Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God, and was going back to God … John 13:3 ESV1
Read John 13:1-17
If you had a money tree in your room that produced $100 bills and every time you picked one, two more grew back in its place, would you be stingy with your spending? Wouldn’t there be something seriously wrong with your thinking if you lived in poverty? Likewise, wouldn’t you be incredibly selfish if you refused to be generous?
You do not have a prolific money tree in your possession, but, if you are a Believer in Christ, you have an overwhelming abundance of all you need spiritually to prosper boundlessly and give lavishly. Jesus demonstrated this truth profoundly in the account of His washing His disciples’ feet.
The event of Jesus washing the feet of His closet Followers took place in the Upper Room during the Last Supper. During this celebration of Passover, Jesus would, for the last time, share a meal with the Twelve before He fulfilled His purpose for coming to Earth. The next day, He would be sacrificed as the Ultimate Passover Lamb. So, what attitude did Jesus showcase during His last meal before His crucifixion?
“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end” (John 13:1).
Jesus didn’t spend His last meal enjoying Himself. He didn’t seek to be honored. He didn’t demand to be served. Instead, He loved others overwhelmingly. God is love and Jesus’ entire purpose for coming to Earth was an expression of love.
“‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life’” (John 3:16).
Loving Well
“During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin, began to wash the disciples’ feet, and wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him” (John 13:2-5).
Jesus loved by humbling Himself.
In what must have been a shocking display, Jesus, from the head of the table, rose from His position, removed His outer clothing, grabbed up the tools of a slave, and began to do the work of a lowly servant. Yet, this was merely an illustration of what He had already done when He came from Heaven, laid aside His Glorious Body, took on human form, and gave His all to save and sanctify humankind.
“Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8).
Without Jesus’ humbling of Himself, we would have no hope.
Jesus loved by serving.
“Walking in sandals on the roads of Israel in the first century made it imperative that feet be washed before a communal meal. People ate reclining at low tables, and feet were very much in evidence. When Jesus rose from the Last Supper and began to wash the feet of the disciples …, He was doing the work of the lowliest of servants. The disciples must have been stunned at this act of humility and condescension—that Jesus, their Lord and Master, should wash the feet of His disciples. Washing feet was more properly their work, but no one had volunteered for the job.”2
Not many days earlier, as Jesus and His Disciples were making their way to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast, Jesus taught:
“‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many’” (Matthew 20:25-28).
Yet, when an opportunity to serve presented itself, the Twelve seemed to have forgotten what they had heard. If they scanned the room, it would have been obvious that there was no servant to wash their feet, but it never occurred to the Disciples that one of them should perform the task. So, Jesus took it upon Himself to do what needed to be done. As their Master, Jesus was the last person who should have been washing feet, yet He did what needed to be done because no one else rose to do it. Similarly, though He is King of the Universe, Jesus took on the role of a servant, taking the punishment He didn’t deserve, to save humanity because no one else could do it.
Jesus loved those who were unworthy.
Jesus knew Judas would soon betray Him (see Matthew 26:20-25), yet He stooped before this rebel and tenderly washed the grime off his feet just as He did with the other eleven Disciples. As we are astounded by this kind of selfless love, let us not forget that we have far more in common with Judas than we may readily admit. It wasn’t just to Judas that Jesus extended an act of extraordinary love; He did the same with us.
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly … God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us … For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 8:6, 8 & 10a).
Protesting the Pampering
While the other disciples seemed to enjoy the foot-washing (or quietly ponder what was happening), Peter disapproved of Jesus’ actions and openly questioned the service.
“[Jesus] came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand’” (John 13:6-7).
There were several things that the disciples did not understand as they were happening (see Mark 9:32, Luke 9:45 & 18:34, and John 10:6). They did not comprehend because they did not have the Tool necessary for understanding. It wasn’t until later that they received everything they needed to grasp what Jesus had done and taught.
“His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about Him and had been done to Him” (John 12:16).
Later, at the Last Supper, Jesus informed His faithful Disciples:
“‘The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you’” (John 14:26).
But at this moment, Peter could not appreciate what Jesus was doing. The following conversation illustrates Peter’s lack of understanding.
“Peter said to Him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with Me.’ Simon Peter said to Him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For He knew who was to betray Him; that was why He said, ‘Not all of you are clean’” (John 13:8-11).
Like those who experienced it, this verbal exchange between Peter and Jesus may confuse those who read it. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we discover that the cleansing Jesus was speaking of was spiritual. The person who has “bathed” is the person who has been saved. That one does not need to be saved over and over but only needs to “wash his/her feet” in a spiritual sense. “Feet washing” is a reference to the sanctification process. Once one is saved, he/she is purified; he/she only needs to deal with the sins he/she has gotten into presently. When God convicts a saved person of sins, one must submit to a “foot washing” through confession and repentance. And guess Who performs that spiritual “foot washing”? Jesus!
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9)
Peter and the other Disciples—except Judas, who, according to Jesus, never belonged to Him—needed only this minor cleansing. The same is true for all Christians. As we walk along the Narrow Road through a sin-saturated world, we are bound to “get a little dirt on our feet” and need a “foot washing” now and then.
A problem occurs when Believers protest the “foot washing” Jesus offers. When God convicts us of sin, we can deny we have sinned or we can refuse to repent. If this is our response, we end up walking around with quite a lot of “filth on our feet” that inhibits us from living in Christ freely and abundantly.
An equally troubling reaction to Jesus’ willingness to “wash our feet” happens when Christ-followers revel in the pampering of Jesus’ service. What I mean by this is that we undervalue the sacrifice Jesus made to cleanse and free us from our sins by willingly engaging in sinful behavior assuming that God is obligated to forgive us if we merely ask after we have had our fill of the corruption in which we have chosen to wallow.
Both responses to Jesus’ amazing act of service drag His name through the defilement in which we have been trudging. By either protesting or pampering, we destroy our witness to the watching world to whom we should be extending our hands to pull out of the “mud.” Emulating Christ means walking in purity and self-sacrificing service.
Paying it Forward
“When [Jesus] had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them’” (John 13:12-17).
Soon Jesus resumed His place–not just at the head of the table—He sat down at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven. All on Earth who confess Jesus as Lord and Teacher are called to display the humble attitude of their Master by self-sacrificing service. Elsewhere, Jesus explained:
“‘Let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves. For who is the greater, one who reclines at the table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at the table? But I am among you as the One who serves’” (Luke 22:26b-27).
Jesus showed His Followers how to set aside their rights and take the lowest place to sacrifice for others. True greatness in God’s Kingdom is achieved through humility. Those who die to their self-interests and spend themselves in service to others, in Christ’s Power for His name’s sake, will be rewarded abundantly. Jesus promised:
“‘If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them’” (John 13:17).
Just as the Father sent the Son to this Earth to serve humanity and Jesus obeyed, Jesus is sending us out into the world to serve others; we must also comply.
“In the days of his flesh, Jesus, … Although He was a son, … learned obedience through what He suffered. And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:7a, 8-9).
We must remember, though:
“Whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin” (James 4:17).
Christ doesn’t leave us to do this impossible task of self-sacrificing service in our strength; He gives us His strength. He expects His Followers to emulate Himself and He gives us everything we need through the Holy Spirit for the task.
“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).
“He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it” (1 Thessalonians 5:24).
Why could Jesus humble Himself, serve those so far beneath Him, and love those who hated Him? He could do what He did because “Jesus [knew] that the Father had given all things into His hands, that He had come from God, and was going back to God” (John 13:3). Jesus knew He had something far greater than an especially fruitful money tree.
Better than a Money Tree
Do we know what we have because of our connection with Christ? What a difference it would make in our lives and the lives of those around us if we knew what God has given us, that we belong to Him, and that we will be spending eternity with Him. So, what exactly do we have in Christ?
We have forgiveness of sin.
Jesus’ Blood was shed so that we would be pardoned.
“In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” 1 John 1:7b
We have healing for our bodies and our spirits.
Jesus’ Body was scourged so that we would have physical and emotional health.
“Upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5b).
We have freedom from our inherited sinful disposition.
Jesus’ Body was crucified so that our sin-nature could be obliterated.
“Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because all sinned … Therefore, as through one man’s offense, judgment came to all men, even so through one Man’s righteousness act, the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life… For as by the one man’s disobedience, many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience, many will be made righteous … so that as sin reigned in death, even so, grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 5:12, 18-19, 21).
We have been released from the sentence of death.
Jesus died, was buried, and rose again to conquer death and release us from its power.
“Grace, which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, … has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel” (2 Timothy 1:9b-10).
“He released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Hebrews 2:15).
We are no longer under Satan’s dominion.
Ascending to Heaven, Jesus entirely defeated the devil and deprived him of his power over us.
“Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death, He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Hebrews 2:14).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ … which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come. And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the Church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:3, 20-23).
We have the Power to live righteous lives.
Jesus gifted us His Holy Spirit so that we could be like Him.
“His Divine Power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:3-4).
We will live eternally with our Master.
In Jesus, we have a place to belong and He is coming back to take us to Himself.
“‘I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also’” (John 14:2b-3).
“For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus, we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).
If the whole world were filled with money trees that produced unlimited quantities of $100 bills, spending them all would not be enough to buy one person’s salvation. Yet, Jesus offers this free gift, that cost Him everything, to anyone willing to accept it. How utterly amazing is that?!
If we truly understood the abundance and believed in all we have in Christ, we wouldn’t refuse or depreciate any of it. We would realize our unworthiness and be overcome with humility. We wouldn’t have a problem setting aside our agendas to lavishly loving others. We wouldn’t be tempted to hoard our resources. We wouldn’t stoop to being stingy with our serving. We would be too grateful to refuse to be generous.
“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:7-12).
1 Scripture quotations marked with ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All Scriptures are taken from the ESV unless otherwise noted. To aid in understanding, I have capitalized references to God.
2 https://www.gotquestions.org/Jesus-washing-feet.html
3 For more about all we have in Christ, check out https://ellerslie.com/in-christ/