[. . .] and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:11)
Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”
“No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”
Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”
Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing? You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am. And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you. I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. [. . .] So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.” (John 13:1–17, 34 NLT)
As we approach the culmination of the Lenten season, in today’s Gospel reading we find Jesus in one of the humblest scenes of his life outside of the cross. Jesus is literally taking the posture of a servant to wash the feet of his disciples.
Jesus has spent three years with these disciples, teaching them about the upside-down Kingdom of God, performing miracles, showing them how to live as his disciples and friends. The disciples do not know it, but Jesus knows they are gathering for the final meal they will share before his death.
Reading the story of Jesus humbling himself to wash the disciples’ feet seems to fly in the face of Philippians 2:11, where every tongue will declare Jesus Christ is Lord. The man who has humbled himself to the position of a servant to wash feet will be proclaimed as Lord.
Can you imagine what it would have been like to be in that room? Everyone talking and laughing, maybe recounting the events of the past few days, especially Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem, with everyone shouting, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hail to the King of Israel” (John 12:13)! That is the image we humans have when we think of the world declaring Jesus Christ is Lord.
Jesus shows us another way.
I wonder how quickly quietness fell on the group as Jesus took off his outer garment and knelt down with the basin of water. Did others also say something to Jesus as Peter did, or were they so shocked they just watched him move from person to person washing feet?
Take a moment to go back and read the passage again as though you are in the room. Imagine what the experience may have been like for those present.
What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel, both physically and emotionally?
Talk to God about what you have experienced, and ask him to help you learn to love as he has loved us.
Shan Reed is the NAB Director of Mobilization.