John 13:1-17, 31b-35 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I 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, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you." For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean.”
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord--and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
"Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Reflection Knowing that his time on earth is coming to an end, Jesus does what many of us might do, host a dinner party with our closest friends because we love them, even to the end, even those ones who have disappointed or betrayed us. The odd thing is, at dinner parties generally the host takes the place of honor and perhaps Jesus does while serving barley bread, goat cheese, olives, dried fruit and wine. But on this night Jesus also does something extraordinarily unconventional.
Jesus steps away from his place of honor as host and teacher. He gets up “from the table, takes off his outer robe, ties a towel around himself…” pours water into a basin then kneels in front of each guest, washing their feet and drying them with a towel.” We commiserate when Peter blurts out precisely what we are all thinking, “I am not comfortable with this. I do not want you to wash my feet!”
Here is a bit of context about the tradition of foot washing during Jesus time. Temple priests were not permitted to minister unless they washed their own feet twice. (Zeb 17b) In ancient Israel as a sign of hospitality a host would offer water to a guest and invite them to wash their own feet. (Gen. 18:4) It is no wonder Peter is appalled when Jesus kneels to wash his feet. A good host will offer their guests water to wash their own feet. Even temple priests wash their own feet. For a friend, a teacher to wash your feet, this is unheard of.
Which of course begs the question. Why in the world would Jesus do such an outrageous thing? And why on earth do Christians across the globe on this night get on their knees to wash the feet of friends and strangers?
I believe that at some unspeakably deep level we understand that love is more than an interior experience of excitement and attraction. Love is what we actually do to express our care and desire for the good of other people. Jesus puts it this way, “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (John 15.13) I would add, love means setting aside our pride and preoccupation with our self. Love is about making our selves less and elevating the other.
Still, we protest. “Let’s shake hands or have a polite hug, but I don’t want you to see my gnarly toes and touch them. And Jesus, I do not want to wash your dusty feet either.”
And Jesus says, “I have seen you. I have heard your. I have felt you. I have touched you. I have cared for you as your servant. I have held nothing back from you because I love you as God the Creator loves me. I love you as God the Redeemer loves me. I love you as God the Source of all being loves me. Now, do likewise.”
Jesus is showing the disciples and us what love really looks like. It is passing on God’s care and loving kindness. Later in John’s gospel Jesus says, “I have loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love… this is my commandment. Love one another the way I have loved you. This is the very best way to love, put your life on the line for your friends.” (John 15.9,10,12)
Let me be crystal clear. Jesus is not promoting masochism nor being a doormat. He is showing us the way of extravagant love that holds nothing back. Extravagant love for the good of others, love poured out without measure for the good of friends and strangers. Whose feet do you need to wash? Who will you let wash your feet? Amen.
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