Jesus is about to fulfill the 3 Spring Feasts of Passover, Unleavened Bread and First Fruits.
Jesus is the Passover Lamb and is about to be sacrificed. Hebrew days start at 6pm rather than midnight so the events of John 13:1 (the Last Supper) are actually happening late Tuesday night according to our calendar.
As you will recall,
Jesus was not crucified on a Friday, as there is no way to squeeze 3 days and 3 nights in between Friday and His resurrection. He was crucified on Wednesday, around 3 pm on our Calendar. Thursday was the First Day of Unleavened Bread and celebrated as a High Sabbath (day of rest). That is the sabbath referred to in
John 19:31 not Saturday, the regular Sabbath/
Here is a link, with tons of scriptural support, outlining the timeline for Jesus‘ Death and Resurrection (Wed late afternoon to Sat late afternoon our time)
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And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him; John 13:2
We discussed whether Christians can become Demon Possessed. The better question is can True Believers in Jesus be Demonized? Many people are Christian in name only, and haven’t truly trusted (pisteuo) Jesus for their salvation, and therefore do not have the full protection of the Holy Spirit. Now this word possessed, would indicate ownership, and True Believers are owned by Jesus. This question of possession is not the correct phrasing, rather demonized is a better interpretation, meaning “demon-influenced” and this certainly can happen to anybody. I give the analogy of the mind being like a city, full of many different neighborhoods, with the city as a whole surrendered to Jesus, but certain neighborhoods in the city, not yet being fully surrendered to Christ.
Diagram of how thoughts can eventually lead to bondage
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Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; John 13:3
And ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you Free… The problem with today’s youth, is that they do not know who they are in Christ. It’s an Identity Crisis. If they would only realize they are God’s children (ie. not descended from monkeys), and are loved by Him, they would not be moved and swayed by the ways of the world (materialism, pride, gender fluidity, the anxiety of fitting in, the depression of not measuring up, the suicidality of hopelessness). Knowing who you are in Christ makes all these things irrelevant, and allows you to do the work of the Kingdom, which is to love and serve others.
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v4-5 can almost be seen as a summary of Jesus leaving the comfort of Heaven, removing His heavenly covering, and becoming a servant to mankind (washing our feet)
v6-9 washing feet was a role done by the lowest servant in the household, and definitely not the role of the master.
Jesus does it as a symbolic act, and though Peter does not understand it yet, he eventually will, see
1 Peter 5:5v15-17 Jesus plainly tells of the symbolism of washing feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
As we discussed previously (from
Michael Heiser’s Supernatural Seminar and
Psalm 82) God dispersed the nations at Babel into 70 groups, with different “gods” ruling over them. In Psalm 82, we see these “gods” DO NOT have an “attitude of servitude”, and do things their own way. Contrast this to
Jesus, who DOES have an “attitude of servitude”, and who’s hour is about to come, upon which He will be glorified among the nations…
“And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.” Jesus is calling all men back to the one true God
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18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. John 13:18-19
If you think that’s impressive, check this link out of 351 Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. If only this was taught to our children, rather than what passes for “education” today.
One thing that gets lost in translation, from Greek to English, is that the Greeks use four different words for love.
v34-35 are describing
Agape love. This is the type of love
Jesus expects from us. There is little use of Agape prior to
Jesus. This is a Divine love, that comes from God and empowers us to do the impossible (forgive, love the unlovable, die to ourselves,
lay down our life for the brethren 1 John 3:16).
Jesus dying on the cross for us is Agape love personified. Even in the secular world, in movies and news stories, self-sacrifice or dying for others, is always seen as powerful and noble and something that deeply touches our heart. There is a Truth of Agape love being the highest ideal.
Ultimately, we are to die to ourselves (the Outer Man), and eventually let God’s Agape Love (the Inner Man). flow through our entire being. That’s how we know we are his disciples.
