A Horrifying Example

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Opening Prayer

Holy One, I commit this day to You, desiring to abide in Your presence and abound in Your power.

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.

Meditate

How Jesus turns things upside-down! Reflect on this, and make a list of the ways in which he has turned things upside-down for you, in your experience.

Think Further

This marvelous passage begins five chapters in which Jesus is alone with his disciples, preparing them for his departure heralded here in verse 1. Here and in verse 3 John twice allows us to see Jesus’ inner awareness: “Jesus knew … Jesus knew ….” In each case–especially in verse 3–what Jesus knew does not seem to fit with what he now does! The “so” which the NIV adds at the beginning of verse 4 seems to make it somehow logical, and fitting, that Jesus, who knows he is the Lord of everything, should dress and act as a servant with a bowl of water for the disciples’ feet.

But it’s not fitting. Peter feels how wrong this is. He refuses to let Jesus do it (8)–and uses the same super-emphatic negative that Jesus uses in 11:26 (see note for July 15)–“you will never, ever wash my feet–not ever!” Just nine words from Jesus (in the Greek) completely change his mind: “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” How amazing! The whole worldly structure of things, whereby the powerful exercise power and the subservient try to get a piece of it (remember the Greeks in chapter 12?) has been overturned by the kingdom of God. Unless we grasp this, there will be no new life, no resurrection, because we can’t be connected to Jesus. He turns things upside-down, completely, and then makes that topsy-turvy set of values the pattern for his followers (12-17).

Peter gets the point immediately (9): “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” The most important word here is “Lord.” How hard this is to learn! Churches and Christian leaders constantly find themselves pulled into worldly patterns of operating, not in obedience to Jesus’ example here.

Apply

Think deeply about how Jesus’ example might speak to you, right now, in your life and ministry.

Closing prayer

Father, my natural inclination is to be served rather than to serve. I enjoy being above others, but I know that is not what true discipleship is all about. Create a servant’s heart in me.

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