Thru the Gospel of John Загвар

A private conversation. 

John 13-17 records one of Jesus’ greatest and longest sermons. It’s a private talk for just His own and reveals new truth. In John 12, we watched Jesus’ feet get anointed with fragrant oil. Now in John 13, the disciples get a good foot-washing. 

Jesus washed His disciples’ feet purposefully. He knew His time was short, so in doing this He took the place of a servant and identified Himself with who were considered the least important people. He also wanted to communicate His love to the disciples, right to the end. 

Jesus also ‘washes’ us today. We’re clean, Jesus says, through His Word. He cleanses us so that we can have fellowship with Him. When we come to the cross for salvation, we are washed all over. But as we walk through this world, we get dirty when bad things get into our lives. When “we walk in the light”, walk with Jesus, darkness cannot touch us. 

When Jesus was done washing the disciples’ feet, He said in effect, “You want joy in your life, Christian? Keep your relationship with God current and clean. Confess wrong thoughts and actions.” To have fellowship with Jesus you must deal daily with bad things in our life. “If we confess our sins” (1 John 1:9) means that you put your feet in His hands for Him to wash. 

What’s more, if Jesus is your Lord, we should wash one another’s feet. Be helpful, uplifting. Instead of beating a fallen brother, go try to restore him. When you do that, you’re washing feet.

Into this beautiful scene, our attention now turns to the greatest crime of the ages—Judas’ betrayal of Jesus. 

Jesus kept the door open to Judas to the last moment. No one at the Passover table even suspected he was the betrayer. Even in the garden when Judas kissed Him, Jesus said in effect, “You’ve fulfilled prophecy, Judas, but it’s not too late for you to accept Me.” But Judas made his decision. He chose to separate from Jesus. 

When it was just Jesus and His men again, Jesus tells them this sad news, “I’m going to leave you. But I’m giving you a new commandment—love each other as I have loved you. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” 

Next, how do we know that Jesus is ‘the way’?

Question: How can you put ‘loving others like Jesus loved you’ into action today?