Scripture to Read: John 13:22–25
Jesus telling the disciples that one of them would betray Him revealed again His omniscience, that He knew everything. However, the disciples still had no idea who would betray Jesus—this shows how Jesus never treated Judas differently than He had the other eleven. We read in John 13:22, The disciples began looking at one another, at a loss to know of which one He was speaking. We also read in Matthew 26:22, Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, “Surely not I, Lord?” So, this news from Jesus broke the hearts of the disciples. The eleven could not imagine one of them betraying their Lord. But they also wanted to know who it was. So, we read in John 13:23–25, There was reclining on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 So Simon Peter *gestured to him, and *said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom He is speaking.” 25 He, leaning back thus on Jesus’ bosom, *said to Him, “Lord, who is it?” Peter was sitting next to John (the writer of the Book of John), and Peter leaned into him and asked him to ask Jesus who the traitor was. John referred to himself as the disciple “whom Jesus loved” in these four passages: John 13:23, John 19:26, John 20:2, and John 21:20. As God led John to write, John truly rested in the love of Christ, but he never boasted of Christ’s love for him. We must also rest in Christ’s love for us but never be boastful about it.
Challenge & Application
• What did you learn about Jesus’ love for His disciples through John’s description of himself?
• What do you understand of God’s love for you as you have walked through John so far?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!