John 13:1-20: “Jesus Washes
His Disciples’ Feet At The Supper”
By
1.
INTRO:
1.1.
In our last study we looked at verses 20-50
of chapter 12.
1.1.1. We saw in that study that Jesus was still at the feast
of Passover and that some Greeks came who wanted to speak with Jesus, and the
disciples came and asked Jesus if He wanted to meet with them. It does not appear that Jesus met with these
Greeks because this was not the time to be setting up His reign as Messiah, but
rather preparing His disciples for His death and resurrection.
1.1.2. Jesus then taught His disciples reminding them of some
important basic discipleship concepts that those who believe in Him are to
apply in their life.
1.1.3. Jesus finally ended up appealing one last time to the
Jews to try to get them to believe in and commit their way to Him.
1.2.
In this
study, we are going to look at verses 1-20 of chapter 13.
1.2.1. When Jesus first came into Jerusalem on the beginning
of this week, we saw that He came into the city on a donkey being hailed as
Messiah and King amid shouts of, “Hosanna, in the highest.” The multitude at that time, including Jesus’
disciples, thought that Jesus was now instituting His kingdom and coming to
reign in power as the conquering Messiah.
However, instead of Jesus coming into
1.2.2. Chapters 13-17 of the gospel of John have come to be
known as “Jesus’ Upper Room Discourse,” and only John includes in his
gospel these teachings given by Jesus’ on His last day on earth. However, John having written his gospel long
after the other gospel writers, he does not see a need for reitterating in his
gospel the Lord’s instituting of the remembrance meal (“Lord’s Supper”) in this
discourse as the other three writers detailed.
1.2.3. In this story of the foot washing by Jesus, we will
see that Jesus was seeking to teach His disciples that they were to follow His
example of humility and servant-hood and do unto each other just as He had done
to them, not only on this day but throughout His ministry to them. Jesus’ ministry had always been a ministry of
serving and humility.
1.2.4. Jesus will eventually be glorified and reign in
majesty and power over the earth, as He reigns in heaven now, but during this
first advent He came to pay the price of our sins and that as the suffering
servant. We will see that everything
Jesus did with and for His disciples revealed great humility and true
servant-hood, just as Philippians 2:5-8 reveals, “5 Have this
attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although
He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be
grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and
being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance
as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even
death on a cross.”
2.
VS
13:1 - “Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour
had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, having loved
His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.”
- John tells us that the Passover was
near and that Jesus knew that He was going to go out of this world to the
Father, and, Jesus loved His own in the world even unto the end
2.1.
There were two feasts that were ritually performed
during the Passover, and we do not know for sure which of those two this feasts
this was.
2.2.
Jesus will be crucified during the Passover as He was
the true Lamb of God of whom the Passover lamb was symbolic. Jesus knew that now at last ‘His hour’
had come, that hour to which He had referred to originally in the beginning of
His ministry at the Wedding of
2.3.
John states that this is the time in which Jesus knew
He was to ‘depart out of this world to the Father,’ in other words He
knew that His crucifixion and resurrection were imminent and to occur during
the Passover.
2.4.
John writes here that Jesus loved (agapao) those who
were ‘His own,’ and He loved them to the uttermost or end. Jesus’ agape love for all men was constant
and without interruption all the way to the cross on which He died.
2.4.1.
We Christians need to realize that the Lord also
considers us ‘His own’ in this world, and that His agape love is also
constant and without interruption for us, whether we deserve it or not!
2.5.
Notice here
the context that John is describing for us in this story of Jesus washing the
feet of His disciples. Jesus knew that
He had come that He should depart out of this world to the Father, in other
words He knew that He was ascending up to glory. So, knowing of His imminent glorification and
exaltation, in contrast to being glorified at this time, Jesus then went on to
humble Himself and demonstrate to His disciples by foot washing that He was the
greatest servant of all.
3.
VS
13:2-4 - “And during supper, the devil having
already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon, to betray Him, Jesus knowing that the Father had
given all things into His
hands, and that He had come forth from God, and was going back to God, rose
from supper, and laid aside His garments;
and taking a towel, He girded Himself about.” - John writes that before the Passover that the
Devil entered into Simon Iscariot to betray Jesus and that Jesus knew that He
was going back to the Father, and then Jesus began to wash the feet of His
disciples
3.1.
The Devil puts into the hearts of men who are
unregenerate evil thoughts and desires for the attempted thwarting of God’s
plans and designs for men. In this case the
Devil puts into Judas’ heart to betray Jesus, for which he receives 30 pieces
of silver. It will turn out though that
Judas’ betraying of Judas will result in the greatest good that could ever come
to the people of this lost and fallen world when Jesus dies on the cross and
pays the full penalty for all of our sins.
3.2.
Jesus knew that Judas would soon betray Him, and it is
important to note what He did having this knowledge. He did exactly as He would have done
otherwise, He proceeded to wash the disciples’ feet and minister to the
disciples regardless of this knowledge.
3.2.1.
We Christians should learn and be encouraged by Jesus’
example here and not be deterred from doing God’s will just because we are
suffering or know that suffering and trials will await us as we do God’s will.
3.2.2.
I was talking to a fellow pastor this past week and he
told me that he was teaching in the latter part of the book of Acts and that he
was planning on bringing out the fact that Paul was in the very center of God’s
will for his life as he was called to go and to testify to Caesar as a
prisoner, however what happens in that place is that he suffers hardship,
shipwreck at sea, and even ends up getting bitten by a viper. However, because Paul handled his
difficulties in the right way and looked to God for His strength, he was used
in a mighty way in the midst of those difficulties. We are going to have difficulties and trials
when we right in the center of God’s will, however He can use us mightily if we
look to Him for our strength and thank and praise Him in the midst of all.
3.3.
I am amazed at how we in our culture are so taken away
with our super heroes. There must be
hundreds of super heroes in all of the cartoons for kids and movies that have
been made. We also have all of the Sci-fi
fanatics such as the Trekies. But, one
thing that I’ve always been puzzled at is how human-like all of the super
heroes are Sci-fi higher races are. In
almost ever case the super heroes have superior powers which they use for
self-centered motives such as to conquer other beings. In fact, usually they not only are motivated
by human-like base instincts, they are so often human-like in form. Rarely if ever are their super heroes and
higher beings on television or the movies who are superior in morality. Maybe the reason for that is that to do so we
as people would have to come back to look at Christ, who was and is the most
powerful and awesome being in the universe (since He is the creator after all),
and see what true greatness of character entails. Jesus Christ used all of His great power for
others benefit, not for selfish purposes.
3.4.
As Jesus knew that He had come from the Father and was
indwelt with all the power of the Godhead, and that He was headed to glory to
reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords (the throne He had from all eternity),
He does the unthinkable and uses His infinite power to serve the disciples in
the lowest menial type of manner, He washes their feet.
3.5.
Jesus knew who He was and thus He had nothing to prove
to anyone. It was His self-knowledge
that allowed Him to set aside His own selfish interests and serve His disciples
by washing their feet.
4.
VS
13:5 - “Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the
disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”
- John tells us that Jesus poured water
into a basin and began to wash His disciples’ feet and wipe them with a towel
4.1.
John is the only gospel writer who includes this
incident of foot washing which occurred immediately after this Passover meal,
however Luke records that immediately after the Passover dinner an argument
ensued among the disciples over which of them would be the greatest in the
coming Kingdom of God: Luke 22:24, “And
there arose also a dispute among them as
to which one of them was regarded to be the greatest. And He said to them, ‘The kings of the
Gentiles lord it over them; and those
who have authority over them are called ‘’Benefactors’’. But not so with you, but let him who is
greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as the servant. For who is greater, the one who reclines at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the one who serves.”
4.2.
We have all
probably seen the paintings of Jesus’ last supper with His disciples, and these
paintings have typically been completely unrealistic in their portrayal of the
culture and times of Jesus day. These
paintings show Jesus sitting in a chair in the center of a large rectangular
shaped table with disciples on both side of Him. However, in Jesus’ day tables were really
only about a foot off of the ground and in a horseshoe shape. Guests would recline back on pads around the
table and have their feet facing back behind them. People’s feet were typically very dusty and
smelly and needed to be washed before a meal could be enjoyed. So, everyone’s feet needed to be washed
before every meal.
4.3.
Foot washing in the Jewish culture of Jesus’ day was
something that was done for guests by the host’s servants. The host himself would never wash a guest’s
feet themselves unless he was too poor to own a servant. However,
if there was not a servant present, then by default the person who sat in the
place of lowest honor (as was Jesus at this meal) was expected to wash
everyone’s feet.
4.4.
Gayle Irwin has brought out that the gospels reveal to
us that the thing that the disciples talked about most was who was the greatest
in the kingdom. In the Jewish culture at
this time, people sat around these tables in the order of their station and
importance, and thus every time that the disciples ate a meal together there
was always a decision that had to be made about who was worthy to sit where. Therefore, the disciple’s argued about who
was the greatest continually, whenever they ate a meal together, just as
happened on this day.
4.5.
The disciples’ response here is a picture of fallen
humanity. As Jesus is preparing to die
upon the cross for their sins, the disciples are completely oblivious to what
God was doing and are filled with selfishness, pride and vanity thinking only
about promoting themselves.
4.6.
Peter took the seat of greatest honor at this table,
and Jesus, the disciples’ Lord and Master, took the lowest seat. It is for this reason that Peter acted the
way he did here in initially not wanting Jesus to wash his feet. Peter knew that Jesus deserved to sit in the
place of greatest honor, where he was seated, and yet now Jesus was going to
humble Himself as a servant and wash his feet.
Peter knew he was out of place at this table, usurping the Lord’s honor,
and, that his heart was filled with pride.
4.7.
In Jesus’
day, men walked in the desert in sandals, and thus their feet were always
getting very dirty. Foot washing was a
gross and dirty job and considered one of the lowest jobs a person could
perform; servants despised having to
wash feet. Yet, Jesus will now be the
One who washes everyone’s feet.
5.
VS
13:6-11 - “And so He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, ‘Lord, do You wash my
feet?’ Jesus answered and said to him,
‘What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter’. Peter said to Him, ‘Never shall You wash my
feet!’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not
wash you, you have no part with Me’. Simon
Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my
head’. Jesus said to him, ‘He who has
bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you’.
For He knew the one who was betraying Him; for this reason He said, ‘Not all of you are
clean’.” - John tells
us that Peter initially refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet, however Jesus
convinced him to submit to this telling him that if He did not wash his feet
that he would have no part with Jesus
5.1.
It has been speculated by some that Peter was the
first disciple that Jesus went to because if the other disciples had not
objected to Jesus washing their feet, Peter probably would not have
objected. But, I prefer thinking that
Peter took the place of most imminent honor at this table, which would on one
of the ends of the table, and thus Jesus began foot washing with Him.
5.2.
Peter realized that only servants were to wash the
feet of guests, and therefore Peter corrects Jesus and rebukes His intended
action of washing his feet, acting impetuously as he did on so many
occasions.
5.3.
Jesus tells Peter though that if he refuses to allow
Him to wash his feet, he shall have no part with Jesus.
5.3.1.
Some have speculated that Peter’s name would have been
blotted out of the Lamb’s Book of Life had he not allowed Jesus to wash his
feet.
5.3.2.
Others have said that Peter would have no part in the
type of ministry which Jesus performed, and thus would be unfit to be His
minister had he refused. Both meanings
may have also been intended.
5.4.
In Jesus’
reply to Peter here He teaches that this foot washing is symbolic of more than
merely the cleansing off of dirt from one’s body, but rather the spiritual
cleansing of sin performed by Jesus on His disciples, after they have come to
have the blood of Christ applied to their lives.
5.5.
After initially balking at having his feet washed,
Peter allows his master to wash His feet, however he tells Jesus that if the washing
were that important, Jesus should wash also his hands and head. Jesus responds to Peter that if one has his
sins washed away by Jesus and thus ‘is clean,’ then the only additional
washing he needs is the washing of his feet.
5.5.1.
Walking in this sinful world, Jesus’ followers
sometimes commit sin and thus get their feet soiled, requiring that their feet
be washed off. It is not that Jesus’
sacrifice needs to be repeated or is not great enough for us, for it says in
Hebrews 10:14, “14 For by one offering He has perfected for all
time those who are sanctified.” We need to appropriate the blood of Christ
that was shed for us in order to have our sins washed away and forgiven each
day. 1 John 1:9 gives the formula for
appropriating the blood of Christ for the cleansing of these sins we commit on
a daily basis, “9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and
righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
5.5.2.
Arthur Pink mentions that the blood of Christ is
always applied God-ward, as it covers our lives as Christians. Therefore, the implement used in this washing
by Jesus is ‘water’ because it is used man-ward for cleansing.
5.6.
Jesus knew that Judas had not been regenerated and
that His sins were not washed away.
5.7.
Whenever we Christians commit sin, we need to a.s.a.p.
appropriate the forgiveness we have been granted in Christ to wash away that
sin, as 1 John 1:9 states. There is no
reason to walk around carrying the guilt of un-confessed sin. One person has said that perhaps the greatest
problem in the lives of people of the world today is the guilt of un-confessed
sin which they carry around with them.
But, just like Peter on this day, “We must be willing to let Jesus
wash us.” Having our sins cleansed
on a regular basis, that is as often as we realize that we have sinned, is not
an option for us as Christians. Peter is
told here that he will have no part with Jesus unless Jesus also washes his
feet.
6.
VS
13:12-17 - “And so when He had washed their feet,
and taken His garments, and reclined at the table again, He said to them, ‘Do
you know what I have done to you? You
call Me Teacher and Lord; and you are
right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed
your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also
should do as I did to you. Truly, truly,
I say to you, a slave is not greater than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the
one who sent him. If you know these
things, you are blessed if you do them’.” - After Jesus had finished washing the
disciples’ feet He sat at the table with them and explained to them the
significance of having washed their feet, then, encouraged them to do likewise
ever afterwards
6.1.
This act of washing the disciple’s feet was meant to
be a continous reminder of what Jesus had really done for them from the time
they met up with Him. As verse 1 of this chapter said of Jesus, “He
loved them to the end.” And as I
previously quoted from Luke, Jesus said that He was among them as One who
serves. Washing the disciples’ feet
demonstrated Jesus’ love for His disciples.
6.2.
This act was one designed by the Lord to be a
tremendous example which was to form a visual picture for the disciples to
carry with them forever. In this act,
Jesus was teaching them that to be a leader as God would have them lead. They were to lead by the example of
servant-hood, not as lording it over those under their charge, but rather
leading by example and by serving.
6.3.
Greatness in the
6.4.
Some have misunderstood the significance of this act
of Jesus and thought that Jesus was instituting a ritual sacrament of foot
washing to be performed ritually and regularly by Jesus’ disciples. However, by doing this they miss the main
point being made. This act was not to be
an occasional sacrificial act to be performed upon one’s brothers which Jesus
commanded, rather it was a lifestyle of humility and servant-hood that all
disciples were to emulate every single day of their lives.
6.5.
The disciples should never again have argued among
themselves as to who was the greatest, rather they should have sought to show
their greatness in God’s sight through their selfless service given to others.
6.6.
A pastor friend of mine once told me that he had been
having trouble with a youth pastor in his church who had taken too much of a
liking to his title of youth ‘pastor.’
This pastor said that one day in his meeting that he regularly held with
those who served in the church that he washed everyone’s feet. He said that after this he never had trouble
with anyone getting too wrapped up in
ministry titles. They understood
from this that the ministry was about serving not about titles.
6.7.
The opposite of greatness in the
6.8.
Paul wrote so eloquently in Philippians chapter 2 that
we are to empty ourselves of self and consider one another as more important
than ourselves, and look out for others interests not just our own. Self and selfish interests are to be set
aside in order to look out for the best interests of God’s church and His
saints.
6.9.
To apply this verse in our lives as Christians and wash
another’s feet, we can do many practical things. In my own life there are many ways in which
brothers and sisters have washed my feet.
I have met people who have applied this principle and simply made me
feel important and significant when conversing with them. I have met people who have asked me how I was
doing and were genuinely interested in the things that were going on in my
life. I have met people who were willing
to sacrifice their time to help me work on my car or move my household, or simply
just listen to my frustrations. There
are an infinite number of practical ways
in which we can in the truest sense wash one another’s feet and thus fulfill
this command of Christ, imitating His example.
6.9.1.
I would ask you to consider this week what you can do
to figuratively wash someone’s feet.
6.10.
Ministers and church leaders must lead by example in
the church. They must set as their goal
to be the greatest of servants in God’s kingdom, and they must never let
selfish motives or desires control their actions.
7.
VS
13:18-20 - “‘I do not speak to all of you. I know the ones I have chosen; but it is that the Scripture may be
fulfilled, ‘He who eats My bread has lifted up his heel against Me’. From now on I am telling you before it comes
to pass, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He’.”
- Jesus tells His disciples that He
knows that He has a traitor in the fold, one who will lift up his heel against
Him
7.1.
Jesus is prophetically revealing to His disciples that
He is perfectly aware that Judas is presently betraying Him to the death. Jesus’ intent in revealing this truth is to
reinforce to His disciples once again His omniscience and thus His deity. Jesus in several instances predicted the
events leading up to His death and resurrection in order that all might know
that He is the Messiah.
7.2.
Jesus quotes from Psalms 41:9 here, revealing that
this scripture was being fulfilled in Judas’ betrayal. In so many instances, Jesus interpreted Old
Testament prophesies, and thus John goes to great length to show how that every
Old Testament scripture concerning the Messiah’s first appearing was fulfilled
in Jesus’ life.
8.
VS
13:20 - “‘Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send
receives Me; and he who receives Me
receives Him who sent Me’.” - Jesus tells
His disciples that the one who receives Him receives the One who sent Him
8.1.
In this verse, Jesus is beginning to prepare His
disciples for their Great Commission to go to all the world and preach the
gospel and teach all the things which Jesus commanded them.
8.2.
As Jesus sends us out, the Father also goes with us.
9.
CONCLUSIONS:
9.1.
As we
consider this message and how that we ought to apply it to our lives, I would encourage
you to learn to love and serve others following the example of Jesus and how He
has condescended to you and loved and served you so greatly.
9.2.
Let Jesus
wash you and cleanse you from all sin each and every day and as often as you
realize that you have sinned and are in need of His cleansing.