John 13:19

13:19 Judas’s betrayal did not take Jesus unaware, and it should not shock his disciples when it happens. • that I Am the Messiah: Literally that I am. By using the phrase “I am,” Jesus clearly equated himself with the God of the Old Testament. See Exod 3:14.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Joh 13:19. Ἀπʼ ἄρτι) from this time [Now, Engl. Vers.]; for He presently after again says it, and more expressly, Joh 13:21, “One of you shall betray Me.”—πρὸ τοῦ γένεσθαι, before that it happens) ch Joh 14:29, “Now I have told you before it come to pass, that when it is come to pass, ye might believe.”—ἵνα, that) This has the same scope as ch. Joh 14:29; Joh 16:4, “These things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them.”—πιστεύσητε, ye may believe) This is a great criterion of truth, the correspondence of the event to the prophecy.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Joh 13:19 . This grave announcement was made at this point and not previously, ἀπʼ ἄρτι , “from henceforth” (as if the knowledge resulting from the announcement rather than the announcement itself were dictating the expression) “I tell you before it happens, that when it has happened you may know that I am He,” i.e. , the Messiah in whom these predictions were destined to be fulfilled.

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I tell you before . . . that when it comes to pass, ye may believe--and it came to pass when they deeply needed such confirmation.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 19. That - ye may believe] These frequent predictions of his death, so circumstantial in themselves, had the most direct tendency to confirm the disciples, not only in the belief of his being the Messiah, but also in that of his omniscience.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. I tell you this now, before it happen. By this statement he reminds his disciples that, when one of their number becomes a reprobate, this is so far from being a good reason for their being discouraged, that it ought to be a more full confirmation of their faith. For if we did not see before our eyes, in the Church, what has been foretold about her distresses and struggles, a doubt might justly arise in our minds, Where are the prophecies? But when the truth of Scripture agrees with our daily experience,17 then do we perceive more clearly, that God takes care of us, and that we are governed by his providence.

That you may believe that I am. By the phrase, that I am, he means that he is that Messiah who had been promised; not that the conduct of Judas, as a traitor, was the first event that led the disciples to the exercise of faith, but because their faith made greater progress, when they arrived at the experience of those things which they had formerly heard from the mouth of Christ. Now this may be explained in two ways; either that Christ says that they will believe after the event has happened, because there was nothing which was hidden from him, or that nothing will be wanting in him of all that the Scripture testifies concerning Christ. As the two interpretations agree well enough together, I leave my readers at liberty to choose which of them they will prefer.

John Calvin's Commentaries (1540-1563) — public domain. Text from the Calvin Translation Society English edition (1840s-50s) via the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (ccel.org). Calvin's coverage is partial (roughly two-thirds of the Bible); uncommented books and verses are honest gaps, never fabricated. The 19th-century editor's footnotes and remarks are omitted so the notes are faithfully Calvin's own voice.

(19) Now I tell you before it come.—The marginal rendering is to be preferred. (Comp. Joh_1:51; Joh_14:7.)

Ye may believe that I am he.—Comp. Note on Joh_8:24; Joh_14:29. The result of His henceforth declaring these things unto them before the events, will be that they will find confirmation of their faith in Him as the Messiah. Had He not then declared His knowledge of all, and traced even His choice of Judas to the will of God, there would have been room for doubt whether that choice was consistent with His being the Messiah.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. Now] Better, as the margin, From henceforth (comp. Joh_1:51, Joh_14:7; Rev_14:13). Hitherto Christ had been reserved about the presence of a traitor; to point him out would have been to make him desperate and deprive him of a chance of recovery. But every good influence has failed, even the Eucharist and the washing of his feet; and from this time onward Christ tells the other Apostles.

before it come] Add to pass, as in the next clause. Comp. Joh_14:29. The success of such treachery might have shaken their faith had it taken them unawares: by foretelling it He turns it into an aid to faith.

may believe that I am he] See on Joh_8:24; Joh_8:28; Joh_8:58.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now I tell you before it come,.... That is, gave them notice of this before hand, that one of them should betray him:

that when it is come to pass; and they had seen it fulfilled exactly to a tittle, and according to this Scripture:

ye may believe that I am he: the Lord God omniscient, who knows and declares things before they come to pass, just as they do come to pass, which none but the eternal God can do; and that he was the Saviour and Redeemer, the Messiah spoken of and promised, the very person prophesied of, in Psalm 41. For that whole "psalm" is applicable to Jesus Christ, the true Messiah; in Psa 41:1, the happiness of such is declared, who "consider the poor"; the Messiah, in his low estate of humiliation, who became poor for the sake of his people; in Psa 41:5, his enemies are represented as wishing for his death; their hypocrisy, perfidy, and vile designs upon his life, are aptly described in Psa 41:6, which they executed by suborning false witnesses, bringing a wrong charge, , "a wicked accusation against him", Psa 41:8, which succeeded, to the taking away of his life; and then they are introduced as triumphing over him, lying dead in the grave, whom they believed would never rise more; but in this they were mistaken, for he was raised up again; for which he prays, Psa 41:10, that he might requite them, as he did, by destroying their city, temple, and nation; and the whole is concluded with thankfulness to God, for raising and exalting him, and setting him before his face for ever, Psa 41:11. There is but one passage in it, which has any difficulty in applying it to Christ, and that is, Psa 41:4, where he is spoken of as having sinned against the Lord; but the words may be rendered thus, "heal my soul", i.e. deliver me out of my sorrows and afflictions, , "because I have made an offering for sin unto thee"; and well agrees with Christ, who was to make, and has made his soul an offering for sin.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

Ver. 19. Ye may believe that I am he] And that ye may not stumble or stagger, though ye see Judas play the traitor, 2Ti 2:18-19. The apostasy of Hymenaeus and Philetus, a pair of eminent professors, was like to have shaken many; insomuch as the apostle was fain to make apology: "Nevertheless the foundation of God remaineth sure," &c.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now I tell you before it come ... - They would see by that that he had a knowledge of the heart and the power of foretelling future events, and must therefore have been sent by God. This does not imply that they had no faith before this, but that their faith would be increased and strengthened by it.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

What I now tell you should be so far from prejudicing your faith in me, that it ought rather to confirm and increase your faith in me as the true Messias; when (the thing coming to pass) you shall understand that I know the hearts, counsels, and secret thoughts of men: and when you shall see the Scriptures have their accomplishment, and those things which were long ago prophesied concerning the Messias have their just accomplishment, and fulfilling in me as the person intended in those ancient revelations.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Tell you… believe—The ruin wrought by the treason of Judas might seem to the apostles a proof that the claims of Jesus were vain, and his Messiahship a fiction. But when it is the very event by Jesus foretold, it is a proof not a refutation of that Messiahship.

That I am he—That I am the Son of God, who have chosen, (Joh_13:18,) and sent you forth. And this, as we shall soon see, explains the connection, so much disputed, with the following verse.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

I tell you from henceforth ap arti of Mat_26:64 corresponds with Luk_22:69, apo tou nun ; the word also implies that our Lord would again recur to the subject. This is the true meaning of aparti in the New Testament (Joh_1:22 Joh_14:7 Mat_23:39) before it come to pass, that ye may believe when it is come to pass, that I am; i.e. I am what I have said, none the less, but all the more, the Son of God. (cf. Isa 43:11-13Jo Isa 8:24, Isa 8:28, Isa 8:58) It is more than the words will bear to make the egw eimi , the equivalent of a Divine claim to equality with Jehovah; but "all that I have said of myself, and all you have admitted to be true." It is not a promise of continual prevision of events, but a startling proof that in this case our Lord had completely fathomed the mind of Judas, and was communicative of what he saw there to the rest of the disciples, so that when the tragedy should be consummated, this peculiarity, instead of shaking their faith in him, will prove that he was taken by no surprise, and throughout his great career was what he said he was.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Here another argument occurs, to prove the divinity of our blessed Saviour, from his foreknowledge of Judas’s treason! the person who, the time when, and the place where, were all known to Christ; I tell you before it come to pass. The argument lies thus: "He that foresaw the future actions of men, and infallibly foreknew the future events and issues of things, is certainly God, but Christ did this, therefore he is really God." And he tells us here. That for this very reason he foretold now the treason of Judas: Now I tell you before, that when it come to pass, ye may believe that I am he. What he doth he mean? What he could foretell so many things to come, which did not depend upon necessary, but contingent causes only? This he was not a mere man surely, for he knows not what will be done on the morrow; but must be real God, becuase he knew all things, not by revelation, as the prophets knw things to come, but by immediate inspection, and simple intuition: so that we may say with Peter, Lord, thou knowest all things; and because thou knowest all things, thou art God.

William Burkitt's Expository Notes on the New Testament (1700–1703) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. I tell you before it come … to pass. That he is about to be betrayed.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

I tell you this now before it happens

"I am telling you now what is going to happen before it happens"

you may believe that I AM

"you may believe that I am who I said I am" or "you may believe that I am the Messiah"

Truly, truly

See how you translated this in John 1:51.

translationWords

believe

amen

receive

send

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

19. ἀπ’ ἄρτι. From henceforth (Joh 14:7; Rev 14:13): see on Joh 2:10. Hitherto, for Judas’ sake, Jesus had been reserved about the presence of a traitor; to point him out might have deprived him of a chance of recovery. But every good influence has failed, even the Eucharist and the washing of his feet: and from this time onward, for the Eleven’s sake, He tells them. The success of such treachery might have shaken their faith had it taken them unawares: by foretelling it He turns it into an aid to faith. Comp. Joh 14:29. Fox ἐγώ εἰμι see on Joh 8:24; Joh 8:28; Joh 8:58.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19.] ‘Now, from this time, I announce it to you, that when it shall have happened, you may believe that I am(the Christ).’ See ch. 16:1, and above on ἐγὼ οἶδα, ver, 18.

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. ἀπʼ ἄρτι λέγω ὑμῖν κτλ., “From now I tell you,” etc. For ἀπʼ ἄρτι, cf. 14:7, Rev 14:13, Mat 23:29, Mat 23:26:29, 64; the phrase does not occur elsewhere in the N.T.

The startling announcement that one of the Twelve would betray Him was not made explicitly by Jesus before, but it is now distinctly stated, so that when the Betrayal took place they might not be scandalised and perplexed (cf. 16:1).

ἵνα πιστεύσητε ὅταν γένηται κτλ., “in order that ye may believe, when it comes to pass, that I am He.” ἐγώ εἰμι in this sentence is used absolutely, no predicate being expressed or suggested by the context. It is an instance (see Introd., P. cxx.; and cf. 8:58) of the employment of the phrase as the equivalent of אֲנִי־הוּא, I (am) He, which is the prophetic self-designation of Yahweh in the O.T. And the whole passage λέγω ὑμῖν πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι, ἴνα πιστεύσητε ὅταν γένηται ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, recalls prophetic words which speak of the foretelling of the future as the prerogative of Yahweh. “Before it came to pass I showed it to thee” (Isa 48:5) may be compared with Isa 41:26, where the implied answer to the question, “Who hath declared it from the beginning that we may know?” is evidently “None but God.” Cf. also Eze 24:24, … ὅταν ἐλθῃ ταῦτα, καὶ ἐπιγνώσεσθε διότι ἐγὼ κύριος.

Jesus assumes to Himself this prerogative 3 times in Jn.: here, where He announces that He will be betrayed by one of His disciples; in 16:4, where, having forewarned His disciples of future persecution, he says ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν ἵνα ὅταν ἔλθῃ ἡ ὥρα αὐτῶν μνημονεύητε αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἶπον ὑμῖν, and again in 14:29, where, having spoken of the Coming of the Paraclete, He adds νῦν εἴρηκα ὑμῖν πρὶν γενέσθαι, ἵνα ὅταν γένηται πιστεύσητε. A similar phrase occurs in Mat 24:25, where He has been speaking of the false Christs that would appear: ἰδού προείρηκα ὑμῖν See on 2:22.

πιστεύσητε (as at 14:29) is read by אADLWΓΔΘ; πιστεύητε (cf. 17:21), by BC. Cf. Abbott, Diat. 2526 f.

Origen (in loc.) takes ἐγώ εἰμι as meaning “I am He, of whom it was written, He that eateth my bread, etc.” (v. 18); but this would be a strange ellipse, although the meaning would be suitable to the context.

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Now [απ αρτι] . Rev., correctly, from henceforth. Compare Joh 1:52; Joh 14:7; Mt 23:39.

I am he [εγω ειμι] . Or, I am. See on 8 24.

21 - 35. Compare Mt 26:21 - 25; Mr 14:18 - 21; Luk 21:21 - 23.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.