Good morning. I think that one of the most startling verses sharing the words of Christ Jesus comes to us from John 13:8. The description of the setting for this verse begins in John 13:1, so let’s begin there: Before the Passover Festival, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
Jesus had gathered the 12 disciples into the upper room of a home for the purpose of sharing the Passover meal with them. It is from that meal that Jesus introduces the concept of this “last supper” being the model for His command of remembrance, what we know as “the Lord’s Supper” or communion. But while He has them gathered around the table for this last time of fellowship before His passion on the cross, Jesus shares many truths and teaches vital lessons. The 1st verse tells us that all Jesus would say and do in this precious time with His own was an act of supreme love.
In the midst of the meal Jesus got up, took off His outer clothing, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and proceeded to wash His disciple’s feet. This act was completely inappropriate. There is no way that Jesus, the one they called “Master”, should perform this task. This job was reserved for the least important person available. If there were servants, it would be done by the lowest ranking servant. If there we no servants but there were children, it would be done by the youngest. Their traditions required that this be done with the least important serving the most important. The head of the household, or in this case the Master, who is Jesus, would have their feet washed first while the water was the cleanest. The pecking order in the home was established by the order in which their feet would be washed. It is rarely mentioned, but when Jesus and his disciples arranged themselves, reclining at the low table with their feet stretched out behind them, the one who would have considered himself the least among them should have done the washing. That Jesus takes it upon Himself to wash their feet is not only indicative of the lesson in humility Jesus wanted to teach them, it was also revealing that none of the disciples had been willing to do the job. That they reclined at the table to celebrate the Passover meal without their feet being washed was highly improper, it simply shouldn’t have happened.
We know that the disciples had been arguing earlier over which of them should be considered the greatest in the Lord’s Kingdom, and it would have been reasonable for Jesus to establish the appropriate order of rank within His group of disciples at that time. Instead, He gathered a small child into His arms and explained that in His Kingdom, the ones thought of as the least important are actually the ones worthy of greater honor.
Imagine their shock and their shame when Jesus stood up from the table and prepared Himself to do the job that was fitting for them, but they were too proud to be considered as the least among their peers. We don’t know the order in which Jesus washed their feet. It seems likely that He may have started with the one who happened to be in closest proximity. What we do know is what happened when Jesus reached Peter. Peter was offended. Peter may have been outraged. He not only saw Jesus’ actions as unfitting, he may have seen them as an act intended to shame them (him).
We now come to that problematic verse I mentioned at the beginning of this writing, John 13:8 “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said. Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”
I don’t see how Peter could have been any clearer with his feelings. “You will never wash my feet—ever!” Peter said. This wasn’t the first time Peter had spoken up to contradict the Lord. When Jesus explained in plain terms that His mission would end in sacrifice, Peter replied “Never Lord! This shall never happen to you!” Matthew 16:22 Jesus’ response at that time was “Get behind me Satan!” Sometimes it seems as though Peter possessed a stubborn streak that could be a real burden. This time of Jesus’ washing feet was one of those seriously stubborn moments.
What is critical for our understanding of these events is the response of Jesus to the challenging words of Peter: “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with Me.”
Startling words. Words that would have made Peter gasp and take a step back. Words that would have caused Peter to quickly reevaluate his own words and opinion. “No part?” “No way!” Peter’s response to Jesus seems all too predictable: “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” John 13:9
We can almost see Jesus shake His head and smile. Poor Peter, so much potential but with so much personality getting in the way!
Jesus, the Creator of all. Jesus, the Lord of all mankind. Jesus, whose name is higher than any other name. Jesus, the divine person of God…doesn’t request that He be allowed to serve those He loves…He demands it!
Either we allow the Lord to serve us today, or we have no part in Him. Now that is a powerful, and possibly terrible thought!
Jesus desires to heal us, to forgive us, to love us, to guide us, to nurture us, and to love us some more. This is Jesus’ desire, no, this is Jesus’ demand. We had best not say no.
Vern