They Were Unforgettable Days, and the memory of them was burnt into the apostles’ consciousness. Their recollections were a mixture of shame, despair, and of fear that they had lost their leader. Yet, finally, there was unspeakable joy when they discovered the Lord was not dead but alive for evermore.
In the upper room
It should not surprise us that the record of these momentous days occupies what might appear to be a disproportionate amount of space in the gospels. The events in the upper room, when the Lord was alone with the Twelve, would never be forgotten. It was then the Lord instituted what we call the last supper, recorded in the first three gospels. While what we find in John 13-17 needs to be viewed against the background of the other gospels, this unique sequence of chapters must possess for all disciples a special interest, for here the Lord is showing us the way to the Father.
In the seclusion of the upper room, he is in earnest conversation with those who have been his constant companions for more than three years. He speaks to them in terms they will never forget. The meaning of much he says will, at the time, be lost on them, as indeed it may all too easily be lost on us. As he says to Peter in John 13:7 (all quotes RV unless noted), “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter.” Accordingly there is much to discover and learn from a study of these chapters.
‘Love’ frames Christ’s remarks
We first note the sequence is embraced by the concept of love. It opens thus:
Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that the 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.”
Then we should note the final words of chapter 17:
And I made known unto them thy name, and will make it known; that the love wherewith thou lovedst me may be in them, and I in them.”
Thus the Lord’s unique love for his own is brought before us at the outset. At the end, we encounter this tremendous concept, that the love the Father bears to the Son must be reflected in his followers, and the Lord himself should be present as a formative and determining influence within them.
In view of this connection between the beginning and the conclusion, we can appreciate that the concept of love is prominent in the Lord’s words in John 13-17, as we shall progressively discuss. This should surely not surprise us, especially in view of I Corinthians 13, where Paul tells us in the plainest terms that our deeds, however spectacular and impressive, are of no avail in the sight of God if they are not the expression of love (I Cor. 13:2,3).
While we discover the priority of love in studying John 13-17, we also find that “peace” and “joy” occupy a special place in our Lord’s teaching. At this stage, we take note of the fact by merely indicating the relevant passages (for “peace” see 14:27; 16:33 and for “joy” see 15:11; 16:20,21,22,24). Even in these preliminary observations, we cannot help thinking once more of what Paul says, this time in Galatians 5:22, where he presents the aspects of the fruit of the spirit as “love, joy, peace…” Thus we note yet another token of the remarkable kinship between the thought of the apostle and his Lord’s teaching. Time and again, as we read John’s gospel, if we are alert, we are reminded of Paul’s letters.
Jesus and Judas
We now come to a closer view of the opening of John 13. We take note of the contrast between the Lord and Judas. The company is still at table (“during supper”). On the one hand, there is the traitor, who, despite his long association with Christ, is going to betray him. We take cognizance of the “already” in verse 2: Judas has been negotiating with the enemy to betray his Lord in exchange for money. It is he who takes the initiative in this matter for he is well aware of the evil designs of the Jewish establishment. That it was his initiative is made evident in Matthew 26:14, where we are informed he inquired what he would receive for his treachery. Luke’s expression is very graphic and suggests Judas had been toying with the idea of betrayal and finally resolved to act: “And Satan entered into Judas” (Luke 22:3). He also seems to have organized the circumstances of the Lord’s arrest, making sure he would be accompanied by a large band of soldiers (see John 18:3).
It is against this somber background that John projects the Lord’s humble, but loving, action in washing the apostles’ feet. Can we imagine a greater contrast than that between the Lord and his treacherous apostle? We wonder what thoughts went through the mind of Judas when Jesus washed his feet. Perhaps there was a moment of remorse, but, alas, he had compromised himself by the compact into which he had entered with the Jewish leaders; he had committed himself. In the rest of John 13, we lose sight of Judas until finally he goes out into the night (13:30).
A memorable display of humility
Before then, the Lord washes the feet of his apostles. The way his action is introduced is totally unexpected, “knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goeth unto God” (v. 3). This is now the truth to be demonstrated: here is a man whose origin is uniquely divine, “the bread from heaven” (John 6:32, a truth the apostles were later to acknowledge cf. 16:30). Furthermore, he was going to His Father in heaven. His status thus is incomparable in every respect.
But how is it to be demonstrated? Let us assume the apostles had been consulted, or that we had been there to give our suggestions. Surely we would have invited the Lord to exercise his powers in a way which would have established his authority and silenced all opposition. But no, this is not what he did. He got up from the table, laid aside some of his garments, and girded himself with a towel. The apostles’ attention must immediately have been arrested. What is their Master going to do? They are amazed when he then fills a basin with water and proceeds to wash their feet, they are speechless.
When he reaches Peter, however, who was clearly not the first to have his feet washed, the apostle is taken aback by the incongruity of the situation. The one who is their Lord and Master is going to wash his feet, thus carrying out a menial duty! The very idea is outrageous, and Peter registers a protest: “Lord dost thou wash my feet?” (v. 6).
There seems to be little doubt the Lord’s act was connected with the childish contention amongst the apostles as to who was the greatest (cf. Luke 22:24). This was not the first time the Lord provided a lesson in humility for the education of his followers. When they addressed to him the question, “Who then is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” he placed a child in their midst and declared only those with a child-like humility would enter the kingdom (Matt. 18: 1,4; Mark 9:33-37). Later the Lord denounces the self-seeking leaders of Jewish society and reminds his disciples: “But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant, and whosoever shall exalt himself shall be humbled; and whosoever shall humble himself shall be exalted” (Matt. 23:1-12). Thus, if we aspire to a place in the kingdom, humility is no less a requirement than love.
An expression of deep love
As for the Lord’s action in washing the apostles’ feet, we remember his own feet had previously been washed on at least two occasions, and unquestionably in both instances the act was an expression of love for him. According to the record in Luke 7:37-38, a woman notorious for her previous life had ventured into the home of a Pharisee, knowing that Jesus was there. She washed his feet with her tears, dried them with her unbound hair, kissed them (this expressive gesture should not be missed), and then anointed them with ointment. Who can doubt that this was an expression of loving gratitude to the one who could read her heart?
In the case of Mary of Bethany, she was in her own home when, shortly before his death, she anointed the Lord’s feet with a precious ointment. There were no tears on this occasion, but Mary’s action expressed the tenderest love. Years later, John can still remember how the fragrance of the ointment permeated the whole house, as it lingered long after in his own memory (John 12:3).
The Lord was so moved by what Mary did, he declared the memory of her deed would be preserved (Matt. 26:13). There may, at first sight, be difficulty in reconciling the various accounts of the Bethany anointing because Matthew mentions the Lord’s head (26:7), as does Mark (14:3), but John refers to the feet. If, however, we are seeking to reconcile these apparently discrepant details, we can note Matthew 26:12, where the Lord mentions the anointing of his body (cf. Mark 14:8). From head to foot was indeed an anointing of the body.
When we recall the two anointings, the one by the penitent sinner, the other at Bethany shortly before the Lord’s death, we can safely conclude the Lord had them very much in mind in the upper room. They were all expressions of love.
We do well, as followers of our beloved Lord, to remember all three occasions. The more we share that love, the readier we shall be to engage in actions of spontaneous service and kindness.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One