The Gospel of John | To Be Served By Christ and Serve One Another – John 13:1-20
Just as Jesus Christ became a servant to save mankind, we should serve one another.
Throughout John’s Gospels, John frequently depicts Jesus with image of Kingship juxtaposed to images of Christ as a humble servant. He gives the perspective of Jesus coming to turn the system of ruling on its head by offering a new model of leadership and rule based in love for one another rather than in dominion and exerting influence over another. The manner in which John depicts Jesus in John 13 is no exception either as Jesus washes the disciples feet. While the idea of foot washing has been almost elevated to the level of a sacrament in some Christian circles, the thrust of this passage comes from the societal and cultural implications of what Jesus did. The idea was no so much the foot washing, although it was the foot washing that made the event significant, but rather than Jesus would be willing to do so to begin with. Life for those during the time of Jesus’ era had been significantly different than what we face now. For starters, the roads were not as clean, organized, and put together as we experience them now. Furthermore, there were no cars or public transportation or sanitation departments whose job had been to ensure the city remained clean. People traveled either through means of animal powered carriages etc. or simply by walking. That along with the continued issue of dust and dirt meant that people’s feet often remained significantly dirty. As people entered the home of another, especially before a meal where cleanliness was preferred, had become the task of the lowest of servants if not a slave. Thus, for Jesus to wash the feet of the disciples shocked their sensibilities of what it meant to be a King.
Jesus, with all the rights pertaining to His rule as King of the Universe, had lowered Himself to the level of a servant, taking on the most menial and demeaning of roles for the sake of the disciples. As gross and shocking as this had been, it remained only a shadow of the burden that He would come to bear in the following days. This act of rebellion against the cultural understanding of power would pave the way for a coming paradigm shift that builds on the foundation of love for another rather than proving one’s strength. For Peter, this submission of Jesus felt wrong as he sought to dictate the manner in which Jesus expressed his divinity. In Peter’s defense, He understood the shocking nature of this particular message that Jesus sought to give to the people and sought to honor Christ as King by not demeaning Him by being party to His humiliation. However, the mission of Jesus Christ had always been humiliation, taking on the sneers and derision of the people and bearing the consequences of the weight of sin upon Himself. As Jesus lowered Himself to the level of a servant for others, He exhorted those who had received the grace of being washed by Jesus Christ, to go and do the same for others. Thus, the act of foot washing is not one that only Christ did but one that we symbolically carry on the tradition as well.
On Being Washed By The King
Jesus held every right of being the King of not just Israel but of all creation. He had been sent by the Father than the Israelites attested to but now rejected. To see Jesus remove His outer garments, put on a towel, and begin the task of a slave must have been jarring for the disciples. Peter, who often spoke before thinking, lodged his complaint that this act had been well beneath Jesus Christ. Jesus rebuked Peter (again as he often did) for his lack of understanding. Jesus needed to wash the feet of the disciples in order that they would be cleansed in their sending. Jesus came to bear the consequences of our live upon Himself as a servant would. Knowing His days were numbered at this point, He would be willfully enduring the cross and bearing the shame of the people for their cleanliness. While Peter sought to dictate the circumstances of the washing, he misunderstood what Jesus sought to do. Jesus must bear our shame for us to have any part with Him in His future and eternal glory. Allowing Jesus to wash our feet involves us willfully submitting to Jesus Christ as Lord, knowing that He purifies and cleanses our steps. We submit to Christ’s submission to us, not holding back or dictating how we feel we should be cleansed but by bowing to Jesus Christ as King to do as He pleases for His glory, even if it involves becoming a servant.
Peter, though, when confronted with the understanding that He must be washed attempted ask for a full cleansing rather than just the feet (again misunderstanding the purpose of Christ’s mission). Jesus again rebuked Peter for missing the point of the washing. In the disciples mission both now and in the future, they would go in the empowerment of Christ. The teachings of the Apostles would become the foundation of the church as those who had been sent from and trained by Jesus Christ. As far as their spiritual righteousness had been concerned, the people would be cleansed by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross. Their mission would be cleansed by Jesus Christ serving them, empowering them, and sending His spirit to reside within them. Being washed by the King submits to Him as King and Lord while resting in His love and grace for us as His people. In our coming and going, we do so having been forever changed by Jesus Christ, who became a servant for our sake. As he died, we live for Him, knowing that His ways is better than our own. We bow before our King who has transformed our life and our steps to reflect that grace and glory given to us so that our lives speak to the glory of God in all creation.
- What does the willingness of Jesus Christ to take on the role of the servant say about how he feels about coming to redeem humanity?
On Washing One Another
The task of foot washing is not one that Jesus Christ had wished to remain something on Jesus did. In fact, as he had finished washing all of the feet, he exhorted the disciples to go and do the same. In a world where power had been defined by our ability to impress our will and desire upon another, asking the disciples to wash the feet of others held the same shock as Jesus washing others feet al well. Where the disciples had once fought over who would be the greatest among them, now Jesus told them to become the least among one another and serve one another. Washing the feet of one another entails laying down our wants and our needs to put those of others around us. This expression of servanthood founds itself on the work of Jesus Christ. Just as Christ had been willing to lay down His rights, the disciples too must be willing to become servants of the people that God calls them to minister to. The Gospel cannot be brow beaten into a person but woos the heart of those God came to save by becoming less than we rightfully deserve so that we can be elevated with Jesus Christ in His victory.
We cannot be willing to say we are above the work of Jesus Christ to lessen ourselves for the sake of the Gospel. The ways of the world will say that we need to assert our own glory and power to prove our worth to others. The way of the Christian, though, is marked by a professed love for one another. We must be willing to become less than what we rightfully deserve and earn for the sake of elevating those around us. The world will witness the power of Christ’s redemption of the world through our willingness to lay down our own interests for the sake of others. We have received grace from Christ through His taking the death we deserved to live the life He gives. In turn, we can express that love for others through our willingness to put others needs ahead of our own so that they might better experience the love of God. Our mission proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ to walk in His steps. Just as He extended grace to use first, we extend that grace to others knowing that none of it can be rightfully earned but freely given by Jesus Christ.
- Why did Peter not want to be washed by Jesus Christ? Why was it important that he be washed by Christ?
Discussion Questions
- Explain the symbolism of washing the feet of someone else? Why was this considered the work of a servant rather than the work of a King?
- What qualities did Jesus demonstrate in His willingness to wash the disciples feet?
- What are some of the struggles with cling to regarding asserting our own dominance and power?
- How does laying down our personal preferences and ideals communicate the Gospel to those we serve?
- In what ways is putting others first difficult? What advantages are there to putting others first?
About The Author
Daniel Burton is the founder of The Gospel Outpost. He is passionate about discipleship and seeing people grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. To find out more about him, check out his Author Page.
