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Response
A recurring theme in the writings of the apostle John is the love of God exemplified in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. When John sets the stage for the moment when Jesus humbly washes the feet of His disciples, he emphasizes the depth of Christ’s love: “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” «Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. », (John 13:1).
John underscores that Jesus loved His disciples to the fullest. “His own” referred to the disciples. Jesus shared a private and deeply intimate farewell meal with His closest followers. Aware that His death and departure were imminent, He aimed to convey a lasting message—an illustrative lesson—that would endure. The lesson commenced with the humble act of washing their feet, marking just the beginning.
In the original Greek text, the phrase translated as “to the end” conveys the meaning of “to the full extent; to the limit; to the uttermost.” Jesus would not only display the full extent of His love through the humble act of washing the disciples’ feet but also through His patience with Judas and His forgiveness of His disciples’ betrayal and abandonment following His arrest. Christ’s demonstrations of love would ultimately extend to the utmost limits through His sacrificial death on the cross.
John clarifies that despite knowing Judas’ intention to betray Him, Jesus still got up from the table and proceeded to wash all the disciples’ feet (John 13:2-5). With grace and compassion, J.Jesus gave Judas numerous opportunities to repent and come back to Him.
It is crucial to comprehend that the humble act of washing feet, typically done by a master for his servants, was unprecedented in first-century society. Jesus introduced a profound lesson that would leave a lasting impact. Despite being their Sovereign Lord, Christ assumed the role of a servant to illustrate His unwavering love for His followers.
Peter, in his usual manner, could not contain himself. He vehemently resisted the Lord’s actions until Jesus assured him, “Unless I wash you, you won’t be part of me” «Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. », (John 13:8, NLT). Peter then wholeheartedly submitted to the Lord, declaring, “Then wash not only my feet, Lord, but also my hands and head!” «Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. », (John 13:9, NLT).
Peter and all the disciples would soon grasp the profound significance behind Christ’s words and deeds. The foot-washing symbolically prefigured His sacrificial cleansing on the cross. Through His death, Jesus would serve them in a way that surpassed human comprehension, demonstrating the full extent of divine love: “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8;NLT).
Like Peter and the other apostles, present-day believers urgently need to grasp the Lord’s lesson on humility and service: “Since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet,In the Bible, it is mentioned that believers should wash each other’s feet as an act of humility and service. Jesus set an example by doing this and instructed his followers to do the same. He emphasized that no one is greater than their master or more important than the one who sends a message. By following these teachings, God will bless those who practice them (John 13:14-17;NLT).
Serving one another with humility and sacrificing personal desires for the well-being of others demonstrates genuine love. This is exemplified by Jesus giving up his life for humanity, showing the ultimate love. Similarly, believers are encouraged to be willing to sacrifice for their brothers and sisters (1 John 3:16, NLT).
Jesus’ love for his disciples until the end signifies the fullest extent of love. This profound love is at the core of the gospel message, where God demonstrated His love by sending His Son to offer eternal life through Him. It is emphasized that true love is not based on human love for God but on God’s sacrificial love for humanity (1 John 4:9-10;NLT;see also John 3:16-17).
John, having understood the significance of foot-washing, urged believers to love one another deeply, as God loves them. He highlighted that when believers love each other, they manifest God’s love within them (1 John 4:11-12;NLT, see also 1 John 4:7,8, 11, 19-21).
