Christ as Servant
(John 13:1-8 & 12-20)

v 1
The first Passover had been the turning point in the redemption of the people of God, so the Cross would be the opening of a new era for believers. John connects this with the sign of Jesus’ love for his disciples. “To the fullest extent” is a better rendering of “unto the end.” It does not mean that Jesus continued to love his disciples only up to the end of his earthly stay but that his love has no limits. “His own” refers to his disciples, of whom he had said that they were given him by the Father (10:29). Jesus had accepted the responsibility for them and was obliged to instruct and protect them (17:6-12).

v 2
Whether this meal was the actual Passover or not has been warmly debated. Yet it seems that it occurred on the same night as the arrest and betrayal. If so, it was presumably Thursday night; and the Crucifixion occurred on Friday, the day before the Passover, which would have begun on Friday evening.

Luke states that when the day came on which the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Peter and John were sent to arrange the meal that the Lord and his disciples ate that evening (Luke 22:7-14). Matthew (26:17-20) and Mark (14:12-17) agree that the meal was on the day on which the Passover lamb was killed, which preceded the Passover itself. John stated later (18:28) that the Jewish delegates could not enter Pilate’s hall on Friday morning because they would be defiled and unable to eat the Passover. In that case, the Last Supper must have preceded the Passover by twenty-four hours. If, then, the Passover began on Friday night, the meal could have taken place on Thursday night but would not have been the standard Passover Feast.

Several solutions for this impasse have been suggested.

Two calendars were in simultaneous use and one national group, using one calendar, ate the Passover on Thursday night whereas the other group, using the other calendar, ate the Passover on Friday night. There have been several variants of this theory:

(1) one calendar was figured by the solar year, the other by the lunar year;
(2) there was a difference between the time prescribed by the temple and that by the Qumran Essenes; or
(3) Jesus, having been repudiated by the priesthood and consequently considered apostate, would not have been allowed to obtain a lamb for sacrifice and would have been compelled to celebrate the feast at a different time.

There seems to be no other conclusion than that Jesus did celebrate the meal with his disciples on Thursday night, that the hearing before Pilate and the Crucifixion took place on Friday, and that his body was placed in the tomb before sunset late that afternoon.

The focus of action lies in Jesus’ washing the feet of the disciples. The circumstances are listed in detail. Judas had already determined to betray Jesus (13:2). His specific motive is not stated, and the impulse is attributed to satanic suggestion. The casual allusion to the devil at this point implies a deeper significance to the conflict than a mere political or theological squabble.

The conflict was basically motivated by a rebellion against God, the absolute opposite of the attitude of Jesus. It is possible that Judas, realizing that Jesus’ enemies were hostile and that they were politically powerful, believed that Jesus was foredoomed to lose in the struggle and so decided that he might as well gain immunity from sharing Jesus’ fate. Judas could not claim the reward for betrayal. His act, however, was more serious than an incidental piece of treachery; he sold himself to the power of evil. As v.27 states, “Satan entered into him,” and he came under the devil’s control.

vv 3-5
John emphasizes the fact that Jesus was not the innocent victim of a plot, unaware of what was taking place around him. He knew “that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God.” Jesus was fully aware of his authority, his divine origin, and his destiny.

Ordinarily on such an occasion the host would have delegated a servant to the menial task of removing the sandals of the guests and washing their feet. Since the meeting was obviously intended to be secret, no servants were present. None of the disciples was ready to volunteer for such a task, for each would have considered it an admission of inferiority to all the others. John the Baptist had used the act of such a servant as his standard of the lowest and meanest kind of service that could be required of any man (John 1:27).

Sometime during the meal Jesus rose, removed his outer cloak, tied a towel around his waist, and began to perform the work of the servant who was not present. It was a voluntary humiliation that rebuked the pride of the disciples. Perhaps it highlighted the tension of the situation, because Luke notes that when the disciples entered the room, they had been arguing about who among them would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Luke 22:24).

vv 6-8
The response of Simon Peter may have been representative of the common feeling that Jesus ought not to demean himself by washing their feet. The emphatic use of pronouns in Peter’s surprised question, “Lord! You are washing my feet?” and his equally emphatic negative reply, “NEVER to all eternity shall you wash my feet!” ( my words ), reveal both the impulsivness of his disposition and the high regard he had for Jesus. Peter felt that Jesus should not degrade himself by assuming such a position.

Jesus’ reaction, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me,” expresses the necessity, not only for the cleansing of Peter’s feet to make him socially acceptable for the dinner, but also for the cleansing of his personality to make him fit for the kingdom of God. The external washing was intended to be a picture of spiritual cleansing from evil.

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vv 12-14
A second lesson “Do you understand what I have done for you?” contrasts with his “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand” (v.7). The perception of the disciples developed slowly. It took them a long time to begin to comprehend the intensity of Jesus’ love for them and the nature of his humility in dealing with them. “Teacher” and “Lord” are both titles of respect that placed Jesus on a level above the disciples.

Jesus emphasized the fact that if he, whom they regarded as their leader, had stooped to serve their needs, they should do the same for one another. He made the action a necessity for a pattern for devout living.

John 13:15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

The basis for the Pauline exhortation to the Philippians: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, ... and became obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8).

vv 16-17
The recurrence of “sent” is a reminder that Jesus was constantly conscious of being commissioned by the Father. Jesus included his disciples in the commission and also included them in the action of servanthood. Jesus portrayed for them the true nature of Christian living: serving one another. And for those who would be willing to take this role on themselves, Jesus said there would be blessings.

v 18
Jesus’ reason for washing the disciples’ feet was not solely good manners and sanitation. The imminence of the betrayal was pressing in on him, and the resultant anguish was tearing at his heart. He knew that the disciples would fail at the crucial moment, but he despaired of none except Judas.

The psalm Jesus quoted was attributed to David, who lamented the defection of a trusted confidant (Ps 41:9). A parallel occurs in Psalm 55:12-14.

vv 19-20
Jesus was not merely asking for personal loyalty but for belief that he was the One sent by God (“I am He”).

He wanted the disciples to commit themselves to his claims before the events would seemingly destroy them and before the Resurrection would confirm them (cf. John 2:22).

He said that accepting the messenger whom he sent was equivalent to receiving him and that receiving him involved also receiving God. The language implies a close connection between the disciple and the master and an equally close connection between Jesus and God. As the disciples could claim to speak with Jesus’ authority, so Jesus claimed to speak for God.

Recap

There are important lessons to learn if we are to be faithful and fruitful,Jesus was careful to provide an example for us so we could meet the challenges in life.

This passage offers significant instruction.

“Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love” (v. 1). Jesus cares about the disciples with whom he will soon share this meal, but he cares just as much for all those generations to follow, including our Jesus chose to display his love by washing the feet of the men who walked with him every day and who listened as he taught.

“Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (v. 3). Jesus is at peace given the events that will follow this occasion. John mentions that the devil has already prompted Judas to betray Jesus, and He is aware of this.

Jesus rises from the table to prepare for the special object lesson he will share with the disciples—and us. As he prepares to wash the disciples’ feet, his spirit reminds him “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10:45). There is no pretense, for Jesus always does “the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38).

Although the first few disciples are uncomfortable with this exercise, they allow Jesus to wash their feet. Peter questions the propriety, and when Jesus approaches him. “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (John 13:6). Then, following Jesus’ simple reply, Peter says, “No, you shall never wash my feet” (13:8).

Knowing who Jesus was how would you have felt—what would you have said, if you were in Peter’s sandals as Jesus prepared to wash your feet?

Peter is uncomfortable with Jesus performing such a menial task. Those who serve others often find it very difficult to be gracious recipients of gifts from those normally served. Peter is once again on the wrong side of Jesus’ purpose and plans.

Our Lord’s responds “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me” (13:8). Jesus knew what he was doing—Peter did not.

Jesus asks “Do you understand what I have done for you?” (13:12). Jesus continues, “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. . . . I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (13:13, 15). Now the real lesson: “No servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (13:16).

Jesus wants to emphasize for his followers that they must serve others because of the example he has provided. Submission to God will grow out of their desire to please him. Of his relationship with the Father, Jesus says, “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him” (John 8:29). Jesus, full of confidence about his place and role, never usurped the Father’s will. This is the lesson for all of us.

Prayer;
Dear Lord Jesus I pray that I can be a servant to all with a heart that matches, I want to love with a true love and not just tolerate because I know that would be a lie. Lord give me the heart and desire to love all freely.

In the name of Christ Jesus, Lord and Saviour.
Amen

TGIF