Jesus Washing the Disciples Feet.
John 13:1-17
We have in this passage the account of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples the night before he was crucified. John is the only gospel writer that records this foot washing.
As you read the life of Christ in the Gospels, you cannot help but notice that Peter often spoke impulsively out of ignorance. He often had to be corrected by Jesus.
Peter opposed the cross:
From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised. 22 And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, saying, “Far be it from you, Lord![a] This shall never happen to you.” 23 But he turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.” (Matthew 16:21-23)
After the transfiguration Peter proposed putting up three shelters.
Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (Matthew 17:4)
Now we find Peter being highlighted in this foot washing. One moment we find Peter refusing to allow Jesus to perform such a degrading practice, the next he goes to the opposite extreme requesting he be completely washed.
What a week Jesus had leading up to this time.
Sunday- He entered Jerusalem.
Monday- Jesus Cleansed the temple.
Tuesday- Jesus was in conflict with the religious leaders who tried to trap him.
Wednesday- Some rest for Jesus.
Thursday- Jesus meets with his disciples in the upper room.
Jesus knows his hour has come.
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. (John 13:1)
The disciples must have been shocked when they saw Jesus rise from supper, lay aside his outer garments, wrap a towel around his waist, take a basin of water and wash their feet. It is an iconic scene worthy of the best artists of history, like what the Italian painter Tintoretto painted six times in 1548. No one painted the expression on the disciples face when Jesus said, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
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.” (John 13:10)
Jesus is signifying the cleansing of new birth. Jesus made a distinction between those who had been washed and those who hadn’t. Peter was clean, but Judas was not.
For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” (John 13:11)
Judas was part of Jesus closest circle of friends, yet he was not spiritually cleansed. The caution to any of us is that we might go to church and be part of the accepted Christian social circle, but yet not born again. Jesus died the just for the unjust to bring us back to God. Our spiritual cleansing comes when we understand that apart from Christ we can never be clean. We turn from our sin and put our faith in Christ. We ask that his death on the cross count to pay the penalty for our sins.
If one of the twelve disciples was not clean, then we cannot overemphasize the point of taking a spiritual assessment to be sure we have put our faith in Christ. Jesus said, if I do not wash you I have no part with you. (John 13:8)
What does it mean to wash spiritually? Our fulfillment is found in God. The problem is that sin keeps us from a relationship with God. The separation between God and man cannot be bridged by our own efforts through Jesus Christ. It is nothing to do with our own good works. We are cleansed only when Jesus comes into our lives, and we are washed of sin.
Jesus has the authority not only to wash the disciples’ feet, but to wash our sins. The life Jesus led, the miracles he performed, the words he spoke, the death he died on the cross, His resurrection, his ascension to heaven all point to the fact that he was not a man only, but he was God, Emmanuel, God with us. Jesus himself claimed, I and the father are one. (John 10:30)
It is important to know that Jesus claimed to be God. That is why those who opposed him picked up stones to kill him, because they said, you being a man make yourself out to be God. It is when Christ comes into our lives we are washed by Jesus, restored in fellowship with God.
The Lord washes feet. To become a Christian and be washed of our sin once and for all is exciting beyond comparison, but look at verse 10, He who has bathed does not need to was except for his feet. Just as in the natural life a man who has bathed needs only to wash the dust off his sandaled feet when he returns home. So in the spiritual life a man who has been cleansed from sin need not think all is lost when he sins in his walk through life. He need only to confess these sins to be entirely clean again.
We see two lessons from Jesus’ teaching. The first is that when we sin, we do not lose our salvation. The second is that unconfessed his in our lives keeps us from the victorious Christian life.
When we confess our sins we agree that our sin is wrong. We agree that the death of Christ already paid the penalty for our sin. We repent and turn from our sin. Hebrews 10:17 says our sin will be remembered no more. The cross covers our sin past present and future. Confessing our sins is obedience and an expression of faith.
The disciples in just a few hours from when Jesus washed their feet are going to desert him at his darkest hour. These same disciples later went our with a new-found power and turned the world upside down. The difference is they had the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that empowers us for ministry. Because of the continual spiritual battle between our old and new natures we will need to confess our sin and by faith ask God to fill us with his Holy Spirit. This will lead us to the joy of servanthood.
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. (John 13:14)
Since the foot washing has to do with forgiveness this verse is telling believers to forgive one another. Everyone who is experiencing the masters cleansing of confessing his has the privilege of the joy of servanthood.
Christ is the master, and you are the servant. What is involved in being a servant of Christ? The world defines greatness in terms of power and influence. If you can demand service from others you have achieved a measure of greatness. There is a contrast of what the world calls great and what Jesus call great. The world greatness is exercising authority over others. Jesus says whoever wants to become great must be a servant, (Mark 10:42-44)
These was a misunderstanding of greatness at Jesus time, and we see it still today. People consider those great who are served. Unfortunately, this mistake effects not only secular society but those in ministry too. Now Jesus washes the feet of the disciples, and he underscores his bold new formula for greatness. Now greatness is defined by servanthood.
The disciples were well acquainted with servanthood and slavery. For Jesus to encourage then to seek the status of slaves was not an inviting offer. The title Lord referred to the relationship between a master and a slave. The Lord had complete authority over his slave.
You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. (John 13:13)
Jesus presented his followers with a new concept of Lordship. He was Lord, yet he exercised his authority out of a spirit of love. He placed the needs of his disciples above his own. He was their servant.
Jesus turned greatness upside down. If you want to be great, be the servant of all. The last shall be first and the first shall be last. The humble shall be exalted. He who loses his life for my sake shall find it.
This servanthood is motivated by love. Jesus loved his followers so much that he would die for them. Jesus whole life was an example of love. Without love serving others becomes a selfish act that lacks joy. Jesus emphasizes the importance of love in servanthood.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (John 13:34) The joy of servanthood is different. Don’t expect the world to understand getting joy from serving others. Jesus linked greatness with humility. If you want to lead, then be a servant.
The disciples were expecting Jesus to be an earthly king who would destroy his enemies and rule in the tradition of King David. But what did Jesus do? He took a towel and a wash basin and started washing the feet of the disciples.
Look at Peters response, Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” (John 13:8) Jesus made it clear by his example that the model for leadership in his kingdom is servanthood.
