John 13, Part 1
Notes
Transcript
Introduction: the disciples had been arguing over who would hold the leading positions in the government Jesus was about to set up (see Lu. 22:24; Mk. 10:35–45, esp. v.41). The discussion was heated. They were caught up in the ambition for position and power and authority. How the heart of Jesus must have been cut! He had so little time left for them to learn that the way to glory is through service and not through position and authority. How could He get the message across forcibly enough so that they would never forget the truth? It was this that led Jesus to wash the disciples’ feet and to demonstrate what true royalty is: serving others. Upper Room: this demonstration of royal service took place in the Upper Room where so many significant events took place. It occurred right before the Passover.
1 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.
2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
Ministry—Service: the impetus for royal service. Three things drove Jesus to wash the disciples’ feet and to demonstrate the royalty of service and ministry.
a. He knew “His hour” had come (see DEEPER STUDY # 1, Hour—Jn. 12:23–24). He was to die and His time was short. Whatever He hoped to teach His disciples had to be taught now, for there would soon be no more time.
b. He loved His own, that is, His followers upon earth, those for whom He was responsible. His own includes both the heavenly host and all believers who have gone on to heaven. He is Lord, the Son of the living God to whom all has been given; therefore, His own includes all those in both heaven and earth who are followers of Him. And He loves them all. However, the present point is this: He loves “His own … in the world.” Therefore, He was compelled to zero in on them and to do whatever was necessary to help them, no matter the cost. He was compelled by love to wash their feet, no matter the humiliation and the degree of abasement required.
c. He knew His enemy, and He knew the enemy was about to strike and betray Him. He had to act before the enemy struck. The disciples had to be strengthened and fortified, shown and taught immediately. Once the enemy struck, it would be too late.
Thought 1. The same three things should drive every believer to serve and to serve now:
(1) Knowing the hour has come, the time is ever so short.
(2) Loving “his own,” those for whom the believer is responsible.
(3) Knowing the enemy, that he is going to strike immediately and with all the force he can.
Note: the same facts should drive us to be faithful to our service, laboring all the time, persisting and persevering.
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,
4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist.
5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
Service—Ministry: the extreme demonstration of royal service. The service was royal because it was being performed by Jesus Christ, the Son of God Himself. He and He alone is Lord of lords and King of kings. As mentioned above, both the heavenly host and believers, whether on earth or in heaven, are His. This is the stress of this point: Jesus knew who He was. He knew His glorious Person, yet He humbled and even abased Himself. Note exactly what is said.
Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands: all power and authority and glory and honor—all beings both in heaven and earth—all administration (ministry) and rule—all judgment and responsibility for saving the universe.
⇒ Jesus knew that He had come from God. He knew the exalted position from which He had come and the enormous condescension He had made. He knew the great gulf He had spanned in coming to earth.
⇒ Jesus knew the splendor and brilliance and glory of His Person.
⇒ Jesus knew that He was going to be returning to God to assume His former position of glory, honor, and rule. He knew that He was to take His place at the right hand of God very soon.
But note: He, who was King of kings and Lord of lords, who was God of very God, laid His clothing aside and began to wash the feet of men. He who was …
• Master became the slave
• the Lord took on the ministry of humiliation
• the Highest took the place of the lowest
• the Sovereign became the subject
Jesus knew who He was, yet He still gave the most extreme demonstration of service possible. He chose the most extreme act possible to demonstrate that there is royalty in service and ministry.
DEEPER STUDY # 1
(13:4–5) Service—Greatness: in the hot, dusty country of Palestine, most people wore sandals and their feet became extremely dirty. A water basin sat at the entrance of most Jewish homes. Upon entering a person’s home, the poor would wash their own feet, and the rich would have a servant available to wash their feet.
Jesus was assuming the place of a servant or of a slave (doulos) who had no rights whatsoever. (See note—Ro. 1:1.) He was demonstrating the route to royal service, demonstrating that …
• the way to royalty is service
• the way to greatness is ministry
• the way to power is humility
• the way to position is serving
• the way to rule is giving
Luke tells us that the disciples were arguing over who was to assume the leading positions in Jesus’ government when He took over the kingdom (Lu. 22:24; see Mk. 10:35–45). The disciples were probably so caught up in their thirst for power and authority that they were beyond considering anything rationally. What Jesus did was demonstrate for them the way of true royalty, the walk of a true statesman. There is a royalty to service—a kingly aire to ministry—a real dignity in humbling oneself to meet the needs of others. There is such a thing as royal service.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
10 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.”
11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Cleansed—Washed—Forgiveness—Salvation: the prerequisite for royal service is that of being washed and cleansed. What happened now was critical for every person who claimed to be a follower and a servant of the Lord. The crucial point is this statement: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
There is a deeper meaning to what Jesus was doing, a spiritual meaning. A person has to be washed and cleansed by Jesus …
• before he can become a part of Jesus
• before he can serve Jesus
Another way to say the same thing is this: before a person can ever serve Christ, he must be a part of Christ. However, before a person can become a part of Christ, there is a critical prerequisite, an absolute essential: a person must be washed and cleansed by Christ.
Now, note what happened.
a. Washing and cleansing are misunderstood. Jesus approached Peter to wash his feet, that is, to clean the dirt and pollution from the lowliest part of his being (his feet). Peter saw Jesus washing him and the others (mankind) and counted it too humiliating a thing for his Lord to do. Therefore, Peter drew his feet back in objection. Never would the Lord of the universe be allowed to do such a thing.
However, Peter saw only the human and physical act of Jesus in serving him and the others (mankind).
Thought 1. Most men misunderstand and object to the cleansing act of Jesus …
• to the humiliation and condescension of “His hour” (the cross v.1)
• to the cleansing blood of the Lamb, the Lord Himself
Most men misunderstand the mission and service …
• that He came to wash and cleanse men from their sin and death, from condemnation and hell
• that He came to cleanse men in His blood that they might be acceptable to God eternally
• that He came to cleanse men that they might be fit to serve God, both now and forever
b. Washing and cleansing have a deeper meaning, a spiritual meaning. (See the earlier part of this point for explanation.) Peter did not understand at first, but he did after Jesus’ death and resurrection (see 1 Pe. 2:24; 3:18).
Thought 1. Today there is no excuse for not understanding what Jesus was doing.
c. Washing and cleansing are requested. Every man should cry out as Peter did: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” Note that Peter cried for a whole cleansing. He craved to be washed all over, through and through.
Thought 1. There is no such thing as holding back a part of one’s body or behavior for oneself, to do as one pleases. There is no such thing as a partial cleansing. The tongue, the eyes, the hands—what one says, looks at, touches—must all be washed and cleansed by Christ, or “thou hast no part with me.”
d. Washing and cleansing are thorough and permanent. Peter had just cried for a whole and thorough cleansing. Now note a glorious truth, one of the most glorious truths in all of Scripture.
Once a man is washed, he is already cleansed. Peter had already been cleansed; therefore, he did not need another bath (experience of being saved and cleansed). But note what was needed: his feet needed to be cleansed. As he walked through the dirt of the world, he needed to ask Jesus to cleanse him from the pollution which he had picked up. He needed a localized cleansing, a cleansing of the body parts that had become dirty.
e. Washing and cleansing are not automatic, nor do they come by association. This is clearly seen in Judas. Judas had been with Jesus, working by His side day in and day out. He was a professed follower and servant of the Lord, and so far as could be seen, he had no glaring public sin or corrupt habits. Yet, he never allowed Jesus to wash and cleanse him.
12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?
13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Service—Ministry: the meaning of royal service. Jesus asked the pointed question, “Know ye what I have done?” Then He demanded two things from His followers and servants.
a. The servant of Jesus must serve Jesus as Master and Lord. Note Jesus’ claim: “I Am” Master and Lord. The servant of the Lord Jesus is not just a follower of Jesus. He is a servant, a slave (doulos) with no rights of his own whatsoever. He is at the beck and call of Jesus. He does not act on his own, nor do his own thing. He does not seek the things of the world: its positions, wealth, power, recognition, honor. He is not existing to secure these things; he is existing to serve Jesus and to serve Him alone.
b. The servant of Jesus is to serve other believers royally and sacrificially, leading them to walk in open
1) The servant of Jesus is to serve others just as Jesus did by ministering to the human needs of others in all humility.
2) The servant of Jesus is to minister to the spiritual needs of others by leading them to Christ for washing and cleansing from the dirt of the world.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.
16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Service—Ministry: the reasons for royal service are threefold.
a. A believer is to serve because of Jesus’ example. It would be easy to wash Jesus’ feet, but to wash each others’ feet is where the difficulty lies.
b. A believer is to serve because believers are not as great as the Lord. Note: we are less than Jesus Christ …
• in person and position
• in mission and work
The same saying is found in Mt. 10:24; Lu. 6:40; Jn. 15:20. See also Lu. 22:26–27 for a picture of the truth.)
c. A believer is to serve because of resulting joy. The Greek tense is continuous, “Happy are ye if ye keep on doing them [these things, serving].” Just knowing the truth is not enough. We must do the truth and keep on doing the truth. When we do, we are filled with joy. (See Jn. 15:11.)
LEADERSHIP MINISTRIES WORLDWIDE: The Gospel according to John, The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN : Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2004
