💫WEB · John 13:31
What does John 13:31 mean?
"When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him."
— John 13:31 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Now no man at the table knew why he said this to him.
For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.
Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him.
If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately.
Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also love one another.
Explanation
John 13:31 comes at a pivotal moment in the Gospel of John. Judas Iscariot has just left the upper room to betray Jesus, and the moment the door closes behind him, Jesus speaks these striking words: "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him." In plain language, Jesus is saying that the events now set in motion — his betrayal, arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection — are the moment when his true glory, and the glory of God the Father, will be revealed to the world.
The context is essential to understanding why Jesus speaks this way at such a dark moment. John's Gospel was written for early Christian communities, likely toward the end of the first century, to present Jesus as the divine Son of God whose death was not a defeat but a triumphant revelation of God's love and power. This scene takes place at the Last Supper, just hours before Jesus's arrest. Jesus has already washed his disciples' feet, predicted his betrayal, and identified Judas as the betrayer. The departure of Judas sets the crucifixion in motion irreversibly — and it is precisely at this point, not after the resurrection, that Jesus declares glorification has occurred. This reflects John's distinctive theology: the cross itself, not merely the resurrection that follows it, is the supreme act of glory.
Theologically, this verse redefines what "glory" means. In common human understanding, glory involves triumph, honor, and visible success. But John presents the cross — an instrument of shame and suffering — as the very place where God's glory shines
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