The Gospel Of John Chapter 13 Pt. 4 The Betrayal Of Jesus Christ Followed By Glory

John 13 has proven to be a study in contrasts. Jesus knew all things, and He knew that He would return to His Father, after His work on the cross was over. 

Jesus washed the feet of all His disciples, including Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him. 

The disciples did not know why Jesus washed their feet. They did not know about His betrayal and death on the cross, even though Jesus told them many times.

Night came with darkness, but glory followed.

John 13:30  He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.

That last paragraph ends with ominous words. Satan entered into Judas Iscariot and he ran out from them, to betray our Lord. Thus, we read "and it was night."

What would Jesus do next? How would He respond to Judas' betrayal? Was His thinking about the excruciating suffering that He would have to endure, for us?

John 13:31-32  Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32)  If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him. 

This text contains the answers to our questions. Jesus spoke of glory four times in two verses! The betrayal of the Son of man is glory! How so? Because God's plan for our salvation is going to come to a swift conclusion. 

Yes, Jesus would be abandoned by His disciples, after His arrest. Yes, Jesus would be beaten, mocked and scorned. Yes, Jesus would die in a painful manner on the cross.

But, don't miss this truth, dear Christian. Jesus, the Son of God is glorified in His cross death, and God the Father is glorified in His Son. 

Jesus always did the things that pleased His Father, and He always obeyed God's holy law. This is why Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God, the sinner's spotless substitute. 

Thus God was glorified in Christ and this connects with God being manifest in the flesh (1 Timothy 3:16).

Since the Father was glorified in His Son Jesus Christ, the Father will also glorify His sinless Son. We know this happened at the resurrection and ascension of our Lord. 

Jesus' sufferings and humiliation were for us.

Philippians 2:5-8  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6)  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7)  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8)  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. 

Although the words "for us" are not used by Paul in this text, they are clearly implied. The heavy hand of God's judgment for the sins of the world, would fall upon His Son, Jesus Christ. 

God the Father, turned out the lights of heaven as His Son died on the cross at Calvary (See Matthew 27:45-51). All the world knew that something monumental happened at Calvary that day. 

Christ died "for us" (Romans 5:8).

God is "for us", and did not spare His only begotten Son, but delivered Him up "for us" to save us from our sins (Romans 8:31-32).

Christ Jesus is the Passover Lamb sacrificed "for us" (1 Corinthians 5:7).

God the Father made His Son, Jesus Christ to be sin "for us", so that we might receive His righteousness through repentant faith in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse "for us" (Galatians 3:13).

Christ Jesus gave Himself "for us" on the cross as a perfect sin offering to the Father (Ephesians 5:2).

To these, many more scriptures could be added (See 1 Thessalonians 5:10; Titus 2:14; Hebrews 6:20; 9:12; 9:24; 10:20; 11:40; 1 Peter 2:21; 4:1 and 1 John 3:16).

Great glory for Jesus follows great humiliation.

Philippians 2:9-11  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10)  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11)  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. 

The Father gave Jesus Christ a name that stands higher than any other name on earth. Jesus' name is exalted above all other names. 

All living beings will bow before Jesus Christ, at the name of our Lord. Every tongue, believing or unbelieving, will confess without hesitation, that Jesus Christ is Lord of all. This confession will be for the Father's glory.

Thus, Jesus exclaimed "Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him." (John 13:31-32). 

The cross of Jesus Christ is a bloody, gory work as God's perfect Lamb is sacrificed to pay for our sin debt. 

Yet, the cross of Christ is a glorious work that turned Satan's scheme upside down, just as the tables were turned on Haman by Mordecai (See Esther 7). Preaching of the cross is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).

John 13:33  Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you. 

Jesus now speaks with a tender and compassionate heart to His disciples. Little or beloved children, is an expression full of great tenderness and love.  

Now that Judas was gone, Jesus could use these words without any reservation. The eleven who remained faithful to Jesus Christ were indeed His beloved little children.

Jesus was saying to His beloved disciples "The end of my life is at hand. Judas has gone to betray me. I have only a few hours left to be with you. You will be scattered later this night."

John 13:34-35  A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35)  By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. 

In light of all things, Jesus gave a new commandment to His disciples. This command is crucially important to facilitate the Great Commission and the New Testament church.

"Love one another" is a new commandment from Jesus. He demonstrated this by washing their feet, and by loving them unto the end. 

We are to love one another in the same manner that Jesus loved His disciples. That kind of love is patient and kind. 

It is a love that is without conditions. A love that is freely offered and expects nothing in return. A love that is selfless and sacrificial.

Jesus told us that this kind of love between Christians is how all men will know that we are disciples of Jesus Christ. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

The apostle Paul tells us that if any man loves God, the same is known of Him (See 1 Corinthians 8:3). 

Why? Because this love is a love for God and for other people around us. This love flows out from us and is not turned in on ourselves.

Romans 5:5  And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 

This is a supernatural love that comes from above, from God to us. This is why we must be born again, regenerated by the Holy Spirit. 

When the Spirit of God regenerates a repentant sinner, He pours out the love of God in our hearts, like a river that overfloods its banks.

This is the very love for one another that Jesus commands His disciples to have.

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23)  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

Proof that the Spirit of God dwells within us, is when His fruit is produced in our lives. 

Many would say that "love" is the primary fruit and the eight words that follow are intended to describe this love. 

I pray that the Lord of the Harvest will fill us anew with the love of God, so that we might love one another as Christ loves us.

Bob