The action of the Lord in John 13 is very precious and significant, for it sets Jesus before the heart in the present activities of His love for His own. What Peter at the moment did not understand, we do understand by the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us follow this action of the Lord in the simple and touching way in which it unfolds itself.
The hour was come for Jesus to “depart out of this world unto the Father.” Those He so loved, He would have to leave behind Him in the world, but they would still be the objects of His love. “He loved them unto the end.” He also knew that all their blessing depended on Himself. He knew that “the Father had given all things into His hands.”
Fellowship With Him
His labor of love for them in redemption was soon to be completed. The supper was the witness of it. But this was only part of what was given into His hands; another part remained. “He was come from God, and went to God.” He must bring them to God also—bring them into that fellowship and glory into which He was Himself about to enter.
He had just set before them the abiding memorial of His dying love. Whenever they saw that broken bread and poured out wine, they would think of that love. But how should He make them realize their association with Himself in the place He was about to take for them? “He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded” (vss. 4-5).
What a sight for their wondering eyes! They saw the Lord, whose power they had witnessed so often, and the One whom they knew to be “the Christ, the Son of the living God,” stoop to wash their feet. Well might Peter call out, “Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?” Peter loved his Lord, but he knew little at that time of the mystery of that love which had come down to serve him. Little did he know how low that love would have to stoop and how constant the service of that love would have to be.
Understanding
The Lord tells him this: “What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.” But this was not enough for that ardent heart; therefore he exclaims, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.” Here Peter, through mistaken zeal for the Lord’s own honor, would have stood between the Lord and his own blessing, so the Lord merely tells him, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me,” that is, he would not enjoy communion with Christ in the heavenly blessedness in which He was about to enter.
Only by the washing of their feet could Jesus have His own, while in the world, enjoy fellowship with Himself in heaven. From the glory Jesus would serve them ceaselessly in that way, and thus, in company with the supper, He gives His disciples this precious presentation of Himself as the girded servant washing their feet with water. In realizing His ceaseless service for them, they would enjoy His presence and share in His own joys.
State and Standing
Peter, in eagerness to possess himself fully of the blessing proposed in the Lord’s words, replies, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” His desire was that not only his feet might be clean, but his whole person fitted for association with his Savior. He had the consciousness not merely that his feet needed washing, but that his whole nature and being required cleansing. Occupied with his own feelings, he was in ignorance of the work of grace that had already been wrought by the Lord. He was confusing standing with state.
Peter’s reply becomes the occasion for the Lord to state plainly this difference: “He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean.” One whose body is washed all over (or bathed) needs only to cleanse his feet during the day, for where sandals only are used, the feet become defiled with walking. The spiritual significance of the Lord’s reply to Peter is very plain. As to the washing of the person, the disciples were clean. They were already possessed of a new life and standing before God. “Born of water and of the Spirit,” they possessed a “divine” nature which had fitted them once and forever, as to their persons, for God’s presence. But in order to enjoy practically this fellowship, they needed to have their feet washed from the defilements contracted in their walk through an evil world. This would be done not by the application of the Word to their persons, but by the application of the Word by the Spirit to their hearts and consciences, so that they would practically judge and separate themselves from that in their thoughts and walk which was inconsistent with the nature and character of God. Thus they would be enabled to have part with Jesus in the heavenly blessedness into which, as man, He had entered for them.
Washing by Water
We would note here that it is not with blood that either the person or the feet are washed. In both cases it is “the washing of water by the Word” (Eph. 5:2626That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, (Ephesians 5:26)). In the one case it is for standing — a once completed act that cannot be repeated. In the other, it is for state, which, being a question of communion or enjoyment, would need to be repeated as often as any defilement in the walk was contracted.
A reference to the typical consecration of the priesthood in connection with the laver, of which this is clearly the blessed antitype, will make this clear. We read in Exodus 29:44And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. (Exodus 29:4), “Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.”
Preparation for Ministry
Their standing as priests was complete, but their practical ability to enter the holy place and minister at the altar before the Lord depended upon the daily use of the laver, as described in Exodus 30:19-2119For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: 20When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: 21So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. (Exodus 30:19‑21): “Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat: when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: so shall they wash their hands and their feet, that they die not.” At their assumption of the priests’ office, there was the washing of their persons at the time of consecration; when they exercised their office practically, there was the washing of their hands and feet at the laver on every occasion of service.
Christ’s Present Service
The present living service of Jesus from the glory separates “His own which were in the world,” through the action of the Word on their consciences, from defilement which they have contracted in their walk. Thus they may have part with Him in the service and worship of God, as priests with Himself inside the holiest.
Christ is the One who applies the water; believers do not wash their own feet. He does it for them. It is according to His knowledge of what suits the presence of God that He washes their feet. Christ does, however, give us the privilege of washing one another’s feet, for He says, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:1414If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. (John 13:14)). This action, in love and intelligence, is all from Himself. When we are restored to communion and power for service when it has been lost through carelessness, we know who has restored us. Unhappy when out of communion, we feel that our feet lack washing; we look to Jesus and find Him at our feet, washing them; we realize His grace in this action, and again our hearts are happy; we have “part” with Him.
Christian Truth (adapted)