Loving by Serving
Study Scripture: John 13: 1 – 15, 34 – 35
Background Scripture: John 13: 1 – 35
Lesson 9 October 31, 2020
Key Verse
For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
John 13:15
INTRODUCTION
The important issues of influence, authority and power and their exercise are matters of serious consideration in all societies. Everyone claims that if and when they have power, they would exercise it properly and nobly but invariably we see power being abused by those in authority. All accept that the best leadership is by example and in benevolent service.
Chapter 13 begins what is popularly called the ‘Upper-room Discourse’ (chapters 13 – 17) and is Jesus’ last words to His disciples before His crucifixion. The underlying theme of this session is love; the mutual love of the Father and the Son and their love for all Jesus’ true disciples. The section begins with a reference to Jesus’ love for His own (13:1) and ends with His prayer that the Father’s love would be in them (17:26). These reference to Jesus’ love for His own bracket this section that is full of more expressions of Jesus’ love for His own.
In this Chapter, among other things Jesus taught His disciples some lessons on leadership. They would become the future leaders of the church of God and should understand requisite leadership qualities for the Kingdom. Jesus showed them true servant leadership that must characterize His people and insisted it must be radically different from the principles employed by the ‘world’. He dramatically identified and demonstrated that humility in love is the underlying principle in the proper exercise of authority and power.
Chapter 12 records the last of many appeals Jesus made to the people to accept His teachings and believe on Him. He reiterated the fact that He spoke a message He received from His Father and that believing in Him would bring eternal life.
At this point, Jesus’ public ministry was already ended, (John 11:54), the religious establishment and the common people at large had already rejected Him as their Messiah and King.
It is important to look at the context of this gathering.
Mary had anointed Jesus with extremely expensive ointment and Jesus had said that this was an anointing for the day of His burial. Chapter 12:7.
Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead and the Jews plotted to kill Lazarus and Jesus because many of the Jews had believed on Jesus because of this miracle.
Jesus had made a triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
Some Greeks had come wishing to see Jesus and ask Him questions and Jesus had refused to see them.
Jesus had declared His identity and summarized His mission in Chapter 12:44-50.
And now came the time of Jesus’ departure. The revelation that Jesus had given to the people, His miraculous ministry and the great signs He had performed so that the people would recognize Him as the promised Messiah had been done.
Jesus entered the ‘Upper Room’ with His little flock of disciples to share a Passover meal and to prepare them for the time when He would not be physically present with them. They needed preparation for the great task that they had to accomplish. And this meeting turned out to be physically their final time together.
We must particularly note that Jesus will give a very simple set of instructions to show how the Kingdom works.
Jesus makes three statements beginning with ”Truly truly, I say to you” and so these are clearly very important declarations on which we should focus.
Note also that these are linked to “actions” throughout the passage we will study. Jesus basically says,
-I am leaving,
-Love one another while I’m gone, and
-That Love will mark you out as My disciples.
To emphasize that and reinforce the significance of His actions and the importance of what is happening Jesus will
-Wash the disciples’ feet
-Engage Peter with the discussion and important of spiritual cleansing
-Discuss the fragility of real love with the idea that it takes a lifetime to prove love while betrayal, the action of a traitor, can happen in a moment by a single decision and destroy years of faithfulness.
In the final moments of Jesus’ life with His disciples it was therefore stressed that He loved them faithfully up to now and that that love will be an eternal love.
The important of a lifelong habit of love is therefore contrasted with the decision of a disciple to betray. This is therefore an important hour and much of what is happening will not make sense to the disciples that remain with Him.
We must note carefully that the decisions I’ve made in life are very important. A single moment’s quick decision can have life-changing consequences for betrayal that brings death to us can happen in a moment.
But love has a passion to it and those in the new community should understand that. Love is persistent. It will cause you to send out from you and do things that you and others cannot easily understand even though you might sense the stench of betrayal and the astonishing lack of understanding of those around you.
You also should understand from our Lesson Study the resistance to love. But note also that Jesus does not withdraw His love but keeps on coming and loves on to the end.
Note however that we are now faced with the real story of why Jesus left Glory and came down to Earth. There is a great seductiveness to power, to influence, authority, and to a display of power, but that is not the way of the Kingdom.
We are exposed to what it means to have true Servant leadership in this time of the New Covenant and in the time of the Spirit- led Kingdom of God.
Jesus was now to be glorified and His Father will be glorified by the Son of Man. Everything has been put in place. The work has been completed and there will be no turning back and now this work of Glory and Grace will be finalized on the Cross and the subsequent Resurrection.
It was Passover celebration week but a very sombre moment in Jesus’ ministry, as the shadow of the ‘Cross’ loomed large over everything. The disciples knew of the hostility of religious authorities (John 11:8) towards Jesus and were aware they themselves could also be at risk.
All four Gospels include a retelling of the ‘Last Supper’ (Passover) but the earliest surviving account is from Paul. He shared a description of the supper material he received from the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:23a), about twenty-five years after the actual event. While the accounts from Matthew 26:17–30; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 22:7–39; and 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 are similar, the way John records the story is quite different.
The focus of the other accounts (the bread and cup) are in the background of John’s ‘Last Supper’. Rather than the institution of the elements of the Lord’s Supper, John includes two things the other accounts omit. The first is the content of our Lesson today. The second is the following nearly five chapters of Jesus’ oral teaching and a lengthy prayer. (John 13–17), contains mostly unique material found nowhere else in the New Testament.
Luke 22 informs us that a spirited discussion among the disciples about which one of them would be greatest in Jesus’ coming kingdom preceded the Study Text and turned into a teachable moment for our Lord. Typical of the times was the necessary practice of ‘foot-washing’ before one entered a house. Jesus and the disciples were already reclining to partake of the meal and all but Jesus ignored the practice. Shockingly it was the Master Himself that undertook the menial task and in so doing modelled great humility and love for all His followers. The disciples in the meantime were preoccupied with their own strategies to establish themselves. Jesus confronted the issues of leadership and service in His disciples.
Jesus actions and words in the Study Text and unto His arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane are to be seen in the light of His knowledge that His earthly life would end in a days if not hours. Even now, knowing the horrors that awaited Him He still showed consideration to the betrayer among the group.
In the face of the disciples’ self-seeking, His concern was their instruction, showing us that no matter how bad things are going for us, we have no excuse for not serving others. Jesus sought to serve others always as a result of His love and this shows us that love is one motivation for service. The presence of evil does not hinder love and our service to the brethren. We have to make sure that our reaction to the evil which exists in the world and even the evil that is done to us is dealt with in the right way, that is, in love!
As we come to the Text let us note the inextricable link between humility and love. Humility facilitates love!
THE TEXT
Scholars regard Chapters 13-20 as the Book of Glory. This is so because Jesus’ glory is revealed in complete detail in those chapters through His death, resurrection, and ascension.
Verse 1. … feast of the Passover… The Jews of Jesus’ day saw the Passover as one of the most important annual feasts. It commemorated the exodus from Egypt, when the Lord ‘passed over’ (Exodus 12:27) the homes of the people of Israel that were obediently marked with blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes (12:7, 23). The unmarked Egyptian homes suffered the final of ten plagues, death of the firstborn (12:29–30). This led Pharaoh to relent and allow the people of Israel to leave Egypt and its oppression (12:31–32).
All past Passover celebrations pointed to this date; the sacrifices down through the centuries for atonement of sins pictured Jesus’ imminent sacrifice on the Cross. The true lamb was about to be sacrificed to cover the sins of His people, beginning from the time Adam and Eve’s sin in Eden.
Like other Jews, Passover held spiritual and physical themes for Jesus and His disciples, which likely resonated harshly because of the Roman occupation and oppression in Jerusalem and all of Judea. In Jesus’ day, celebration of the Passover was already more than one thousand years old. The feast was (and remains) a pilgrimage festival. This meant that Jewish believers from all over Palestine and beyond were required to be in Jerusalem for the weeklong celebration. This was partly so that the Passover lambs could be slaughtered in the Temple precincts by a priest. Jesus and His disciples were Galileans, from an area about one hundred miles north of Jerusalem. Passover was their reason for being in the city.
… his hour was come… at several points in the Gospel of John, it is said that Jesus’ ‘hour was not yet come’ (John 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20), meaning He was not finished with His earthly mission. This verse represents a turning point. Jesus’ hour was come because all that remained were the events leading up to and including His Crucifixion (John 18–19), Resurrection (20:1–10) and appearances thereafter (20:11–21:23). After completing His mission, Jesus would return to His Father in Heaven. His death was imminent, but He did not leave work early. Rather than just saying goodbyes, Jesus used this occasion to show His love for His disciples.
… world… here represents the mass of lost humanity out of which Jesus had called His disciples and from which He would depart shortly when He returned to heaven. Jesus ‘loved His own,’ who believed on Him, and who would remain ‘in the world.’ “
The concept of the world or kosmos is very important. We remember that the world came through the Word (1:9) but the world did not know the Word.
The Lamb of God came into take away the sins of the world (the kosmos).
Do not forget that we are told that God loved the world and sent His Son to save the world but sadly the world hated Him because they loved darkness rather than light and so their works were evil. In a real sense therefore Jesus came into the world for judgment. They could not receive the Spirit of truth, see Him or known Him. But God did not give up on the world. God the father is quite a benevolent God and because of this attitude He provides for the world in dirt remarkable ways despite their enmity with Him. But rather than destroying them God and Jesus left the disciples to witness so that the world would believe in Him and be saved from its sins.
But the disciples of Jesus were not of this world just as Jesus was not of this world. So Jesus would pray for His disciples.
He loved them to the end… or utmost, completely, to the fullest extent; the demonstration of which was His sacrificial death on the Cross. Jesus was not only moved by His rapidly approaching “hour”, but He was also moved by an overwhelming sense of love for His disciples.
Jesus clearly knew what was coming. He did not like what was coming. In fact, He dreaded it. But He was so motivated by the sacrifice He would have to offer and the overwhelming sense of love for His disciples, He pressed on. As John 15:13 puts it: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”.
The reason for Jesus’ coming to earth, His mission, was in the final phase and would climax in His arrest, crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and ascension in short order! (John 12:27). The physical and spiritual suffering involved in His atoning for the sins of the world was placed on His shoulders. He was on the eve of His own crucifixion and He knew that this was the culmination of His work.
Verse 2. Luke and John both state that the prompting of the devil motivated Judas; Luke 22:3 says Satan “entered” Judas. Matthew indicates that Judas betrayed Jesus because of Judas’s love of money
(Matthew 26:15; see John 12:6). These two causes, Satan and money-loving, are not incompatible. Satan may tempt us at our weakest point, just as his first temptation for Jesus was to use Jesus’ power to create bread for Himself when He was extremely hungry (Luke 4:2–3). Further, the love of money pits a person against the Lord (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). In any case Judas was Satan’s willing accomplice.
… to betrayhim … betrayal is working against someone who trusts you. Jesus’ long-running controversy with the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem reached the point where they decided to kill Him (John 11:53). This required some plotting as the leaders feared Jesus’ popularity with the common people. They needed an isolated place and time to seize Him, an opportunity best identified by one of Jesus’ closest followers. Judas’s betrayal of Jesus would provide this opportunity for His enemies.
John gives us a glimpse into the spiritual battle being waged that evening. Satan seemed to think Jesus’ death would be a victory (consider the victory of the disciples’ falling away; Matthew 26:31–35). Satan did not understand in a genuine spiritual sense or accept how Jesus’ sacrificial death would serve the Father’s purposes (John 1:29, 36). Jesus’ subsequent resurrection from the dead thwarted all of Satan’s plans. As Paul proclaimed, “O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Corinthians 15:55). Judas’s act of betrayal surely pleased Satan, but God used that evil to further His own plan.
Jesus always knew what was going on in the mind of Judas. He was always aware of the dark powers of enmity that were fighting against Him. He knew that the devil was plotting and had determined to use Judas as the traitor.
The warning for us is that we can be easily trapped and victimized by Satan. He and his cohorts can even put thoughts in our minds.
Satan was determined to use someone to betray Jesus. It did not necessarily have to be Judas, but Judas put himself in the position where the devil could use him. Jesus knew that the devil, his enemy, was working on the disciples. Later we are told that Jesus warned Peter that the devil “desired to sift him as wheat”, but Jesus declared that He had intervened and Peter would serve Him. So we should realize that all the disciples, not just Judas, were under attack.
Verse 3. Note Jesus’ self-awareness. He was cognizant of the fact that the Father was directing events. He was the heir of all things, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. The Father loved Him. Jesus did not have to wait until this coming crisis to note that the Father loved Him. (John 3:35). But it clearly was important for Jesus to have the complete self knowledge and awareness that He was the beloved of the Father.
We too should consider who we are, so that when we go through our times of ordeal we will not be shaken.
… He was come from God…John gives three insights into Jesus’ state of mind of at this critical time.
First, Jesus was fully aware of His power and authority. He was in control of all things, including what would happen to Him next. Nothing compelled Him to act as a servant but His own decision and desire.
Second, Jesus was aware of His divine origin, from God. John often presents Jesus this way, as one on a mission from God (John 5:30).
Third, Jesus was aware of His divine destiny, He would return to the Father when all things were accomplished. He was ready and prepared for what lay ahead. He knew His past life with the Father and His future life of glorification with God the Father.
When any believer feels weak, find themselves unable to function properly, is overcome by despair, we are to know and remember who we are and that knowledge is to determine our actions. Believers are not to be dependent on the opinion of others for their identity. Our actions will show our identity.
He knew who He was and washed the feet of those who were arguing over which of them was greatest!
Verses 4-5. The washing of the feet of one’s guests was expected in Jesus’ day, as we can see from Luke’s Gospel, (Luke 7:44-46). Normally, the host would not do this washing himself, because it was regarded as a very demeaning task. We get some idea of just how menial it was from the comment Abigail makes to David in the Old Testament:
“Then she arose, bowed her face to the earth, and said, ‘Here is your maidservant, a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord’” (1 Samuel 25:41).
Foot washing was understood in the same way by John the Baptist: When John the Baptist desired to give expression to his feeling of unworthiness in comparison to Christ, he could think of no better way to express this than to say that he deemed himself unworthy of kneeling down in front of Jesus in order to unloose his sandal-straps and remove the sandals (with a view to washing the Master’s feet).
… laid aside his garments; and took a towel … Jesus began His farewell address (Moses, Deut. 31—33; Joshua, Josh. 23—24; Paul, Acts 20) with an object lesson in practical service. Without a word of warning, introduction, Jesus rose from the table, surely causing every disciple present to wonder what He was going to do. The participants at the meal would have been on couches in a semi-reclining position. Jesus removed His outer clothing (both for more mobility and to keep His robe clean), for what He was about to do was grimy work.
The necessities for washing feet were present. The towel was a substantial piece of cloth, long enough for Jesus to wrap it around His waist and have a yard or so hanging out to use for washing the disciples’ feet. The bason was a large bowl, big enough to submerge feet in water.
Foot washing was a filthy job. Jerusalem was a hot and dusty city. People either wore sandal-type shoes that allowed dirt in easily or walked barefoot without any protection. Because they walked almost everywhere, people frequently stepped in mud and other undesirable flotsam on the streets and pathways. A good host would provide guests with a servant to wash their feet. This foot-washer was the lowest of the household servants who likely took no pleasure in such a demeaning task. It was this dirty job that our Lord Jesus chose to illustrate what it meant to be a servant in His service.
Normally a servant would have been present to perform this task, but there were none present in the ‘Upper Room’ since it was a secret meal. The disciples did not want to wash each other’s feet, since they had just been arguing about which of them was the greatest (Luke 22:24).
Jesus took on the role of an ordinary slave and washed and wiped the disciples’ feet. Here we see an illustration of Philippians 2:6-11. His disciples must have been shocked speechless. This was true spiritual leadership, emptying oneself to serve others.
Jesus’ sovereignty is what is being stressed in verse 3. John wishes us to understand that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (vs. 4-5) at a time when others would not have been inclined to do so. Jesus was God’s CEO. When men find themselves in this position, they are tempted to behave very differently:
“Jesus called them and said to them, ‘You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions exercise authority over them’” (Mark 10:42).
In spite of who He was; in spite of the fact that all authority had been given to Him, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. In spite of the fact that He could have required men to minister to Him, catering to His every whim, Jesus humbled Himself by washing the feet of His disciples. This was truly an amazing thing! Jesus humbled Himself, knowing that He was soon going to be exalted higher than anyone in all of human history.
If John is emphasizing the fact that Jesus knew all these things, he is at the same time stressing the fact that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples as an expression of His great love for them: “He had loved his own who were in the world, and now he loved them to the very end” (John 13:1b).
Verse 6. The disciples must have been shocked, dumbfounded and embarrassed not knowing exactly how to interpret Jesus’ action.
… dost thou wash my feet?… When Jesus came around to Peter, he objected to Jesus washing his feet.
The washing proceeded one at a time, perhaps in silent embarrassment and unease from the disciples. Jesus was their esteemed Lord, their master and teacher (see verse13 below) and such an honored person should never be expected to wash feet! Simon Peter may have been last in line but certainly he was not first. If it took a couple of minutes to do each pair of feet, we can imagine that some minutes passed, probably with little conversation and all eyes fixed on Jesus. Peter broke the silence to protest. It was not that Peter’s feet did not need washing, but that it was demeaning for Jesus to do so and Peter did not intend to allow it.
Peter’s question was dramatic and express the idea that what Jesus was doing was not suitable and needed correction but Jesus simply answered him, pointing to the fact that he did not understand what was being done. Peter’s question was a rhetorical way of refusing Jesus’ gesture. Peter often thought he knew what Jesus should and should not do (Matt. 16:22).
Of course obedience to what God was doing would have been true humility. Peter definitely committed an error in not showing respect for Christ and trying to understand what was being done. In so doing he was protesting against the actions of the all-knowing and sovereign Lord. Hear was misguided zeal.
Jesus reminded Peter quite gently that later he would understand what was being done.
One writer notes: “In the preceding chapter, you will remember, we saw that the feet of Jesus were anointed. Here, the feet of the disciples are washed. What a difference! As the savior passed through this sinful world, He contracted no defilement whatsoever. He was holy, harmless, and undefiled. The feet speak of the walk of a person, and the anointing of Jesus’ feet with spikenard tells of the sweet savor of the walk of our Lord.”
Verses 7-8. … Thou shalt never wash my feet… but irrepressible Peter insisted, maybe loudly that Jesus would never wash his feet. Jesus’ promise obviously did not satisfy Peter, for he remained offended by Jesus’ actions.
Peter was showing that he did not understand the nature of authority. Peter seemed to have felt that the one on the top should be served and that people should work for that person. But here Jesus was saying that He was at the top but that He wanted to serve rather than be served.
… If I wash thee not … Jesus’ response to Peter’s refusal was somewhat cryptic, implying that there was more to the situation than Peter understood. Jesus’ replied on the spiritual and symbolic level. He was speaking of spiritual cleansing. Peter understood Him to be speaking on the physical level. If failure to submit to Jesus’ washing meant the termination of their relationship, Peter was willing to submit to a more thorough cleansing. Peter’s words reflect his impetuous nature and his high regard for Jesus, as well as his failure to understand and his self-will. One condition of discipleship is self-surrender.
He would understand in the future, but Jesus was not concerned about clearing up the matter all at once. The hereafter is more than just the finishing of foot washing. It points to the horrible night of agony, betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion, but also to the coming triumph of the empty tomb and the resurrection.
Peter was reminded that there was more to what Jesus was doing than what met the eye. Jesus distinguished the two types of spiritual cleansing that believers experience, forensic and family forgiveness. When a person believes in Jesus as Savior, God removes all the guilt of that person for sins committed in the past, present, and future. (Romans 5:1; 8:1) Jesus spoke of this forensic or legal forgiveness as a total bath (Gr. louo).
After a person believes in Jesus as Savior, he or she commits sins and those sins hinder the believer’s fellowship with God. (Matthew 6:12, 14-15; Luke 11:4.) Jesus compared this family forgiveness to washing (Gr. Nipto) the feet, which become dirty while walking through life. Therefore, Jesus was illustrating the importance of believers obtaining spiritual cleansing from God periodically when He washed the disciples’ feet.
We obtain this cleansing by confessing our sins to God ( 1John 1:9, 1John 2:24; 5:13). The basis for both types of forgiveness is Jesus’ work on the cross.”
Verses 9-10. … He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet … Jesus corrected Peter’s zeal by saying that one who is fully washed does not need to take a second bath, only to wash his feet. This is saying that one who comes to faith and is covered by the cleansing blood of Jesus is spiritually clean, counted innocent, justified in the eyes of God. This is the essence of the atonement, the satisfaction of the penalty for our sins through the sacrifice of Jesus. But as the Jewish visitors to the temple knew, even after they took a purification bath before entering, their feet became dirty from walking. Symbolically, we are saved from our sins (the bath) but still commit sins (dirty feet). We all need a repeated washing of our spiritual feet. This process is often referred to as sanctification, the ongoing process of learning through the Holy Spirit and growing in our relationship with Christ.
… ye are clean, but not all… after washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus knowing fully well that one of His disciples was a traitor, put back on His garments, sat down and began to explain the significance of what He had done. He was preparing His disciples for what He would now teach them.
… thou hast no part with me … Jesus statement in verses 8 to 10 is timeless for all believers. All believers are saved by grace once and need daily cleansing going forward in our spiritual walk. We need to acknowledge and admit to God day by day, the evil that exists in our lives.
Verse 11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
Jesus knew that not everyone in the room would have the spiritual bath. One among them was not clean. Judas might have sat quietly while the Master washed the filth from his feet, but his heart was set on doing Satan’s will, giving himself no hope of spiritual cleansing (John 6:70–71; 18:2–3). He was a betrayer.
Verse 12. Jesus now sits down as teacher to explain what He did and demanded that His disciples follow His example. He taught His disciples by His deeds, not only by His words. He certainly was not like the Pharisees who Jesus boldly stated did the opposite. We read Jesus’ analysis of the behavior of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:1-7.
Know ye what I have done to you? Note that Jesus used a question designed to make the disciples think. The question might also have been rhetorical, shown by the fact that Jesus went straight into explanation without waiting for answers.
Verses 13-14. Ye call me Master and Lord … Jesus asserted His rightful position among them. Master indicates that Jesus was the one to whom they listened and from whom they learned. His service to them did not change His authority over them.
The title “Lord” took on deeper meaning after the Resurrection, as Christians began to understand better who Jesus is (20:28; Acts 2:36; Phil. 2:9-11). Both titles were respectful and acknowledged Jesus’ superiority over His disciples. They were ordinary titles of respect given to a rabbi.
… ye also ought to… here Jesus uses a “greater to the lesser logic”. He points out that they accepted that He was their leader and teacher. If He, their Lord would wash the dirty feet of mere disciples, those who followed Him and looked up to Him should wash the feet of one another.
Every professing follower of Jesus would gladly wash the feet of Jesus. But He did not tell us to wash His feet, but He tells us to ‘wash’ one another’s feet; humbly provide needed service to one-another, even menial tasks! Serving others should not be simply a ritual, it should be a continuing practice based on a heartfelt motivation.
Verse 15. … I have given you an example… Jesus now tells them that He gave them an example of humble, loving, useful service. This clearly means loving service to one another. As Paul puts it in Galatians, “By love, serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13). This is to be true of all Christians, but especially those who are in positions of teaching and authority. Their authority as leaders, will be enhanced by their willingness to serve in humility.
… that ye should do …the command is for all disciples of Jesus to be servants of one another ,
(Mark 10:42–45).
Jesus’ directions here are interpreted in different ways by Christians. Few regard foot-washing as an ordinance. Others see Jesus actions as a typical example of humble, loving service. Others see it as part of the Lord’s Supper and an exercise that fosters fellowship. Most Christians are not dogmatic about the interpretation. Importantly, the attitude of humility that disciples should have toward one another was Jesus’ point, not simply the performance of a ritual (15:20; Matt. 10:24; Luke 6:40).
It is of course clear that there was something more involved than simple foot washing. Jesus is clearly getting to His disciples a definition of humble service. He wants them to behave like that to each other and it’s definitely not to live according to the displays of pagan authority that they so obviously cherished.
Jesus was clearly preparing His disciples for His humble service at the Cross. One writer calls this “a parable in action”. (Morris, 544).
There are two senses in which verse 14 can be interpreted for the disciples would firstly, want to follow Jesus’ example as a basis for discipleship, and secondly, they would want to treat others generously because they had been treated generously by God.
The troubling part of it is however that the Greek is absolutely definite when it says we should do exactly as Jesus had done. There does not seem to be much room to interpret it based on language as an option for this particular service, ritual or not.
Footwashing is not observed in most churches, nor was it done throughout most of Christian history. So this is not a modern problem for it has affected churches all through the many years of Christian history. We know of course that priests in the Old Testament had to engage in physical cleansing before they did any service in the Temple. One writer comments:
“This is troubling! Jesus says clearly that his disciples should wash one another’s feet, but footwashing is not observed in most churches. There is not even an optional footwashing service following the main service for the few who might want to participate. In most churches, people would mob the exits if challenged to practice footwashing.
There are many good reasons not to practice footwashing, of course. There is the issue of delicacy -and the pantyhose problem.
There is the issue of time-if large congregations were to observe footwashing, wouldn’t it take so much of the allotted hour that there would scarcely be time for anything else?
There are other practical problems as well. If we were to practice footwashing, shouldn’t we require fresh water for each pair of feet?
Should we use soap? What about rinse water?
Shouldn’t we use a fresh towel for each person? And watchcloths?
Shouldn’t the containers be sanitized between uses?
How could we launder the mountain of towels and wash cloths? How could we manage the logistics of such an enterprise?
The only thing that could possibly commend such a practice would be Jesus’ words, “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet”.
We should note that churches deal with messy problems all the time. It is problematic to provide toilet facilities for hundreds or thousands of people, but we do it. It is problematic to cook and serve dinner for hundreds of people, but we do it. It is problematic to provide facilities for immersion baptism, but churches that believe in that practice do it. In other words, if we think it is important, we don’t let problems stop us.
“For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you”. (V.15)
The question, of course, is whether Jesus intended us to take literally his words
, “you also ought to wash one another’s feet” — or whether we succeed in following his example and fulfilling his intent by humble service of other kinds. Scholars tend to agree that the latter is true– that Jesus intends us to render humble service to each other, but not necessarily the humble service of footwashing.
They cite various reasons:
None of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) include this footwashing story.
Nowhere else in the New Testament do we find footwashing raised to the status of an essential rite.
In 1 Timothy 5:9-10, footwashing is mentioned as one of a series of good works—but not as a requirement.
While footwashing has been practiced for certain occasions and by certain denominations.. it has never been widely accepted as essential.
Most scholars believe that Christians who serve one another, in whatever fashion they might do so, are carrying out the imperative of this footwashing”
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VERSES 34 AND 35
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Vs.34. … That ye love one another; as I have loved you … Shortly Jesus would be separated from His disciples and the behavior and relationship between them is here commanded; “love one another” as He had “loved” them. They had seen His love for them during His entire earthly ministry and most recently in His washing of their feet; but they would only understand its depth through the Cross.
His disciples should be a community where every member is loved by every other member without exception. Second, Jesus pointed to His own example of service as the best way to understand this love. Mutual love might involve some short-term tasks such as cleaning feet, but for Jesus it extended to giving up His life for those He loved (John 15:12–13).
Note, the command to ‘love one another’ was not completely new; but in the Mosaic Law the standard was ‘as you love yourself’ (Lev. 19:18). Now there was a new and higher standard, namely, ‘as I have loved you.’ It was also a new (Gr. kainen, fresh rather than different) commandment, in that it was part of a ‘New Covenant’ that Jesus would ratify with His blood (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25). Under that New Covenant, God promised to enable His people to ‘love’ by transforming their hearts and minds (Jer. 31:29-34;
Ezek. 36:24-26). It is only by God’s transforming grace that believers can ‘love one another’
as Jesus has ‘loved’ them.
35. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
This loving community will be noticed by others. The old chorus sings, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” Such a loving community is unlike anything naturally occurring in the world.
For all men to see the difference in Jesus’ disciples, our love must not look like worldly love (Luke 6:27–36). The church is intentional and empowered by the presence of the Holy Spirit to love as Jesus loves. A local church might be known for many things: its building, its worship music, its preaching, its mission trips, etc. It should always be known for its love.
The Spirit enabled love would distinguish disciples of Jesus. “Love for one another” would identify them as His disciples. It is possible to be a disciple of Jesus without demonstrating such a love but there certainly is a cost to that kind of attitude and that cost might involve a negative judgment on you.
One writer tells us that there is a sentimental kind of love that is characteristic of our present-day churches but there is also a kind of what he calls “sloppy agape”. This kind of “love” does not reflect the divine intention to bless no matter what the cost may be.
But this new commandment is as one writer states:
“It is a durative tense, “that you go on loving one another as I have loved”, a reference to gathering of all in one and climaxing in the cross, the love of Christ. “You go on loving one another as I have loved you in the gift of myself as the sin offering on the cross”.
However, that kind of love is what bears witness to a disciple’s connection with Jesus, and thereby honours Him. (1 John 3:10b-23; 4:7-16)
Clearly then, love of one another is the badge of Christian discipleship.
We know that the followers of Moses were known because they were circumcised. The disciples of the Pharisees were known because they wore these large phylacteries on their clothes. You can be known because you go to a church that baptizes, or you go to one that does not baptize. You might go to a church where you observe the Mass and you are known by that. You might believe in all kinds of things and these ideas might very well be good. But if you do not manifest in yourself the kind of love that Jesus manifests to us you do not have the badge of a true disciple.
May God by His grace enable us to love like that.
CONCLUSION
Remember, they will not know you by your love, if you do not show your love in service.
Jesus did the work of a servant; His entire mission was that of a servant! He did a necessary and beneficial service and it had a very practical benefit for the disciples. They not only had clean feet as a result, but they realized that Jesus was quite willing to get His hands dirty to do something that the disciples were not willing to do themselves.
Jesus’ service was a voluntary act motivated by love. He went above and beyond the call of duty. He commands us to follow His example.
This new commandment is so simple that even a child can understand it. But to someone who considers themselves to be a mature Christian it can be quite challenging. You might find that you ultimately have to throw yourself on the mercy of the court and rely on God’s grace rather than compliance OR obedience to the command of Jesus.
But you have a guide. Jesus is a clear model of the true positive, action love that He requires.
So you decide. You might not want to wash someone else’s feet and you might want to substitute some other kind of humble service. But it’s up to you to decide what the words of Jesus meant. Satisfy yourself. You have the Holy Spirit so ask Him any question you want to get an answer to. He is your only God the Father approved teacher.
May you learn to follow His direction and not be swayed by what other people think.