Jesus washing the feet of the disciples (John 13:1-17) occurred in the upper room, just prior to the Last Supper, and has significance in three ways.
1. For Jesus, it was the display of his humility and his servanthood.
2. For the disciples, the washing of their feet was in direct contrast to their heart attitudes at that time.
3. For us, foot washing is symbolic of our role in the body of the Messiah.
Walking in sandals on the filthy roads of Palestine in the first century made it imperative that feet be washed before a communal meal, especially since people reclined at a low table and feet were very much in evidence. When Jesus rose from the table and began to wash the feet of the disciples [John 13:4], He was doing the work of the lowliest of servants. The disciples must have been stunned at this act of humility and condescension, that the Messiah, their Lord should stoop to wash their feet. But when Jesus came the first time, he came not as King and Conqueror, but as the suffering servant mentioned in Isaiah 53. As He revealed in Mark 10:45: And Jesus called them to himself and said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers over the Gentiles abuse their position over them, and those in high positions abuse their authority over them. But it is not so among you, instead whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”" The humility expressed by his act with towel and basin foreshadowed his ultimate act of humility and love on the cross. We need to strive to become more like him in every way!
Jesus' attitude of servanthood was in direct contrast to that of the disciples, who had recently been arguing among themselves as to which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24). Since there was no servant present to wash their feet, it would never have occurred to them to wash one another's feet. When the Lord Jesus stooped to this lowly task, they were stunned into silence. To his credit, though, Peter was profoundly uncomfortable with the Lord washing his feet, and, never being at a loss for words, Peter protested, "You shall never wash my feet!" Then Jesus said something that must have further shocked Peter: "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me" [John 13:8], prompting Peter, whose love for the Lord Jesus was genuine, to request a complete washing. Then Jesus explained the true meaning of being washed by him.Peter had experienced the cleansing of salvation and did not need to be washed again in the spiritual sense. Salvation is a one-time act of justification [beomg pronounced not guilty] by faith, but the lifelong process of sanctification [being set apart] is one of washing from the stain of sin we experience as we walk through this sin-sick world.This truth is just one of several from this incident that the disciples of Jesus should apply to their own lives. First, when we come to the Messiah for the washing of our sins, we can be sure that is permanent and complete. But we do need continual cleansing from the effects of living in the flesh in a sin-sick world. The continual washing of sanctification is done by the power of the Holy Spirit.Notice: "Husbands, love your wives, just as the Messiah also loved the church and gave himself up for her, so that he could make her holy, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he could present the church to himself as a glorious church, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but so that she would be holy and without blemish. [Ephesians 5:25-27]All Scripture is God-breathedb and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness, so that the person dedicated to Godc can be fully capable, thoroughly equipped for every good work. [2 Timothy 3:16-17]Jesus washing the feet of the disciples was done to show them that those whom are leaders in the called-out Assembly are not to act as lords over their fellow believers, but to serve them with a foot-washing attitude, be willing to wash a fellow believers feet if that is what it takes to bring them closer to the lord Jesus Messiah.We, in the lord Jesus are all priests, unto his God and our God Yehovah, and we are to act as Jesus did on this earth. Jesus always served those he came in contact with in an attitude of love, even when he spoke in judgment against what some religious leader were doing wrong it was always done in love and as a servant of his God and Father and in loving service to them.The greatest of all he said will be the one who acts with a servant attitude and always serves others the way he did toward others. What a beautiful example we have in Jesus and how thankful we should be that what has been written in the N.T. is for us to live by and follow as the sons of God, children of Abraham believing all that God has revealed to us as he did! May we all take upon ourselves the servant attitude of mind that Jesus had and has now as our High Priest and Paracletos.Phillipians 2:5: ...let this mind be in you that is also in the Messiah Jesus,Romans 12:2: ...and be not conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, for your proving what is the will of God; the good, and acceptable, and perfect.Phillipians 2:3: Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.1 Peter 3:8: inally, be you all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous:If we could love our brothers and sister as God has shown how much He loves us by giving His son to be a sin offering sacrifice in order that we could be reconciled to Him and have all our sins forgiven. Precious grace poured out on us who had nothing in us that would cause Him to act in the wonderful gracious way He has toward us who deserved nothing but death. Let us strive to do so for love conquers all!
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