The nineteenth-century biblical commentator Alexander Maclaren calls it "the Holy of Holies of the New Testament" and the "most sacred part of the New Testament",[1] as it begins John's record of the events on the last night before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, emphasising Jesus' love for His disciples, demonstrated in the service of washing their feet, and His commandment that they love one another in the same way.

[4] The author of the book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that John composed this Gospel.

The precise location is not specified, but John 18:1 states that afterwards, "Jesus left with his disciples and crossed the Kidron Valley".

[17] However, Baptist writer Bob Utley notes that "this is the Greek word telos, which means an accomplished purpose.

By this time, the devil had "already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son (Greek: ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου, Ioudas Simōnos Iskariōtou), to betray Him".

Alfred Plummer, in the Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges argues that "the true reading of τοῦ διαβόλου ἤδη βεβληκότος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν (tou diabolou ēdē beblēkotos eis tēn kardian) gives us, "The devil having now put it into the heart, that Judas, Simon's son, Iscariot should betray Him", and asks "whose heart?"

The evangelist "concentrates" on this narrative,[2] providing a detailed account of the actions Jesus took, removing His outer garment and wrapping a towel around his waist.

Scottish commentator William Robertson Nicoll says, "Each step in the whole astounding scene is imprinted on the mind of John".

[23] Jesus quotes the words of Psalm 41:9: in shorter statement: 'He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me' (John 13:18 NASB).

The framing device places the Beloved Disciple at "center stage",[31] highlighting his importance in the Gospel and his special relationship with Jesus.

The text refers to "the piece" or "morsel" [34] or "sop" [35] of bread (Greek: τὸ ψωμίον, to psómion), and Nicoll states that "some argue from the insertion of the article τὸ that this was the sop made up of a morsel of lamb, a small piece of unleavened bread, and dipped in the bitter sauce, which was given by the head of the house to each guest as a regular part of the Passover; and that therefore John as well as the Synoptists considered this to be the Paschal Supper.

But not only is the article doubtful, but it is an ordinary Oriental custom for the host to offer such a tid-bit to any favoured guest; and we are rather entitled to see in the act the last appeal to Judas’ better feeling.

[37] Meyer suggests that Jesus now wishes to surmount this final crisis "as soon as possible": his "resigned, characteristic decision of mind brooks no delay".

The word γλωσσοκομον (glōssokomon) "means literally "a case for mouthpieces" of musical instruments, and hence any portable chest.

Maclaren identifies three forms of glorification presented here: The evangelist then has Jesus address his disciples as Greek: Τεκνία (teknia, "little children") - a word frequently used by John in his first epistle[45] but not used elsewhere in this gospel.