John 13:1
1. Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His hour had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them [a]to the end.
There’s an old blues line that goes, “♫ Everybody wants to go to Heaven, but nobody wants to die. ♫” Thankfully, this doesn’t line up with the sentiment given in Scripture. From the beginning, the Scriptures have intimated implicitly and explicitly that man enters this temporal existence on earth through the womb of a woman and leaves this same existence through death. Scripture also informs us that, for those who die in the faith, we have as our final destination, eternal bliss in the presence of God Almighty and His son, our Lord, Jesus Christ.
We see this eventuality recorded in the verse above. Jesus has come to Jerusalem for this moment in time. The time appointed before the foundation of the earth for Him to return from His earthly ministry to His throne, seated beside His Father, in Heaven. Thus, He confirms the template. Every one of us must pass this way. And every one of us can take encouragement in Jesus’ attitude in His soon and certain eventuality.
John 13:2
2 And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him,
The fact that one of His own disciples would be a vehicle for His transition is also informative. Beloved, there will be times when God uses the folk around you to discourage you, to make you question your walk. Why? To strengthen you, to correct you, to challenge. All of the above. After all, we don’t often hang out with our enemies. Sometimes enmity between friends will accomplish God’s purpose in your life. May God maintain peace between us and all of our friends and loved ones, but when conflict comes, may God be glorified in it. May healing be made manifests. May faith be cultivated. May space be given for forgiveness and repentance. May love, eventually prevail.
John 13:3-4
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had handed all things over to Him, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, 4 *got up from supper and *laid His outer garments aside; and He took a towel and tied it around Himself.
As previously stated, Jesus understands what is about to transpire. It is Passover. He is the Lamb of God. But now, Jesus has just a very few remaining moments to complete his instruction to His disciples and He begins this final set of lessons…. as a servant. Jesus removed His coat and tied a towel around Himself, thus signifying the removal of His Majesty and Glory in His coming down from Heavan and tying to Himself a tether: a towel. The tether of a servant. The example He chooses to leave for His disciples to follow is one of being tied to a life of service.
John 13:5
5 Then He *poured water into the basin, and began washing the disciples’ feet and wiping them with the towel which He had tied around Himself.
Imagine, the hush that befalls the room as Jesus begins to wash His disciples feet. I have participated in foot washing services. I can tell you that it is a sobering, reverant experience. In the disciples case, the uncertainty around their lives has been stark over the last several weeks. They are well aware of that fact that they are wanted by the Jewish authorities, who accuse them of sedition. That was only exacerbated by the raising of Lazarus from the dead and the supper at Mary of Bethany’s house a wee earlier. Now, in this washing of their feet, Jesus exemplifies a position of servitude and humility that they may not have imagined for themselves as disciples of the Messiah.
John 13:6-9
6 So He *came to Simon Peter. He *said to Him, “Lord, You are washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not realize right now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no [b]place with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”
The verses above offer a glimpse into the heart and mind of, not only Peter, but of many, if mot all of the remaining disciples, sans Judas, who has already departed to carry out his most unholy mission. First, Peter expresses surprise, “Lord, You are washing my feet?” Jesus responds by alluding to the fact that Peter and his compatriots cannot fully understand the significance of His actions, but that, in time, they will. Over the next few days, the disciples will look back on this moment in the shadow of the cross and see the weight of the ultimate sacrifice that Jesus was making on their behalf. Not only on theirs, but on behalf of all of mankind. In a few short weeks, with the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, they will come to recogize that they were trained, and then empowered to emulate their Savior’s example to the rest of the world as servants.
Peter retorts, “Lord, you will never wash my feet!” Peter can’t imagine a scenario where Jesus should wash his feet. Jesus, responded by telling Peter (and us) that if he cannot allow this act of service and love from his Master, then he has no place in the Eternal Rest Jesus offered those who love him and have placed their faith in Him. When Peter realizes what is at stake, he immediately changes his tune, which speaks to the sincerity of the Peter’s heart toward Christ.
John 13:10-11
10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but [c]not all of you.” 11 For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Briefly, Jesus makes an important statement: He who has been cleaned needs only to wash his feet, periodically. This speaks to the fact that once a person has received Salvation, they are clean., eternally clean in God’s eyes. They only need periodic washing, or sanctification which comes through teaching and preaching and fellowship with and from the body of believers. John further illuminates this truth by giving insight into Jesus’ thinking when he makes the statement, “Not all of you are clean.”
John 13:12-16
12 Then, when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments and reclined at the table again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done for you? 13 You call Me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’; and [d]you are correct, for so I am. 14 So if I, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I gave you an example, so that you also would do just as I did for you.
Jesus intends for those that would rule in His stead … to serve. It’s just that simple. God has no intention of building His Church based on fear or wrath. His church will be based on an attitude of servitude and … love.
John 13:16
16 Truly, truly I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master, nor is [e]one who is sent greater than the one who sent him.
Selah…
John 13:34-35
34 I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”
To close, I want frame the verses above, Jesus commandment to love one another in the context of the entire lesson. John’s gospel records an event that the Church today, generally does not recognize as an ordinance in the same way that the communion, or ‘The Lord’s Supper’ is recognized. However, John’s gospel, which reveals Jesus as God Incarnate, takes care to take his readers to a place of complete humility and servitude in the act of the washing of the disciples feet by Jesus. In doing so, he brings gravity to Jesus’ words and instruction in the remaining chapters in of this book. Foot washing is a humiliating experience, whether you are the one ministering the bath or being ministered to. If Jesus framed His commandment to love around an act as humbling as foot washing, then His expectation is a love that has no boundaries with regards to the length one might go as an act of service in love. None. Foot washing was a custom associated with hospitality. Jesus used this ancient custom to prompt us to love one another, whatever the costs.
Ephesians 4:1-3
1 Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 being diligent to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Selah,
wb
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