God Speaks
1-3 Jesus knew on the evening of Passover Day that it would be his last night on earth before returning to his Father. During supper the devil had already suggested to Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that this was the night to carry out his plan to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. And how he loved his disciples! 4 So he got up from the supper table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his loins, 5 poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he had around him.
6 When he came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Master, you shouldn’t be washing our feet like this!”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now why I am doing it; some day you will.”
8 “No,” Peter protested, “you shall never wash my feet!”
“But if I don’t, you can’t be my partner,” Jesus replied.
9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well—not just my feet!”
10 Jesus replied, “One who has bathed all over needs only to have his feet washed to be entirely clean. Now you are clean—but that isn’t true of everyone here.” 11 For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 After washing their feet he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? 13 You call me ‘Master’ and ‘Lord,’ and you do well to say it, for it is true. 14 And since I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example to follow: do as I have done to you. 16 How true it is that a servant is not greater than his master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends him. 17 You know these things—now do them! That is the path of blessing.
18 “I am not saying these things to all of you; I know so well each one of you I chose. The Scripture declares, ‘One who eats supper with me will betray me,’ and this will soon come true. 19 I tell you this now so that when it happens, you will believe on me.
20 “Truly, anyone welcoming my messenger is welcoming me. And to welcome me is to welcome the Father who sent me.”
21 Now Jesus was in great anguish of spirit and exclaimed, “Yes, it is true—one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at each other, wondering whom he could mean. 23 Since I was sitting next to Jesus* at the table, being his closest friend, 24 Simon Peter motioned to me to ask him who it was who would do this terrible deed.
25 So I turned and asked him, “Lord, who is it?”
26 He told me, “It is the one I honor by giving the bread dipped in the sauce.”
And when he had dipped it, he gave it to Judas, son of Simon Iscariot.
27 As soon as Judas had eaten it, Satan entered into him. Then Jesus told him, “Hurry—do it now.”
28 None of the others at the table knew what Jesus meant. 29 Some thought that since Judas was their treasurer, Jesus was telling him to go and pay for the food or to give some money to the poor. 30 Judas left at once, going out into the night.
31 As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “My time has come; the glory of God will soon surround me—and God shall receive great praise because of all that happens to me. 32 And God shall give me his own glory, and this so very soon. 33 Dear, dear children, how brief are these moments before I must go away and leave you! Then, though you search for me, you cannot come to me—just as I told the Jewish leaders.
34 “And so I am giving a new commandment to you now—love each other just as much as I love you. 35 Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”
36 Simon Peter said, “Master, where are you going?”
And Jesus replied, “You can’t go with me now; but you will follow me later.”
37 “But why can’t I come now?” he asked, “for I am ready to die for you.”
38 Jesus answered, “Die for me? No—three times before the cock crows tomorrow morning, you will deny that you even know me!
Source: The Living Bible: BibleGateway.com
We Respond
Reflection: The account of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet is commonly known; however, many people do not pay close attention to verse 3. It conveys that because Jesus knew where He had come from and where He was going, He could perform this example of humble, servant leadership. Scriptures indicate that Jesus knew (likely from the beginning) that Judas would betray Him, yet He always acted in love toward him. In that way, Jesus modeled the new commandment He was giving them. Down through the ages God has received great praise because of all that happened to Jesus at that time. * Then Jesus foretold Peter’s denial. After stating that fact, Jesus told Peter and those in the room not to be troubled but to trust in God and in Himself.
Prayer: Dear Almighty God, thank You that Jesus washing the disciples’ feet gives me a pattern of humble, servant leadership to follow in my day-to-day interactions with people. Please help me to remember to Whom I belong and where I am going so that I can do the tasks of love You have designed me to do. There will likely be those in my life who will betray me. Please help me to follow Your example and always act in love toward them, thus obeying the new commandment of self-sacrificial love You have given Your disciples. May You, Lord God, receive great praise because of all that happens in my life. * Help me to remember whenever I mess up (sin), like Peter’s denial, Jesus doesn’t want me to be troubled but to trust Him for the forgiveness He died to give me. I just have to ask. Thank You, Lord.
*A paraphrase of John 14:31-32 TLB
Action: (Ask God, the Holy Spirit, which one of these He wants you to work on or something else more personal that He points out.)
- I will thank the Lord for washing me completely by the blood Jesus shed for me at the cross so that I can now stand clean before the Father in heaven.
- I will daily come to God in prayer to confess any known sin and keep short accounts with God.
- I will ask the Holy Spirit to show me specific ways I can love someone else as Jesus did, then do them.
- I will guard my heart by daily prayer and Bible study so that I can be strong to resist denying Jesus.
Share: I plan to share what I’ve learned with __________.