I have both washed others’ feet and have had my feet washed in a church service. While I agree with most that it should not be practiced as an ordinance, I cannot deny the vulnerability that I experienced in those moments, whether I was the washer or the washee(?). It is with that backdrop that I offer this reflection. In this reflection, I am Peter. Certainly, the other disciples must have been thrown by Jesus’ actions that evening, but Peter, often the most vocal of the disciples, expressed his feelings out loud. All of Peter’s contributions to the narrative in John 13 help to elevate the narrative. When Peter spoke the first time in the dialogue in verses 6 through 10, it was in response to having seen Jesus, remove His outer garments and replace them with the garment of a servant, a towel. It makes sense that Peter would not want Jesus, his Rabbi washing his feet. It would allow a level of intimacy and vulnerability that would certainly bring discomfort; something akin to having an elderly parent wash your feet when the roles should have been reversed.
Jesus’ rebuke of Peter in that moment and Peter’s subsequent response serves to ease the tension of that moment, to lower the temperature, as it were, and allow everyone to relax and take in all that this Passover occasion had to offer. No wonder that John’s memory of the evening is so vivid.
In verse 24, Peter’s next interjection brings attention to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. Without Peter’s question, would Jesus have identified Judas as the betrayer to the other disciples? Peter’s question leads to two revelatory moments. First, Jesus infers the identity of the betrayer will be revealed by actions that the betrayer will take in all of their presence. Secondly, by drawing attention to Jesus and Judas, all of the disciples bear witness to a remarkable moment: the moment that Jesus serves communion to Judas, the disciple that would betray him.
We must not miss this moment. Jesus has not only washed Judas’ feet but now he shares a morsel of bread with the Master. This particular custom within the celebration of the Passover meal highlights Jesus’ next words. Why? According to custom, that morsel that Jesus shared with Judas was designated to be given to someone (Judas) that the giver (Jesus) loves. In light of the events that will soon take place, leading to His eventual crucifixion, what kind of love moved Christ to serve Judas in such an intimate way. Truly, He demonstrated that He was the very ‘Bread of Life’ that he had declared himself to be in John 6:35. Within the framework of this very act, Jesus' next words become even more significant. It is here that He tells them that He is glorified and will be glorified. He tells them that He is leaving them (for the moment). Then finally He tells them that they must love one another. They must love one another as He has loved them, as they had just seen Him love…Judas! Oh, how great a love!
Finally, Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, where are you going?” When Jesus responds that where He is going, Peter cannot yet venture, Peter retorts, “Why not Lord? I’m willing to lay down my life for you!” It is here that Jesus again demonstrates the great love He has for the disciples. He admonishes Peter by revealing that in just the next very few hours Peter will deny that he even knows Him (Jesus). “Where is the love in that?”, you ask. The love Jesus demonstrates in this interchange with Peter is by telling Him the truth: that he’s not yet equipped for the task before him. He doesn’t yet have the inner strength of character, nor has he been imbued with the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is looking through Peter as a husbandman might inspect fruit on the vine, or in a tree that is not yet ripe. Jesus knows. His words to Peter indicate that He wants Peter to know too. Yes, there will be a day when Peter follows Jesus along the same path through martyrdom to Glory. But that next day, the day after the Passover meal would not be that day.
None of the events of that evening were lost on John, who would, over a long period of time, come to be known as the Apostle of Love, rather than the nickname of his youth, a ‘son of thunder.’ Nor were they lost on Peter, who at one time was known by the name Simon, because was as unstable and impetuous as water, but would come to be regarded as one of the ‘pillars of the Church’ by his peers. That was only possible because of the intimacy that accompanies the great, great love that Christ demonstrated to and towards those He loves. Beloved, that includes you and me.
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