Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet

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Jesus washed his disciples' feet during the last supper. John was the only gospel writer who wrote that account (John 13: 1-17). Perhaps, he wanted to share how special it was. The other gospel writers focused on writing the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine. 

The last supper happened after the triumphant entry of Jesus in Jerusalem. Jesus timed his entry before the Passover feast. A huge crowd came to greet him. A majority of them followed Jesus from Bethany where Lazarus rose from the dead.

As Jesus entered Jerusalem, he rode on a donkey and the crowd waved palm branches and shouted (John 12:13), 'Hosanna!' 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!' 'Blessed is the King of Israel!'

Surely, the disciples puffed up with pride when they saw the huge crowd shouting praises at their Master. Perhaps, they assumed that Jesus would become the religious/political leader of Israel driven by the wish of the people and the intervention of God.

Inside Jerusalem, Jesus told some disciples to book a dining room where they would spend their last dinner together.  When they settled at the upper dining room, various scenes happened that night. 

Jesus knew that Judas would betray him. Earlier, Judas had already conspired with the Pharisees. It was just a matter of time that Jesus would be arrested. At the dining table, Jesus told Judas to do what he had to do. The disciples were clueless about it and thought that Judas went out on an errand.

Jesus knew that Peter would betray him three times. He knew that his disciples would scatter once he was arrested. He knew that his time on earth would end and that he will go back to the Father. Thus, the breaking of the bread and drinking of wine to remember him by happened.

Jesus also left behind teachings to his disciples like his new commandment; the vine and the branches; and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Amusingly, the disciples argued among themselves who will be the first in the kingdom of God.

In one instance, probably at the start of dinner, Jesus shocked his disciples. He stood up, took off his upper clothes, tied a towel around his waist. He then took a basin filled with water, knelt down, and started washing  and drying his disciples' feet. 

Peter tried to stop Jesus from washing his feet. Jesus replied that if Peter will not allow him to wash his feet, Peter will have no part in him. Peter finally agreed to the washing.

The other disciples were, perhaps, embarrased and confused. Earlier that day, the crowed praised Jesus as their king. That evening, their master and teacher  knelt before them and performed an act done by the lowest servant. 

It was the custom of that period in Jewish households that servants would wash the feet of guests or strangers entering the house. The feet needed to be cleaned because they all wore sandals and the roads were either dusty or muddy. 

I suspect that the disciples squirmed uncomfortably as they sat on the floor while Jesus washed their feet. But the act surely melted their heart because it showed Jesus' caring and humble side.

As I reflect on the washing of the disciples' feet, most of us relate it, me included, to how a leader-servant should be.  But as I further dived into it, it also represented Jesus' mission on earth - the washing of our sins. 

The feet is an important part of our body, though it is located at the lowest part of our anatomy. They allow us to go to different places. A journey, if you might call it. 

Our lifetime is a journey and our feet carry us to paths between good and bad. The bad path is our sins and idols. If we choose that path, it will make, not only our feet dirty, but the rest of us dirty. That will include our souls soiled by sins or idols that will reek of guilt and anxiety.

Jesus taught us, through the Bible, to choose the right path. Our feet bring us to that path. But if we end up losing our way and soiling our souls, we can redeem ourselves. We only need to seek our way back to him, repent and sin no more. Jesus would be glad to clean not just our feet that led us astray but our souls as well.




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