“Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
“He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, do you wash my feet?’ Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’” (John 13:1-11 ESV)
If we pay close attention to all the wording of Jesus in this dialogue we will soon realize that what Jesus did with his disciples here was like a parable being acted out before them which had a much deeper meaning than just the physical washing of feet. And notice how this particular section of Scripture begins and ends with the knowledge that Judas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, was going to betray the Lord to the death. And this is significant in us understanding Jesus’ words and actions, too.
Now I particularly want to focus the attention here on Jesus’ dialogue with Peter, for herein we get the true meaning of Jesus’ actions. Now Peter refused to have Jesus wash his feet. Why? Perhaps Peter believed it was beneath the Lord to wash his feet, but then impulsive Peter wasn’t paying close attention to what Jesus had just said, either. For Jesus had just said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” So that should have been a cue to Peter to trust the Lord.
But here comes the lesson in this which is to us all. Jesus said, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” But Jesus wasn’t talking just about the necessity of allowing the Lord to wash his physical feet, which is evident by what Jesus said next when he told him that the one who is bathed only needs to wash his feet, for he is completely clean. For he told him that he was clean, but then he added, “but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
What does this all mean? Obviously he is not speaking of a literal washing of the physical body with physical water, but he was speaking of the need to be clean spiritually. All of the twelve except for Judas were regarded by Jesus as being spiritually clean. But, they still had to have their feet washed. And this is a picture of what our salvation looks like. For our feet represent our walks of faith, and Jesus said that if we will come after him that we must deny self, take up our cross daily, and follow (obey) him (Luke 9:23-26).
Now when Jesus took up his cross what did he do? He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). But we become the righteousness of God through daily dying to sin and to self and by following our Lord in obedience to his commands. Jesus said it and so did Paul (Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Ephesians 4:17-24). For we must now walk (in conduct, in practice) according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh to have salvation.
So Jesus was teaching them what it means to be saved. Yes, when we believe in Jesus with God-ordained, God-persuaded, and God-gifted faith in Jesus Christ, we are made spiritually clean. But then the Scriptures teach that we must die daily to sin, and by the Spirit we are to be putting to death the deeds of the flesh, for if we do not, then we have no share in the Lord. For if sin is what we obey, it leads to death, but if obedience is what we obey, it leads to life eternal with God (Luke 9:23-26; Romans 6:1-23).
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’” (John 13:12-17 ESV).
So, Jesus did what he did to teach his disciples a spiritual lesson with regard to what it means to be one of his followers (servants). We not only have to believe in him with God-persuaded faith in him, but we must daily deny self, die to sin, and follow him in obedience. And then we are to serve him with our lives in the areas of ministry to which he has called us. And he has called all of us to be his witnesses and to share the gospel message with the people of the world, and to do so humbly with a servant spirit.
But part of that daily washing of our feet, i.e. that daily dying to sin and walking in obedience to our Lord is also going to involve us being persecuted as Jesus was persecuted for righteousness’ sake. And we will have people who will hate us and turn against us and betray us while they are pretending to be our friends, and while they are pretending to love us and to care about us, too. For to follow the Lord in obedience is to do what he has called us to do which is also to share the truth of the gospel with others.
[Matt 5:10-12; Matt 10:16-25; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 6:22-23; Lu 21:12-19; Jn 15:1-21; Jn 16:33; Jn 17:14; Ac 14:22; Rom 5:3-5; Phil 3:7-11; 1 Pet 1:6-7; 1 Pet 4:12-17; 2 Tim 3:12; 1 Thess 3:1-5; Jas 1:2-4; 2 Co 1:3-11; Heb 12:3-12; 1 Jn 3:13; Rev 6:9-11; Rev 7:9-17; Rev 11:1-3; Rev 12:17; Rev 13:1-18; Rev 14:1-13]
All Through the Night
An Original Work / December 7, 2013
Based off Various Scriptures
Blessed are you when you’re persecuted
Because of your faith in Jesus Christ.
Blessed are you when people insult you,
And falsely say what leads folks to doubt.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is
Great in the heavens. You’re not alone.
When you are persecuted in one place,
Flee to another. God will be there.
You will be hated by all the nations
Because you testify of God’s grace.
Many will seize you and persecute you,
And put to death the foll’wers of Christ.
Yet do not fear what humans may do to you,
For I’m with you all through the night.
I tell you, love your enemies with my love,
And forgive as I forgave you.
Pray for those who do evil against you.
Rest in my love and grace from above.
https://vimeo.com/379481617
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