Jesus Washes the Disciples Feet.
Study No. 22 Chapter 13.
Coming very close to the time of Jesus’ sacrifice, He has just announced in John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
And He also stated: John 12:36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
At this point in the gospel of John we are presented with a kind of summary statement made by him.
Verses 37 – 43.
According to Isaiah, not many would be believers and the reason he cites is that God has blinded their minds.
The John seems to qualify this summary by adding that actually there were quite a few believers, even including from among the leaders or rulers.
Next John includes what appears to be Jesus last public statement and ultimatum. Accept Jesus and His words or face the judgment.
Chapter 13 Setting his ‘house’ in order
He loved them to the end.
They are referred to as being ‘His own’.
Supper being ended. While there is some disagreement amongst bible commentaries surrounding this supper and the instituting of the Lord’s supper, we are considering the following likely order of events.
- They were observing the Passover supper. It was late evening. Luke 22:7-13
- There arises a contention regarding who would be the greatest in the kingdom Lu 22:24
- Jesus washed the disciples feet; talks to them about having a servant’s heart. Jn 13:4-16, Lu 22:25-27
- Re-seated at the table, Jesus announces that one of those sitting there was about to betray Him.
- The disciples question, “Is it I” Matthew 26:22
- Jesus answers John’s question with “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread …” Jn 13:26
- Jesus gives a piece of bread to Judas and speaks quietly with him.
- Judas leaves, no one knows why for sure.
- We can likely assume that what we call the ‘last supper’ or communion took place now.
Foot-washing is a humbling experience.
Which would be more difficult for you; to wash someone’s feet? OR to allow your feet to be washed?
Regarding the ‘foot-washing’:
Verse 10 is the underlying doctrine or teaching that Jesus is illustrating.
“If you have had a bath” – That is, you have all the sins of your past forgiven when you repented and came to Jesus for salvation. “You are completely clean”
“but not all of you” Jesus uses this statement in two ways.
1. Not all of you, that is, not all of your body is clean. Your feet are dirty.
2. Not all of you disciples are clean – one is totally evil.
Number 2 above needs no explanation, but number 1 contains some interesting and important truths.
The bath that Jesus refers to is a washing that He himself performs on us. We are washed by Him. Washed in the blood of Jesus. Totally cleansed.
The sins that were washed away were all sins committed against Him. God (Jesus) treats all sin that way. Only He can forgive sins committed against Himself. No priest or minister can forgive sins that you committed against God.
The ‘dirty feet’ that Jesus implies refers to sins committed against Him AFTER we have been saved (or bathed).
A. This needs to be a regular occurrence for us.
1. Jesus approaches us with a basin. He is saying “Your feet are dirty” which is to say, “You have sinned against me.”
2. You approach Jesus and humbly say, “My feet are dirty”. Which is to say and acknowledge “I have sinned (against you) please forgive me.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. We are commanded to wash one another’s feet.
1. You approach a fellow believer with a bowl, you are saying “Your feet are dirty” which is to say, “You have sinned against me.”
In actual practice we do not carry a bowl, but in some method we communicate, “Your feet are dirty. This means you have sinned against me. This means you are out of fellowship with me. This means you are out of fellowship with Jesus.”
Lu 17:3 “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”
2. You approach a fellow believer and humbly say, “My feet are dirty” or “I have sinned against you and I need your forgiveness”.
Mt 5:23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Mt 18:21 ¶ Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Judas leaves the group.
Jesus begins to talk to the remaining eleven with a closeness and a passion now that Judas in no longer in their midst.
“I won’t be here much longer. I will be leaving. You will be coming later” v33.
“My last commandment to you is a new one: Love one another!”
“Let me tell you about My Father’s house …” (Chapter 14)
Coming very close to the time of Jesus’ sacrifice, He has just announced in John 12:31 "Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. 32 "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself."
And He also stated: John 12:36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and departed, and was hidden from them.
At this point in the gospel of John we are presented with a kind of summary statement made by him.
Verses 37 – 43.
According to Isaiah, not many would be believers and the reason he cites is that God has blinded their minds.
The John seems to qualify this summary by adding that actually there were quite a few believers, even including from among the leaders or rulers.
Next John includes what appears to be Jesus last public statement and ultimatum. Accept Jesus and His words or face the judgment.
Chapter 13 Setting his ‘house’ in order
He loved them to the end.
They are referred to as being ‘His own’.
Supper being ended. While there is some disagreement amongst bible commentaries surrounding this supper and the instituting of the Lord’s supper, we are considering the following likely order of events.
- They were observing the Passover supper. It was late evening. Luke 22:7-13
- There arises a contention regarding who would be the greatest in the kingdom Lu 22:24
- Jesus washed the disciples feet; talks to them about having a servant’s heart. Jn 13:4-16, Lu 22:25-27
- Re-seated at the table, Jesus announces that one of those sitting there was about to betray Him.
- The disciples question, “Is it I” Matthew 26:22
- Jesus answers John’s question with “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread …” Jn 13:26
- Jesus gives a piece of bread to Judas and speaks quietly with him.
- Judas leaves, no one knows why for sure.
- We can likely assume that what we call the ‘last supper’ or communion took place now.
Foot-washing is a humbling experience.
Which would be more difficult for you; to wash someone’s feet? OR to allow your feet to be washed?
Regarding the ‘foot-washing’:
Verse 10 is the underlying doctrine or teaching that Jesus is illustrating.
“If you have had a bath” – That is, you have all the sins of your past forgiven when you repented and came to Jesus for salvation. “You are completely clean”
“but not all of you” Jesus uses this statement in two ways.
1. Not all of you, that is, not all of your body is clean. Your feet are dirty.
2. Not all of you disciples are clean – one is totally evil.
Number 2 above needs no explanation, but number 1 contains some interesting and important truths.
The bath that Jesus refers to is a washing that He himself performs on us. We are washed by Him. Washed in the blood of Jesus. Totally cleansed.
The sins that were washed away were all sins committed against Him. God (Jesus) treats all sin that way. Only He can forgive sins committed against Himself. No priest or minister can forgive sins that you committed against God.
The ‘dirty feet’ that Jesus implies refers to sins committed against Him AFTER we have been saved (or bathed).
A. This needs to be a regular occurrence for us.
1. Jesus approaches us with a basin. He is saying “Your feet are dirty” which is to say, “You have sinned against me.”
2. You approach Jesus and humbly say, “My feet are dirty”. Which is to say and acknowledge “I have sinned (against you) please forgive me.
1Jo 1:7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
8 ¶ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
B. We are commanded to wash one another’s feet.
1. You approach a fellow believer with a bowl, you are saying “Your feet are dirty” which is to say, “You have sinned against me.”
In actual practice we do not carry a bowl, but in some method we communicate, “Your feet are dirty. This means you have sinned against me. This means you are out of fellowship with me. This means you are out of fellowship with Jesus.”
Lu 17:3 “So watch yourselves. If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.”
2. You approach a fellow believer and humbly say, “My feet are dirty” or “I have sinned against you and I need your forgiveness”.
Mt 5:23 "Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you,24 "leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
Mt 18:21 ¶ Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.
Judas leaves the group.
Jesus begins to talk to the remaining eleven with a closeness and a passion now that Judas in no longer in their midst.
“I won’t be here much longer. I will be leaving. You will be coming later” v33.
“My last commandment to you is a new one: Love one another!”
“Let me tell you about My Father’s house …” (Chapter 14)