Πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ὅτι ἐλήλυθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα ἵνα μεταβῇ ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα, ἀγαπήσας τοὺς ἰδίους τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ, εἰς τέλος ἠγάπησεν αὐτούς. (John 13:1)
Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Focus Topic: Circumstantial Participle, Content Clause, and Purpose Clause
This verse serves as a theological preamble to the passion narrative in John. The syntax weaves together a temporal phrase, a perfect participle, a content clause, and a climactic indicative verb expressing the fullness of Jesus’ love. The grammar is richly layered and intentionally reflective.
Temporal Phrase: Πρὸ δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα
This prepositional phrase introduces the setting: “Before the Feast of the Pesaḥ (Passover).” The genitive construction τῆς ἑορτῆς τοῦ πάσχα shows possession or identification — the feast that is the Passover.
Circumstantial Participle: εἰδώς
εἰδώς is a perfect active participle, nominative masculine singular, from οἶδα (“to know”). It modifies ὁ Ἰησοῦς, expressing a circumstance concurrent with the following actions — “knowing that…” This participle introduces a content clause marked by ὅτι.
Content Clause: ὅτι ἐλήλυθεν αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα
This clause gives the content of Jesus’ knowledge:
- ὅτι — “that” (introduces content clause)
- ἐλήλυθεν — perfect active indicative, 3rd singular from ἔρχομαι: “had come” or “has come”
- αὐτοῦ ἡ ὥρα — “his hour” (possessive genitive)
The perfect tense of ἐλήλυθεν expresses a completed arrival with ongoing consequence — the climactic moment is now at hand.
Purpose Clause: ἵνα μεταβῇ…
ἵνα introduces a purpose clause — “in order that he might depart…”
- μεταβῇ — aorist active subjunctive, 3rd singular, from μεταβαίνω (“to depart, pass over”)
- ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου πρὸς τὸν πατέρα — directional phrase: “from this world to the Father”
The purpose of Jesus’ “hour” is not death alone, but return to the Father — a theme central to Johannine theology.
Aorist Participle: ἀγαπήσας
ἀγαπήσας is an aorist active participle, nominative masculine singular, from ἀγαπάω (“to love”), modifying ὁ Ἰησοῦς. It sets up the final indicative verb ἠγάπησεν. The participial phrase includes:
- τοὺς ἰδίους — “his own” (accusative plural; a term of intimate belonging)
- τοὺς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ — a restrictive appositive: “those who were in the world”
Main Verb of Climax: ἠγάπησεν… εἰς τέλος
ἠγάπησεν is aorist active indicative, 3rd singular, from ἀγαπάω — “he loved.” The prepositional phrase εἰς τέλος (“to the end” or “utterly”) intensifies the expression — either in degree (completely) or duration (to the end).
Key Observations
- εἰδώς (knowing) frames the entire scene theologically — Jesus acts with full awareness.
- ἵνα μεταβῇ reflects a heavenly return motif central to John.
- ἀγαπήσας… ἠγάπησεν forms an elegant participle + verb pairing: he who loved, now loved them to the full.
- εἰς τέλος may imply sacrificial completeness — possibly even a foreshadowing of the cross.
Theological Framing Through Syntax
This verse is more than narrative introduction — it is theological overture. The participial constructions, perfect tenses, and Johannine vocabulary serve to anchor Jesus’ upcoming actions in eternal knowledge, divine purpose, and limitless love. The grammar quietly declares: everything about what follows — footwashing, betrayal, and crucifixion — is grounded in deliberate, covenantal affection.
