Last week we considered Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet. You might have pictured her washing the Lord’s feet before she anointed them with her spikenard. But that washing took place on an earlier occasion (Luke 7). An infamously sinful woman “stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet…” before anointing them with some unspecified ointment. To that woman Jesus said, “Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.” Mary was already a child of God. And her anointing was only a few hours before the Lord turned the tables and washed feet of His disciples. Other than the involvement of feet and the Saviour, these three events aren’t directly related.
Some of you may be guessing that this message is going to be primarily about the humble Lord Jesus. And others may be thinking that I’m going to go on and talk about the debatable ordinance of foot washing. Neither. This is Sunday morning. I’m going to try to share with you the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.
But first we have to set the stage. This is a part of the Lord’s last evening with His closest disciples; it is just prior to going to Gethsemane. This precedes Jesus’ “Upper Room Discourse,” which is so very precious to us all. “Let not your heart be troubled, ye believe in God, believe also in me.” “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “I am the vine, ye are the branches…” “These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.” As I say, this foot-cleansing takes place not long before the “Upper Room Discourse” – and the betrayal.
As John describes this astonishing event, he prefaces it with a couple Holy Spirit inspired editorial comments. Together they seem confused and jumbled, but separating them, each can stand on its own. In verses 1 and 3 – John reminds us that Jesus knew that His crucifixion was only a short way off. He was soon to return to His Heavenly Father to receive the glory they shared before His incarnation. And then John says – Christ “loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” This a rich and powerful – simple – statement: “Jesus loves us, this I know. For the Bible tells us so.” He loved us before we loved Him. And His love is eternal. It began in eternity past and will neither end nor diminish. But, Christ’s love may fall on one person differently than another, and that is confusing. Furthermore as Austin reminded us a few weeks ago, Judas Iscariot was present at this foot washing. Jesus loved Judas enough to wash his feet. Christ loved Judas, even though it was not enough to divert the man from his diabolical plan. Christ loved Judas, even though it didn’t result in his salvation. And certainly Judas didn’t reciprocate that love. It appears that even during the foot washing, the Satanic plan to betray Christ was percolating in his heart.
At some point, Jesus pushed Himself up from the floor and prepared Himself to become a servant.
Why did He do this? What prompted this rather embarrassing thing? Was this foot-washing the fulfilment of some ancient prophecy? It had to be done? Not to my knowledge. Did this washing of filthy feet come out of the blue, or did something happen to provoke it? Some religious person might say that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet because He was preparing them to hear the command that they must wash other peoples’ feet. That is possible I suppose, but there was no real command: “Ye also OUGHT to wash one another’s feet.” Yes, what Jesus did might have been an introduction, but it could have been the intro another lesson. And some other reader of this event might say that Jesus did this in order to PROVOKE Peter. That is a disgusting idea, bordering on blasphemy. As we shall see, there was sin in Peter’s second statement. And James tells us, “Let man so say when his is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.” Neither God the Father, nor God the Son are in the provoking business – especially toward sin.
Perhaps – just perhaps – the reason for this foot-washing lays in Luke’s perspective of the entire evening. He tells us that at some point, once again “there was a strife among them, which of (the disciples) should be accounted the greatest.” Christ had once again spoken of His coming kingdom, and the disciples, once again, started their petty quarreling about positions of honor in that upcoming kingdom. It doesn’t take much to provoke children to argue, and that’s what we see in these disciples. I will not be dogmatic, but it could be that our Lord Jesus, hearing this quarreling, took action to stop it.
“He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself.” In my imagination, I hear the men’s contentious voices squabbling about the future, but then out of the corner of their eye, they see the Saviour rise from the table. Quickly, they grow quiet. What is going on here? What is the Master doing? Is this the first time that they have seen Jesus take off His outer garment like this? This is CERTAINLY the first time they have seen Him wrap a towel around His waste, looking like a servant Into a basin He pours some water then he goes to around to the man at the end of the table, and proceeds to dip a hand into the water, rub it over that foot and then dry it with the towel around His waste. The men are absolutely silent; totally flabbergasted at what they are seeing. While they had been arguing about honor and position, their Master has become their servant – lowly servant. When that first disciple’s feet are cleaned and polished, Jesus moves on to a second and then a third. I picture an ongoing awe-filled silence.
But then the Lord Jesus comes to Peter. And Peter, being Peter, just as Mary was Mary and Martha was Martha last week, Peter can’t keep his mouth shut. “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?” I’ll come back to this in a moment, but at this point I’ll ask: What do you think was Peter’s tone and intention? Whatever it was, the Lord offers no rebuke; no immediate instruction. There is just a bit of direction. “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” “Let me finish, Peter, and I’ll explain.” If Peter had just stopped to let Jesus continue, the moment might have been quite beautiful. But Peter didn’t stop. I picture him pulling his feet up under himself and away from Jesus’ basin of water. “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Whatever Peter’s tone and attitude had been in his first statement, this is the antithesis. In the first sentence there was reverence and respect, but the second is nothing but disrespect and rudeness.
I read Jesus’ next words as a sharp reproof; maybe you hear kindness and pity, but I hear a degree of anger. “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” Christ says, “Here you are debating with your brethren about who will be more honored in my kingdom. But the truth is, if you will not let me wash your feet, you may not even see the kingdom of God.” “If I don’t wash you, you are not one of mine.” At that point the pendulum named “Peter,” swings violently in the other direction. “Master, I’m so sorry.” “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.”
Now, let’s compare Peter’s two statements along with Christ’ replies.
The first thing Peter says is – “Lord, dost THOU wash my feet?” He may not have been thinking of the word “Lord,” as Paul sometimes did, or as the Old Testament does. He may have been thinking of “Master” instead of “Jehovah,” but I’ll not fault him for that. Christ Jesus is both Lord and Master – He is the almighty God, and as such He is our respected employer. He is the King of kings, the Lord of lords and the pastor of this small flock of Christian sheep. Either way, Peter seems to be saying, “Lord Jesus, YOU should not be the one to wash my feet.” This disciple, at this point, has both Christ and himself in their proper places.
And who is this Lord Jesus? Christ Jesus is the Second Person of the Trinue God, the Creator of Heaven and earth. This is the eternal One who spoke face-to-face with Abraham and Moses. He is the forever “I am.” He is the Law-giver who shook Mt. Sinai. He is the “anointed of God” – the promised Messiah – “THAT prophet who should come.” He will sit on David’s throne during the Millennial Kingdom, ruling and reigning in absolute righteousness. He created food out of nearly nothing, and He restored life where there had previously been death. He healed the blind and was not afraid to touch the leper in order to cure him. He is the only person ever to go into battle with Satan and come out totally victorious. Whether or not Peter fully grasped these things, he still had a rudimentary recognition of Christ’s dignity. “Lord, YOU of all people should NOT be washing filthy feet – especially mine.”
For a moment Peter also remembers who HE is. “Lord, dost thou wash MY feet?” “My feet in particular should not touched by your holy hands, let alone be blessed by them.” Peter is correct – none of us are worthy of the least of Christ’s blessings and grace. The knowledge of that fact should have us all asking “Lord, dost thou wash my feet?”
“Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” It seems to me there are three yet-to-be-learned lessons coming out of this foot-washing. The most natural one is explained in verse 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.” “Peter, you and your brethren are arguing about your own worth and position. All of you need more humility; you need to learn how to be good servants. Look at me. Look at your Master and learn.”
But there is something else laying behind things. In order for our hearts and our souls to be clean it is necessary that God do the cleansing. Peter’s feet are just the fleshly illustration of the divine salvation of the soul. The Lord says, “I’ve been trying to tell you all about this, but the Son of God must become your Saviour, or you will not be saved. You may not understand this as yet, but you will.” “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.”
The third lesson is more related to Peter’s second statement. He said, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” It is not only necessary to hear what Peter says, but it is important to hear what he didn’t say. There isn’t a preface to this statement like there was to the first. There is no, “LORD, thou shalt never wash my feet.” And this time the emphasis isn’t on either of the pronouns – “thou” or “my.” In this sentence Peter emphasizes,“Thou shalt NEVER wash my feet.” And the impact is – “I don’t care who you are, you shall never – ever – wash my feet.”
The difference between Peter’s first statement and his second is like night and day. In the first, he recognizes Christ’s Lordship and his own unworthiness. There is a humility to it. But in this second statement there is an ugly pride coupled to a flat rebellion against Jesus’ authority. As righteous as Peter may have thought his reply to be, it was wretchedly wicked. In essence he was repeating what millions, who are now in Hell, have said. “Christ Jesus, I don’t care what you say, my opinion supercedes yours. My choice of foot-washing is more important than yours. Even while you hold that basin of water at my feet – I remind you that you are too holy to wash me. If you want to be my cleanser – if you want to be my Saviour – it’ll be over my dead body.”
How does all this apply to salvation?
We begin with verse 4 – Jesus “riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel and girded himself.” Notice that He removed His outer garment. Was this the seamless robe which was so valuable that the soldiers gambled with each other to possess it? I don’t see why not. But that was not the only seamless, glorious garment the Son of God laid aside. In John 17, during the Lord’s prayer, Jesus lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.” “Father, restore to me the inexpressible, shekinah glory in which I was enrobed in eternity past.” Paul tells us in Philippians 2 – “Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and TOOK UPON HIM the form of a SERVANT, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he HUMBLED himself, and became OBEDIENT unto death, even the death of the cross.” “He left the splendor of Heaven – Knowing His destiny – Was the lonely hill of Golgotha – There to lay down his life for me.” If Peter is going to deny Christ the honor of this relatively small humiliation, what does that say about his attitude toward the condescension of Christ in coming to the earth in the first place? And if Peter thinks this foot-washing is too menial for the Son of God, what is he going to think when Christ is hanging naked on the cross?
When Christ Jesus removed His beautiful seamless robe that evening, he became a servant of MEN. And when He willingly removed His Heavenly glory to become incarnate, He became the servant of GOD in the great work of redemption. When the Son of God was born there in Bethlehem, He wrapped a servant’s towel around His waist. “And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us.” “Lord, dost THOU wash my feet?” “Yes, Peter there is no other way for those feet to be properly clean before God, except by me.”
You and I may have been taught well enough to begin to understand the extent of Christ’s condescension. Maybe we used to be shocked to think it took a sacrifice of this depth to deliver us. But was the only way. Ask Peter’s question if you must. “Lord, dost THOU wash my feet?” And even if you don’t understand the Lord’s answer: “What I do thou knowest not now…” Be assured that “hereafter thou shalt know.” In the mean time, the only thing the Lord asks you to do is to extend those feet of yours. Stick them out there for the Lord to wash them. Don’t hold them back and fold them under you. Don’t try to clean them first, thinking He’ll be more apt to clean them if they are already clean. That won’t help. In fact that is almost blasphemous. Let the Lord do what He intends to do. Surrender to Him. Surrender to His gracious offer.
Sadly, that was not all Peter said. He added “Thou shalt NEVER wash my feet.” Here is the Saviour offering to cleanse sinful Peter, but the man refuses. He might have said, “I’ll die before I permit you to wash me.” “If I think my feet are dirty enough, I’ll wash them myself. But you aren’t going to wash them.” “Thou shalt NEVER wash my feet.” But says Christ, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.” If we will have no part with Christ, He will have no part with us. And the reverse is also true: If Christ has no part with us, we will have nothing at all.
Here is the crux of the matter: There are millions of religious people – professed disciples – who refuse to permit the Saviour to wash them. In their proud humility, some of them say they are not worthy of the humble service of the Saviour. Which, while it is absolutely true, it doesn’t change the offer that Christ has made. And it doesn’t change the fact that only Christ has the authority to wash souls and forgive sin. Then there are others who seem to think they can wash themselves. “I don’t need the water of life to wash my feet. There is plenty of water in this sewer – in this baptistry – in this mud puddle – to wash my feet.”
My friend, if you refuse the salvation and cleansing which Christ offers, you will never be clean before God. “Neither is there this kind of foot-washing in any other.” “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby ye must be saved.” I beg of you, extend your feet to the Saviour. Give your heart to Him for cleansing. Repent before God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.