John 13:21-30 21After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22The disciples looked at one another, being uncertain about whom he spoke. 23One of his disciples was reclining at table at Jesus’ side, the one whom Jesus loved. 24Then Simon Peter motioned to this one to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25So that disciple, leaning upon against Jesus’ chest, said to him, “Lord, who is it?”
Jesus’ discussion of betrayal must have been confusing to the disciples, as the following verses indicate. Verse 21 is the second time Jesus was troubled in spirit (see 12:27). What bothered him was that one of his inner disciples, one of the twelve, would betray him. Jesus solemnly informed his disciples of this indicated in two ways: his testimony or witness (emartyrēsen) and a strong truly, truly statement, which John records for serious statements that need to be noticed and considered carefully.
The shock of the disciples is implied in verse 22. At this point, the disciples could have thought that it was only the Jewish leaders who opposed Jesus, and so far, he had been able to walk away. They had seen his power and authority and how he could solve any problem. The extent of their fear and doubt would be tested in the next few hours. How could one of them betray Jesus? They had committed themselves to Jesus and had followed him for years. The group must have been quite close and had become good friends, with Jesus as the unifying factor.
Verse 23 mentions an unnamed disciple who was leaning close to Jesus. The typical way to eat special meals like this at that time was to recline on pillows with a low table, with feet extended. The implied meaning of this verse is that this disciple was close to Jesus, not just physically, but emotionally and physically. This nuance is confirmed even more with the description of this person as the disciple whom Jesus loved. This disciple is mentioned two other times, in 19:26-27 at Jesus’ cross, in 20:2-9 at the empty tomb, and in 21:1, 20-23 and a post-resurrection appearance, and then finally in 21:24-25 at the close of the Gospel.
People have wondered who this disciple was, but the assumption is that he was one of the apostles. The references to this disciple in John are connected with Peter, so it is likely that this disciple and Peter did many things together. Tradition and best evidence have claimed John, son of Zebedee, as this disciple. This John would also be the one who wrote this Gospel. He may have chosen to describe himself this way to show humility. He did not want to put any focus or attention on himself but on Jesus. The closeness of this disciple is assumed in that he leaned in close to Jesus, probably resting against in him some way (described as chest or bosom, stēthos).
Simon Peter evidently was not next to Jesus and so had to ask John to ask Jesus who the betrayer was. It is uncertain whether the order of any of the seating around the meal should be considered significant or symbolic. It is interesting to consider that Judas may have been sitting next to Jesus in order to receive the bread directly from him (verse 26). Peter must have been deeply troubled by what he heard Jesus say, so much so that he acted on this concern by taking the initiative to find out who this betrayer was. Peter is mentioned in three situations at this meal: washing of feet, asking about the betrayer, and being told he would deny Jesus. After his resurrection, Jesus would later re-affirm Peter three times in chapter 21.
John then asked Jesus the crucial question: “Who is it?” How would knowing this answer change the situation? Humans are curious about events and relationships, which can lead to gossip and hard feelings. Did the disciples somehow want to threaten or corner the betrayer, kick this person out of their group, and somehow take control of the situation? This may have been the first hint of doubt in Peter’s mind, something that would grow until the point when he himself would betray Jesus. His lack of trust and full commitment is starting to show with his question.
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