“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (John 13:1).
The Son of man was about to embark upon a great journey. He was going to the Father. In fulfilling the Passover imagery of his last mortal days, he was about to accomplish his ‘exodus’ at Jerusalem (Luke 9:31) by departing out of the ‘Egyptian’ world, slain as a sin-covering lamb. Associated with this ‘journey’ was the thought of “love”, a divine love, an “agape”.
John says that Jesus loved his brethren right to the end (Greek “eis telos”). This phrase would be echoed by Jesus himself, only hours later, when he said from the cross: “It is finished [‘teleo’]” (John 19:30). The KJV translators seem to pick up this idea, and so translate the phrase “unto the end”, that is, to the end of his mortal life. Other translations take this a step further, and are also fully in keeping with the meaning of the Greek word, when they translate this last phrase, “he loved them completely” or “to the uttermost”, or, as the NIV, “he now showed them the full extent of his love.”
The full extent of Jesus’s love for his disciples is not merely seen in his humble service to them in washing their feet. The full extent of his love for them is demonstrated in his sacrificial death for them, on the cross. The footwashing episode described in this chapter becomes a prophetic act foreshadowing, or acting out ahead of time, his upcoming death on their behalf.
His was a love that never faltered. The washing of the disciples’ feet showed the same abiding love that would sustain him through his trial and crucifixion. The self-sacrifice, the disposition of the servant, and the devotion to others in passionate concern were all as evident here in the ‘little’ task as they would soon be in the great work!
While the KJV says in verse 2 that it was after supper was ended, the modern translations are more accurate: the RSV says “during supper”, and the NIV says it was when “the evening meal was being served”. It was at this time that Jesus, to whom the Father had committed all power and authority, rose from the meal and laid aside his outer garments. Then he took a towel, a pitcher of water, and a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet (vv 3-5).
The laying aside of his garments was a preview of his coming crucifixion, when the soldiers would strip his garments from him (John 19:23,24). This earlier incident shows his willingness to deny self, to give up all he possessed, even simple dignity, in a totality of loving service to others.
Who is the greatest?
Our Lord’s actions here arose out of the sad, silly contentions of the apostles as to which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24). Perhaps the seating arrangements at this special meal had again brought to the surface their underlying rivalries and jealousies. In absolute disregard of Jesus’s parable of the high and low seats (Luke 14:7-11), they jostled for position while their leader — we may suppose — looked on in a quiet sadness.
The immediate rebuke of their pretensions was most effective because at first no word was spoken. Jesus rose up from the position he had already taken at the table and, gathering what he needed, began to wash the feet of each disciple in turn. Why had this not been attended to already? Could Jesus have made sure that no one would provide this service, in order to give the twelve an opportunity to show what they had learned from him? If so, then their failure could not have been more complete.
How foolish they appear in hindsight. The more they maneuvered and schemed to win his attention, the more they lowered themselves in his eyes. The more successful they were in achieving a superficial standing above others, the less they impressed the one who could read their hearts. And the simplest deed, that would have won from him the desired smile of appreciation, was the last thing on their minds. Yes, how misguided they seem. But a moment’s reflection will certainly reveal to all of us cases of similar shortsightedness in our own dealings with one another.
They all sought honor from Jesus. Yet none of the men seems to have realized how great an honor it would have been for them to have washed his feet. It had taken a woman to realize that, to do it, and then to wipe his feet with her hair (Luke 7:37-50).
So he went systematically from one to the next, performing his humble service. All thoughts of rivalry and pride disappeared for the moment, as each of them realized the service he might easily have performed himself, but had neglected.
Except for Peter, in whose mind pride, and a false sense of superiority over the others, still resided: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (John 13:6).
In reply to Peter’s protest, Jesus persisted. “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
Still Peter continued to protest, drawing a further rebuke from the Lord: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (v 8).
So now Peter swings drastically to the other extreme: “Lord, not just my feet only, but my hands and my head as well” (v 9).
No, Peter, still you fail to understand. You have been ‘washed’ already, in your baptism, and you need now only to wash your feet (v 10).
Christ’s teaching here is based on the fact that these men walked dusty streets and roads barefoot or in sandals, so that — on arrival, and even though bodily clean — they would need to have their feet washed before reclining at table alongside one another.
Now the disciples had been washed from their sins in baptism and had risen to newness of life. They wore robes of righteousness, having been cleansed from their past sins. But their ‘walk’ in the Truth made their ‘feet’ dirty; they did not need to be re-immersed on that account, but they did need to have their feet washed. This Christ could do for them, and so necessary it was that, if they omitted his cleansing, they could have no ‘part’ (no fellowship) with him.
Here at once is an exhortation to humility, a rebuke to pride, and a total overthrow of that flimsy fortress called ‘justification by works’! Christ’s lesson was not lost on John, who could write years later:
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (1John 1:8,9).
A sacrament?
Finally Jesus was back at the table again:
“ ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me “Teacher” and “Lord”, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you’ ” (John 13:12-15).
These words have been twisted in attempts to prove that the literal Washing of Feet is as much a commandment (or a “sacrament”) as the Breaking of Bread, and should therefore be practiced along with it. (The Roman Catholic church as well as some Protestant churches make this same mistake.)
This teaching is wrong on at least three different counts:
- Concerning the Lord’s supper Jesus clearly commanded, “Do this.” The verb in 1 Corinthians 11:25 is continuous in action: ‘Keep doing this!’ But concerning the washing of feet Jesus says, “I have given you an example (i.e., a sample or a type), that you should do (not what I do, but) as I have done to you.”
- The witness of the early church is useful. As in Acts 2:42, 46, the Breaking of Bread was the very center and focus of all worship from the earliest days. On the other hand, the ritual of footwashing makes no appearance in the church for more than 300 years.
- Peter offers his inspired interpretation of this incident when he writes: “All of you, clothe yourselves [KJV ‘be girded’] with humility toward one another” (1Pet 5:5), as Jesus girded himself (John 13:4) for performing his service to the apostles. The practical display of humble and loving service had finally made its impression upon the headstrong Peter. Clearly, Peter is intent on the spirit of the incident rather than on the literal washing of feet.
Judas too
One special part of this scene captures our attention: the picture of Jesus kneeling to wash the feet of Judas. Here is the best and the worst together; the perfect love of the Lord and the hateful bitterness of the betrayer at the same table. Shortly thereafter Philip would say to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father” (John 14:8), only to receive the answer: “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (v 9). Perhaps they had expected a vision of God would be a blinding glory, accompanied by thunder and lightning, and the sound of trumpets. Instead, they saw, simply, a man kneeling as a servant, to perform the most menial job.
All the Father’s love was manifested in him: His goodness, His patience, His forbearance, His kindness even to the sinner and the ungodly. We realize, then, how necessary it was for him to perform this service for all his disciples, even Judas. If Jesus had passed him by, or waited until he left, such an omission would have been obvious to all. Then, with some reason, all following generations of disciples might have said: ‘You see, it’s all right to restrict our acts of kindness just to our friends.’ But the love revealed by Jesus leaves us no such excuse. He who died for those who were yet sinners calls us to follow his example, and to love those who are most unloving and unlovely. It is a difficult task, made more difficult by the mean-spiritedness, self-absorption, and pride of so many around us. So we must remember that our service to others, whatever form it takes, is nothing less than service to Christ.
We know what we should do, but we fail so often. Unless we are constantly aware of it, our outlook can become seriously twisted by regular association with the world’s false principles. Workers’ associations agitate and ‘go slow’ and strike, thinking only of ‘rights’ but never of ‘responsibilities’. Political activists speak and write disrespectfully of elected leaders, in defiance of Bible teaching to give honor and respect to leaders who have been appointed by God. All around us people fret under rules and restraints, ever alert to get the most for themselves, with the least cost or effort. Meanwhile, Jesus tells us:
“You are not to be like that… the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves” (Luke 22:26).
Such humble service is not a thing for which we can strive. The more we agonize to achieve it, the more it escapes us. What we need is a quiet transformation of spirit through the continuing influence of Christ’s example, along with a complete disregard for the possible impression our “good deeds” may make upon others.
This incident teaches us something else again. As Christ does, so ought we to do. If he can forgive trespasses, how much more ought we! “Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17). We may feel as reluctant to forgive a brother’s sin, as we would to wash his feet, especially if he is one we are tempted to consider inferior. But Christ’s example, if it means anything, means that we must. How many ecclesial contentions would be ended, if one of the contending parties would humble himself sufficiently to forgive, or to ask forgiveness?
A new commandment?
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:34,35).
How was this a new commandment? The command to love had in fact been the most prominent theme of all of Christ’s ministry. Both the greatest commandment, and the second, which was like unto it, involved love. Love was, furthermore, the root and foundation of the law.
This commandment was ‘new’ only in the sense that it was now being given the perfect interpretation in the life of Jesus. For the first time in human history a man stood before his fellows as the absolutely flawless embodiment of the Divine ideal of “agape”. For the first time, a man can stand as the perfect example of how to love:
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for friends” (John 15:12,13).
Notice how the Lord’s “as I have loved you” here echoes his “as I have done to you” in John 13:15.
Do we seek to learn some “new thing”, when all along the most worthwhile “new thing” is a greater and deeper insight into an old, familiar commandment?
Of all the challenges that face us in these last days, surely this is the greatest: to exemplify Christ’s love in all that we do and say, and thus — through our practical knowledge of his sacrificial life — to “show forth”, in humble service, his death until he comes.
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One