Foot Washing
John 13:1-17, 31-35 (NLT)“Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end.[a] 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas,[b] son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.” 9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”10 Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet,[c] to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. 14 And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man[h] to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him. 32 And since God receives glory because of the Son,[i] he will give his own glory to the Son, and he will do so at once. 33 Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going. 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36 Simon Peter asked, “Lord, where are you going?” And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now, but you will follow me later.” 37 “But why can’t I come now, Lord?” he asked. “I’m ready to die for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.
Jesus and his disciples are gathered around the table in the Upper Room. In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this meal takes place on the first evening of the Passover. The disciples were gathered around the dinner table. According to Jewish custom, the table would have been full of all the traditional food for the Passover festival.
This special meal, called the seder meal, commemorates the time that God brought the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. On the table was a variety of foods. The unleavened bread reminded the Jews that the Israelite slaves had to flee quickly, and they didn’t have enough time to wait around for the dough to rise.
They had bitter herbs like horseradish to remind them of the harshness and bitterness of slavery. They ate green vegetables dipped into salt water to remind them of the tears of the slaves back in Egypt. There are also four cups of wine which symbolize four specific redemption promises from God to deliver the Israelites from slavery.
But at the center of the table was a lamb that had been sacrificed at the Temple. The lamb would have been sacrificed on the first day of the Passover; which means that the lamb was killed on the very same day that they ate this Passover meal.
But John’s Gospel is different. Of course, John’s Gospel is different. John’s Gospel is always different. In John’s Gospel, this meal takes place the night before the Passover celebration. This means that Jesus is crucified on the same day that the lambs for the Passover celebration are being sacrificed in the Temple. In John’s Gospel, Jesus isthe lamb. John points to this early on in his Gospel. In the very first chapter John the Baptist points to Jesus and shouts, “Here is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”
Jesus, the sacrificial lamb, has come to create a new Passover celebration. The Jews had been celebrating their freedom from slavery, but now we are invited to celebrate our freedom from sin. Jesus offers a precursor to his act of sacrifice on the cross, when he washes the disciples’ feet. This is the ultimate act of humility. Jesus washes the disciples’ feet much like when Mary anointed Jesus’ feet with perfume which she wiped with her hair.
We can picture Jesus standing up from the table, rolling up his sleeves, and tying an apron around his waist. He grabs a basin and a pitcher of water. Imagine the shock of the disciples when Jesus says, “Okay, take off your sandals so I can wash your dust covered feet.”
I don’t know about you, but I don’t like feet; and the thought of having to wash someone else feet kind of grosses me out. One of my friends told me that at his wedding, they had a foot washing. He washed his bride’s feet and she washed his feet; and even I can admit that it was probably a beautiful moment that symbolized their service and love to one another.
But following the foot washing they decided that they wanted to serve communion to their wedding guests. They didn’t really think about how they had just touched each other’s feet and were now tearing off pieces of bread with their hands for people to then put in their mouths and eat. My friend actually told me that a few of the wedding guests even refused to take communion.
In our Gospel lesson, Peter tries to refuse Jesus of this foot washing. Peter was upset by what Jesus was doing. It just didn’t seem right for Jesus to be washing his feet. It should be the other way around. But Jesus insisted that he was trying to teach them something important. So, he took Peter’s foot in his hands and looked in Peter’s eyes and said, “Not only should you allow me to wash your feet, but you should wash each other’s feet. In fact, you should wash the feet of everyone you meet.”
Jesus went around to each of his followers and washed their feet. And after he washed their feet he said, “I want you to remember that servants are not greater than their masters, nor are messengers greater than the one who sends them.”
Jesus chooses to serve his disciples in a personal and intimate way. I think we sometimes have a hard time doing this. We have a hard time accepting help. We have a hard time allowing others to serve us. We want to portray this image to the world that says, “I have it all figured out. I can do it all myself. I don’t need any help.” But Jesus teaches us the importance of accepting acts of service with gratitude. Jesus teaches us that it is important to accept acts of service from others.
But Jesus also teaches us that it is important to offer acts of service to others as well. We are to serve in ways that are up close and personal. It’s not just about writing a check or dropping off some food to someone. Although those are good things to do, but it is also about building relationships. It’s about getting to know people. It’s about hearing their stories. It’s about entering into their lives and finding ways to serve them on a real and meaningful level.
It’s amazing that Jesus, who is on his way to the cross, takes the time to wash each of his disciples’ feet. And it is even more amazing that Jesus still washes Judas’ feet despite what happens next. After this special moment, Judas runs out of the room in order to betray Jesus.
Jesus’ journey to the cross is coming closer and closer. The disciples are starting to pick up on the fact that something is wrong here. They are starting to realize that Jesus is going to die soon. Jesus is about to take on his role as the sacrificial lamb. And despite all that is going on, in the next chapter in John, Jesus says to his disciples, “Do not let your hearts be troubled!” I’m sure John and Andrew said to one another, “Yeah, okay Jesus. No problem. We feel better already.”
No, I don’t think so. I think fear stayed in that room that night. They remained fearful and unsure, because after three years, the disciples still didn’t know who they were dealing with. They didn’t realize whose presence they were in. They were in fear of losing Jesus. They were afraid that their time with Jesus was coming to an end.
Perhaps Jesus makes one last attempt to remind his followers of who he really is. Jesus senses the disciples’ fear. He offers them words of comfort and assurance. Jesus tells them to trust in him and to trust also in God. Of course, this seems easier said than done. Jesus tells them to trust in God as if it’s like turning on a switch. But I’m glad that Jesus takes this time to try and prepare his disciples.
Jesus talks of his glorification. He tells them that God will glorify him soon. But perhaps the best thing Jesus tells is disciples is when he says, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Jesus didn’t just preach this; he lived it out. Jesus showed love to the blind man when he made him see. Jesus showed love to the woman caught in adultery when he refused to condemn her and saved her from being stoned. Jesus showed love to the leper when he cleansed him of his disease. Jesus showed love to tax collectors and sinners when he joined them for a meal. Jesus showed love to his disciples when he washed their feet. Jesus spent his entire ministry serving others in a real and personal way.
Every time we share in Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are invited to come and dine at the table. We have a place at the table to share and commune with the God who created us. We are able to join the Christ who gave his life for us.
So, as we reflect on this Maundy Thursday, we can ask the question: How can we go out into the world and show love to others in real and personal ways? How can we humble ourselves and follow the example of Christ? How can we be a servant to others?
Thanks be to God. Amen.
