The Way of the Crossნიმუში

Cleansing as An Act of Love

John 13:1-17

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

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.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 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.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

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.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

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. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Reflection on the passage:
The struggle to get the sand off your feet so that you can get into the car to go home is a low point after a fun day at the beach, especially when you’re the parent carrying the beach bag and chairs while trying to round up tired children reluctant to leave, or upset about the sand stuck to their bodies. The act of love here is the parent bending down to gently brush the sand off their child with a beach towel, encouraging the little one that they will soon be home and can wash off every grain of sand in a nice warm shower. Our struggle with sin can feel this way. But then Jesus, in His great love for us, comes with the towel and wash basin to wash not only our feet but our very souls.

With full understanding of His identity and that His hour had come, Jesus intentionally stepped into the role of a servant at His last supper with the disciples. Typically, it would have been a Gentile servant who had the lowly position of washing each guest’s feet, dirty from walking sandal-footed on the dusty roads. During this evening meal just before the Passover festival, Jesus poured water into a basin, wrapped a towel around His waist, and washed and dried each of the disciples’ feet, including Judas, whom He knew was about to betray Him!

Jesus was at one level modeling love, servant leadership for His disciples who would soon become leaders in the early church. But even more powerfully this was a symbolic act of cleansing love. He was preparing them for what they didn’t yet comprehend – that He was about to do far more than a simple act of service for them. He was about to offer Himself as a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world. When Peter objected to having his Lord wash his feet, Jesus said, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me”. Peter didn’t yet understand that only as we say yes to Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb cleansing our sins, will we be able to have fellowship with Him.

In the first verse of this chapter, we read that Jesus loved His disciples to the very end. Ultimately the way of the cross is the way of love. May we bathe in God’s love every day. May we allow Jesus to cleanse us anew, as we ponder the wonder of His sacrifice for us that brings us into fellowship with the Triune God.

Suggested spiritual practices:
Imaginative Prayer with John 13:1-17

1. Invite the Holy Spirit to speak to you through imagination during this time of prayer.

2. Reread John 13:1-17, this time putting yourself in the scene. What do you see, smell, taste, and touch?

3. Picture yourself as a character in the scene. Perhaps you are one of the disciples or a servant who is surprised that Jesus is doing your foot-washing job.

4. What are you thinking and feeling? Do you say anything to Jesus? Does He speak to you?

5. Now picture Jesus washing your feet. Enter fully into this experience. What is your interaction with Jesus like?
6. Allow this to become a time of prayer, as you listen to Jesus or simply experience His presence.

7. Close by thanking God for speaking to you in the Scripture.

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