(1) Overview
13:21 When he had said these things, Jesus was greatly distressed in spirit, and testified, “I tell you the solemn truth, one of you will betray me.”
13:31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him.
Thinking about Judas' betrayal, Jesus was greatly distressed. However, thinking from the angle of God Jesus saw the glorification.
v.33b ‘Where I am going you cannot come,’
v,34 “I give you a new commandment—to love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.13:35 Everyone will know by this that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”
Even though Jesus would leave them in person, but His commandment was given to them. Love each other as Jesus had loved them would is the best way to remind them about Jesus' presence.
Even though Jesus would leave them in person, but His commandment was given to them. Love each other as Jesus had loved them would is the best way to remind them about Jesus' presence.
Reflection: From what did people know the influence of Jesus on His followers? From what people would follow Jesus while He was not living among us?
Do we follow His commandment as a duty? Burden? Or we are loved and therefore we will like to continue the path of the One who first loved us?
(2) Difficult passage
13:31 When Judas had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. 13:32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him right away
(NAC) ...Jesus was acting as God’s agent,...in the legal sense God is clearly to be understood to receive the benefit of any action undertaken by his representative on earth...v.32 [ "God (the Father) will also glorify Him (Jesus) in Himself (God the Father)"] presents the obverse side of the coin of v. 31. Not only is God glorified in the process but the Son is glorified in the Father’s glorification, and that glorification is an immediate one... The glorification idea... is directly related to the obedience of the Son in the crucifixion and the subsequent resurrection. To see God’s act of glorification through the tragedy of the death of the Messiah and the victorious resurrection is a crucial aspect of the Gospel presentation.
(3) Reflection: Jesus could see the greatest pain in His life as glory. In v.31-32 this glory was threefold: 1. Glory in Jesus, 2. in the Father because of Jesus, 3. in Jesus Who is in the Father. Why? His death and resurrection would bring reconciliation of mankind to God (as well as the sanctification, and glorification). His obedience was the key to our new lives in God. Thank God for Jesus' obedience and bring us also to the glory.
Audrey
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