“Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1 KJV)
“…he loved them unto the end.” This speaks some pretty loud volumes about the nature of love. Not necessarily that he gave a valiant effort to love them to the end. Love is there, is extended, is wide open to them all the way until the finish line. There is a big difference between trying to measure, or the effort to come up with enough, love to finish something out and love being there until the end. As though love is always there as a pool to draw from; that effort is strengthened and calmed by. Love being what sustains effort rather than effort sustaining love.
This becomes especially important when we hit the very next verse. “…the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot…” Remember that “heart” is best thought of as belief. As opposed to feeling. So, in this case, for whatever reason, Judas likely believes that this is the “right” or “expedient” thing to do. This is now what Judas wants (or wants to find a way) to do. What Judas’s plan is now and what Jesus is offering him (and the others) in love are not mutually exclusive things. Love is there until the end. Seeing the change of heart and knowing of a coming betrayal, Judas is still included in the foot washing which verse 10 indicates is an offer of cleansing. Verse 11 reminds us that this freely available cleansing needs to be accepted. Even Peter tries to refuse this cleansing, but his belief is changed through open ears to what Jesus is telling him. Jesus can see our hearts to know if we have accepted his offer or if our belief is firmly set on something else.
“If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14-15 KJV)