By: The Rt. Rev Derek Jones
Jesus, throughout his ministry, wanted His disciples to grasp that, in God’s kingdom, the servant is greatest. In Mark 10:45, Jesus was already teaching them this point by stating that He did not come to be served, but to serve. Isaiah prophesized that Jesus would be the “suffering servant.” In John 13, we read that Jesus knew His earthly ministry was coming to a close. It was time for the Passover Feast and Jesus was about to give His disciples a picture of His love for them. Judas already has in his mind to betray Jesus and Jesus knows this. But Jesus also knew that God’s power is best revealed in submission. So, Jesus rose, wrapped a towel around His waist just as a servant would, poured water into a basin, and began to wash their feet. Simon Peter is disturbed by what he sees. While scripture doesn’t reveal other’s reactions, we somehow sense an overall uneasiness about the whole scene.
Jesus – Messiah, King of kings, and Lord of lords – is washing the feet of the one who would betray Him, the one who was indignant and would later deny Him, the brothers who believed they should sit beside Him in His kingdom, and even the one who would doubt His resurrection. When it was all done, scripture tells us that Jesus asked them one question, “Do you understand what I have done for you?”
The pragmatist would simply say, ‘Yeah, you just washed my feet.” But there is no room for pragmatism because Jesus goes on to make clear His message that the disciples were not to consider themselves better than anyone else (“…you ought also to wash one another’s feet.”) and that they are to submit themselves to God (“…a servant is not greater than his master”).
I suspect that for those who have been part of a foot-washing service, the very memory of the event can cause a similar uneasiness. Why is this? And, by the way, which is more difficult for you – to have your feet washed, or to do the washing? Each requires a different type of submission – one active and one passive. I think at least one conclusion that we can make is that it is in submission of our lives wholly to God, that true meaning and purpose for life can be discovered and lived. Jesus came to earth to serve God so that by His death and resurrection, God’s creation, humanity, would be served. It is intuitive then that 1humanity is best served when we submit our lives to God.