Foot Washing - Devotions for 2-28-24

John 13:5 “Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.”

            The story of Jesus washing His disciple’s feet is a well-known story. Jesus was meeting with a group of His followers, including the twelve for Passover. Before the meal was served, Jesus did something totally different for a Jewish Passover celebration, He washed the feet of His disciples. This was very out-of-the-ordinary for a leader or other important person to do, especially at a formal gathering. This was also not the first time Jesus washed someone’s feet.

            When Jesus was growing up in the home of Joseph and Mary in the town of Nazareth, he would have gotten used to washing the feet of other people. He was the eldest son in the family, and as such his parents would have had Jesus wash the feet of family guests who had come to have some formal dinner or meeting in the family home.

            When I was in Israel I went to the town of Nazareth. In that town is the site where the remains of the home that Jesus grew up in are located. There are some steps that lead down into the house and at the bottom of those steps there is a tile floor with one corner being a washbasin. That is the foot-washing basin for people who entered the home of Joseph and Mary. As the eldest son, it would have been his responsibility to greet guests to their home and wash their feet before they came into the rest of the house. Jesus grew up washing people’s feet.

            What Jesus did on the night of His last supper was not the normal way they did foot washings at that time. As shown by the basin in the floor at the entry of the home Jesus grew up in, foot-washings were done at the door when people first arrived. It could be that the disciples already had their feet washed when they arrived for their Passover meal with Jesus, His last supper. It could also be that no one washed their feet when they arrived, the bible doesn’t say which. But either way, it was not normal for the host or guest of honor, to wash anyone’s feet and surely not when they had already been seated.

            In the story of Jesus washing their feet, everyone had already been seated and supper was being served. In verse 2 it says, “During supper” and in verse 4 it says that Jesus “rose from supper” to wash the feet of His disciples. This was not the normal way guests would have had their feet washed. That is why the reaction from His disciples like Peter, who were shocked and tried to refuse it. Peter knew that a servant, or someone lower in status than the guest-of-honor would do this when people first arrived.

            What is the significance of Jesus doing this foot washing? It was done this way, during the meal by Jesus, their leader, to make a significant point. That point was to show the disciples that they should go out from there, after the death and resurrection of Jesus, and become servants, not lords over people. In verse 15 Jesus tells them, “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just I have done to you.”

            We should all consider that we are not that important or great. Not one of us is more important than any other human being. We are to be servants to, not lords over others.

            What does it look like for you to place yourself as the servant of others? Who is God calling you to serve? How can you be to others around you, their servant?

            Those are the questions we should be asking ourselves. How can I become a servant to the people God has placed in my life so that I can help them, or lead them closer to Jesus?

Pastor Gary.