Before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that His time had come that He would depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
During supper, the devil--having already put 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 came from God, and was going to God, arose from supper and laid aside His outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped 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. Then He came to Simon Peter who said to Him, ¡°Lord, do you wash my feet?¡±?
Jesus answered him, ¡°You don¡¯t know what I Am doing now, but you will understand later.¡±?
Peter said to Him, ¡°You will never wash my feet!¡±?
Jesus answered him, ¡°If I don¡¯t wash you, you have no part with Me.¡±?
Simon Peter said to Him, ¡°Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!¡±?
Jesus said to him, ¡°Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.¡± For He knew him who would betray Him, therefore He said, ¡°You are not all clean.¡±?
So when He had washed their feet, put His outer garment back on, and sat down again, He said to them,?
¡°Do you know what I have done to you? You call me, ¡®Teacher¡¯ and ¡®Lord.¡¯ You say so correctly, for so I Am. If I then, the Lord and the 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 as I have done to you."?
-John 13:1-15
We can all probably relate to Linus in the ¡°Peanuts¡± cartoon strip when he shouts in frustration, ¡°I love mankind; it¡¯s people I can¡¯t stand!¡±?
It¡¯s easy to love the human race in the abstract, but when it comes to loving specific people who, like us, have their own faults and foibles, and might often irritate us or rub us the wrong way--those who might even be our enemies and wish us ill--the process becomes a lot more difficult!?
What the Gospel of John chose to mention of the Last Supper differs somewhat from that of the Synoptic Gospels, and serves as an introduction to Jesus's lengthy last discourse to His disciples. The Synoptic Gospels' accounts of the Last Supper are less detailed for the most part, yet provide information not mentioned in John. One such matter was a great squabble which broke out among the Apostles as to which of them was the "greatest", followed by Jesus's teaching that the greatest is the one who serves others, not one who seeks self-glory (cf. Mt 20:25-27 and Lk 22:24-30).
I think it's important to consider the context of that dispute in terms of today's lesson. Jesus not only teaches by word but by example what servant hood in God's Kingdom is about. Jesus probably quietly began this task while the squabble was going on.
Few jobs could then be considered more menial and degrading than washing another's feet--so much so that only Gentile indentured servants could be required to do so--yet Jesus does so Himself for all of His apostles, including Judas! Jesus breaks bread with all of His apostles at this Passover celebration--including Judas! Jesus even makes it possible for Judas to leave discretely and not call attention to himself from the others in doing so. Even Judas--whom Jesus knew would betray Him--experiences Jesus's love and generosity.
When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples He was demonstrating unconditional love. Later in this chapter Jesus said these words; ¡°A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men (and women) will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.¡± In other words, in God's eyes, no task is demeaning or humiliating when done out of love and concern for another.?
At this point Jesus had very little time left to teach His disciples. In order to leave the world with followers who would truly ¡°get it¡± He had to demonstrate the importance of unconditional love. If the disciples didn¡¯t love each other, how could they possibly build God¡¯s Church? How could they possibly teach others how to love??
The disciples--those not seeking to actively betray Him--had to understand themselves as equals. None was more deserving than any other. None was more faithful than the others. Each had to accept the others with out bias or judgment. They were to love as Jesus loved them. ¡°Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.¡±?
Are you getting the picture? Anyone can wash feet. Loving another person unconditionally is quite something deeper.?
Christ¡¯s love should be a reality in all of our lives. John emphasizes through repetition Jesus¡¯s love for His own (John 13:1): ¡°Now before the Feast of the Passover, Jesus knowing that His hour had come that He would depart out of this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.¡± That last phrase seems to be deliberately ambiguous. It can mean that Jesus loved the disciples up to the end of His life. Or, it can mean that Jesus loved them totally or to the uttermost. Both are certainly true.?
John also emphasizes that Jesus¡¯s disciples were ¡°in the world.¡± Jesus was about to depart from this world, but His disciples were still in it. As Jesus will pray (John 17:15-18), He doesn¡¯t ask the Father to take these men out of the world. That is the sphere of ministry to which He sends them. But they are to be distinct from the world. But walking in this world means that you get your feet dirty. Thus the need for cleansing.? Thus the need for each of us to assist one another in helping all of us to achieve "cleanliness" and to encourage a state of "cleanliness" among us all.?
John (13:1) states that Jesus ¡°loved His own.¡± John 3:16 states that God loves the world, but here the emphasis is on Jesus¡¯s love for His own, not for the world. God loves the world by providing redemption for all that would believe in and follow Him according to His word, by means of His impending extreme self-sacrifice on our behalf. The invitation goes out to all. Yet at the same time, Jesus has a special love for His own that He does not have for the whole world. As Paul writes (Eph. 5:25), Christ ¡°loved the church and gave Himself up for her.¡±?
You understand this principle. As a Christian, I¡¯m called to love all my brothers and sisters in Christ, but I have a special love for my wife. I¡¯m called to love all God¡¯s children, but I have a special love for my own child. In the same way, Jesus has a special love for His own, whom the Father gave to Him (John 6:37). If you have put your trust in Christ, He wants you to know and to feel His special love for you. He loves you ¡°to the end.¡±?
So John wants to ask you: do you know the love of Christ as a reality in your life? Does His love humble you before the cross? Does His love cause you to hate your sin? Does His love motivate you to serve others in love, even as He has loved you? And, if you¡¯ve never experienced His love, will you respond now to His love??
"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13).?
Thanks be to God for demonstrating His great love for our sake and for the sake of others, and for His calling us to follow His example in how we live our lives as well!?
Thanks be to God indeed!
AMEN!!
