THE GOSPEL OF JOHN – ALL OF CHAPTERS 13 THROUGH 17
The Gospel of John, written by John the Apostle, brother of James, a son of Zebedee, communicates the life of Jesus from a different vantage point than the three synoptic gospels. John was one of the three apparent leaders among the other disciples and there are moments in his gospel account where John subtly gives us awareness that he had a close relationship with Jesus.
Perhaps we can just get a glimpse that in addition to the love Jesus has for everyone in the world, at that moment in time and in that setting, John was also a close friend of Jesus. I get the impression that John would have been a great friend to have.
And so with great detail and devotion, John writes in exacting precision the words and events of Jesus’ last gathering with His disciples in the upper room. All of this is written by the full inspiration of the Holy Spirit and every word is recounted to us by God’s authority.
The Gospel of John is 21 chapters long and five chapters, 13-17, are devoted to the events, exhortation, and prayer of Jesus in the upper room. It was a grave and somber final time together with His disciples, as the impending terror of the cross was at hand. Everything Jesus emphasized in the upper room is instructive and carries a priority for us to seek to understand all of these words and actions of Jesus, two thousand years later.