John 13:11-13 (WEL) He knew who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “You are not all clean.” 12 Then after he had washed their feet, retaken his outer robe, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 “You call me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak truly, for so I am. 14 “If I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet.
V11 He knew who was going to betray him. That’s why he said, “You are not all clean.”
He didn’t guess by observing Judas Iscariot because Jesus knew from the beginning of His ministry who the traitor was. See John 6:64-71.
The Greek word for clean is G2513 καθαρός katharós, which means clean without stains or blemish. The word is used to describe one whose sin is forgiven (Ezekiel 36:25 (LXX), Matthew 5:8 (pure), and 2 Timothy 2:22 (pure)) as well as clean clothes or body (Matthew 27:59 and John 13:10).
Judas had clean clothes and body, but his soul was defiled and filthy.
Jesus is the only one who can clean because baptism, rituals, priests, pastors, church, good works, turning over a new leaf, etc. will and cannot clean; only Jesus (Revelation 1:5, Revelation 7:14, 1 John 1:7, and Psalm 51:7).
V12 Then after he had washed their feet, retaken his outer robe, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?
All the disciples’ feet had been washed. Jesus puts off his slave attire and dons His daily clothing. He sits down and begins to teach.
Principle: It is good to have an illustration to help people understand a truth.
V13 “You call me the Teacher and the Lord, and you speak truly, for so I am.
The disciples address Jesus as a teacher. His main topic was to teach about Himself, His ministry, His mission, the true interpretation of the Scriptures, God’s essence (God is a spirit plus all the character traits of God), God’s worldview, rules, kingdom, worship, prophecy, etc. See Luke 24:27, Matthew 22:29-32, John 7:16, and John 3:34.
Jesus is Lord. More specially, He is Lord of lords, which means the supreme lord, the greatest of all lords, and He is Lord of underlings (little lords). See 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 19:16 (Deuteronomy 10:17), Psalm 136:3, and Acts 10:36.
If Jesus is not your Lord, then it is yourself or another. The whole world lies under the evil one (1 John 5:19-20), so either Jesus or the evil one. Make sure, very sure, that your Lord is Jesus Christ.
V14 “If I, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet.
This is the principle: If He as teacher and lord washes your feet, then we also must do so. This is not a suggestion, but a command. It takes humility to wash another person’s feet. It is not a ritual to receive God’s grace; it is a service, a blessing, to others.
We learn:
- That the greatest can and should be attentive and acting to help others—no matter who they are.
- Do teach using illustrations and demonstrations.
Questions:
- Are you willing to wash your Christian brother’s feet (or sister’s feet as sisters wash sisters’ feet)?
- Do you demonstrate your faith in Jesus Christ by the way you live and talk in private and public?