Episode 89 - "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me" - John 13:6-11

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 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.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 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.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

In the last episode, I described the significance of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Earlier in this book, John the Baptist had told people who recognized he had some divine authority that he was not even worthy to be called a slave of Jesus. Now at the end of Jesus’ earthly ministry, Jesus is intentionally serving his disciples as though he was their slave. 

As we look at this interaction between Peter and Jesus, we understand why Peter reacted as he did. It sheds light on why Peter responds in the manner he does. He is not about to let Jesus condescend to washing his feet. I love Jesus’ response in verse 7, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”  I don’t know about you. But, at 57 years of age, I’ve had plenty of experiences in my life in which I did not understand what was happening; experiences that seemed outside of my control. In reflecting, later on, it was easier to see what God was doing for my good and His glory.

When Peter insists he will not allow this, Jesus’ response seems a bit extreme. “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Seriously? Why does Jesus appear to react so strongly to Peter not wanting Jesus to wash his feet? Couldn’t he just say, “OK. Have it your way” and move on to the next disciple? The answer lies not so much in the foot-washing as it does the cross. This is indeed an amazing act of humility and servitude, but nothing compared to what he is about to do by laying down his own life for them. If Peter or any of the other disciples would not accept this gracious act of love from Jesus, how could they possibly accept his ultimate act of love in laying down his life for them?

When Jesus gives Peter this ultimatum, Peter’s emotions swing to the other extreme by telling Jesus to wash his whole body. Jesus’ response is to continue by using this tangible demonstration to teach his disciples a spiritual principle. The point is simple and logical: If a person has bathed recently and only been walking around, they don’t need to bathe again because they are clean and only need their feet washed. Keying off the idea of one’s body being clean through bathing, Jesus declares that all but one of them  is “clean.” He’s not saying that they’ve all had a bath recently. He is saying that they are spiritually clean, with the exception of the one who would betray him. 

I find this an interesting assessment. Peter had not yet denied him and Jesus had not yet died on the cross. Yet. Jesus knows who is clean and who isn’t. Evidence has already been displayed of this, hasn’t it? When Jesus was telling people that he had miraculously fed that they needed to eat his flesh and drink his blood, many people weren’t interested in following Jesus anymore and left. But, Peter expressed uncompromising trust; “Lord! Where do we have to turn? You alone have the words of eternal life.” 

It would not be long before, in fear, Peter would deny three times that he even knew Jesus. Yet, Jesus has already declared Peter “clean.” It would appear that God knows who is clean despite our moments of weakness and failure and those who have turned away from Jesus in betrayal and rebellion. I find it reassuring to know that my weaknesses and failures are met by God’s omniscience and mercy. Can we accept that Jesus, the Son of God, has come to serve us by dying on the cross in our place? We must in order to be clean.