The Meaning of Jesus Washing His Disciples’ Feet

The upper room scene, on the night in which Jesus was betrayed, is the final Passover supper for Jesus and His twelve disciples. The Apostle John records the act of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet, along with Jesus’ teaching, and John’s own commentary (John 13).

Two figures emerge because of their relationship to Jesus. Peter and Judas Iscariot are both in view. Supper has been served and Jesus gets up and performs the menial task of washing His disciples’ feet. The disciples are dumbfounded…except Peter.

The dialogue commences when Jesus is positioned to to wash Peter’s feet. The disciple inquires about the appropriateness of Jesus’ action. Jesus affirmed that Peter did not understand what Jesus was doing. Our Lord assured the outspoken disciple that he would understand at a later point. Peter objected. Jesus’ rebuttal demanded Peter’s submission. Peter acquiesced. Jesus then explained the necessity of His action.

Cleansing and humble service are key ideas when we learn Christ in this teachable moment for the disciples. There is one exception: Simon Iscariot’s son, Judas, the betrayer. We can learn from his unteachable example, too. The natural man is unwilling and unable to submit to the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 2:14).

Many people opposed the Person and work of Jesus Christ, during His earthly ministry and throughout church history. No one exemplifies hostility toward God’s Son like the son of perdition (Jn 17:12). Peter did not understand; Judas did not care.

Jesus washed Judas’ feet, too. The difference is that it did not matter. Foot washing, with water, symbolizes cleansing. Jesus declared His own to be clean. No outward, symbolic gesture could clean a man like Judas Iscariot. In order that all things be fulfilled, Jesus fed Judas (Jn 13:18), and He humbly submitted to God’s providential working of evil — Satan through Judas.

God’s elect people are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (Mt 26:28; Eph 1:7). His blood cleanses us from all sin (1 Jn 1:7). Believers in Jesus are clean before God (Jn 13:10–11); but just as we confess our sins despite being already fully forgiven (1 Jn 1:9), so we submit to the washing of water by the Word…daily (2 Cor 4:16; Eph 5:26).

One who is clean, but who walks in this world, needs a regular “foot washing.” Jesus does this continuing act in those who are already complete in Him (Col 1:28; 2:10). He gives us our daily bread, too. It is God’s Word that feeds and washes the Christian (Ps 34:8).

The Lord’s supper, patterned after the typical Passover supper, was instituted by Jesus as a sacrament, “Do this in remembrance of me…”. We regularly remember and proclaim His death until he comes again. Foot washing was not instituted by Jesus for re-enactment purposes. Baptism and the Lord’s supper are the sacraments pointing to the cross.

Jesus’ washing His disciples’ feet also pointed forward to the cross. It was a preparatory act for Jesus’ disciples to understand Christ’s service in His sacrifice of Himself on the cursed tree (Gal 3:13). They, too, would take up their cross and follow Him (Lk 9:23). Their reliance on Jesus for everything was being taught to them. He who had cleansed them would keep them clean. He who fed them would ensure they would never again hunger or thirst for righteousness. In Him, they would be clean and satisfied, forever.

There is a difference between Peter’s resistance to dependence on Jesus and Judas’s defiant rejection of Him. Like the other chosen disciples, Peter needed to understand the economy they were brought into by following Christ. He had become their Teacher and Lord. They were now slaves of a very benevolent Master. Jesus ruined Judas’ agenda; and Judas turned on his “Master.” Judas serves as a prime example of the five warning passages in the book of Hebrews. Judas is the one who fell away, who did indeed shrink back to destruction (Heb 6:4–6; 10:29–31, 39).

The Christian life is not for everyone. Those who are effectually called to follow Jesus need to learn submissive dependence on the Lord our Provider (Yahweh-Jireh). The whole of Jesus’ life serves as an example to be followed; but like Peter, we all wrestle with what we conceive is right thinking and best practice. God’s ways are higher than our ways (Is 55:9). We must learn His way. Jesus is the way (Jn 14:6); therefore, we must learn Christ (2 Pet 3:18).

We, too, have a Helper and Teacher in this grace of growing in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ (Jn 14:26). Our Guide on this way is the Holy Spirit sent to each elect, redeemed soul who has been appointed to life (Jn 16:13; Acts 13:48). He has caused us to be born of God, spiritually, adopted as a child of God (Jn 3:1–8; Rom 8:15, 23; Eph 1:13; 1 Pet 1:3). The believer’s new life as a new man “in Christ” means that he is both complete (Col 2:10), having been chosen by the immutable God (Rom 11:5–6; Eph 1:4; Col 3:12; 2 Thess 2:13), and yet being fitted for his place in the Temple in the Spirit (Eph 2:20–22).

Being a member of Christ’s body suggests our union with Christ (Head) includes a union with His body of believers. In Christ, we are one (Jn 17). We are Spirit-filled body members who are gifted in diverse ways in order to serve one another no matter how menial the task. The first will be last and the last will be first (Mt 20:16). The greatest among us will be the servant of all (Mk 9:35). God shows no favoritism and neither do we in serving whomever, wherever He has sent us (Acts 1:8).

Judas Iscariot served himself. He was an ambitious man of the world. He was greedy for gain, at the expense of the One who had demonstrated His willingness and ability to provide everything for His own disciples, whom He loved. Judas had been privy to the experience of perfect provision; but as a lover of money, his heart was wrong. Peter was restored again and again. Judas was never permitted access.

Clean feet are mere vanity for the man with a filthy heart (Jer 17:9). God alone circumcises the heart to make it clean (Dt 10:16; Rom 2:29). The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19), those whom He has chosen in Christ Jesus from the foundation of the world (Rom 11:5–6; 2 Thess 2:13). Christians learn that God is willing and doing His good pleasure in each believer (Phil 2:13). We trust Him to direct our steps…with clean feet.

David Norczyk

Spokane Valley, Washington

March 22, 2024

John 13:5–11