The Humble King

The Occasion

John 13:1-

John 13:1–5 NIV

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Fast forwarding from the beginning fo the week to the end of the week, John gives us insight into Jesus’ heart as He prepares to teach His disciples a significant lesson.

Over next next several chapters, Jesus, recognizing that His hour has come, will seek to give to His disciples what they will need to carry on after He departs. Through the first twelve chapters, Jesus referred to the hour as not yet come, but here, the hour is upon them. Jesus’ desire is to give to His disciples the “why” to all the miracles, teachings and testimony they have been a witness to for the past three years.

Jesus’ intent is to show his disciples the extent of his love. He loves them so much that He desires for them to know intimately the fullness of his love. He would do anything for them. He will do whatever it takes to give them what they truly need. He would go to the cross, He would get on his hands and knees and wash the mess off their feet.

John makes note that Christ’s heart loved in such a way that He would intimately serve even the one who already had the intention of betraying him. John also notes the position of Christ. Jesus is the ultimate authority. He is the holder of all power and authority. The Father has given these things to Hi. He will be glorified and seated at the right hand of God. His position is ruler and Lord over all creation. John states this to truly display the inappropriateness of what Jesus is about to do.

The washing of feet was usually the task of the lowest servant in the household. In fact, in Jewish tradition, it was a job reserved for gentile servants. Jewish servants were exempt from this task. In some cases, where a servant was not available, this task was done by a child for their parents or the individual of lesser importance in the house. In this instance, the disciples and Jesus have rented their room for this feast. There are no servants to wash feet. The disciples looked around the room and none were willing to get down and was the feet of the other. They had already resided in to eating with messy feet at the table so that no one would have to regard themselves as less than and serve the others.

It is in the midst of this air and attitude that Jesus takes off his outer robe and wraps a towel around his waist. Jesus was the one presiding over the meal. He should be the last to stoop so low. Jesus though saw this task in a different light.

The Preparation

John 13:6-

John 13:6–11 NIV

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

Jesus moved from one disciple to the next, washing their feet. You can almost taste the awkward silence that this was likely taking place in. Each disciple embarrassed by their unwillingness to move, not quite sure how to react to Jesus taking this position, not willing to stop him from accomplishing his task.

Jesus gets to Simon Peter and Peter can not help but break the silence. Peter gives voice to the conflict that likely racked the minds of each disciple, I do not want my master to do this because it feels inappropriate and wrong, but I am also not willing to take his place. To overcome this conflict, Peter desires to just return to their previous resignation, to eat with dirty feet.

Jesus though was not merely washing his disciples feet, He was giving them a tangible picture of what He would do for them. When Jesus told Peter that He could not be a part with Him without the washing, Peter thought that Jesus was referring to the fact that to have a relationship with Jesus was conditional on the washing so Peter asks Jesus to wash him all over. Jesus was not saying this though. Our relationship with Christ is not dependent upon the act of washing.

Jesus responds to Peter by saying that a man who has had a bath only needs to wash his feet. In preparation for the Sabbath, there was an air of cleaning that would sweep through the Jews homes. One part of this was the removal of items from the home, leaven, that was required by the law of Moses. Along with this though was a desire to be present as clean and ready to share in this meal with the Lord. Many would go through a ceremonial washing during this week.

Jesus responds to Peter that as a result of him being clean from a bath, the only thing necessary was the washing of his feet. Beyond the physical, this has spiritual implications. Jesus was saying to Peter that he was already in relationship with Christ. The foot washing was to be done to make them ready to share in fellowship together.

In this simple act of foot washing, Jesus was showing his disciples that he loved them enough to do what was needed to prepare them to share in fellowship with God. The aim was fellowship, the sharing in a meal together, and Jesus was willing to remove the things that stood in the way or would detract from that fellowship. Of course this is seen in its fullest aspect as Jesus goes to the cross and removes sin from keeping us from fellowship with God.

The Response

John 13:12-

John 13:12–17 NIV

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “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. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus finishes washing his disciples’ feet and then he calls them to respond to what he has done. The proper response to what Christ had done was to mirror his actions. He tells his disciples to put aside their thoughts about where their position lies and focus on the goal, the aim, restored fellowship with God.

Jesus challenges his disciples to respond out of the fellowship that they have enjoyed with Christ by intentionally engaging others with the love that Christ has for us in such a manner that they can enjoy the same fellowship with God. If Jesus pursued us in such a manner as to get down and wash our feet so that it would allow us to enjoy the fellowship with God that is before us more, then we should pursue others in the same way and with the same level of pursuit.

Jesus takes it a step further though. Jesus called us clean already. In other words, we are people who already enjoy the restored fellowship with God, but now Christ has led us to enjoy the joy of fellowship with another that He enjoys with us, the pursuit of humbling loving the other.

Will we be a people willing to set aside our position for the sake of ushering another before the Lord? Will you be the person who will put aside their personal preferences that someone else may experience the nearness of fellowship with God?