Catholic Commentary on John 13

"By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:35)

The Master Kneels

We have arrived at the Last Supper, and John's account does not begin with the breaking of bread. It begins with Jesus removing his outer garment, wrapping a towel around his waist, pouring water into a basin, and washing his disciples' feet. Foot-washing was the work of the lowest household slave. No Jewish master washed his disciples' feet. No Roman lord knelt before his servants. What Jesus does here is not merely a gesture of humility. It is a revelation of God. This is what God does: he kneels before the creatures he has made.

Peter's reaction is predictable and entirely human: You shall never wash my feet. He cannot bear the inversion of the order he understands. Jesus tells him: unless I wash you, you have no part with me. Then Peter overcorrects magnificently: wash all of me. Jesus responds with a precision that the Church has applied to the sacraments: whoever has bathed is clean and needs only to have their feet washed. Baptism gives us a complete washing. Confession restores us when we are soiled by daily sin (CCC 1425).

A New Commandment

After Judas leaves into the night, Jesus turns to the remaining eleven and gives them what he calls a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you (v.34). The word "new" is significant. It is not that love is new. It is the measure of love that is new: as I have loved you. The standard is no longer "love your neighbour as yourself." It is now: love as the Son of God loves, with a love that kneels down, that serves without status, that lays down its life.

Living the Word

Brothers and sisters, Jesus says the world will recognise his disciples by one thing: love for one another. Not by correct doctrine alone, not by impressive buildings, not by successful programmes, but by the quality of love visible among us. The parish that washes one another's feet, that serves without status, that bears with one another's failings in charity, is the parish that evangelises without saying a word. How would someone watching your community from the outside describe the love they see?

Prayer

Lord Jesus, who knelt before your disciples and washed their feet: cleanse us of the pride that keeps us from serving others as you served. Give us hearts generous enough to love one another as you have loved us, so that the whole world may see and come to know you. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

13
Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the very end.* 13:1 Or He showed them the full extent of His love. The evening meal was underway, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.
 
Jesus knew that the Father had delivered all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was returning to God. So He got up from the supper, laid aside His outer garments, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel that was around Him.
 
He came to Simon Peter, who asked Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?”
 
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
 
“Never shall You wash my feet!” Peter told Him.
 
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.”
 
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!”
 
10 Jesus told him, “Whoever has already bathed needs only to wash his feet, and he will be completely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him. That is why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
 
12 When Jesus had washed their feet and put on His outer garments, He reclined with them again and asked, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, because I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example so that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Truly, truly, I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, 13:16 Cited in John 15:20 nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus Predicts His Betrayal
(Psalms 41:1–13)
 
18 I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 13:18 Psalms 41:9 19 I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that I am He. 20 Truly, truly, I tell you, whoever receives the one I send receives Me, and whoever receives Me receives the One who sent Me.”
 
21 After Jesus had said this, He became troubled in spirit and testified, “Truly, truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.”
 
22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed as to which of them He meant. 23 One of His disciples, the one whom Jesus loved, was reclining at His side.§ 13:23 Greek was reclining in the bosom of Jesus 24 So Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus which one He was talking about. 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked, “Lord, who is it?”
 
26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this morsel after I have dipped it.” Then He dipped the morsel and gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 And when Judas had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him.
 
Then Jesus said to Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the table knew why Jesus had said this to him. 29 Since Judas kept the money bag, some thought that Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the feast, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as he had received the morsel, Judas went out into the night.
Love One Another
(Romans 12:9–13; 1 John 3:11–24)
 
31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him. 32 If God is glorified in Him,* 13:32 WH does not include If God is glorified in Him. God will also glorify the Son in Himself—and will glorify Him at once.
 
33 Little children, I am with you only a little while longer. You will look for Me, and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you: ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’
 
34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.”
Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial
(Matthew 26:31–35; Mark 14:27–31; Luke 22:31–38)
 
36 “Lord, where are You going?” Simon Peter asked.
 
Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now, but you will follow later.”
 
37 “Lord,” said Peter, “why can’t I follow You now? I will lay down my life for You.”
 
38 “Will you lay down your life for Me?” Jesus replied. “Truly, truly, I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.

*13:1 13:1 Or He showed them the full extent of His love.

13:16 13:16 Cited in John 15:20

13:18 13:18 Psalms 41:9

§13:23 13:23 Greek was reclining in the bosom of Jesus

*13:32 13:32 WH does not include If God is glorified in Him.