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. He 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.” 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.”
When he 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.
Comment: I have skipped over this week during which Jesus lived before his crucifixion. It is dealt with in great detail in the other three (synoptic) gospels. John gives a lengthy discourse which Jesus spoke and quotes a prayer which Jesus prayed on the night before the crucifixion of Jesus. I will look at three portions from during that last evening which Jesus spent with His disciples. Firstly we see Jesus, who rode in on Palm Sunday as the Promised Messiah, the King to sit forever on the throne of David His predecessor, acting as a servant. I don’t know what happened to the servant who should have performed the customary foot washing of travelers with dusty feet. Certainly it wasn’t the place of Jesus their Master. Peter at least had the sense to see the inappropriateness of what was happening and initially refused to let Jesus wash his feet. Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” In Peter fashion, having heard Jesus’ answer, Peter answered ‘then please wash my whole body!’ But Jesus had been acting out a lesson! Jesus went on to explain His lesson. Have you learnt that lesson? I sometimes forget it! The Kingdom of God, following Jesus is about serving – He doesn’t call us to be ‘doormats’, but He does call us to servanthood!
Prayer: Help me, please, to live out this lesson!
As I read it! 