate.

A New Commandment

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once.

John Gill

If God is glorified in him—Seeing this is a certain truth, is indisputably matter of fact, that all the perfections of God are glorified in Christ, by his sufferings and death:

God will also glorify him in himself—Either “with himself”; with his own glory, which was promised to Christ, and which he had before the world was, and for which he prays (Joh 17:5), or by himself: by his own power, in raising him from the dead, setting him at his own right hand, and crowning him with glory and honour:

And glorify him at once—This he will do very quickly, he will not leave him in the grave, nor suffer him to see corruption; he will raise him again the third day, and give him glory.

33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’

John Gill

Little children, yet a little while I am with you—Christ having removed the scandal of his death, by observing, that both he and his Father would be glorified by it, begins more freely to open his mind to his disciples, and acquaint them with it; whom he addresses in the most kind, tender, and affectionate manner, “little children,” expressing the relation which subsisted between them, of which he was not unmindful; his great affection for them, his consideration of their weakness, and sympathy with them on that account; who were very ill able to bear his departure, which he now thought high time to acquaint them with, that it would be very shortly: it was but a little while he was to be with them, a few days more; the time of his departure was at hand, his hour was as it were come, and the last sands were dropping:

You will seek me—As persons in distress, under great concern, not knowing what to do, or where to go:

And just as I said to the Jews—(Joh 7:33-34);

So now I also say to you, “Where I am going you cannot come”—But with this difference, whereas the unbelieving Jews, who died in their sins, could never come where he went, these his disciples, though they could not come now, yet they should hereafter, all of them, as well as Peter (Joh 13:36).

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.”

37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

John Gill

Peter said to him—Not understanding Christ’s answer, and being dissatisfied with it, inquires:

Lord, why can I not follow you now?—Is the place inaccessible? Are the difficulties in the way to it insuperable? The roughness of the road, or the dangers of it, will not discourage me; I am ready to go through the greatest dangers and difficulties, to follow you: yea,

I will lay down my life for you—Whatever enemies I should meet with in, following you, would not dismay me; I would readily hazard my life, and cheerfully lay it down in defence of you.

38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the rooster will not crow till you have denied me three times.