John 13:1-17
Jesus Washes His Disciples Feet
1 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.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 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.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus 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!”
10 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.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12 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. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
Jesus does nothing out of selfish ambition or arrogance...He always cultivates humility, valuing others above Himself and wants us to learn from Him...When we only look at our own interests, we sometimes forget the interests of others...We should use Jesus as our example...Although He existed in the form of God when He dwelt on earth, He did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited...Rather, He poured Himself out, taking the form of a servant, becoming like human beings...He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross...For this reason, God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, so that at Jesus's Name every knee will bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will acknowledge Jesus Christ as LORD, to the Glory of God the Father...
And in one of Jesus' Great Teachings on humility came 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...We must believe all of the Disciples....We must believe all of these Truths....The fact that Jesus washed Judas's feet, knowing full well the betrayal was about to come, reveals a level of Compassion and Grace that transcends human understanding...
I can only wonder what Jesus was thinking, and it is from a limited man's mind and not One Who is full of Grace and Truth...I believe I might be thinking of the negative emotions, if I knew that I was about to be betrayed...I might think I would experience a range of intense emotions: anger, resentment, hurt, and a desire for retribution...So the thought of performing a humble act of service and washing Judas feet would be utterly repugnant and I am not sure I could even was his feet...Yet, Jesus did and I can only imagine how much LOVE He as for mankind in this humble act of washing the traitor's feet...I believe that a regular man would feel justified in withholding any form of kindness or compassion from someone who was about to cause them immense pain and a crucifixion...
Jesus, being fully God and fully man, experienced human emotions, but His actions were always governed by Divine LOVE and purpose...He knew Judas's heart, yet He chose to demonstrate LOVE and show His Disciples and us what real service is anyway...This act was a powerful expression of His unconditional LOVE, even for those who would reject Him...It was a demonstration of the depth of God’s Agape LOVE...He LOVED Judas to the end...
Jesus's action would be also a powerful lesson for the other disciples...He was showing them the True Nature of servanthood and the importance of loving even their enemies...It is a great example of being One who is full of Grace and Truth...It was also a last attempt to reach Judas...An attempt to show him what He was about to do...Jesus’s mind would have been filled with sorrow, but also with an unwavering commitment to His mission...He knew that His sacrifice was necessary for the redemption of humanity, including Judas...It also shows God's Grace...Even though Judas was about to betray Jesus, Jesus still gave him Grace...
Jesus's act of washing Judas's feet is a powerful illustration of the difference between human and Divine LOVE...It challenges us to love beyond our natural inclinations, to extend grace and compassion even to those who have wronged us...His helping and serving others highlights the transformative power of humility and service, even in the face of betrayal...It shows that Jesus’s LOVE is not based on if we are deserving of it...It's understandable that we might struggle to comprehend or emulate this level of LOVE...It's a reminder that God's LOVE is far greater than our own love, and that through Him, we can learn to love in ways we never thought possible...