Peter, Judas, and mutual glory (John 13:8–33)

attain life nor enjoy the kingdom of the heavens.

Having at first spoken against it through humility, now through excess of reverence Peter says something superfluous—both from fierce love.

They were clean, enlightened by the teaching and freed from Jewish error and having cast off all wickedness by being with Christ. And by witnessing purity to the others he proves unclean the one who is not clean.

By saying “I am” he showed that he is God by nature and teacher.

Not because they were filthy did he wash them, but to teach them to be moderate. The basin does not hold the rank of a bath nor lighten sins, but leads toward perfect virtue.

Not only in word but also in deed he gave the example of perfect humility.

It is not knowing virtue that is to be emulated, but working it; for knowing and not doing brings greater punishment. Knowing happens to belong to many; doing does not belong to all. Therefore he said: blessed are you if you do them.

Judas was not compelled to betray so that the Spirit’s words might come out—which is full of every blasphemy—but so that we may know that Scripture spoke about that one whom we see having done what was foretold. And if the Lord chose Judas and he transgressed, nothing follows from this; for he chose him while he was good, and he was changed like Adam and Saul; for God does not abolish free will, but allows each to act as he wishes, so that the wicked may be punished and the virtuous crowned.

Through the morsel the Lord fulfilled the prophecy that says: “He who eats my bread has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:9; John 13:18).

On the fourth day Satan cast into Judas that he should betray the Lord, and he spoke this to the Jews on the fifth toward evening. When he saw Judas wanting to betray the Lord in deed and hurrying to it, then he entered into him. So casting in is one thing and entering into him another, just as striking someone with the hand from outside is one thing and giving him an opening and thrusting the sword in is another.

The evangelist calls the devil’s entrance the confirming of Judas to do what is pleasing to the devil. When God made him plain and set him apart, then the devil sprang upon him because of his measureless shamelessness.

He does not say this as commanding, but as reproaching the one he let do what he wished, since he did not want to be corrected. Since this is settled for you, hasten to the plot against me; for suffering does not grieve me.

The morsel given him in the order of a blessing was not the cause of Judas’s apostasy, but the unchangeable wickedness after the exposure. Therefore the enemy also sprang in as into an ungated city.

Since perhaps John said it to him secretly and he heard, no one knew; for if they had known, perhaps they would even have killed him—or because they were in turmoil, not knowing what was in Judas’s heart, they did not understand what was said.

If someone says how the one fed from others’ means, who did not allow the disciples to carry a bag or purse, had a money-box, it must be said that this happened only for the sake of the poor.

Even if the Son does all things, yet through what he does he ascribes them to the Father and glorifies the Father.

Christ, as having put death to death through his own death, was glorified; he teaches that enduring what is shameful for God’s sake is glory.

The Father was glorified in the Son, since it became known whose Father he is. So also the Son is glorified as having such a begetter.

Through himself the Father will glorify the Son, and at once—that is, on the cross, when the sun was darkened, the rocks were split, and after fifty days the Spirit descending made the Son plain to all.

They were seeking him as one who loves and as a teacher.

He said this to human beings because of their unbelief; for with the disciples he was and is always present, and because after the resurrection they also