John 13:30 Study Bible: Therefore, having received the piece of bread, he went out immediately; and it was night.

◄ John 13:30 ►

As soon as he had received the morsel, Judas went out into the night.

As soon as he had received the piece of bread
This phrase marks a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Last Supper. The "piece of bread" refers to the morsel given by Jesus to Judas Iscariot, symbolizing the identification of the betrayer. In the Greek, the word for "piece of bread" is "psomion," which can denote a small piece or morsel, often used in the context of a meal. This act of giving bread was a gesture of friendship and honor in Jewish culture, making Judas's impending betrayal even more poignant. The act of receiving the bread signifies Judas's acceptance of his role in the unfolding events, highlighting the tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility.

he went out immediately
The immediacy of Judas's departure is emphasized by the Greek word "euthys," meaning "immediately" or "at once." This suggests a sense of urgency and determination in Judas's actions. Historically, this moment is laden with the weight of impending betrayal, as Judas leaves to finalize his plans with the chief priests. The act of leaving the intimate setting of the Last Supper underscores the severing of fellowship and the beginning of the fulfillment of prophetic scripture regarding the Messiah's betrayal.

And it was night
The mention of "night" is not merely a time marker but carries deep symbolic meaning. In the Gospel of John, "night" often represents spiritual darkness and separation from the light of Christ. The Greek word "nux" for "night" underscores this duality of physical and spiritual darkness. This phrase serves as a powerful metaphor for the spiritual state of Judas and the world at that moment. The darkness of night contrasts with Jesus, the Light of the World, highlighting the gravity of Judas's actions and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan through the impending crucifixion. Theologically, this moment marks the transition from the light of Jesus's earthly ministry to the darkness of His passion, setting the stage for the ultimate triumph of light over darkness through the resurrection.

Persons / Places / Events

1. Judas Iscariot
One of the twelve disciples of Jesus, known for betraying Jesus to the religious authorities for thirty pieces of silver. His actions are pivotal in the events leading to the crucifixion of Jesus.

2. Jesus Christ
The central figure of Christianity, who, during the Last Supper, identifies Judas as His betrayer. Jesus' foreknowledge and calm demeanor highlight His divine nature and mission.

3. The Last Supper
The final meal Jesus shares with His disciples before His crucifixion. It is during this meal that Jesus institutes the practice of communion and reveals the impending betrayal.

4. The Night
Symbolically represents the spiritual darkness and evil associated with Judas' betrayal. It contrasts with Jesus, who is the Light of the World.

5. The Upper Room
The location where the Last Supper takes place, providing a setting for Jesus' final teachings and the revelation of His betrayal.

Teaching Points

The Reality of Betrayal
Even among close companions, betrayal can occur. This reminds us to be vigilant in our relationships and to seek God's wisdom in discerning true intentions.

Spiritual Darkness vs. Light
Judas' departure into the night symbolizes the choice between spiritual darkness and the light of Christ. Believers are called to walk in the light and avoid the darkness of sin.

Divine Foreknowledge and Sovereignty
Jesus' awareness of Judas' betrayal underscores His divine nature and the fulfillment of God's redemptive plan. Trust in God's sovereignty, even in difficult circumstances.

The Consequences of Sin
Judas' actions serve as a warning about the destructive path of sin and the importance of repentance and seeking forgiveness.

The Importance of Self-Examination
Reflect on personal faith and commitment to Christ, ensuring that one's actions align with the teachings of Jesus.

Bible Study Questions

1. How does Judas' decision to betray Jesus reflect the spiritual battle between light and darkness in our own lives?

2. In what ways can we guard our hearts against betrayal and ensure our loyalty to Christ and others?

3. How does understanding Jesus' foreknowledge of His betrayal strengthen our trust in God's sovereignty over our lives?

4. What lessons can we learn from Judas' actions about the consequences of sin and the importance of repentance?

5. How can we apply the symbolism of light and darkness in John 13:30 to our daily walk with Christ, ensuring we remain in the light?

Connections to Other Scriptures

Matthew 26:14-16
Provides context for Judas' betrayal, detailing his agreement with the chief priests to betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

Luke 22:3-6
Describes how Satan entered Judas, influencing his decision to betray Jesus, highlighting the spiritual battle behind the events.

John 1:5
Contrasts the light of Christ with the darkness of the world, emphasizing the spiritual significance of Judas going out into the night.

Psalm 41:9
A prophetic reference to the betrayal by a close friend, which Jesus applies to Judas' actions.

Sermons

God Glorified in His Son	C. Simeon, M. A.	John 13:30
God Glorified in His Son	S. S. Times	John 13:30
It was Night	C. S. Robinson, D. D.	John 13:30
Judas and the Sop	R. Finlayson, B. A.	John 13:30
Moral Seasons	C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.	John 13:30
The Cross the Glory of Christ and God	A. Maclaren, D. D.	John 13:30
The Harmony of Nature with Our Mental Moods	C. J. P. Eyre, M. A.	John 13:30
The Sop and a Dark Deed	Noel R. Hamer, M. A.	John 13:30
The Triple Glorification	J. Brown, D. D.	John 13:30
Three Important Facts in Relation to Christ	D. Thomas, D. D.	John 13:30
Walking in the Night	J. H. Hargreaves.	John 13:30
A Four-Fold Theme for Thought	D. Thomas, D. D.	John 13:18-30
A Last Appeal	T. Whitelaw, D. D.	John 13:18-30
A Specially Loved Disciple	S. S. Times	John 13:18-30
A Title that was Better than a Name		John 13:18-30
Can We Now Lean on Jesus' Bosom	Bp. Stevens.	John 13:18-30
Christianity not Responsible for the Words or Deeds of its Professors	H. C. Trumbull, D. D.	John 13:18-30
Christ's Special Affection for St. John	John Milne.	John 13:18-30
Familiarity with Christ	D. Thomas, D. D., S. S. Times., W. Denton, M. A.	John 13:18-30
Horror of Treachery Natural	C. J. Brown, M. A., S. S. Tinges.	John 13:18-30
Ingratitude	J. Brown, D. D.	John 13:18-30
Jesus and the Traitor	J. Jowett, M. A.	John 13:18-30
Judas, John, and Peter	Monday Club	John 13:18-30
Leaning on Jesus' Bosom	J. Morgan.	John 13:18-30
Lying on Jesus' Breast	G. J. Brown, D. D.	John 13:18-30
Nearness to Jesus	T. Thomas.	John 13:18-30
The Apostacy of Judas	Baptist Noel.	John 13:18-30
The Beloved Disciple	T. Summerfield, M. A.	John 13:18-30
The Conspicuousness of Apostates	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 13:18-30
The Dramatic Interest of the Act	Monday Club	John 13:18-30
The Final Step	J. A. Froude.	John 13:18-30
The History of Judas in Relation to the Divine Dealings	G. T. Keeble.	John 13:18-30
The Practical Uses of Christ's Troubles	Bp. Wordsworth.	John 13:18-30
The Sacred Breast	E. M. Golburn, D. D.	John 13:18-30
The Saviour's Trouble	Bp. Ryle.	John 13:18-30
The Sin and Folly of the Crime of Judas	C. Stanford, D. D.	John 13:18-30
The Successive Steps by Which the Traitor Reached the Climax of His Guilt	C. Ross.	John 13:18-30
The Sufferings of the Soul of Jesus	H. Kollock, D. D.	John 13:18-30
The Timid Encouraged to Communion	J. N. Norton, D. D., Bp. Ryle.	John 13:18-30
Titled Believers; the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved	C. H. Spurgeon.	John 13:18-30
Warnings as to the Conduct of the Traitor	C. Ross., D. Thomas, D. D.	John 13:18-30
Why Did Christ Choose Judas	W. J. Dawson.	John 13:18-30
Why Jesus Roved John	F. W. Robertson, M. A.	John 13:18-30
Jesus and the Traitor	B. Thomas	John 13:21-30

People

Jesus, Judas, Peter, Simon

Places

Jerusalem

Topics

Bit, Bread, Forth, Immediately, Judas, Morsel, Piece, Received, Receiving, Sop, Straight, Straightway

Dictionary of Bible Themes

John 13:30

4957 night

John 13:18-30

2570 Christ, suffering

John 13:27-30

5345 influence

Library

December 16 Morning
Having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.--JOHN 13:1. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.--Greater …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

May 16 Morning
A servant of Jesus Christ.--ROM. 1:1. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.--If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour.--Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.--Being made free from sin, and become servants …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 10 Morning
The disciple is not above his master.--MATT. 10:24. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord.--If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep your's also.--I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 4 Morning
Leaning on Jesus' bosom.--JOHN 13:23. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.--They brought young children to him, that he should touch them. And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.--Jesus called his disciples unto him, and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three days and have nothing to eat; and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way.--A high Priest . . . touched with the feeling …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

July 28 Morning
Walk in love.--EPH. 5:2. A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.--Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.--Love covereth all sins. When ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.--Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again.--Rejoice not when thine enemy …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

September 4 Evening
What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.--JOHN 13:7. Thou shalt remember all the way which the Lord thy God led thee these forty years in the wilderness, to humble thee, and to prove thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep his commandments, or no. When I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.--Whom the Lord …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

October 21 Evening
The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.--JOHN 13:16,17. There was . . . a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, …
Anonymous—Daily Light on the Daily Path

August 30. "Happy are Ye if Ye do Them" (John xiii. 17).
"Happy are ye if ye do them" (John xiii. 17). You little know the rest that comes from the yielded will, the surrendered choice, the abandoned world, the meek and lowly heart that lets the world go by, and knows that it shall inherit the earth which it has refused! You little know the relish that it gives to the blessing to hunger and thirst after righteousness, and to be filled with a satisfaction that worldly delight cannot afford, and then to rise to the higher blessedness of the merciful, the …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

The Love of the Departing Christ
'... When Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end.'--JOHN xiii. 1. The latter half of St. John's Gospel, which begins with these words, is the Holy of Holies of the New Testament. Nowhere else do the blended lights of our Lord's superhuman dignity and human tenderness shine with such lambent brightness. Nowhere else is His speech at once so simple and so deep. Nowhere else have …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'Is it I?'
'And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, Lord, is it I? 25. Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.'-MATT. xxvi. 22, 25. 'He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto Him, Lord, who is it?'--JOHN xiii. 25. The genius of many great painters has portrayed the Lord's Supper, but the reality of it was very different from their imaginings. We have to picture to ourselves some low table, probably a mere tray …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Dismissal of Judas
'... Then said Jesus unto Judas, That thou doest, do quickly.'--JOHN xiii. 27. When our Lord gave the morsel, dipped in the dish, to Judas, only John knew the significance of the act. But if we supplement the narrative here with that given by Matthew, we shall find that, accompanying the gift of the sop, was a brief dialogue in which the betrayer, with unabashed front, hypocritically said, 'Lord! Is it I?' and heard the solemn, sad answer, 'Thou sayest!' Two things, then, appealed to him at the moment: …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Cannot and Can
'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 xiii. 33. The preceding context shows how large and black the Cross loomed before Jesus now, and how radiant the glory beyond shone out to Him. But it was only for a moment that either of these two absorbed His thoughts; and with wonderful self-forgetfulness and self-command, He turned away at once from the consideration of how the near future …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Seeking Jesus
'... Ye shall seek Me.'--JOHN xiii. 33. In the former sermon on this verse I pointed out that it, in its fullness, applies only to the brief period between the crucifixion and the resurrection, but that, partly by contrast and partly by analogy, it suggests permanent relations between Christ and His disciples. These relations were mainly--as I pointed out then--two: there was that one expressed by the subsequent words of the verse, 'Whither I go, ye cannot come'--a brief 'cannot,' soon to be changed …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Rash Vow
'Jesus answered him, Wilt them lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice.'--JOHN xiii. 38. In the last sermon I partly considered the dialogue of which this is the concluding portion, and found that it consisted of an audacious question: 'Why cannot I follow Thee now?' which really meant a contradiction of our Lord; of a rash vow; 'I will lay down my life for Thy sake'--and of a sad forecast: 'The cock shall not crow till …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Servant-Master
'Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded.'--JOHN xiii. 3-5. It has been suggested that the dispute as to 'which was the greatest,' which broke the sanctities of the upper chamber, was connected with …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Glory of the Cross
'Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him. If God he glorified in Him, God shall also glorify Him in Himself, and shall straightway glorify Him.'--JOHN xiii. 31, 32. There is something very weird and awful in the brief note of time with which the Evangelist sends Judas on his dark errand. 'He ... went immediately out, and it was night.' Into the darkness that dark soul went. That hour was 'the power of darkness,' the very keystone of …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

'As I have Loved'
'A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.'--JOHN xiii. 34, 35. Wishes from dying lips are sacred. They sink deep into memories and mould faithful lives. The sense of impending separation had added an unwonted tenderness to our Lord's address, and He had designated His disciples by the fond name of 'little children.' The same sense here gives …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Quo Vadis?
'Peter said unto Him, Lord, why cannot I follow Thee now! I will lay down my life for Thy sake. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for My sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied Me thrice.'--JOHN xiii. 37, 38. Peter's main characteristics are all in operation here; his eagerness to be in the front, his habit of blurting out his thoughts and feelings, his passionate love for his Master, and withal his inability to understand Him, and his self-confident …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

October the Twentieth the Lord as the Servant
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He came forth from God, and goeth to God...." --JOHN xiii. 1-20. And how shall we expect the sentence to finish? What shall be the issue of so vast a consciousness? "He took a towel, and girded Himself ... and began to wash the disciples' feet." So a mighty consciousness expresses itself in lowly service. In our ignorance we should have assumed that divinity would have moved only in planetary orbits, and would have …
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

25TH DAY. Heavenly Illumination.
"He is Faithful that Promised." "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter."--JOHN xiii. 7. Heavenly Illumination. As the natural sun sometimes sinks in clouds, so, occasionally, the Christian who has a bright rising, and a brighter meridian, sets in gloom. It is not always "light" at his evening-time; but this we know, that when the day of immortality breaks, the last vestige of earth's shadows will for ever flee away. To the closing hour of time, Providence may be to him …
John Ross Macduff—The Faithful Promiser

Love is the Touchstone by which the Reality of Truth is Perceived...
1. Love is the touchstone by which the reality of truth is perceived, and by it shall all men know that ye are My disciples (John xiii.35). I also make use of the sword of justice, so that at first sight some are inclined to think that, like Solomon, I intend to finish My work without mercy (1 Kings iii.16-28), but My object, like his, is to apply the touchstone of love which will bring out the truth, and show that you are the children of that God of Love who gave His life to save yours. You ought …
Sadhu Sundar Singh—At The Master's Feet

The Paschal Meal. Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet.
(Thursday Evening of the Beginning of Friday.) ^D John XIII. 1-20. ^d 1 Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. [Since the second century a great dispute has been carried on as to the apparent discrepancy between John and the synoptists in their statements concerning the passover. The synoptists, as we have seen in the previous section, …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

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