Grubby Feet and Glory
Opening Prayer
Holy God, You are righteous, merciful. I thank You for Your greatest gift, Jesus, our Savior.
Read John 13:1-17
[1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. [2] The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. [3] Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [4] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. [5] After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. [6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” [7] Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” [8] “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” [9] “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” [10] Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” [11] For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. [12] When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. [13] “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. [14] Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. [15] I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [16] Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. Scripture taken from the THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Is there a clearer picture of Jesus as a humble servant?The second part of John’s Gospel (chs. 13-20) has been termed “the Book of Glory.” It is a “glory” that begins with dirty feet and climaxes on a criminal’s cross. The foot-washing (3-5) is an enacted parable, both foreshadowing the humiliation of the cross and teaching about humble service (14,15). Ancient Middle Eastern hospitality dictated that a host provides water for his guests to wash their feet. Actually washing the feet was a menial task reserved for a slave who would wash a guest’s feet upon arrival. Jesus chose to do so during the meal (2,4), making this an integral part of the Lord’s Supper and all that this meal signified. For the Israelites, the Passover meal was a remembrance and re-enactment. By the foot-washing, Jesus pre-enacts the humiliation of the cross–the Messiah dirtying his hands in order to cleanse his disciples’ feet, just as he would bear the defilement of the sin of the world in order to bring them salvation. Jesus replaced the Jewish feast of Passover with his own “passing over” to the Father (1). Later, when the disciples remembered and understood (7), they would worship him as Lord and Savior.
Apply
How might you drop all pretenses and serve others today? Jesus shows us how we ought to be willing to act.
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