John 13:1 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 to the end. 2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him.
During the first Passover, in preparation for Israel to be freed from slavery in Egypt, God instructed Moses to have the Israelites sacrifice a lamb for the Passover meal and to paint the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their houses. This act, commemorated throughout Israel’s history, looked forward to the day when Christ would be sacrificed as the true Passover lamb, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. John 1:29 Throughout his three-year ministry in Israel Jesus had been protected by God the Father because the hour of his sacrificial death had not yet come. John 2:4, 7:30, 8:20 But now, at the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father.
Early in his ministry Jesus had chosen twelve men to be his disciples. He called them, led them, taught them, cared for them, loved them, shepherded, and protected them all. He even loved and protected Judas Iscariot knowing all along that Judas would become demon possessed and betray him to the horrible Roman punishment of death on the cross.
Could you, would you, as your Savior did, demonstrate love even to those who would betray you?
To demonstrate his love for his disciples, even as the end drew near, just hours away from his death, after supper he arose, and laid aside his outer garments.
John 13:3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God, 4 after supper he arose, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part 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, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, “You are not all clean.” 12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you. 16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Jesus, a master at telling parables, acted out this parable in dramatic fashion. A disciple was never expected to wash his master’s feet, as foot-washing was considered the most lowly and dirty task. In Jewish culture it was the job of the lowest servant in the house, usually a slave, to wash the feet of guests when they entered a home. It was so shocking and unheard of that when Jesus took on the task of washing his disciples’ feet, Peter strenuously objected, “You will never wash my feet.”
But though he was the Eternal God, the Lord of all, Jesus emptied himself by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. Philippians 2:7 After washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus quizzed them to see if they understood the broad implications of his act.
“Do you know what I have done to you?”
The end was near, and this crucial lesson was too important for the disciples to misunderstand. Jesus answered his own question, saying, “You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should also do as I have done to you.”
In our world, tainted by sin, we are used to our leaders, our rulers, and sometimes our pastors using their positions of authority to bully and domineer others for personal gain and advancement. We have lost sight of the true nature of leadership. Because in our fallen state we naturally put ourselves first, God’s plan for leadership actually appears counterintuitive to us.
Jesus’ teachings on true leadership are so foreign to us that he actually had to act it out to get the disciples to understand. To explain this in another way, Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 Throughout Jesus’ life he demonstrated strength and leadership through self-sacrifice and humility. Just as Jesus emptied himself of ambition and came to earth as a servant “to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work,” John 4:34, Jesus is teaching his disciples and all future Christians that they must empty themselves of self-serving ambition and, instead, put God’s will first. “Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord.”
We are always pushing to get to the front of the line, to be first, to be recognized, to find acceptance when, in reality, the door to the kingdom of God opens at the back of the line. “Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.” Mark 10:43 And that was where Judas went wrong. He was a disciple of the Creator of the heavens and earth, but he was still striving in the ways of the world, embezzling money and selling out Jesus, in an attempt to gain security. In looking out for himself, he found only death.
Are we so very different from Judas?
Like the Pharisees, do we find it easier to go through the motions so that we can appear to be good disciples while in actuality we are looking out for ourselves and neglecting those that God has given us to serve?
“Every year they hold a theatrical feet-washing, and when they have discharged this empty and bare ceremony they think they have done their duty finely and are then free to despise their brethren. But more, when they have washed twelve men’s feet they cruelly torture all Christ’s members and thus spit in the face of Christ Himself. This ceremonial comedy is nothing but a shameful mockery of Christ. At any rate, Christ does not enjoin an annual ceremony here, but tells us to be ready all through our life to serve our brethren.” John Calvin, christianstudylibrary.org
Are you willing to serve where God leads?
John 13:18 I don’t speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen. But that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with me has lifted up his heel against me.’ Psalm 41:9 19 From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he. 20 Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”
21 When Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Most certainly I tell you that one of you will betray me.”
22 The disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was at the table, leaning against Jesus’ breast. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, and said to him, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.”
25 He, leaning back, as he was, on Jesus’ breast, asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 Jesus therefore answered, “It is he to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him.
Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
28 Now nobody at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus said to him, “Buy what things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor. 30 Therefore having received that morsel, he went out immediately. It was night.
Although Jesus knew that Judas would betray him, sending him to his death, Jesus still washed his feet. And after washing his feet Jesus, in fulfillment of the prophecy in Psalm 41:9, was still willing to serve Judas the Passover bread and wine, representing Christ’s death.
John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and he will glorify him immediately. 33 Little children, I will be with you a little while longer. You will seek me, and as I said to the Jews, ‘Where I am going, you can’t come,’ so now I tell you.
When Judas left to betray Jesus to the high priest, Jesus knew that he would be facing the humiliation of arrest, trial, and mocking, and the excruciating pain of beatings, crucifixion, and death. And yet, rather than dwelling on the coming humiliation Jesus focused on his glory, emphasizing glory five times in two verses. Jesus, enduring the humiliation, disgrace, and curse of crucifixion, in obedience to God the Father, brought glory to both himself and God the Father, because crucifixion was the only way to rescue mankind, made in his image, from the curse of death.
In contrast to Christ “who emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” Philippians 2:7, today Satan has inverted God’s plan for an abundant life by convincing people that they can find happiness by embracing victimhood.
Today, victimhood is currency. The more grievances you can claim, the more moral authority you possess.
Once victimhood becomes your identity, you can’t afford to lose it.
Repentance? Rare.
Responsibility? Even rarer.
Everything bad in your life? Always someone else’s fault—society, men, parents, the church, “toxic” relationships. Victor Walker, Sola Veritas
By voluntarily going to the cross so that he could save ungrateful rebels who were captive to Satan and forever dead and lost in their sins, Jesus brought glory to himself. Jesus’ selfless act on behalf of those who did not deserve it also brought frightening clarity to Christ’s foot-washing teaching. Instead of looking out for our own concerns and pitying ourselves as victims when our concerns are not met, true servants must follow Christ’s command: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24
Following Jesus is not, as unbelievers imagine, stifling or joyless, following Jesus is where true life is found.
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105
Jesus alone offers the light of life, freedom from death, and guidance along our path.