Love One Another: Just As I Have Loved You

John 13:21-38 Key Verse 35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

1. Look at verse 21. Jesus was troubled in his spirit because one of his disciples would betray him: What does this reveal about the closeness and love that Jesus had for his disciples and how much the betrayal affected him? Why might betrayal be a critical spiritual issue?(27)

2. V22–26. Why do you think Peter asked the disciple whom Jesus loved(John) to ask Jesus who the betrayer would be and not ask Jesus himself? What does this show about the importance of being close to Jesus(Spending time reclining at the table with Jesus & being at Jesus’ side)? Why do you think Jesus revealed that the betrayer was Judas by dipping a morsel of bread and giving it to Judas?

3. V27-30. What does it say happened to Judas after he had taken the morsel? What does it mean that “Satan entered into him”? Why do you think the passage specifies that it was now night? Why might this detail be significant?(John 12:35-36)

4. V31-32. When Judas left to betray Jesus, Jesus said “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him.” Why do you think Jesus stated this at this moment?

5. V33-35. What new commandment did Jesus give to the disciples and us? What is the difference between loving one another and loving one another “just as I have loved you”? How does loving others in this way reveal and prove that we are truly disciples of Jesus?

6. V36-38. What did Jesus say would happen to Peter? Why do you think Peter was able to confidently say “I will lay down my life for you” but would end up denying Jesus 3 times?

7. Application: Why do you think Jesus gave a new command to love one another as he has loved us, in the middle of this event where Judas betrayed him and Peter is told he will deny him?

John 12:35-36
35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

---