To wash the disciples’ feet

He rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.  – John 13.4-5

There is so much to learn in the upper room that it would take volumes to explain it all. It is a good thing therefore that these are only ‘reflections’ and not expositions.

One aspect of this event has always intrigued, challenged, and convicted me. I have chosen to break it into two parts and examine it from those two angles.

First, just a little bit of cultural background for us to consider. In Jesus’ day the main means of transport was by foot. People did not wear closed in shoes. They wore small sandals that basically did nothing more than protect the bottom of the feet. The streets were not paved. They were dusty and dirty. They were the same streets that animals walked down and therefore had all the stuff that comes along with animals. Obviously it didn’t take long for people’s feet to become filthy.

Because they reclined at dinner the need to wash their feet was obvious. No one wanted to eat with road smells in their face. Normally a servant was assigned to wash visitors' feet. It was one of the lowest jobs possible. If there were not servants the woman of the house would take on the task. I can’t see how anyone would have enjoyed that job.

But when Jesus and the disciples sat down to what we now call the ‘Last Supper’ they were in a hired room. There were no servants and no hosts. Who was going to do the foot washing job? I guess each one could have washed their own feet, but it looks like they would rather just go with dirty feet than to do even that much of a dirty job. None of them volunteered to wash all their feet either.  

So suddenly Jesus stood up, grabbed the feet washing towel, wrapped it around His waist, gathered up the basin used to wash feet, and started in at washing their feet. One of the most surprising things here is that several of the men let Him do it! I can’t even imagine that. I can’t imagine sitting there while my Teacher and the one I had put my faith in started washing my feet. Here I can understand Peter’s response, ‘Lord, you are not going to wash my feet!’ (There is a whole ‘nother story here but we’ll leave that one this time through.)

What sticks out to me this time through is the servant Saviour. Paul wrote of this with he later said that Jesus ‘took on the form of a servant.’ My Saviour cared enough that He washed the disciple’s feet. Theological implications aside, this was a an amazing act. The God who created the world was wiping animal dung from the feet of sinners.

Wow! What a Saviour.