John 13 Devotional: Witness Jesus washing the disciples' feet and the giving of the New Commandment. Explore the humility of the Savior and the call for the Church to be defined by a radical, servant-hearted love for one another.Â
Dear brothers and sisters, peace in Christ. Welcome to John 13. We have moved into the "Upper Room," leaving the public ministry of Jesus behind to enter into His most intimate final hours with His disciples. Today, we see the King of Glory wrap a towel around His waist and kneel in the dust. Let us prepare to be washed by His Word and challenged by His example.Â
The Basin, the Towel, and the New Commandment
John 13 marks a dramatic shift in the Gospel of John. Knowing that His hour had come to depart this world and return to the Father, Jesus demonstrates the full extent of His love. In a shocking act of humility, He performs the work of the lowest slave by washing the feet of His disciplesâincluding Judas, who would soon betray Him. Following this, He identifies His betrayer, predicts Peterâs denial, and issues a "New Commandment": that His followers must love one another just as He has loved them.
What can we learn from this today? In this chapter, we see the perfect nature of Christ. As your Statement of Faith affirms, Jesus is fully God and fully man. Though He knew "that the Father had put all things under his power," He used that power not to demand service, but to give it. This is the heart of the Universal Church (Article 8). We are not a club of the elite, but a body of servants. Jesus shows us that leadership in His Kingdom is found at the bottom, not the top. He also reminds us that our primary witness to a watching world is not our arguments or our buildings, but our love for one another. To follow Jesus is to be willing to "wash the feet" of those around us, serving even when it is difficult or undeserved.
13 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now 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 was come from God, and went to God;
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.
18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.
19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.
21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake.
23 Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake.
25 He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it?
26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him.
29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor.
30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
31 Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
32 If God be glorified in him, God shall also glorify him in himself, and shall straightway glorify him.
33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
36 Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, whither goest thou? Jesus answered him, Whither I go, thou canst not follow me now; but thou shalt follow me afterwards.
37 Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake.
38 Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice.
Jesus said, "Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one anotherâs feet." As we turn to prayer, let us ask for a heart that is willing to serve as He served.Â
Dear Heavenly Father, We praise You for the humility of Your Son, Jesus Christ. We believe that He is the sovereign Lord of all, yet we see Him today kneeling in the dirt to wash the feet of His followers. Thank You for a Savior who does not stay distant, but who enters into our mess to make us clean. We believe that His life and His Word are our final authority.
Lord, I ask that You would kill the pride in my heart today. Forgive me for the times I have sought to be served rather than to serve. Holy Spirit, empower me to love othersânot with a worldly love, but with the sacrificial love of Christ. Give me the strength to show kindness even to those who might betray or fail me. May the "New Commandment" be written on my heart so that my life becomes a testimony of Your grace.
We pray for our local church and the universal Church, that we would be known globally by our love for one another. We lift up those in our community who feel overlooked and "unclean"; may they encounter Your love through our hands and feet. We pray for a world that is fractured by pride and division; may the image of the King with a towel be a light that leads many to repentance and faith. Grant us the grace to follow Your example, seeking not our own glory, but Yours alone. Amen.
Jesus washed the feet of those who would soon fail Him, desert Him, and betray Him. Is there someone in your life who has "failed" you, whom God is calling you to serve or show grace to today?Â
Why did Peter initially refuse to have his feet washed? In that culture, foot washing was the job of the lowest servant. Peterâs refusal was a mix of pride and a misunderstanding of Jesus' mission; he couldn't grasp that the Messiah had to become a servant to save us.
What did Jesus mean by "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet"? This is a beautiful picture of salvation. The "bath" represents the once-for-all justification we receive through faith (Article 6), while "washing the feet" represents the ongoing confession and cleansing from the daily sins we commit as we walk through the world.
What makes the "New Commandment" new? The Old Testament commanded people to "love your neighbor as yourself." The new standard is higher: "love one another as I have loved you." It is a love based on the sacrificial, unconditional example of Jesus.
Thank you for joining us for this intimate study of John 13. May you go out today with a towel and a basin, looking for ways to reflect the love of our Savior. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow as we explore the comfort and promises of John Chapter 14.Â
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