What can we learn from the disciples' confusion in John 13:28? The Setting: A Tense Upper Room Moment John 13 records Jesus’ final Passover meal with His disciples. After washing their feet, He exposes a traitor in their midst (vv. 21–27). Then we read: “But no one at the table knew why Jesus had said this to him.” (John 13:28) Why the Confusion? • Judas looked like every other follower; outward appearances fooled them (John 13:29). • Prophecy had to be fulfilled exactly as written (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18), so the disciples’ limited understanding served the divine plan. • The Holy Spirit, who would later guide them “into all truth” (John 16:13), had not yet been given in His indwelling, clarifying fullness. • Human assumptions about Messiah’s kingdom still colored their thinking (Luke 22:24–30). Timeless Takeaways for Today • Faith often precedes full understanding. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5). • Spiritual perception is a gift, not a given. We need the Spirit to “open our minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45). • External religiosity can mask internal betrayal; only Christ sees the heart (1 Samuel 16:7; Hebrews 4:13). • God’s purposes march on even when His people feel bewildered (Isaiah 55:8–9). • Confusion is an invitation to deeper dependence rather than doubt. The disciples’ later clarity (Acts 2:14–36) shows how the Lord transforms bewilderment into bold witness. • Remaining teachable keeps us from pride. “If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know” (1 Corinthians 8:2). Living It Out • When circumstances puzzle you, recall that the disciples once sat bewildered at the same table—yet Jesus was still perfectly in control. • Ask the Spirit to search your own motives (Psalm 139:23–24) and to guard you from Judas-like hypocrisy. • Stay anchored in the written Word; it remains the sure light amid momentary darkness (Psalm 119:105). |
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