Joh 13:23-25 | KingComments | STEP | After the Lord has spoken about who He will send, He thinks of Judas and is deeply troubled. His becoming troubled in spirit is not caused by the thought of the betrayal that will take place and its consequences, but by the fact that it will be one of them, who has been in His company all the time. He makes His disciples, among whom Judas is still found, known what He is busy with in His spirit. Thereupon he makes a solemn declaration as we see from the word ”testified”. The certainty and at the same time the seriousness of this word are further emphasized by the preceding double “truly” followed by the authoritative “I say to you”. The disciples look at one another in despair, wondering of whom He is speaking. This attitude shows that among the disciples there is no suspicion whatsoever toward Judas. To them, he seems to be a completely sincere person. Judas is a striking illustration of a false apostle about whom we read in 2 Corinthians 11 ( ). It shows that the Lord Jesus has never made any allusion that He distrusts Judas or dislikes him or has shown anything else that would make Him want to warn the other disciples about Judas. He has always given Judas His full trust. Opposite the hypocrisy of Judas shines the deep and sincere love of the disciple who is in the immediate vicinity of the Lord Jesus. He is reclining on His bosom. This indicates intimacy ( ). John does not mention the name of the disciple. However, there can be no doubt that he means himself when he writes about the disciple “whom Jesus loved” ( ). He calls himself that because he is aware that the Lord loves him. The Lord certainly loved all disciples, but John is aware of this in a special way and cherished himself in that love. John did not take that place in order to receive messages for others, but intimacy with the Lord Jesus makes one familiar with His thoughts and enables him to serve others with them. Peter recognizes the place of intimacy that John takes. He did not occupy such a place himself because he still expected a lot from himself. But that did not prevent him from serving the Lord, and he did so. Nor is he jealous of John’s place, but recognizes him in it by giving him a hint. It is a good thing to ask believers of whom we know that they live close to the Lord and His Word what light they have received from Him on a particular matter. John does not think it is a stupid question and he does not say: ‘Ask it yourself.’ The disciples complement each other. Each receives from the Lord his own formation, place and service. It is good to have an eye for that and to accept and appreciate that of each other. John then asks the question who it is. The Lord answers by referring to a symbolic act at the supper. He says it is him to whom He will give the morsel after He has dipped it. Because He speaks emphatically about ‘the’ morsel and not about ‘a’ morsel, it is assumed that it refers to the act by which a host opens the supper. He takes ‘the’ morsel and gives it to the most important person at the table. It is a gesture of honor. With this gesture of honor, the Lord with love and grace makes another attempt to speak to the heart of Judas to bring him back from his pernicious path. But also this tribute is rejected by Judas. Then all barriers are gone for satan to enter Judas. This rejection is the third and final step in the fall of Judas who first came under the power of money ( ), which then made him an instrument of satan to betray the Lord for money ( ), and here satan enters into him. The ruler of the demons takes the lead personally. The Lord tells Judas to act quickly. Satan now gets the opportunity to do what he has always wanted to do because now it is God’s time. Judas does not become evil just now. He was already evil because of his greed for money, to which he gave in at everyday temptations. The Lord completely knows the heart of Judas. That is why He tells him to do quickly what he has to do. Still nobody suspects anything of what is going on in Judas. The Lord has given the disciples the clearest clue, but there is no mention in their agenda of a surrender of the Lord and His death. They simply do not take into account the fact of His surrender. Therefore, any reminder from Him in that direction passes them by. They find a practical explanation for His words. Judas just has to go and buy something, like he always did when something was needed. After all, he had the money box. Or he had to go and give something to the poor somewhere. Apparently the Lord gave the order for that more often. Judas does not refuse the morsel. He knows that the Lord sees through him. After he has taken the morsel the Lord gave him, he immediately leaves the scene into the night. It is night around him, but even more it is night in his soul.

‏ John 13:23-25

The Traitor Identified

After the Lord has spoken about who He will send, He thinks of Judas and is deeply troubled. His becoming troubled in spirit is not caused by the thought of the betrayal that will take place and its consequences, but by the fact that it will be one of them, who has been in His company all the time. He makes His disciples, among whom Judas is still found, known what He is busy with in His spirit. Thereupon he makes a solemn declaration as we see from the word ”testified”. The certainty and at the same time the seriousness of this word are further emphasized by the preceding double “truly” followed by the authoritative “I say to you”.

The disciples look at one another in despair, wondering of whom He is speaking. This attitude shows that among the disciples there is no suspicion whatsoever toward Judas. To them, he seems to be a completely sincere person. Judas is a striking illustration of a false apostle about whom we read in 2 Corinthians 11 (2Cor 11:13-15). It shows that the Lord Jesus has never made any allusion that He distrusts Judas or dislikes him or has shown anything else that would make Him want to warn the other disciples about Judas. He has always given Judas His full trust.

Opposite the hypocrisy of Judas shines the deep and sincere love of the disciple who is in the immediate vicinity of the Lord Jesus. He is reclining on His bosom. This indicates intimacy (Jn 1:18). John does not mention the name of the disciple. However, there can be no doubt that he means himself when he writes about the disciple “whom Jesus loved” (Jn 19:26 ; Jn 20:2 ; Jn 21:7 ; 20 ; 24). He calls himself that because he is aware that the Lord loves him.

The Lord certainly loved all disciples, but John is aware of this in a special way and cherished himself in that love. John did not take that place in order to receive messages for others, but intimacy with the Lord Jesus makes one familiar with His thoughts and enables him to serve others with them. Peter recognizes the place of intimacy that John takes. He did not occupy such a place himself because he still expected a lot from himself. But that did not prevent him from serving the Lord, and he did so. Nor is he jealous of John’s place, but recognizes him in it by giving him a hint.

It is a good thing to ask believers of whom we know that they live close to the Lord and His Word what light they have received from Him on a particular matter. John does not think it is a stupid question and he does not say: ‘Ask it yourself.’ The disciples complement each other. Each receives from the Lord his own formation, place and service. It is good to have an eye for that and to accept and appreciate that of each other.

John then asks the question who it is. The Lord answers by referring to a symbolic act at the supper. He says it is him to whom He will give the morsel after He has dipped it. Because He speaks emphatically about ‘the’ morsel and not about ‘a’ morsel, it is assumed that it refers to the act by which a host opens the supper. He takes ‘the’ morsel and gives it to the most important person at the table. It is a gesture of honor. With this gesture of honor, the Lord with love and grace makes another attempt to speak to the heart of Judas to bring him back from his pernicious path. But also this tribute is rejected by Judas.

Then all barriers are gone for satan to enter Judas. This rejection is the third and final step in the fall of Judas who first came under the power of money (Jn 12:6), which then made him an instrument of satan to betray the Lord for money (Jn 13:2), and here satan enters into him. The ruler of the demons takes the lead personally.

The Lord tells Judas to act quickly. Satan now gets the opportunity to do what he has always wanted to do because now it is God’s time. Judas does not become evil just now. He was already evil because of his greed for money, to which he gave in at everyday temptations. The Lord completely knows the heart of Judas. That is why He tells him to do quickly what he has to do.

Still nobody suspects anything of what is going on in Judas. The Lord has given the disciples the clearest clue, but there is no mention in their agenda of a surrender of the Lord and His death. They simply do not take into account the fact of His surrender. Therefore, any reminder from Him in that direction passes them by. They find a practical explanation for His words. Judas just has to go and buy something, like he always did when something was needed. After all, he had the money box. Or he had to go and give something to the poor somewhere. Apparently the Lord gave the order for that more often.

Judas does not refuse the morsel. He knows that the Lord sees through him. After he has taken the morsel the Lord gave him, he immediately leaves the scene into the night. It is night around him, but even more it is night in his soul.