WASHING THE SAINTS FEET

"Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved His own which were in the world, He loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now 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 was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded." (John 13:1-5). 

This act of our Lord's was meant to be much more than merely an example of humility for His disciples. Jesus was not just proving to them that He wasn't afraid to get His hands dirty. No, this was something far beyond that. There was a more elemental lesson that the Lord needed to leave with His children before He departed to be with His Father. Jesus' motivation was clear enough. The scripture reveals at least five things that drove what He did that night, none of which was to teach humility to the disciples. They were: 

1. Knowing that He was soon to depart out of the world; 

2. Loving to the end His disciples which were to remain in the world; 

3. Knowing that the devil had put into Judas' heart to betray Him; 

4. Knowing that the Father had given Him all things;

5. Knowing that He came from God, and went to God.

 

Peter missed the point altogether. When Jesus approached him to wash his feet, he refused, saying, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." The Lord tried to tell him that he wasn't going to "get it" right away, but later on it would be clear. He told Peter that if He didn't wash his feet, he would have no part with Him. At that point, impetuous Peter asked Jesus to wash his feet, his hands, and his head! Jesus answered him by saying, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit." (v. 10).  This statement got to the core of what Jesus wanted His followers to learn. He was telling them that they had been thoroughly cleansed by their faith in Him, and by their heart-felt repentance. Being now cleansed, He wanted them to see that the only thing that would get dirty now would be their feet - that part of the body that would touch the world.

 

Once we have been washed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, we are indeed clean; but we continue to walk in this world. There are many things in this world that can "soil" us. The feet are just symbolic. We get dirty wherever we touch, and are touched, by the world and its ways. We can become tempted, persecuted, falsely accused, oppressed by the evil around us, affected by the world's unbelief, and marred in hundreds of different ways. This can affect our attitude, and steal our joy. How necessary it is, then, to have our feet washed constantly, because the world is pressing in on us constantly. It has a way of spoiling our spirit if left unchecked. Just a few words from another believer, though, can lift our spirits, and remind us that our God is in control. It doesn't have to be a sermon - a brother or sister just sharing a verse that spoke to them can encourage and bless. Have you ever noticed how clean you feel on Sunday morning after you have heard the Word of God and been reminded of the things that are freely given to you by God? Your faith is stirred, and you come away feeling refreshed! This is what it means to have our feet washed, but it's not something that we should wait for until Sunday morning. We need this constantly. This is why the Bible tells us that the early Christians met daily from house to house. They found that as they visited one another, and sought each other's fellowship, they were made stronger and their faith was stirred. We also should be ready and able to wash the feet of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Jesus told the disciples, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you." (vv. 14, 15).

 

Jesus set His own garments aside, and wrapped the towel around Himself. As He washed the disciples feet, He took their dirt to Himself. We, too, ought to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the love of God for each other. As we share the goodness of God with each other day by day, we are washing the feet of our brothers and sisters, and refreshing their souls. As we minister to them in this way, we are loosening their burdens, and taking their cares to ourselves. We are pointing them to the Savior Who can bear every burden, and heal every hurt.

 

Remember, Jesus was motivated not only by His great love for His children, but also by the knowledge that He was soon to depart this world and could not wash the saint's feet directly anymore. Knowing that all things were given to Him by the Father, however, He knew that God would send the Holy Spirit into the hearts of His children. It would then be their task, through the Spirit, to minister to one another.

 

Every Christian therefore has a responsibility to share Christ with every other believer in order to uplift, encourage, and lighten his burdens. It is not a work that Jesus told just the pastors to do, or just the teachers, or just the elders. He meant it to be the responsibility every believer. This is what is meant by speaking the truth in love so that we, "may grow up into Him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from Whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Ephesians 4:15b, 16).  As Jesus finished His lesson, He told His disciples, "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." (v. 17).