In the Bible, the week leading up to the crucifixion is a crescendo building towards the climax of Jesus’ big theme—love. But his utmost act of love (the crucifixion) is not Jesus’ only act of love during the week before his death. In John 1-12, the word “love” is only mentioned six times—“love” is cited thirty-one times in chapters 13-17. While Jesus, the God of the universe, dying a criminal’s death on the cross showed the most extreme act of love, Jesus also exemplified attributes and the behavior of love during the week before his death, such as when he washes his disciples’ feet.
Before you continue reading, please open your Bible and read John 13:1-17.
Around 33 AD, the roads in Israel were not very clean. Many streets weren’t paved, so dust and dirt were constantly getting in people’s sandals. It’s likely that the roads were littered with animal manure, wastewater, and other trash. After walking around in sandals for a day in these streets, your feet would be rather gross.
You can probably understand why Peter was reluctant to let Jesus, his Lord and Teacher, touch his dirty feet. Those who are lower should serve those who are of higher position/status. However, Jesus tells Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (ESV, John 13:8). Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet is not just a literal action—it also symbolizes how Jesus spiritually washes his followers. We must let Jesus wash our feet. Peter showed some humility in his opposition to having his master wash his dirty feet, but Peter was also giving Jesus a command not to wash his feet. While humility is a virtue we should cultivate daily, we must be careful and not let it grow into pride. We should humble ourselves, but we should not forbid Jesus from working in our lives. If we refuse to let Jesus’ blood wash us of our sins, then we also refuse the gift of his love and eternal life.
After Jesus tells Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me,” Peter, desiring his Lord more than his pride, replies, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (13:9). Even though your feet would undoubtedly be dirty after walking through Israel’s streets, your head and hands would generally be considered clean since they wouldn’t be touched and dirtied by all the stuff in the roads. Notice that Peter didn’t tell Jesus, “Okay, you can wash my feet, but my head and hands are already clean.” Instead, Peter tells Jesus to wash both what was dirty and what was clean.
We need to have the same attitude as Peter in verse 9 when it comes to our spiritual life. Peter turned from his pride to be cleaned by Jesus. We need to do the same. We shouldn’t become prideful and say, “I have enough patience and kindness, or my patience is already at its best.” We shouldn’t say, “I’m not that bad, or I’m not as sinful as this person.” No, we need to surrender our pride and recognize that we won’t be fully clean in Christ until He comes back. As we’re on this journey of faith, Jesus continues to grow, clean, and prune us DAILY. Just like Peter told Jesus to wash both his dirty feet and his clean head and hands, we need to receive Jesus and let him clean every part of us, both the messy and the less messy aspects of our lives.
After Jesus has washed all the disciples’ feet, he tells 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” (13:12-14). After we let Jesus wash our feet, we must wash the feet of others. Jesus’ command to us is to love others, no matter who they are or what they’ve done. In the same way that Jesus entered our broken world and sinful lives, we need to be willing to answer Jesus’ call to enter the messy worlds and lives of others who need to experience Jesus’ redeeming love. If our Lord did the lowest, most unpleasant, and hardest actions for us, then we should do the same for others.
None of this is easy, but Jesus has given us an example to follow (v.15). In verse 4, Jesus removed his outer garments to wash the disciples’ feet—he put aside his comfort and his status/position so that our lives stained with sin could be cleaned. Jesus also washed all of the disciples’ feet, even the feet of his betrayer. In the same way, Jesus calls us to love and serve those who have hurt us, or who we know will continue to hurt us. In Luke 22:24-28, the disciples argue about who is the greatest, yet Jesus shows them that serving and humility—not prominence—are what he desires from his followers.
I am speaking for all of us when I say this: don’t forget that Jesus entered your messy and broken life so that you can experience his love and receive his salvation from the punishment you deserve. Don’t forget that because Jesus entered your life, you should reach out to those who are still living in brokenness and those who are struggling. As Jesus loves us, so should we love one another.
By Anna Brane
Image courtesy Josie Thom