“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter .”
My Notes
What Does John 13:7 Mean?
Jesus says this to Peter during the Last Supper, moments after kneeling to wash his disciples' feet. Peter has just objected — he can't understand why his teacher and Lord is doing the work of a servant. Jesus' response is both gentle and firm: you don't understand this now, but you will.
The Greek word for "hereafter" implies a later time — not immediately, but eventually. Jesus is acknowledging the gap between what's happening and Peter's ability to comprehend it. He's not frustrated by the confusion. He's simply saying: trust me through the part that doesn't make sense.
This moment foreshadows everything that's about to unfold — the arrest, the crucifixion, the resurrection. None of it will make sense to the disciples in real time. It will only become clear in hindsight.
The verse captures a pattern that runs through all of Scripture: God often acts first and explains later. The understanding comes after the obedience, not before it.
Reflection Questions
- 1.What is something in your life right now that you're struggling to understand — something that doesn't fit your picture of what God is doing?
- 2.How do you respond when you're asked to trust without understanding? Is that freeing or frightening for you?
- 3.Can you think of a past experience that only made sense in hindsight? How long did clarity take?
- 4.What would it look like to hold your unanswered questions with open hands instead of clenched fists?
Devotional
There's something deeply comforting about Jesus looking at a confused person and saying: you don't have to understand this right now.
We live in a culture that demands explanations. We want to know why before we'll agree to go through something. We want the lesson before the test. But Jesus operates differently. He asks for trust in the middle of the not-knowing.
Peter couldn't understand why the Son of God was on his knees with a towel. It didn't fit his categories. And Jesus didn't argue with him or give a theological lecture. He just said: you'll understand later.
Maybe you're in a season that makes no sense right now. Something is happening that you can't square with what you thought God was doing. This verse gives you permission to not have it figured out. Understanding is coming — but it might come after, not during. And that space between confusion and clarity? That's where trust lives.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
Jesus answered and said unto him,.... Christ replies,
what I do, thou knowest not now: Peter knew that he was about to…
Thou knowest not now - Though he saw the action of Jesus, yet he did not fully understand the design of it. It was a…
What I do thou knowest not now, etc. - As if our Lord had said, Permit me to do it now, and I will shortly explain to…
It has generally been taken for granted by commentators that Christ's washing his disciples' feet, and the discourse…
What I do thou knowest not Here both pronouns are emphatic and are opposed. Peter's question implied that he knew, while…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture