Many miracles have been recorded and many that have testified of the power of God to transform their lives through Jesus Christ, yet some still refuse to believe as it says in John 12:38 “Lord, who has believed our message?”. And some who have believed, have fallen short as in John 12:42–43 “they did not confess it, … For they loved the praise of men more than praise from God”. Jesus came to reveal the will of God, and he says in John 12:47b “For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world” and in John 12:50 “And I know that his commandment is eternal life”. And as Jesus nears the end of his time he focuses on his disciples and performs a symbolic act, he washes their feet and tells them in John 13:14 “you also ought to wash one another’s feet”. The world is tough, and we ought to love one another by helping each other stay clean, just as Jesus demonstrated with his disciples and as Jesus said in John 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples—if you have love for one another.”
The King of Israel!
John 12:12–19
Unless a Grain of Wheat Falls Into the Earth and Dies
John 12:20–26
Father, Deliver Me From This Hour
Lord, Who Has Believed Our Message
John 12:37–43
Jesus performed many miracles and yet there were those that did not believe in
John 12:37 But as many signs as he had performed before them, they did not believe in him,
yet this was prophesied by Isaiah who, in John 12:41 “saw his glory” and declared the desire of God, that they would “turn, and I heal them” in
John 12:38b–40 “Lord, who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” 39 For this reason they were not able to believe, because again Isaiah said, 40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, lest they see with their eyes and understand with their hearts and turn, and I heal them.”
but even some of those that believed, fell short because in
John 12:42–43 Yet despite that, even many of the rulers believed in him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be expelled from the synagogue. 43 For they loved the praise of men more than praise from God.
Salvation is not just believing, it is life turned toward God in John 12:40, it is believing and confessing in
Romans 10:9–10 that if you confess with your mouth “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses, resulting in salvation.
His Commandment is Eternal Life
John 12:44–50
Jesus always did the will of the Father as he says in
John 5:30 I am able to do nothing from myself. Just as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will, but the will of the one who sent me.
so he was able to say things like
John 10:30 The Father and I are one.
John 12:44–45 But Jesus cried out and said, “The one who believes in me does not believe in me, but in the one who sent me, 45 and the one who sees me sees the one who sent me.
John 14:9 Jesus said to him, “Am I with you so long a time and you have not known me, Philip? The one who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father?’
So when we hear what Jesus has to say and when we see what Jesus did, we know the will of the Father. And, the will of the Father is not as some have said, to condemn the world. The will of the Father is what Jesus said in
John 12:47b For I have not come to judge the world, but to save the world.
and Jesus came, not only to save from sin and death in the world but to grant us eternal life with him in
John 12:50 And I know that his commandment is eternal life. So the things that I say, just as the Father said to me, thus I say.”
He Began to Wash the Feet of the Disciples
John 13:1–11
As Jesus is coming to the time of Passover, the time when he would become the sacrificial lamb for the world, many focus on the betrayal and what Judas was about to do. But Jesus was focused on his disciples in
John 13:1 Now before the feast of Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come that he would depart from this world to the Father, and having loved his own in the world, loved them to the end.
John chooses to underscore that love by an act of service that Jesus performed in
John 13:4–5 he got up from the dinner and took off his outer clothing, and taking a towel, tied it around himself. 5 Then he poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them dry with the towel which he had tied around himself.
This washing of feet is not something we practice or maybe even understand, but “Where the soil is dry and dusty and sandals or similar footwear is worn, frequent washing of the feet is not only a luxury, but a necessity for comfort and health … it’s great hospitality and consideration to see that the feet of guests are washed with cool water … Genesis 24:32 … Genesis 43:24 … Luke 7:44”.1
but washing would normally be done before the meal and in preparation for it. Here, Jesus is using this act of washing their feet to make a different point. As John said, Jesus is loving them and he is instructing them for the time after he will be taken.
First, Jesus humbles himself because “Just before this, John tells us that Jesus has been given all things by God the Father: He possesses the entire universe (v. 3). Here, Jesus strips Himself of what is likely His only possession on earth and only identification as a rabbi (rabbis were often recognized by their robes) (to) wash the feet … an act that only slaves performed.”2
Second, Jesus told them “to wash one another’s feet” in
John 13:13–14 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, for I am. 14 If then I—your Lord and Teacher—wash your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
They would continue in the world and our feet represent our contact with the world. We are continually dirtied by it and we must continually cleanse ourselves. But it goes further than this. If you see your brother or sister is soiled by the world, it is our role to humbly cleanse them.
Third, Jesus told them to “receive anyone I send” in
John 13:20 Truly, truly I say to you, the one who receives anyone I send receives me, and the one who receives me receives the one who sent me.”
There is hospitality that we are to extend to those that are called into God’s kingdom. This does not mean that we are to abuse ourselves to the benefit of others, it is that we are to in
2 Corinthians 9:7–8 Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or from compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to cause all grace to abound to you, so that in everything at all times, because you have enough of everything, you may overflow in every good work.
You Also Ought to Wash One Another’s Feet
John 13:12–20
Study Verses
- John 12:37–43 Lord, Who Has Believed Our Message
- John 12:44–50 His Commandment is Eternal Life
- John 13:1–11 He Began to Wash the Feet of the Disciples
Today’s Reading
- John 12:12-50
- John 13:1-20
References
- 1. Freeman, J. M., & Chadwick, H. J. (1998). Manners & customs of the Bible (p. 25). North Brunswick, NJ: Bridge-Logos Publishers.
- 2. Barry, J. D., Mangum, D., Brown, D. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Ritzema, E., … Bomar, D. (2012, 2016). Faithlife Study Bible (Jn 13:4–5). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.