John 13:31-34

 

John 13:31 (KJB)

Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.

 

Once Judas left the company, Jesus was now able to share with them the deeper things and His most intimate feelings. Judas was the only unbeliever among them so what Jesus was going to tell them had nothing whatsoever to do with those who are unbelievers. It was going to apply only to those who were His true disciples. Jesus now tells them that the Son of man is now glorified, that is, He is going to be revealed for who He is and even those who disbelieve will have to know that Jesus was speaking the truth. This truth will be made known to all the ends of the earth. Since Jesus did everything in harmony with His Father, God the Father will also be glorified in this. They will see that He has a compassionate heart and through His Son, He has opened the gates of paradise for those who believe. God the Father will be seen in a different light and this will be proclaimed throughout all the nations.

 

John 13:32 (KJB)

If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.

 

God’s love for His own will be manifested as God will be glorified in the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the Father and the Son are so intimate, Jesus will also be glorified in the Father because Jesus will be given all authority in Heaven and Earth. (Mat 28:18 KJV) And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. The word power may also be understood as “authority.” God Himself will glorify His Son which gives a divine approbation to Jesus. The ministry of God the Father and God the Son complement each other and are unified in purpose. Since God will glorify Jesus, that glory will be immediate. The glory of God was shown in the resurrection of Jesus on Sunday morning. It will be shown that death has no authority over Jesus which also means that death has no authority over the believer.

 

John 13:33 (KJB)

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 is showing a very affectionate side by calling them “little children.” John used this term nine times in reference to believers in his first epistle. (Mat 18:3 KJV) And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Matthew wrote in his gospel that the believer was to be like a little child. A little child has great faith especially when they are with their father. You have stories of little children who stood on a step or porch and then they jumped without hesitation telling their father to catch them. They didn’t have a meeting, instead they trusted that their father would catch them and not let any harm come to them. Believers are to have that same great faith in both the Lord Jesus Christ and God the Father. Previously, Jesus had told the Jews that where He was going they could not come. This had them baffled and thought that Jesus was going to commit suicide. (John 8:22 KJV) Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith, Whither I go, ye cannot come. Now Jesus says the same thing to the disciples. Jesus must go to the cross and He must do it alone which means that they cannot have any type of part in this. (Heb 1:3 KJV) Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; If any of the disciples were thought to even have a part in the upcoming events, it would then be looked upon as co-redemption. Hebrews 1:3 makes it clear that Jesus paid for the sins of His people by Himself. The disciples, like every true believer, were the recipients of the grace of God which flowed from Calvary. Man could play no part in it because of the sinful nature of man AKA the Adamic nature. The disciples were going to be dispersed because none of them were to be crucified with Christ.

 

John 13:34 (KJB)

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

 

Jesus now gives the disciples a new commandment but one that is really not new in word but in essence. Jesus tells them to love each other but that does not mean they walk around with a stupid, religious grin on their face all day. He then gives the essence of that love. It is to be a love like Jesus has for the disciples which is a tangible love that expresses itself in deeds and concern for the other brethren. Love expressed in words which are not followed up by deeds commensurate with those words, is not love at all but probably a manipulation of some kind. Many cult leaders and members of cults claim they love their adherents as long as they keep bringing in the money. Jesus is stating that His love and the love which He is advocating and demonstrating is the love which is a sacrificial love. (Rom 12:1 KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. True Christians are to be living sacrifices which means we are dead to ourselves but alive in service to others. This does not mean that we gain salvation by sacrifice, we sacrifice because we are saved.

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