On Maundy Thursday, it is traditional to focus on the account of Jesus washing the disciples\u2019 feet in John 13\u201d\u201dand possibly to re-enact this within a service. But in rushing to the final example, we miss the most important lesson, which comes in the middle, rather than at the end, of the passage.
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\nBut the key turning point is the puzzling interaction with Peter in the middle of the episode:<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d\u009d said Peter, \u201cyou shall never wash my feet.\u201d\u009d Jesus answered, \u201cUnless I wash you, you have no part with me.\u201d\u009d \u201cThen, Lord,\u201d\u009d Simon Peter replied, \u201cnot just my feet but my hands and my head as well!\u201d\u009d Jesus answered, \u201cThose 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.\u201d\u009d John 13.8\u201d\u201c10)<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Once again, typical of John, Jesus is speaking metaphorically, whilst Peter is taking him literally, just as Nicodemus and others have done before (John 3.4). And, again typically, Peter doesn\u2019t understand now, but will later\u201d\u201dafter the resurrection and the giving of the Spirit, who will lead them into all truth about Jesus\u2019 meaning. The language of \u201d\u02dchaving a bath\u2019 is similar to the common practice of bathing before a meal. But it has particular resonance with Jewish ritual washing, in a mikveh, which was then adapted to the Christian practice of baptism. Jesus is then contrasting the once-for-all act of baptism and the gift of salvation with the ongoing need to have Jesus serve us in the resource and equipping we need. In fact, unless we allow Jesus to wash our feet, we cannot wash the feet of others.<\/p>\n
Christian discipleship is not simply about being nice to others and caring for them, important though that is (see 1 Tim 5.10) and despite what some politicians have claimed. It is, in the first instance, about allowing Jesus to serve us and wash our feet\u201d\u201dgiving us the spiritual provision we need day by day, above and beyond the service he gives in offering his life for our salvation.<\/p>\n
We cannot pray without his empowering us in prayer; we cannot grow in holiness without his forming holiness in us; we cannot lead others to faith without the working of his Spirit; we cannot serve others without the service he offers to us first.<\/p>\n
Giving service to others is a hard lesson in our selfish world. But receiving service from others\u201d\u201dand in particular from Jesus, day by day\u201d\u201dis the hardest lesson of all in our competitive, self-sufficient world.<\/p>\n