Jesus Holds the Cup at the Passover MealBible World
13:25John 13:25
He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
At the final Passover meal when the memorial of his sacrifice was instituted, Jesus becomes troubled and declares that one of the disciples will betray him, leaving them looking at one another in doubt about whom he means. Reclining close against his breast, John leans upon him and asks him privately and in deep distress to name the betrayer, while the others in fear and self-examination wonder if they themselves might be guilty. Jesus alone already reads the secret treachery, and he answers that it is the one to whom he will give bread after dipping it, then gives the sop to Judas Iscariot, after which Satan enters him and he goes out immediately into the night. He gives no public rebuke or exposure but still bathes Judas's soiled feet first, keeps him a place at the table, and lets him share the sacrament, thus giving him a final opportunity to repent that he braces himself against until Satan takes full control. John's leaning shows the close companionship that transforms the beholder to reflect Christ, while Judas's presence teaches that no one is to be shut out from foot washing and the Supper as unworthy since the heart cannot be read, and warns every believer to keep faith genuine and unwavering so as never to betray the Lord.
Setting and Question Asked
The scene is the final Passover meal, when the Lord's Supper was instituted as the memorial of His sacrifice and of the deliverance brought by His death. It follows His teaching that receiving those He sends is receiving Him, and receiving Him is receiving the Father who sent Him. He then becomes troubled in spirit and declares that one of the disciples will betray Him, leaving the disciples looking at one another in doubt about whom He means.
The one lying on His breast then asks Him who the betrayer is. That questioner is John, reclining close to Jesus and leaning upon His breast, asking Him privately and in deep distress to identify the betrayer. The disciples' questioning arises from fear and self-examination, as each wonders whether he himself might be guilty.
He answers that it is the one to whom He will give bread after dipping it, then dips the sop and gives it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon. After the sop Satan enters Judas, he is told to do quickly what he is going to do, and he receives the sop and goes out immediately while it is night. His private words to John were not heard by the other disciples, nor were His private words to Judas, who after remaining silent also asked whether he was the one and was answered with an affirmation of his own words. In one account Judas himself did not hear the answer given to John identifying the one who shared the dish with Him.
Christ's Foreknowledge and Mercy
Jesus alone reads Judas's secret purpose and knows the treachery in advance, showing divine foresight, and he tells beforehand what Judas will do so that he is not ignorant when the betrayal comes. He gives Judas no word of rebuke and does not publicly expose him. His disclosure to John exposes Judas's hidden purpose and gives Judas a final opportunity to repent, still tenderly including him in his ministry at the Passover supper.
With goodness, humility and love he bathes Judas's soiled feet first and wipes them with the towel, and Judas's heart is thrilled through and through with an impulse to there and then confess with shame and conviction and cast out Satan. Having allowed himself to become a channel of darkness, the greater Christ's goodness toward him the more Judas braces his soul against light, fights away from Jesus, and becomes a traitor and betrayer. Even knowing Judas will leave the table to betray him, he washes Judas's feet, gives him a place at the table, and allows him to share in the sacrament, though Judas is present among the chosen apostles.
Judas has already twice agreed to betray Jesus yet still has an opportunity to repent, but after rejecting the final appeal he goes out to carry out the betrayal and Satan takes control of his heart and mind. In appearance and deportment Judas is not villainous but is looked upon by his fellow disciples as a man of great capabilities and breadth of knowledge whose qualifications would have been valuable if sanctified to God's service. Judas knows the meaning of the warning that it would have been better for the betrayer if he had not been born, yet even then Jesus longs to save him and would have freely forgiven him if he had confessed his traitor's work even at the moment of arrest. His dealing with Judas shows long patience with human perversity, bearing patiently with him, and a desire not to lose a soul.
Lessons for Believers Today
John's leaning on Jesus' breast reveals a longing for close companionship with Him, and that nearness nourished love and devotion, so that by beholding the Saviour he was changed until his own character mirrored Christ's. The fact that Judas was present among the chosen apostles at the final meal, even though Jesus knew he would betray Him, shows that the presence of a false-hearted worker need not bring surprise or discouragement. Jesus bore patiently with Judas, and His followers are likewise to treat those at fault with patience.
Even knowing Judas would leave the table to betray Him, Jesus washed his feet, gave him a place at the table, and let him share in the sacrament on that last evening with the disciples. His presence did not make him ineligible for the service, and no one is to be shut out of foot washing and the Lord's Supper as unworthy, because human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul and cannot tell who is worthy and who is not. The ordinance before the Supper is to clear away pride and esteeming self above others, selfishness and seeking the highest place, evil surmisings and bitterness of spirit over trifles, and to bring all to humility of spirit to wash one another's feet.
The verse stands as a warning not to act like Judas and betray the Lord, and the chapter containing it is to be studied carefully and prayerfully for that reason. Belonging to the betrayal of his Master by Judas, it means believers must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, keeping religious influence genuine and faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so they will never betray Him as Judas did. Youth especially are to live by this principle, and this faithful experience is what all need to gain.
At the final Passover meal when the memorial of his sacrifice was instituted, Jesus becomes troubled and declares that one of the disciples will betray him, leaving them looking at one another in doubt about whom he means. Reclining close against his breast, John leans upon him and asks him privately and in deep distress to name the betrayer, while the others in fear and self-examination wonder if they themselves might be guilty. Jesus alone already reads the secret treachery, and he answers that it is the one to whom he will give bread after dipping it, then gives the sop to Judas Iscariot, after which Satan enters him and he goes out immediately into the night. He gives no public rebuke or exposure but still bathes Judas's soiled feet first, keeps him a place at the table, and lets him share the sacrament, thus giving him a final opportunity to repent that he braces himself against until Satan takes full control. John's leaning shows the close companionship that transforms the beholder to reflect Christ, while Judas's presence teaches that no one is to be shut out from foot washing and the Supper as unworthy since the heart cannot be read, and warns every believer to keep faith genuine and unwavering so as never to betray the Lord.
Setting and Question Asked
The scene is the final Passover meal, when the Lord's Supper was instituted as the memorial of His sacrifice and of the deliverance brought by His death. It follows His teaching that receiving those He sends is receiving Him, and receiving Him is receiving the Father who sent Him. He then becomes troubled in spirit and declares that one of the disciples will betray Him, leaving the disciples looking at one another in doubt about whom He means.
The one lying on His breast then asks Him who the betrayer is. That questioner is John, reclining close to Jesus and leaning upon His breast, asking Him privately and in deep distress to identify the betrayer. The disciples' questioning arises from fear and self-examination, as each wonders whether he himself might be guilty.
He answers that it is the one to whom He will give bread after dipping it, then dips the sop and gives it to Judas Iscariot the son of Simon. After the sop Satan enters Judas, he is told to do quickly what he is going to do, and he receives the sop and goes out immediately while it is night. His private words to John were not heard by the other disciples, nor were His private words to Judas, who after remaining silent also asked whether he was the one and was answered with an affirmation of his own words. In one account Judas himself did not hear the answer given to John identifying the one who shared the dish with Him.
Christ's Foreknowledge and Mercy
Jesus alone reads Judas's secret purpose and knows the treachery in advance, showing divine foresight, and he tells beforehand what Judas will do so that he is not ignorant when the betrayal comes. He gives Judas no word of rebuke and does not publicly expose him. His disclosure to John exposes Judas's hidden purpose and gives Judas a final opportunity to repent, still tenderly including him in his ministry at the Passover supper.
With goodness, humility and love he bathes Judas's soiled feet first and wipes them with the towel, and Judas's heart is thrilled through and through with an impulse to there and then confess with shame and conviction and cast out Satan. Having allowed himself to become a channel of darkness, the greater Christ's goodness toward him the more Judas braces his soul against light, fights away from Jesus, and becomes a traitor and betrayer. Even knowing Judas will leave the table to betray him, he washes Judas's feet, gives him a place at the table, and allows him to share in the sacrament, though Judas is present among the chosen apostles.
Judas has already twice agreed to betray Jesus yet still has an opportunity to repent, but after rejecting the final appeal he goes out to carry out the betrayal and Satan takes control of his heart and mind. In appearance and deportment Judas is not villainous but is looked upon by his fellow disciples as a man of great capabilities and breadth of knowledge whose qualifications would have been valuable if sanctified to God's service. Judas knows the meaning of the warning that it would have been better for the betrayer if he had not been born, yet even then Jesus longs to save him and would have freely forgiven him if he had confessed his traitor's work even at the moment of arrest. His dealing with Judas shows long patience with human perversity, bearing patiently with him, and a desire not to lose a soul.
Lessons for Believers Today
John's leaning on Jesus' breast reveals a longing for close companionship with Him, and that nearness nourished love and devotion, so that by beholding the Saviour he was changed until his own character mirrored Christ's. The fact that Judas was present among the chosen apostles at the final meal, even though Jesus knew he would betray Him, shows that the presence of a false-hearted worker need not bring surprise or discouragement. Jesus bore patiently with Judas, and His followers are likewise to treat those at fault with patience.
Even knowing Judas would leave the table to betray Him, Jesus washed his feet, gave him a place at the table, and let him share in the sacrament on that last evening with the disciples. His presence did not make him ineligible for the service, and no one is to be shut out of foot washing and the Lord's Supper as unworthy, because human beings cannot read the secrets of the soul and cannot tell who is worthy and who is not. The ordinance before the Supper is to clear away pride and esteeming self above others, selfishness and seeking the highest place, evil surmisings and bitterness of spirit over trifles, and to bring all to humility of spirit to wash one another's feet.
The verse stands as a warning not to act like Judas and betray the Lord, and the chapter containing it is to be studied carefully and prayerfully for that reason. Belonging to the betrayal of his Master by Judas, it means believers must work out their own salvation with fear and trembling, keeping religious influence genuine and faith in Christ as a personal Saviour unwavering, so they will never betray Him as Judas did. Youth especially are to live by this principle, and this faithful experience is what all need to gain.