Testimonia — Early Christian Bible Commentary

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John 13

1Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,

3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God,

4arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist.

5Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”

7Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”

11For he knew him who would betray him; therefore he said, “You are not all clean.”

12So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?

13You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am.

14If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

15For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.

16Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18I don’t speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’

19From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he.

20Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”

21When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”

22The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke.

23One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ chest.

24Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.”

25He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ chest, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

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

27After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”

28Now nobody at the table knew why he said this to him.

29For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

30Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.

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

32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.

33Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.

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

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

36Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you can’t follow now, but you will follow afterwards.”

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

38Jesus answered him, “Will you lay down your life for me? Most certainly I tell you, the rooster won’t crow until you have denied me three times.

Early Christian texts and source notes

c. 182–188 (historical edition's dating) | Irenaeus of Lyons

1. Now in the last days, when the fulness of the time of liberty had arrived, the Word Himself did by Himself "wash away the filth of the daughters of Zion," when He washed the disciples' feet with His own hands. For this is the end of the human race inheriting God; that as in the beginning, by means of our first [parents], we were all brought into bondage, by being made subject to death; so at last, by means of the New Man, all who from the beginning [were His] disciples, having been cleansed and washed from things pertaining to death, should come to the life of God. For He who washed the feet of the disciples sanctified the entire body, and rendered it clean. For this reason, too. He administered food to them in a recumbent posture, indicating that those who were lying in the earth were they to whom He came to impart life. As Jeremiah declares, "The holy Lord remembered His dead Israel, who slept in the land of sepulture; and He descended to them to make known to them His salvation, that they might be saved." For this reason also were the eyes of the disciples weighed down when Christ's passion was approaching; and when, in the first instance, the Lord found them sleeping, He let it pass,—thus indicating the patience of God in regard to the state of slumber in which men lay; but coming the second time, He aroused them, and made them stand up, in token that His passion is the arousing of His sleeping disciples, on whose account "He also descended into the lower parts of the earth," to behold with His eyes the state of those who were resting from their labours, in reference to whom He did also declare to the disciples: "Many prophets and righteous men have desired to see and hear what ye do see and hear."

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · Against Heresies, Book 4, Preface or unspecified section · Original source

1867 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 33.

Editorial footnote · The Instructor, THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. / THE INSTRUCTOR. / BOOK I. / CHAPTER V. ALL WHO WALK ACCORDING TO TRUTH ARE CHILDREN OF GOD. · Original source

1867 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 5.

Editorial footnote · The Instructor, THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. / THE INSTRUCTOR. / BOOK II. / CHAPTER VIII. ON THE USE OF OINTMENTS AND CROWNS. · Original source

1868 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John v. 1, etc. It is well known that, to fix what is meant by the ἑορτὴ, referred to in this passage of St. John, is one of the most difficult points in New Testament criticism. Some modern scholars think that the feast of Purim is intended by the evangelist; but, upon the whole, the current of opinion that has always prevailed in the church has been in favour of the statement here made by Irenæus. Christ would therefore be present at four passovers after His baptism: (1) John ii. 13; (2) John v. 1; (3) John vi. 4; (4) John xiii. 1.

Editorial footnote · Against Heresies, Book 2, Preface or unspecified section · Original source

1869 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Cf. John xiii. 27.

Editorial footnote · On First Principles, The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2 / ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. / BOOK III. / CHAPTER II. ON THE OPPOSING POWERS. · Original source

1869 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 2.

Editorial footnote · On First Principles, The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2 / ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. / BOOK III. / CHAPTER II. ON THE OPPOSING POWERS. · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 10. "Qui lotus est, non habet necessitatem iterum lavandi." The Latin, with the A.V., loses the distinction between ο λελουμινος, "he that has bathed," and νιπτειν, to wash; and further introduces the idea of repetition.

Editorial footnote · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xiv · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 34, 35.

Editorial footnote · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK THIRD. / Chapter xix · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 27.

Editorial footnote · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK FIFTH. / Chapter viii · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 4, 5.

Editorial footnote · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK FIFTH. / Chapter ix · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 34.

Editorial footnote · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK FIRST. / Chapter XVIII · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 10, 11.

Editorial footnote · Answer to the Letters of Petilianus, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xxii · Original source

1872 (English edition) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

John xiii. 10.

Editorial footnote · Answer to the Letters of Petilianus, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xxiv · Original source

Date uncertain | Augustine of Hippo

Chap. xxii.—49. Petilianus said: "It may be urged that Christ said to His apostles, as you are constantly quoting against us, 'He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit.' Now if you discuss those words in all their fulness, you are bound by what immediately follows. For this is what He said, in His very words: 'He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean.' Whosoever, therefore, has incurred the guilt of treason, has forfeited, like you, his baptism. Again, after that the betrayer of Christ had himself been condemned, He thus more fully confirmed His words to the eleven apostles: 'Now are ye clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you.' And again He said to these same eleven, 'Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you.' Seeing, then, that these things were said to the eleven apostles, when the traitor, as we have seen, had been condemned, you likewise, being traditors, are similarly without both peace and baptism."

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · Answer to the Letters of Petilianus, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xxii · Original source

Date uncertain | Augustine of Hippo

Chap. xxiv.—56. Petilianus said: "But you will answer that you abide by the same declaration, 'He that is once washed needeth not save to wash his feet.' Now the 'once' is once that has authority, once that is confirmed by the truth."

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · Answer to the Letters of Petilianus, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xxiv · Original source

Date uncertain | Augustine of Hippo

Chap. lxxv.—167. Petilianus said: "But to us the Lord Christ, in opposition to your deadly commands, commanded simple patience and harmlessness. For what says He? 'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.' And again, 'By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.'"

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · Answer to the Letters of Petilianus, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter lxxv · Original source

Date uncertain | Augustine of Hippo

Chap. xiv.—19. But which is the worse, not to be baptized at all, or to be twice baptized, it is difficult to decide. I see, indeed, which is more repugnant and abhorrent to men's feelings; but when I have recourse to that divine balance, in which the weight of things is determined, not by man's feelings, but by the authority of God, I find a statement by our Lord on either side. For He said to Peter, "He who is washed has no need of washing a second time;" and to Nicodemus, "Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." What is the purport of the more secret determination of God, it is perhaps difficult for men like us to learn; but as far as the mere words are concerned, any one may see what a difference there is between "has no need of washing," and "cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven." The Church, lastly, herself holds as her tradition, that without baptism she cannot admit a man to her altar at all; but since it is allowed that one who has been rebaptized may be admitted after penance, surely this plainly proves that his baptism is considered valid. If, therefore, Cyprian thought that those whom he considered to be unbaptized yet had some share in pardon, in virtue of the bond of unity, the Lord has power to be reconciled even to the rebaptized by means of the simple bond of unity and peace, and by this same compensating power of peace to mitigate His displeasure against those by whom they were rebaptized, and to pardon all the errors which they had committed while in error, on their offering the sacrifice of charity, which covereth the multitude of sins; so that He looks not to the number of those who have been wounded by their separation, but to the greater number who have been delivered from bondage by their return. For in the same bond of peace in which Cyprian conceived that, through the mercy of God, those whom he considered to have been admitted to the Church without baptism, were yet not severed from the gifts of the Church, we also believe that through the same mercy of God the rebaptized can earn their pardon at His hands.

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · On Baptism, Against the Donatists, WRITINGS IN CONNECTION WITH THE DONATIST CONTROVERSY. / BOOK SECOND. / Chapter xiv · Original source

Date uncertain | Clement of Alexandria

This was, then, what the anointed feet prophesied—the treason of Judas, when the Lord went to His passion. And the Saviour Himself washing the feet of the disciples, and despatching them to do good deeds, pointed out their pilgrimage for the benefit of the nations, making them beforehand fair and pure by His power. Then the ointment breathed on them its fragrance, and the work of sweet savour reaching to all was proclaimed; for the passion of the Lord has filled us with sweet fragrance, and the Hebrews with guilt. This the apostle most clearly showed, when he said, “Thanks be to God, who always makes us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place. For we are to God a sweet savour of the Lord, in them that are saved, and them that are lost; to one a savour of death unto death, to the other a savour of life unto life.” And the kings of the Jews using gold and precious stones and a variegated crown, the anointed ones wearing Christ symbolically on the head, were unconsciously adorned with the head of the Lord. The precious stone, or pearl, or emerald, point out the Word Himself. The gold, again, is the incorruptible Word, who admits not the poison of corruption. The Magi, accordingly, brought to Him on His birth, gold, the symbol of royalty. And this crown, after the image of the Lord, fades not as a flower.

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · The Instructor, THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. / THE INSTRUCTOR. / BOOK II. / CHAPTER VIII. ON THE USE OF OINTMENTS AND CROWNS. · Original source

Date uncertain | Clement of Alexandria

It is He Himself who says, “Little children, a little while I am still with you.” Since also God Himself remains blessed and immortal, neither molested nor molesting another; not in consequence of being by nature good, but in consequence of doing good in a manner peculiar to Himself. God being essentially, and proving Himself actually, both Father and good, continues immutably in the self-same goodness. For what is the use of good that does not act and do good?

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · The Stromata (Miscellanies), THE WRITINGS OF CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA. / BOOK VI. / CHAPTER XII. HUMAN NATURE POSSESSES AN ADAPTATION FOR PERFECTION; THE GNOSTIC ALONE ATTAINS IT. · Original source

Date uncertain | Origen

Let us now look also to the New Testament, where Satan approaches the Saviour, and tempts Him: wherein also it is stated that evil spirits and unclean demons, which had taken possession of very many, were expelled by the Saviour from the bodies of the sufferers, who are said also to be made free by Him. Even Judas, too, when the devil had already put it in his heart to betray Christ, afterwards received Satan wholly into him; for it is written, that after the sop “Satan entered into him.” And the Apostle Paul teaches us that we ought not to give place to the devil; but “put on,” he says, “the armour of God, that ye may be able to resist the wiles of the devil:” pointing out that the saints have to “wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Nay, he says that the Saviour even was crucified by the princes of this world, who shall come to nought, whose wisdom also, he says, he does not speak. By all this, therefore, holy Scripture teaches us that there are certain invisible enemies that fight against us, and against whom it commands us to arm ourselves. Whence, also, the more simple among the believers in the Lord Christ are of opinion, that all the sins which men have committed are caused by the persistent efforts of these opposing powers exerted upon the minds of sinners, because in that invisible struggle these powers are found to be superior [to man]. For if, for example, there were no devil, no single human being would go astray.

Source passage · edition’s verse reference · On First Principles, The Writings of Origen, Vol. 1 of 2 / ORIGEN DE PRINCIPIIS. / BOOK III. / CHAPTER II. ON THE OPPOSING POWERS. · Original source