Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
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. 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, and 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 and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
If you only consider the aspect of washing another person’s feet, this would be an amazing story. When we consider that Jesus, the Creator of the universe, did this action, we should be blown away. We are often asked to do things for others that we consider beneath us. I remember working in the past with a new doctor in a small, new practice. When asked to do something as simple as take out the trash (it was an all hands on deck type of start-up practice), this doctor was insulted. This lead to a complete lack of harmony in the office. A complete separation of friendship ensued all over a request to take out the garbage. These are the types of things that destroy relationships whether at work, in a marriage, in a neighborhood, or even a church. In the above passage Jesus shows us an act of service that, in His day, was reserved for the lowest of all people. Upon arriving at a home, a servant of the home would be required to wash a person’s feet. We must remember that the walking conditions in those days are not like our days. We have most walking spaces paved or made of cement. We wear socks and, mostly, closed toe shoes. We take showers before we come to a person’s home for dinner. Our feet are already, somewhat, clean. But in those days the roads and pathways were dirt and mud, the shoes were sandal type with open toes, and the feet were almost always dirty. Remember this story, earlier in Jesus’ ministry:
John 12:1-3 (ESV)
Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.
Or, a very similar, but a different person, here:
Luke 7:44-50 (ESV)
Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.”
Jesus did an act of grace by washing the feet of the disciple. His lesson will be for us to do the same to others. Not necessarily washing their feet but laying aside the garments of our pride, power and position and do an act of grace in the lives of others. As He would say in this moment:
John 13:14 (ESV)
If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
No comments:
Post a Comment