Jesus Warns About Further Defections Series

Tom Lowe

Date: Thursday of Jesus’ Final Week

Location: Upper Room (Jerusalem)

Title: Jesus Warns About Further Defections

Fulfilled Prophesy: Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones. (Zechariah 13:7)

Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man [1]glorified, and God is glorified in him. (John 13:31)

This verse is taken from Zechariah 13:7.

As soon as Judas left, Jesus began to speak with the disciples more freely and intimately. The tension was gone, which Satan and Judas had produced. Also, the long tension building up toward His death [2]( Luke 12:50) would soon be over.

He said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified.” The Lord was anticipating the work of redemption which He was about to accomplish. His death might have seemed like defeat, yet it was the means by which lost sinners could be saved. It was followed by His resurrection and ascension, and He was greatly honored in it all. And God is glorified in the work of the Savior. It proclaimed Him to be a holy God who could not pass over sin, but also a loving God who did not desire the death of the sinner; it proclaimed how He could be a just God and still is able to justify sinners. Every attribute of deity was supremely magnified at Calvary.

It is noteworthy that the Lord Jesus Christ never referred to His death as punishment, disgrace, or humiliation; instead, he speaks of it as the one event that would most glorify both Himself and God the Father. When we look at Calvary through human eyes it is extremely ugly, but as believers, we can know its Glory: “God forbid that I should Glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. By whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14).

If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall [3]straightway glorify him. (John 13:32)

“If God be glorified in him,” and He is, “God will also glorify Him in Himself.” God will see that appropriate honor is given to His beloved Son. “And shall straightway glorify him,” without delay. God the Father fulfilled this prediction of the Lord Jesus by raising Him from the dead and seating Him at His own right hand in heaven. God would not wait until the kingdom was ushered in. He would glorify His Son immediately.

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. (John 13:33)

For the first time, the Lord Jesus addressed His disciples as little children—a term of endearment. And He used it only after Judas had departed. He was only to be with them a little while longer. Then He would die on the cross. They would seek Him then, but would not be able to follow Him, for He would return to heaven. The Lord had told the same thing to the Jews, but He meant it in a different sense. For the disciples, His departure would only be temporary. He would come again for them (chap. 14). But for the Jews, His leaving them would be final. He was returning to heaven, and they could not follow Him because of their unbelief.

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)

During His absence, they were to be governed by the commandment of love. This commandment was not new at all, because the Ten Commandments taught love for God [5]( Deuteronomy 6:5) and [6]Leviticus 19:18 taught love for one’s neighbor. But this commandment was new in other ways. It was new because the Holy Spirit would empower believers to obey it. It was new in that it was superior to the old. The old said, “Love your neighbor,” but the new said, “Love your enemies.”

It has been well said that the law of love for others is now explained with new clarity, enforced by new motives and obligations, illustrated by a new example, and obeyed in a new way.

Also, it was new, as explained in the verse, because it called for a higher degree of love: “As I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Christ commands them to love, as I have loved you. The love Christians should display for each other must be a sacrificial love similar to the Lord’s love. In John 15:13 Jesus said, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”-but Jesus laid down His life for His enemies.