Truth be told, I am studying the concept of humility, so I have been very focused on this topic for the past few weeks. So today I am going to continue the topic of humility through focusing on a different aspect of the humility of Christ. Last week I noted that Jesus demonstrated humility through His love for, and obedience to the Father through His death and resurrection as a sacrifice for our sins, and as a necessity for us to be reconciled to God. Although this may be Jesus’s most momentous demonstration of humility and obedience, I was quite struck this week by the humility Jesus demonstrated by the washing of the disciple’s feet, found in John 13:1-17: “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. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus replied, ‘You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘No,” said Peter, ‘you shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ Simon Peter replied, ‘not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus answered, ‘Those 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.’ For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean. When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he asked them. ‘You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them (NIV).”
What made an impression on me this week was that although the passage does not specifically mention or elaborate on this issue, since Judas was present at the foot washing, it is apparent that Jesus also washed the feet of the one who was to betray Him. Now, what did Jesus tell the disciples after He was done; “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet”. John MacArthur notes that “the primary principle Jesus wanted the disciples to learn was the importance of humble loving service” (p.68). But speaking about the washing of the feet of Judas, MacArthur articulates that “Jesus met the greatest injury and insult imaginable with humble love. Consistent with His command to show love to one’s enemies (Matthew 5:44), He did just that” (p.64). To be honest, I find this quite convicting as I contemplate what my anger and want for justice, in imagining if I were facing my betrayer.
Andrew Murray points out that even if we may joyfully give up everything for Christ, we can find it difficult to give up anything for our enemies. He continues, even missionaries, ministers, or even professors may believe in Christ, love Christ, and even obey Christ’s commands, but deep down, the grace of humility may be hard to find. Thankfully, our humility, the type of humility that it takes to forgive our enemies, and even in humble love, to serve those who may be intent in harming us, is not from us but through Christ. For this type of humility, is where “the Spirit of God, the meek Lamb of God, is truly formed in us, and where Christ’s humility is reveled in us- for our humility is the Lamb of God within us” (Murray, p.33).
Contemplation:
Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV) Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
Reflection:
How do you faithfully live out Jesus’s words; “Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet”?
Meditation:
Chris Moen “I Surrender All” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rkdqVnKeVc
All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live
All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
All to Jesus I surrender
Make me Savior wholly thine
May Thy Holy Spirit fill me
May I know Thy power divine
I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all
Resources:
MacArthur, John (2006). The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: John 12-21
Murray, Andrew (1895/2005). Humility and Absolute Surrender.
The Holy Bible. New International Version.