John 13:4 kjv
He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
John 13:4 nkjv
rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.
John 13:4 niv
so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.
John 13:4 esv
rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.
John 13:4 nlt
So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist,
John 13 4 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Christ's Humility and Example | ||
| Phil 2:5-8 | Have this mind among yourselves, which is in Christ Jesus... taking the form of a servant. | Christ's example of humble self-abasement. |
| Matt 20:26-28 | ...whoever would be great among you must be your servant... Son of Man came not to be served but to serve... | Defines true greatness through servanthood. |
| Mk 10:43-45 | But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great... shall be your servant... | Parallel account on servant leadership. |
| Lk 22:26-27 | ...the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like the servant... | Jesus defines new leadership standard. |
| 1 Pet 2:21 | For you have been called for this purpose... Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example... | Christ's life as the ultimate model for believers. |
| 1 Pet 5:5-6 | You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders... Clothe yourselves with humility... | Calls for humility mirroring Christ's example. |
| Symbolism of Laying Aside and Girding | ||
| Heb 12:1 | Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses... let us lay aside every encumbrance... | Laying aside "weight" as a metaphor for spiritual preparation. |
| Eph 4:22-24 | ...lay aside the old self... put on the new self... | Spiritual command to shed the old nature and embrace the new. |
| Col 3:8-10 | But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger... put on the new self... | Similar instruction to shed ungodly traits. |
| Prov 31:17 | She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. | Girding as preparation for action/strength. |
| Lk 12:35 | "Be dressed in readiness, and keep your lamps lit." | Metaphor for spiritual readiness, 'girded loins'. |
| Active Service and Love | ||
| Jn 13:14-15 | "If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." | The direct instruction following the action in v. 4. |
| Gal 5:13 | ...through love serve one another. | Foundational call to serve based on Christ's example. |
| Jn 15:13 | "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends." | Laying down is linked to sacrificial love. |
| Mk 9:35 | "If anyone wants to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." | Jesus challenging conventional views of status. |
| Broader Theological Context | ||
| Jn 10:11 | "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep." | "Lays down" (τίθημι) used here for His life, echoing its use in v.4. |
| Jn 10:18 | "...I lay it down of My own initiative." | Emphasizes Christ's sovereign choice in self-sacrifice. |
| Is 42:1 | "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights." | Prophetic image of God's chosen servant. |
| Ps 22:6 | But I am a worm and not a man, A reproach of men and despised by the people. | Messianic Psalm showing debasement and humility. |
| Gen 3:21 | The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them. | Contrast to divine clothing, showing Christ's stripping of glory. |
| Ex 29:6-7 | You shall put the turban on his head and put the holy crown on the turban. Then you shall take the anointing oil... | High priestly garments contrasted with Christ's humble "uniform." |
John 13 verses
John 13 4 Meaning
John 13:4 describes a pivotal moment of Christ's servanthood. Jesus intentionally stripped off His outer robes, which symbolized dignity and status, and then, taking a simple linen towel, tied it around Himself, adopting the humble appearance and role of a common servant or slave preparing to perform a menial task. This physical action set the stage for His demonstration of foot washing, profoundly illustrating His humility and providing a tangible example of the servant leadership He calls His followers to embody.
John 13 4 Context
John 13:4 is situated at the beginning of Jesus' final hours with His disciples, during the Last Supper, just before His betrayal and crucifixion. This entire chapter focuses on Christ's demonstration of sacrificial love and humble service. Immediately preceding this verse (John 13:1-3), the narrator highlights Jesus' full awareness of His divine origin, His impending return to the Father, and His authority over all things. It is despite this knowledge of His ultimate power and glory that He undertakes the deeply humble act of a servant. This act directly challenges the disciples' current understanding of leadership and power, as evidenced by their previous arguments about who would be the greatest in the kingdom (Luke 22:24). Culturally, foot washing was a task typically performed by the lowest servants in a household for guests; it was not a task a host, let alone a master or revered teacher, would perform.
John 13 4 Word analysis
- He laid aside: (ἀνατίθημι - anatithemi, more specifically in many texts, often connected to tithemi for "put down").
- Significance: The action is voluntary and deliberate, not compelled. Jesus willingly divested Himself of symbols of status. This Greek term tithemi (used in the sense of putting down) carries profound weight elsewhere in John, describing Jesus "laying down" His life for His sheep (Jn 10:11, 15, 17, 18), indicating a willing and sovereign sacrifice. Here, it is a precursor to that ultimate laying down.
- His outer garments: (τὰ ἱμάτια - ta himatia)
- Original Meaning: Refers to the main outer robe or cloak, a garment of dignity worn over an inner tunic. In ancient societies, one's garments often signified status, authority, and even protection from the elements.
- Historical/Cultural Context: Removing one's himatia before performing a task was a common practice to facilitate work, but for a master to remove it to perform a slave's duty was utterly unheard of and scandalous to social norms. It represented stripping oneself of honor and assuming a posture of the lowest social rank.
- and taking a towel,: (καὶ λαβὼν λέντιον - kai labōn lention)
- taking: (labōn) - Another active and intentional participle, emphasizing His choice to pick up the item of service.
- a towel: (lention) - A specific Greek term for a linen towel, precisely the type used by slaves or servants for washing. This term immediately signifies the nature of the task about to be performed—a task reserved for those of the lowest social standing.
- He girded Himself.: (διεζώσατο - diezōsato)
- Original Meaning: To bind or tie a cloth (like a towel) around the waist or body, specifically to secure clothing and prepare for work or movement, similar to how slaves would tuck up their tunics or wear aprons.
- Significance: This was the uniform of a servant or slave. Jesus intentionally adorned Himself for servanthood. The verb suggests a complete adoption of the servant's guise, preparing for active labor. It further amplifies the radical reversal of roles.
Words-Group Analysis:
- He laid aside His outer garments,: This phrase highlights Jesus' willing act of kenosis, or self-emptying, in preparation for service. It's a visual metaphor for voluntarily giving up status, authority, and appearance of power. It stood in stark contrast to the expected attire and behavior of a revered rabbi.
- and taking a towel, He girded Himself.: This combined action signifies not just passive humility but active readiness for service. He didn't just remove status; He proactively adopted the symbol and posture of a slave. This act was deliberate, setting a precedent for humble, hands-on ministry rather than merely authoritative command. It polemicized against the contemporary beliefs of power dynamics where leadership meant being served.
John 13 4 Bonus section
The act of Jesus "laying aside His outer garments" can be understood as a visual parable for the Incarnation itself, where the Son of God "emptied Himself" (Phil 2:7) of divine prerogatives without divesting Himself of His deity. Just as He temporarily laid aside His heavenly glory to become fully human, here He lays aside earthly markers of honor to become a servant. This act also anticipates His suffering and death, where He would be stripped not just of His garments but of everything for the sake of humanity. The towel and the girding point to His preparation not just for the foot-washing, but for His ultimate act of sacrifice and intercession. The very physical preparedness of "girding Himself" resonates with Old Testament commands for the priests and Israelites to be "girded" for readiness and service, here recontextualized into a model for all believers.
John 13 4 Commentary
John 13:4 records Jesus' physical action that visually prefaces His profound lesson on servant leadership. With full divine consciousness, He intentionally divested Himself of outward dignity by removing His outer robes, which were indicative of status. This was not a reluctant action, but a deliberate "laying aside" (tithemi), mirroring His later "laying down" of His life (Jn 10:18). He then purposefully "took" (labōn) a towel and "girded" (diezōsato) Himself, embodying the uniform of the lowliest slave. This unparalleled act was a striking reversal of societal roles, meant to imprint upon His disciples—and through them, all believers—that true greatness in God's kingdom is measured not by position, but by sacrificial, humble service, loving others even to the point of self-abasement. It was a lived sermon on love and humility that challenged every notion of worldly power and status.