Jesus washed the disciples’ feet

Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet

¹It 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.^[a]

²The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

⁹"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

¹²When 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. ¹³"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Jesus Predicts His Betrayal

¹⁸"I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'^[b]

¹⁹"I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am He. ²⁰I tell you the truth, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me."

1. Central Content

Content:

1. Jesus knew his mission and that the time had come (v. 1-3)
2. The devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot (v. 2)
3. Jesus washed the disciples feet (v. 4-11)
4. Using the act of washing feet, Jesus foreshadows Judas’ betrayal (v. 10-11)
5. Using the act of washing feet, Jesus teaches the disciples to love one another (v. 12-17)
6. Jesus once again hints at Judas’ betrayal (v. 18-19)
7. Jesus declares: “whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me” (v. 20)

Theme:

1. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet
2. The example of a humble servant
3. The commandment to love one another

2. God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. Who are they?

1. Jesus Christ understands God’s mission and submits to God’s plan

2. Jesus Christ, who loves the world
3. Jesus, who is in charge of all
4. Jesus comes from God
5. Jesus is to return to God
6. Jesus humbly washed the disciples feet
7. Jesus prophesizes Judas’ betrayal
8. Jesus is the teacher
9. Jesus is Christ
10. Jesus is the example to the disciples
11. Jesus is worthy of believing
12. Jesus is one with God

3. What are the tessons for me (Commandments, examples, rebukes, warnings)?

1. Accomplishing the mission and returning to his heavenly home

¹It 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. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God

Jesus came to earth with the mission of saving humanity. The mission is about to be completed. Upon its completion, Jesus will be returning to God. As such, we can use “mission accomplished, gloriously returning home” to describe Jesus.

Reflection: Do I know the mission that God has for me? Did I do my best to accomplish it? If God wants me to come home today, can I return victoriously? Can I face God without shame?

2. The Omniscient Jesus

¹It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God

According to this passage, it is clearly written that Jesus knew the time had come for him to leave this world. He also knew God was to put all things under his power. Jesus even knew that he came from God and was to return to God. Obviously, he is omniscient; he is the living God.

Reflection: If Jesus is omniscient, then can I hide anything from God?

3. God loves me until the very end

¹It 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.

Jesus knew that he was about to leave this world, returning to the Father. Although he was about to part with the disciples, he wanted them to know that he loved them dearly and would love them until the very end. As such, even though Jesus knew he would be betrayed by Judas, he still washed Judas’ feet. Clearly, Jesus’ love is complete. How he loved his disciples, he shows the same love for us today.

Reflection: Have I truly experience the love of Jesus Christ? Have I responded to this love?

4. Becoming the tool of Satan

²The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.

Judas’ betrayal was never a part of God’s plan. Rather, it is the work of Satan. The verse shows that Judas’ heart was already controlled by Satan. As a result, he betrayed Jesus. Some may question why Satan chose Judas out of all of the 12 disciples. Was it because Judas was just unfortunate? The reality isn’t so. Judas’ life had a great flaw, and that was greed. (12:6) Therefore Satan chose Judas, who sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.

Reflection: Have I ever defied God, becoming a tool for Satan? What are the flaws in my life that needs mending?

5. The example of the humble servant

⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

As the disciples were traveling toward the city of Jerusalem, they fought over who would site at the side of Jesus on the Lord’s Table. (Luke 22:24) Seeing this, Jesus was saddened. Yet faced with such ignorance, Jesus did not seriously rebuke his disciples. Instead, he humbly washed his disciples’ feet.

Mark 9:45: And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life crippled than to have two feet and be thrown into hell.

Philippians 2:7: the LORD God formed the man [e] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

Reflection: In my service at church, have I followed Jesus’ example of washing feet? Or was I the same as the disciples, fighting over who would sit at Jesus’ side?

6. The symbol of a relationship

⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."

⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

Palestine is a very dusty place. As a result, when coming into a home, the host usually offers his or her guests a place where they can wash their feet. Usually, the servants are the ones who will wash the guests’ feet. When Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, he not only exemplified what it meant to humbly serve, but at the same time this gesture also symbolized his welcoming of the disciples into the house of God.

⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" ⁷Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand." ⁸"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."

Clearly, the washing of the feet symbolized the relationship between you and God.

Reflection: How can I build a relationship with my brothers and sisters in Christ? Is it through the members’ list? Or is it through serving them?

7. The stubborn Judas

¹⁰Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

Through the conversation with Peter, talking about the washing of feet and other body parts, Jesus hints at the betrayal of Judas.

¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.

Jesus knew Judas was to betray him, therefore he continuously hinted to Judas, hoping that he would repent. Yet Judas did not change and in the end he committed suicide.

Reflection: When I commit a sin, Jesus gives me the opportunity to repent. Do I take advantage of this opportunity?

8. The Model of Discipleship

¹²When 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. ¹³"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Today’s church emphasizes on the training of disciples because Jesus spent a great deal of time training the disciples. Training disciples is very different from normal trainings. Normal training requires theories, puts emphases on learning in class. However, discipleship training puts the emphases on everyday living, on the reality. In other words, the trainer must become an example, using his life to touch others. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and then taught them that they must serve each other. This is the model for discipleship.

4. My prayer and application.

Translated by Kelvin Lee