Rabbi Trail: It came to me last night, while I was sleeping, that there are five more pieces to write on the Upper Room Discourse. I want to make them a collective summary. It also came to me that there are five chapters in the URD, so today we will summarize John, Chapter 13. End RT.

Summary, part 1 of 5 – John, Chapter 13

Having just read the entire chapter, I was able to pick out seven themes. I’ll point out all seven and then write a little more about one that is highlighted above the other highlights. Before we do that, let me point out that several of these themes in the opening chapter (13) also appear in the closing chapter (17). In the opening chapter these themes are directed to the disciples as a teaching opportunity, while in the closing chapter these themes are directed vertically as prayer to The Father.

• V 1 “Yeshua knew His hour had come …” – matches chapter 17 v 1 “Father, the hour has come …“
• V 1 (Yeshua) “loved them” (the disciples) “until the end …” – matches chapter 17 v 23 “loved them as You loved Me.“
• V 5 Yeshua exemplifies the physical reality of a servant leader by washing His disciples’ feet (a menial task, usually assigned to lowly servants) – matches chapter 17 v 20 (Yeshua’s prayer is the spiritual reality of a servant leader.) “I pray not on behalf of these only, but also for those who believe in Me through their message.”
• V 8 Yeshua corrects Peter … “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.” The objective is to become one with Him. Yeshua’s glory is His oneness – matches chapter 17 v 10 All Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine; and I have been glorified in them.
• V 14 Wash each other’s feet … foot washing is an act of humility. It is also generational, because the greater serves the lesser, and it’s an act of love (which is never self-serving) – matches chapter 17 v 26b “the love with which You (The Father) loved Me (Yeshua) may be in them.“
• V 27 Judas receives the power to betray Yeshua after partaking of communion. Matches chapter 17 v 12b I guarded them, and not one of them was lost except the son of destruction, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled.
• V 36 Yeshua tells Peter … Yeshua answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow Me later.” Only that which is holy can enter the presence of God – matches chapter 17 v 19 “And for their sakes I make Myself holy, so that they also may be made holy in truth.” We will spend eternity with the Lord because we are “made holy in truth.”

It was verse 14 that stood out to me above the others. John 13:14 So if I, your Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash each other’s feet. Yeshua’s humility is humbling to us all. Peter resisted and was corrected. We must not resist the Lord, Who wants to set the example. He has served us, so we will follow His example and serve others. I want to close with one verse, but there are so many that tell us to serve one another. Since I have to pick one, here it is …

Galatians 5:13 Brothers and sisters, you were called to freedom – only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.