John 13:1–20 – Jesus Washing the Disciples’ Feet
(Joseph Bianco)
John 13:1-20 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I am telling you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”
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This is an iconic passage, often read at weddings and sometimes performed at weddings. My brother-in-law Gerin did the foot washing ceremony for his wife at their wedding. For him it was a sign of service, that he would be a husband who would lead his wife not by force, but through sacrifice.
Another time I experienced this passage was during a church service as a child. I became a believer in a PCUSA church, and there one Sunday they also performed the foot washing ceremony during a service. It presented the picture of a servant-hearted congregation who sought to imitate their master.
While the picture of foot-washing is generally seen in a positively light, the picture itself is not without offense. In v.8 Peter says, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” I don’t think Peter was trying to be prideful, rather the idea of his master washing his feet felt out of place for him. He didn’t want Jesus to wash his feet because the relationship felt disordered. Should Peter be washing Jesus’ feet?
And the answer to that is yes and no. “Yes”, we serve our master, and “no”, we can’t serve our master in this way. The washing Jesus is after is not clean feet, but a spiritual washing. To say it another way, we cannot wash the feet of others unless Jesus first washes us clean. To allow your master to wash is humiliating. It makes us feel uncomfortable, like it’s out of order. We present our smelly dirty feet to him and we are embarrassed.
But Jesus isn’t embarrassed. Jesus knows every speck of dirt on us, and he wants us to come near to him. Jesus wants us to come and with a full heart say with Peter, “not only my feet but my head also.”
Where do you feel embarrassed in bringing your sin to Jesus? Where do you need him to wash, but you feel like this part of you is too dirty or unclean? Not only does Jesus want you to come to him, but it’s his joy to serve you in this way. He models for us servant leadership and tells us to do likewise.
So the second point then is this. If Jesus washes you, who do you need to wash? Who is Jesus calling you to serve. Who is smelly and unattractive to you, but Jesus is calling you to serve that person? Can you do it with joy?
Weekly Prayer Focus: University and Medical Community
Daily Prayer Request: “Welcoming to Students.” Pray that we would be welcoming to students – that we would be individually friendly and engaged, but also that we would keep developing systems that helps students to get better connected.