"18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was reclining at table close to Jesus, 24 so Simon Peter motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. 25 So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after he had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money bag, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast”, or that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered him, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterwards.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow till you have denied me three times."
John 13:18-38
With the departure of Judas from the Upper Room, the atmosphere immediately changed. Jesus now speaks purposively (31), not merely in the sense that with Judas's going the wheels are now set in motion for the final act of the drama to be consummated, but also in the sense that He Himself calls the tune. It is He Who says to Judas, 'That thou doest, do quickly' - the initiative lies in His hands, not in Judas's. The time - divinely-appointed and ordained - of His glorification has come. Once again we see the characteristic Johannine emphasis on the cross being the glorification of the Son. We see also the essential oneness of this teaching with later apostolic theology, for if the Son is glorified in the death He died, and God is glorified in the Son, this means that God Himself is at work in the cross - which is the point Paul makes in 2 Corinthians 5:19 - 'God in Christ was reconciling the world unto Himself.' But there is a third glorifying mentioned here (32), 'God shall also glorify Him in Himself' - that is, He will give Him a name that is above every name (cf. Philippians 2:5-11).
The change of atmosphere after Judas's departure does not, however, mean a change of subject, as we see in 34, 35, for the new commandment - to love one another - is something that is possible of fulfilment only on yonder side of the great submission to the divine will. Love is a possibility only when self-love has been deposed from the centre of life, and when a true submission to Christ's authority has been made. George Matheson's hymn says,
Make me a captive, Lord, And then I shall be free.
Free - to love. Love is the fruit of the Spirit, and the Spirit is given by God to those that obey Him, who yield Him the unhesitating, unquestioning obedience of their hearts. Love is the byproduct of the death we must die. When we mourn our lack of love, we need not blame temperament or personality. It is simply that love has been crowded out of our hearts by self-love.