Operating Clean

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. John 13:1-11 NIV

Jesus had spent about three years of His incarnation evangelizing His people, the Jews, and recruiting disciples for training in His ministry. Those early years were extremely busy and active, with Jesus presenting His credentials as the Son of God, confirming His Messiahship with miraculous signs and healings, teaching eternal truths by way of Old Testament references and parables, expressing the Word of the Father Who sent Him. I notice that when worldlings quote Jesus and make reference to the person He was (He IS, but they say was), it is that public teacher they always remember. The private, personal, intimate Jesus is the one John shows us in chapters 13-17. This Jesus had some important truths to impart to “His own” before He departed the earth.

Now, in chapter 13 of John’s gospel, we see Jesus as His hour approaches. He took the disciples into private fellowship with Him and began to give them personal, detailed instruction regarding their new relationship with God through Jesus Himself. He loved “his own,” the disciples “to the end,” meaning completely; to the fullest extent.

Judas had been indwelt by Satan and was prepared to betray Jesus. Jesus was prepared to minister to His disciples in an unusual manner, not normally done by a Jewish host. After they had celebrated the meal together, Jesus stripped down to a towel and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples. This was a courtesy normally performed by Gentile slaves, never the Jewish householder. It was a very demeaning chore, considered humiliating, but something customary in the culture of the time.

Peter was appalled that his Lord would stoop to do such a thing, and objected. As always, there was profound meaning in this act of Jesus. He was teaching the need for periodic cleansing from daily sins of the person already wholly purified by the atonement. The imagery was of a man returning to his house from the public baths. He was already bodily washed, but his feet would have been defiled in the walk home. The believer is completely forgiven the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ, but needs continual cleansing from the defilement of sin in the world. Thus, the need for frequent confession of sin to the Father, to remain in fellowship with Him. “Christ cannot have communion with a defiled saint, but He can and will cleanse Him.” (Scofield note on John 13:10). So, no, Peter, you don’t need to be saved all over again, but you do need to come to the Lord and have your feet washed. This is the Church Age version of operating clean from our priesthood, as in Exodus 30:17-21. That rule was for the Aaronic priesthood of Israel. In the Church Age, each believer is a priest.

Jesus knew not every one of them was clean. Judas, the unbeliever in the group, had made his decision to betray the Lord. It was just a matter of timing, and that was coming close.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17

Jesus confirmed to them His authority as their Teacher and Lord. Since He had ministered to them in this humble way, to illustrate the importance of maintaining fellowship, they should continue to minister to one another in the same way. He set the example. The servant is not greater than his master. As the master has done, so also we should do. See to the spiritual and physical needs of our fellow believers. There is blessing in that kind of obedience.

Regarding the servant not being greater than the master: this is a principle we modern believers should keep in mind as we carry the message of Christ in the world. This is what comes to my mind when professing Christians take to the streets and airwaves, shouting and making a public spectacle of themselves, openly challenging those in authority. Jesus did not do this. He took His message of God’s love and grace to the people He was sent to save, without ever defying Caesar or practicing any kind of politics (Isaiah 42:1-3).

Our lifestyle and voting practices reflect our beliefs, if we have beliefs. We are what we think. If we think divine viewpoint, we will produce divine good. If enough of us think divine viewpoint and produce divine good, our political system will reflect what we stand for.

It is enough to be AS our Lord.