from WL Worcester (H Blackmer, ed.), 
The Sower.  Helps to the Study of the Bible in Home and Sunday School
 
(Boston: Massachusetts New-Church Union, n.d.)

Table of Contents
 

 

Lesson 20

John 13:1-17  Washing the Disciples' Feet

The Story

Primary

We remember a supper made for the Lord in Bethany, and how the next day He rode into Jerusalem, while a joyful company of people waved palms and greeted Him as King. That was on Sunday. The Lord now kept another supper, the last supper, with the disciples. We are supposing that it was on the Thursday evening, in the large upper room in Jerusalem where He had been keeping the Passover with them. The Lord had sent Peter and John from Bethany earlier in the day and they had found the room and made things ready. Now in the evening the Lord and the twelve disciples were at the table. During the supper the Lord gave them an example of loving service. Laying aside His outer garment, dressed like a servant with a towel about His waist, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet. This service was often done for guests at a feast, coming from the dusty road, wearing perhaps only sandals. But it was done by a humble servant. In this way the Lord showed that in His kingdom all must love to serve and to do kind things for others. Read verses 4-17.

Junior

We have learned about the glad, gay company who came up to Jerusalem with the Lord and His disciples, waving palm branches in their hands and shouting, Hosanna. This was on Sunday, the Christian Sunday, the first day of the week. From the other Gospels we learn many things that happened on Monday and Tuesday of that Holy Week. Our Gospel of John omits the events of the next three days, and takes up the story again on Thursday.

It was Thursday, when, toward evening, the Lord left Bethany, and with His disciples went into Jerusalem to keep the Passover. You remember that the Lord sent Peter and John to make ready for the Passover, and told them that they would meet a man having a pitcher of water, and that he would have a large upper room furnished for them. And here the feast was prepared, perhaps partly by the owner of the house and partly by Peter and John. The lamb, the bitter herbs, the unleavened bread, and the sauce into which it was dipped, and the wine, were all made ready. And then, toward evening, the Lord Himself came.

As we read the opening verses of our chapter, we see that the Lord and the twelve disciples are about the table in Jerusalem for "the last supper," the last that the Lord would take with them before His crucifixion. On what evening of that last week it was, we are not sure, but we are supposing that it was the Thursday evening, the same evening on which they kept the Passover with the Lord. If you have time, recall what you know about the Passover, why it was kept, and at what time of the year. (Exodus 12: 1-14) Recall also what you know from other Gospels about the finding of the upper room by Peter and John, whom the Lord sent from Bethany to prepare the Passover. (Luke 22:1-16)

The table, you remember, was usually on three sides of a square, or else an ordinary long table arranged so that the guests reclined on couches on three sides and could be served from the fourth side. There would be one place of greatest honor, perhaps at the corner, the head of the central couch. Then there would be places of greater or less honor. It may have been at this time of taking their places that there arose a dispute among the disciples as to which one was the greatest. Of course there could have been no question as to which place was the Lord's. But He arose from the table, and taking off His loose outer garment, and fastening a towel around His waist, He took the brass basin and pouring water into it, He began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel. This was a service generally done by one of the humblest servants, and this service the Lord of heaven and earth did for His disciples, which showed them and us the holiness of serving, and that nothing is too humble for us to do for one another. There is no true greatness but in service.

We must today give special thought to some things which John tells us about the last supper which other Gospels do not tell. John alone gives us also the beautiful words spoken by the Lord on this last night with the disciples. (Chapters 14 to 17)

Let us consider the following details. Verse 1: "Unto the end" may mean "to the uttermost." Verse 2: Supper was "served," but not "finished." "During supper" gives the idea. It appears that Judas had already bargained with the priests to betray the Lord to them. (Luke 22:3-6) Verse 4: What do you know about this custom of washing the feet of guests? (Genesis 18:1-4; Luke 7:44) Verses 6-10: At first Peter objected that the Lord should do such a humble service for him. Then when the Lord told him of the blessing there was in it, he wanted as much as possible. The Lord answered, "He that is bathed, needeth not save to wash his feet." Guests usually bathed before coming, and before supper they needed only to wash their feet. Note in verse 11 the reference to spiritual cleanness and uncleanness, which physical cleanness and uncleanness represented. Verses 14-17: In this way the Lord taught even more plainly than by words that in His kingdom the greatest are those who serve. (Luke 22:24-27)

During the feast evil thoughts were working in the mind of Judas Iscariot, and presently he left the table and went out into the night.


1. When was it, and where was it, that the Lord washed the disciples' feet?

2. What did Peter say? And what did the Lord answer?

3. What spiritual act is represented by washing? By washing the feet?

4. How is what the Lord did an example for us to follow?

Spiritual Study

Intermediate

Notice the translation in the Revised Version, in three places in this lesson. "Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the uttermost." (Verse 1, margin) "And during supper," and on. (Verse 2) "He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet." (Verse 10) After the general bath, it is only necessary to wash the feet.

The Gospels of Mark and Luke tell of the jar of water which the disciples followed to the house where the large upper room was ready for the last Passover with the Lord. It represented the truth of repentance and good life which leads us to the state of union with the Lord, which this eating with Him represents. John tells of the Lord's washing the disciples' feet in the upper room itself. It represents a further cleansing, of a deeper kind. What is the water for spiritual washing? The plain truth of right and wrong, that helps us to know what is evil and to separate it from our lives. It is like pouring water into a basin when we take such truth, so much of it, as is applicable to a particular need. The Lord's pouring water into the basin suggests His adaptation of His Divine truth of life to our simple comprehension and natural needs. He used the towel wherewith He was girded, for the principles which He applies to us are the same which are the controlling principles of His Divine life. (A. 7601, 10243)

If washing represents spiritual cleansing of repentance, what in particular is represented by washing the feet? The feet are the daily walk of life, the outward deeds and conduct. To wash the feet is to make the conduct clean and right; and the Lord washes our feet when we let Him help us to put away evil things from our daily life. Peter objected to the Lord's washing his feet, and then said, "Not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Does it suggest the greater ease of thinking what is true than of doing it? Of having good intentions than of carrying these out in practical good life? The hands, like the feet, are types of action, but the feet especially stand for the most external, practical plane of life, where repentance must be practiced. Does it seem to you significant that this remonstrance came from Peter, who stands for faith? Does this suggest the difficulty of bringing faith down to practical good life? The Lord's words, "He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit," mean that when one has entered upon the way of regeneration, then what he needs is to be earnest and faithful in making right the steps of daily conduct. (E. 666; T. 530; H. 533)

"Thou shalt know hereafter." All developments of heavenly life forever rest upon repentance practiced in this world. The importance of every act of repentance is more than we now can possibly know. (A. 10243)

"I have given you an example," the Lord said, "that ye should do as I have done to you." It was, in general, an example of modest, loving service. But in particular it showed our duty, like the Lord, to help others to do right; our duty, like Him, to judge kindly of them and to help them to lay aside the wrong that clings to them from the world. (A. 3147, 7442)

Judas Iscariot stands as a type of self-love which values even the Lord and holy things for selfish advantage. "The devil" is the name of evil collectively, especially of this evil of self-love, which Judas allowed to whisper in his heart and whose promptings he obeyed. (E. 740)

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