The servant king

John 13:1-17 ESV

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. 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.  Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Rev. Dwight Yoo

These passages are supposed to give us an inside look into the inner sanctuary, what is going on inside the heart of Jesus.

This foot washing is astounding.

When things become familiar, we forget how beautiful and amazing things are. We need to slow down and look again. Jesus knew that he was going to die, a painful and humiliating death. God was going to place all of the world's sin on his shoulders. Most people draw inward when there is stress and trouble. But during this stressful time, Jesus washed their feet. Washing feet was generally reserved for the lowest of the slaves. Peers did not wash each other's feet. It was a humiliating task. Jesus takes off his outer clothes, puts on the uniform of a servant. This is atypical and socially unacceptable behavior. Utterly astounding. It would be the equivalent of the President cleaning out the toilet of one of his secret service men. Even more so, Jesus has been given all power and authority over creation. One who has given life to dust, now kneels and wipes the dust off of a creation.

It's an illustration

Jesus wasn't just washing their feet because their feet were dirty. It is symbolic of his entire ministry. He rose, laid aside, taking, and poured out. He rose from his throne in heaven. Laid aside his godliness and took the form of a man, a servant. Then poured out his life for his own.

Our response

This act can either repel or propel us. Simon Peter rejects the service of Jesus. Peter wanted to serve Jesus rather than be served. But Jesus was saying that Peter needed to be saved and served by Jesus. Our personal righteousness is offensive to God. To have part in Jesus, we must let Him serve us. We must reject our personal righteousness; accepting the righteousness given to us through Jesus. If we accept this, then we must be pushed to serve others. This is the mark of a Christian. One who follows Jesus must be marked by a life of service. Note the order. Jesus first serves us; then calls us to serve. Not the other way around. We can only serve after we've been served.