From chapter 11 on, we are witnessing the Passion Week of the Christ. From Chapter 13 here, it starts going into “high gear” because it’s only hours away until the LAMB of GOD is slain for the sins of the world from the foundation of the world.
1 PETER 1:19-21
19 but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 20 He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you 21 who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
HEBREWS 9:25-26
25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another-- 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.
REVELATION 5:5-6
5 But one of the elders said to me, "Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals." 6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth.
Being omniscient and possessing foreknowledge, long before Adam and Eve were ever created, before the Almighty ever said, “Let there be light…” He saw the predicament and peril of humanity because of the fateful choice our First Parents made and decided from the halls of eternity to offer Himself up as a sacrifice for the sins of the world.
As one Bible expositor put it, “GOD allowed Man to enter a situation from which he couldn’t rescue himself, but what would require the death of GOD in order to redeem him!”
This was quite literally the sublime, supreme passion of GOD to bring His creation back to Himself at His cost, and none at all for the redeemed.
JOHN 13:1
Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
He knew His mission:
JOHN 12:27
"Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save Me from this hour'? But for this purpose, I came to this hour.
LUKE 9:56
"For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them."
We don’t read in many places where Christ expresses verbally His love for His own. He didn’t have to. We know them that love us deeply, unconditionally and when in their presence, we feel it.
The love of Christ was so profound that I believe any chance meeting with human souls would result in the understanding of this Man’s love for them personally. Actions speak louder than words it is said, and Christ’s actions certainly spoke for themselves!
Nevertheless, there are those specific occasions where Christ expresses His love for His disciples, this verse included.
In the hour in which He would become the sin-bearer, when the Father’s presence, this One that was always with Him (JOHN 16:32) would shun Him, forsaking Him as He became sin for us (MATT 27:46; 2 COR 5:21), one would think that His thoughts and concerns would (for once) turn inwardly for His own welfare – but such is not the case. He is still focused on others, notably His disciples, assuring them of His love, literally right up to “the end”.
He knew that though He would face the darkest of dark hours as He hung on the Cross, that He would afterwards be returning back to where He came from: to the Father – where He would be extolled supremely above every other name, forever throughout eternity (PHIL 2:8-11)!!
JOHN 13:2
And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,
The Supper has ended. The LORD greatly desired to have this time of fellowship with His followers who were beloved (LUKE 22:15). He knew that this would be the last Passover He would share with them, at least the last time in this age. He will enjoy such fellowship again with all of us in the Father’s kingdom (MATT 26:29)!
While not explicitly mentioned, we can assume that He didn’t inaugurate the Passover anew under the new covenant during the Passover feasts in prior years, not until this time, just before His Passion on the Cross (MATT 26:28).
It’s interesting that even in His resurrection, while possessing a glorified body, He still eats (LUKE 24:41-42)! And while in our glorified state, we won’t require to eat food in order to survive as we do now, I believe that in heaven, most especially during the LAMB’s Wedding Feast, we will enjoy eating.
Some point out what it says in 1 COR 6:13a
Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods, but God will destroy both it and them.
Note what it says though: it associates food and the stomach together, that is, food that is digested in the stomach, and the stomach for the purpose of digesting food (breaking it down to provide nutrients for our bodies).
We won’t need nutrients for our glorified bodies. So, we won’t need stomachs designed for this purpose. So, what then? A conjecture on my part: we will be able to eat, with glorified taste buds the exquisite food that GOD will provide for us, food that we’ve never tasted the like of ever before; and then it will simply be ‘incinerated’ as it were, in an abdominal furnace of sorts. Talk about burning calories and not putting on any weight!! Thank You LORD!
Food, fellowship and communion are all interrelated in Eastern culture. I think this custom will carry on throughout eternity during the everlasting reign of the Messiah, King of Israel!
What we see here with Judas Iscariot is that Satan had already exerted some influence with him, planting thoughts of betrayal towards the One he called “teacher” or “master” but notice, he didn’t call him “LORD” as did the other apostles.
This is similar to GENESIS 2 where Scripture identifies the Creator GOD as LORD. He is acknowledged in that chapter as “LORD GOD”. But in GENESIS 3, when the serpent speaks with Eve, he refers to the Creator simply as GOD, not LORD GOD.
Both Satan and Judas refused to call Jesus LORD (this is what the Scripture means when it says no one can call Jesus LORD except by the Holy Spirit (1 COR 12:3)). Anyone can claim that Jesus is LORD with their lips, but it doesn’t do a soul any good unless they also believe from the heart (and that by the influence of the Spirit of GOD that points to Christ)
ROMANS 10:9-10When once we allow Satan entrance into our thought life; when he plants things there that we don’t actively uproot, he then has an entry point that he can build on. It’s our Christian duty to take captives such thoughts (2 COR 10:5). The ultimate end of Satan’s seed planting is to usurp control, then greater control over a person, until it results (potentially) in indwelling (this happens with Judas in vs. 27).
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
JOHN 13:3-5
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.
It was the duty of a servant to conduct the service of foot washing in those days; sandals were the common footwear and roads were dusty. This wasn’t ceremony but necessity. But it was often assigned to the least and lowest servant in any household. I can just see the disciples eyeing the bowl and towel as they came in and all looking at each other, thinking, “not me!”
Then the LORD rises up after the Supper, knowing that He has precious little time for some last minute and valuable lessons. But what were the disciples doing as the LORD rose up and made His way over to that bowl and towel?
LUKE 22:24-26It was during this dispute that the LORD got up, girded Himself with the towel and went about the unenviable task of washing the feet of His disciples. I can imagine that the quarreling started to diminish as one by one they all noticed what He was doing. I think if I were there, I’d start to feel ashamed of my pride and unwillingness to humble myself when facing my LORD and Savior lowering Himself to the most base of servants, willingly doing what I would not.
24 Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 25 And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' 26 "But not so among you; on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.
JOHN 13:6-9
6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, "Lord, are You washing my feet?" 7 Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this. 8 Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9 Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"
Peter wasn’t being defiant, he just didn’t want to see his LORD debasing Himself this way. It’s never appropriate to say, “No, LORD!” when He wants to do something in our lives or commands us to do something for Him. Here, the LORD wanted to teach His disciples something, and He points out to Peter that he won’t get it right then, but after an explanation.
But after Peter’s protest, the LORD says that if he doesn’t allow Him to do this, then he can have nothing to do with Him. I love Peter! At that point, he turns around and says, “LORD, my feet, my hands and my head!” That’s Peter: it’s all or nothing!
What the LORD says next is intriguing:
JOHN 13:10-11
10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore, He said, "You are not all clean."
“He who is bathed…” The LORD cleanses us thoroughly in His blood, so we are clean completely. But as we make our way in the world, wherever we make contact with the world (just as our feet in the dirt) we tend to get dirty. So, we need regular washing after contact with this world and its evils, corruption and sinful ways.
This is where the washing comes in; here, it’s an actual foot washing; but spiritually speaking, we wash (daily) in the water of the WORD (EPH 5:26), allowing it to wash away the filth by contact.
Consider this now: the LORD knew who it was who would betray Him (vs.11), but it doesn’t say in any of the Gospel accounts that He neglected Judas’ dirty feet. Amazing grace! That our LORD should go so far as to minister to the needs of one He knew would betray Him.
How many times in my life, in those times of betrayal when I indulge in sin, do I find that the LORD by His grace ministers to my need! It brings glory to Him, and shame to me, and yet by His goodness I am led to repentance (ROM 2:4).
Now, about foot washing as a tradition of the church:
Some churches observe this practice, and I won’t say that it’s wrong by any means. But I don’t believe it’s a mandatory service for the church. The LORD was simply using a common practice to illustrate a point (as He often did). We tend to wear shoes and socks, and drive cars, so our feet aren’t really in need of such things (other than with our personal hygiene of course).
Scripture says that in the mouth of two or three witnesses, let every word be established (DEUT 19:15). A good measure to judge practical doctrine for the church should find a witness of any particular function in the Gospels taught by Christ, also seen practiced in the book of ACTS, and later elaborated on in the epistles.
Foot washing is seen in the Gospels, but not mentioned in ACTS or any of the epistles.
What about water baptism? That’s definitely taught in the Gospels, practiced in ACTS and elaborated on in the epistles. And the LORD’s Supper? Yes, same thing. The gifts of the Spirit? Certainly! Laying on of hands? Yes!
There was one among these Twelve who were not clean. Already this raised questions in the disciple’s minds. Who was it that wasn’t clean? They’re left to wonder as the LORD sat down and explained Himself:
JOHN 13:12-15
12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 "You call me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 "For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
Jesus is neither only LORD nor Teacher, but both; yet one can acknowledge that Jesus is a teacher but not as LORD. Moralists and philosophers – even agnostics and atheists may concede that Jesus is an excellent teacher but would never agree to His being LORD or GOD for that matter.
This runs into the fallacy that He can be a good teacher, but not GOD. If He is a good teacher, then He will only teach that which is true, but Jesus admitted to being GOD, but if that isn’t true (but it is) then how is He a good teacher?
Most will reject Jesus as LORD in the same way that others (including these deniers of Jesus’ Lordship) deny the existence of GOD. They don’t want GOD to exist, because if He does, then there is a Supreme Moral Agency to answer to (and because people love their sinful ways) they would have to acknowledge that they are accountable to Him. That is something intolerable for those outside of Christ.
Yet for those of us who know Jesus personally, those of us who are born of His Spirit, we readily, joyfully, and fully accept Him as both LORD (and Savior) and Teacher! Jesus confessed that He is. He is LORD of Lords and KING of Kings, He is the Name highly exalted above every name.
Yet Someone as lofty and highly exalted as He, stooped down and engaged in dirty feet washing. If He humbled Himself enough to serve us in such lowly fashion, then so should we! No one is above the lowliest job in the kingdom!
I serve as an assistant pastor to my church fellowship. I find it perfectly acceptable to stand at the pulpit and preach (though I am humbled to be in such a position, certainly!) as I am in noticing a dirty toilet and go about cleaning it. What ever I may do, I want to do it for the glory of GOD (1 COR 10:31)!
He says that He has given us an example that we are to follow. Really, His entire life is an example to us. When He calls us, His disciples, to follow Him, He has laid out more than three years’ worth of conduct for us to witness as an example of how we as Christians should live.
1 JOHN 2:4-6JOHN 13:16-17
4 He who says, "I know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
16 "Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 "If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
If we neglect to follow the life of Jesus by modeling how He lived (of course not perfectly, but in consistency and in growing maturity) then we are placing ourselves above our LORD, believing to some degree that such conduct is unnecessary for us, just so long as “I believe in Him”.
If any truly believes in Christ, then they abide in Him, and if they abide in Him (and His Word) then GOD’s love is evident, prosperous and fruitful (“perfected”) in them. They will live their lives accordingly and they’ll be blessed for doing so!
JOHN 13:18-19
18 "I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, 'He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.' 19 "Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He.
The LORD returns to His previous assertion – that one that He chose and is among them is not clean. He is making it clear that there is a traitor in their midst. By revealing this, He indicates His truthfulness (once again!) so that their faith in Him will grow stronger. I said it before, Jesus never merely gave His opinion on things, He only spoke truth!
JOHN 13:20-22
20 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me." 21 When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me." 22 Then the disciples looked at one another, perplexed about whom He spoke.
The LORD is affirming to His disciples that because they received Him, His Word and testimony, His claims, the validity of His miracles, that this means that they also received the One Who sent Him, namely the Father (JOHN 5:42-43; 10:25-30; MATT 11:27; 12:50).
You can’t have the One without the other (1 JOHN 2:23).
Then the LORD drops a bombshell on His disciples, point blank stating that one of them will betray Him! And the disciples, knowing that the word of Jesus was always dependably true, looked at each other, wondering who He was speaking of.
A keen insight that a pastor once shared with us from the pulpit was:
Judas Iscariot, for all of his conniving, underhanded ways, as a chosen apostle, would have been able to work miracles by the authority of Christ’s delegation of those powers. If that were not the case, then when Jesus mentioned a traitor, the other eleven would be winking at each other, understanding that “it’s the guy that can’t work miracles.”
The fact that they are all perplexed means that there was nothing distinguishable about any of them that would indicate a traitor. And yet, the LORD refers to Judas as “the son of perdition” (JOHN 17:12). Do you see the extremes that GOD’s grace will go to in the lives of people? I find it astonishing myself! I truly believe that had Judas repented from the heart and turned back to Christ, he would have found forgiveness just as Peter did!
Granted, Peter’s fall was in the spur of the moment – falling short of the vow he made to his LORD “I will never deny you!” whereas Judas’s sin was premeditated, conceived well before the actual commission. Peter sinned (fell short), Judas trespassed. Yet what did King David say?
PSALM 32:1The LORD forgives both equally and fully. Have you ever been tempted, and didn’t outright reject it, but “played with the idea” until you finally give in to the temptation, knowing full well that it was wrong, sinful, etc.? I know I have. Those are not merely falling short of GOD’s perfect will, that is knowingly – with full consent – failing the grace of GOD and partaking of sin.
Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, Whose sin is covered.
But like King David and his transgression against Bathsheba and her husband Uriah (2 SAM 11), we too can find forgiveness and have our sins washed away, just as David did (PSA 32; 51). That being said, there are consequences to our sin. David experienced that with the chaos in his kingdom and his family as a result of his transgression.
A little boy wanted to follow his father’s example in carpentry; so, with hammer and nails, he proceeded to pound those nails into the kitchen drawers and cupboards. When his father discovered what he did, some disciplinary action took place. There was forgiveness and restoration with his son, but the restoration of all those holes left in the cabinetry was not so easily fixed.
Sin forgiven doesn’t necessarily mean that no damage occurs as a result. We have to always appreciate with a deep sense of wariness and dread, the awful, destructive power of sin.
Remember, sin is so powerful that it took no one less than GOD the Son to destroy it. He is in the practice of destroying sin’s power in our lives as we yield to Him in sanctification as He also destroyed the penalty of sin for those of us who are saved. One blessed Day our LORD will destroy the very presence of sin, not just from us saints, but from all of the world!
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