Scriptures: John 13:1-20
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
John 13:1-20
Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 During supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he came from God, and was going to God, 4 arose from supper, and laid aside his outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6 Then he came to Simon Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I don’t 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!”
10 Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.”
Servant Example
11 For he knew him who would betray him, therefore he said, “You are not all clean.”
12 So when he had washed their feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
16 “Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither one who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I don’t 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 “From now on, I tell you before it happens, that when it happens, you may believe that I am he. 20 Most certainly I tell you, he who receives whomever I send, receives me; and he who receives me, receives him who sent me.”
In our gospel reading today, we are up to the night before Jesus goes to the cross.
He is in the room with his disciples about to celebrate the Passover feast, but what is the first thing we see him do?
He takes off his out garment and grabs a towel and basin of water, and kneels down and washes the disciples feet. After he had finished he said to them:
“Do you know what I have done to you? You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say so correctly, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and the 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 as I have done to you.” (John 13:12-15)
How differently that is to what we see in the world today.
In the previous reading Jesus said in Luke:
“The kings of the nations lord it over them, and those who have authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so with you. But one who is the greater among you, let him become as the younger, and one who is governing, as one who serves. For who is greater, one who sits at the table, or one who serves? Isn’t it he who sits at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. But you are those who have continued with me in my trials.” (Luke 22:25-28)
I find so often, when we ask people to join us in our outreach, they say, “I need to ask my pastor.”
Why??? I say to them, “Is your pastor serving you? Does he wash your feet?”
What right does one person (even if he calls himself a pastor, prophet, apostle) have to lord over others and tell them what they can and cannot do?
God gave us to have dominion over the earth and the creators of the earth, but he didn’t give us dominion over people. God gave each one of us free will, and we choose to love and serve him or not. We choose to serve others or not. But if we love God, we will obey Him and come under his submission. Each one of us can hear from God ourselves.
Jesus said:
John 15:4-5 WEB Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can’t bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. (5) I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
and John writes:
1 John 2:24-27 WEB Therefore, as for you, let that remain in you which you heard from the beginning. If that which you heard from the beginning remains in you, you also will remain in the Son, and in the Father. (25) This is the promise which he promised us, the eternal life. (26) These things I have written to you concerning those who would lead you astray. (27) As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you, and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him.
SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT JUDAS (and lots of unanswered questions):
There are 4 things I noted:
1. Betrayal comes from those among us.
2. Jesus knew Judas would betray Him.
3. His betrayal was a fulfillment of Scripture.
4. Satan entered into Judas.
Here are some scriptures on those 4 points.
BETRAYAL AMONG US
John 13:18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But the Scripture will be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’
Psalms 41:9 Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted his heel against me.
Psalms 55:12-16 For it is not an enemy who taunts me— then I could bear it; it is not an adversary who deals insolently with me— then I could hide from him. (13) But it is you, a man, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend. (14) We used to take sweet counsel together; within God’s house we walked in the throng. (15) Let death steal over them; let them go down to Sheol alive; for evil is in their dwelling place and in their heart. (16) But I call to God, and the LORD will save me.
Matthew 10:36 And a person’s enemies will be those of his own household.
JESUS FOREKNEW
John 13:10-11 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.”
John 13:21 After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.”
John 13:26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I will give this morsel of bread when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.
John 6:63-71 It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. (64) But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) (65) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” (66) After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. (67) So Jesus said to the twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” (68) Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, (69) and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” (70) Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you, the twelve? And yet one of you is a devil.” (71) He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray him.
SCRIPTURE FULFILLED
John 17:12 ESV While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
Matthew 26:23-25 ESV He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. (24) The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” (25) Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.”
Mark 14:18-21 ESV And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” (19) They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” (20) He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. (21) For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Luke 22:20-22 WEB Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (21) But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. (22) The Son of Man indeed goes, as it has been determined, but woe to that man through whom he is betrayed!”
Acts 1:16-22 WEB “Brothers, it was necessary that this Scripture should be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke before by the mouth of David concerning Judas, who was guide to those who took Jesus. (17) For he was counted with us, and received his portion in this ministry. (18) Now this man obtained a field with the reward for his wickedness, and falling headlong, his body burst open, and all his intestines gushed out. (19) It became known to everyone who lived in Jerusalem that in their language that field was called ‘Akeldama,’ that is, ‘The field of blood.’ (20) For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation be made desolate. Let no one dwell therein;’and, ‘Let another take his office.’”
Psalms 41:9 WEB Yes, my own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, who ate bread with me, has lifted up his heel against me.
Zechariah 11:12-13 ESV Then I said to them, “If it seems good to you, give me my wages; but if not, keep them.” And they weighed out as my wages thirty pieces of silver. (13) Then the LORD said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—the lordly price at which I was priced by them. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD, to the potter.
SATAN ENTERS
John 13:2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him,
John 13:27 After the piece of bread, then Satan entered into him. Then Jesus said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”
Luke 22:3 WEB Satan entered into Judas, who was also called Iscariot, who was counted with the twelve.
Acts 5:3 WEB But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
1 Peter 5:8-9 WEB Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (9) Withstand him steadfast in your faith, knowing that your brothers who are in the world are undergoing the same sufferings.
TWO QUESTIONS ABOUT JUDAS:
1. Why did Jesus choose Judas if he knew he would betray him?
2. What door had Judas opened for Satan to come in?
The first one is very complex, but worthy of discussion. In going to tackle the second.
OPEN DOORS FOR THE DEVIL:
We have a clear warning by Peter in 1 Peter 5:8 who was an eye-witness to this betrayal by Judas (not to mention his personal experience with the devil): “Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”
I believe in Judas’s case, the LOVE OF MONEY was his downfall.
We read in the gospels that he looked after the money purse for the twelve. We also see on instance that he complained about the extravagance of ointment poured on Jesus feet by Mary. His excuse was that the ointment could have been sold and money given to the poor.
And we read that “he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it.” (See John 12:4-6)
Then Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, one of his disciples, who would betray him, said, “Why wasn’t this ointment sold for three hundred denarii, and given to the poor?” Now he said this, not because he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and having the money box, used to steal what was put into it. (John 12:4-6)
While he was at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster jar of ointment of pure nard—very costly. She broke the jar, and poured it over his head. (4) But there were some who were indignant among themselves, saying, “Why has this ointment been wasted? (5) For this might have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and given to the poor.” They grumbled against her. (Mark 14:3-5)
Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to him having an alabaster jar of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he sat at the table. But when his disciples saw this, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.” (Matthew 26:6-9)
And here is some admonitions from John who was also with Jesus:
“DON’T LOVE THE WORLD or the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t in him. For all that is in the world, the LUST OF THE FLESH, the LUST OF THE EYES, and the PRIDE OF LIFE, isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s. The world is passing away with its lusts, but HE WHO DOES GOD’S WILL remains FOREVER.” (1 John 2:15-17)
MORE ON THE LOVE OF MONEY
* But those who are determined to be rich fall into a temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful lusts, such as drown men in ruin and destruction. (10) For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some have been led astray from the faith in their greed, and have pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (1 Timothy 6:9-10)
“Don’t lay up treasures for yourselves on the earth, where moth and rust consume, and where thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consume, and where thieves don’t break through and steal; (21) for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
“The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is sound, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You can’t serve both God and Mammon.” (Matthew 6:19-24)