(1) v.1 Just before the Passover feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end.
(NET) The full extent of Jesus’ love for his disciples is not merely seen in his humble service to them in washing their feet (the most common interpretation of the passage). The full extent of his love for them is demonstrated in his sacrificial death for them on the cross. The footwashing episode which follows then becomes a prophetic act, or acting out beforehand, of his upcoming death on their behalf. The message for the disciples was that they were to love one another not just in humble, self-effacing service, but were to be willing to die for one another. At least one of them got this message eventually, though none understood it at the time (1 John 3:16 We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.)
Biblical Studies Press. (2005). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (1 Jn 3:16). Biblical Studies Press..
(2) 13:8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
Biblical Studies Press. (2005). The NET Bible First Edition; Bible. English. NET Bible.; The NET Bible (1 Jn 3:16). Biblical Studies Press..
(2) 13:8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
Washing is not just a demonstration of Jesus' humbleness. Although it is true that Jesus was humble, the meaning is more significant than that. If Peter was not washed he would have no share with Jesus.
[share]=[takes part] in Rev 20:6 Blessed and holy is the one who takes part in the first resurrection.
(3) 13:9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 13:10 Jesus replied, “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not every one of you.”
Peter worried that just washing the feet was not enough to have a part or share in Jesus, but Jesus assured him that washing just the feet would be clean. As a matter of fact, they are all clean (except Judas).
Summary:
Jesus loved His own and served them. His service was to wash them so that they would have a part with Him. There was no need to be worried whether Jesus' washing was enough.They were all clean.
(4) 13:7 Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.
13:14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you too ought to wash one another’s feet.
Disciples did not know the meaning. The washing refers to the self-sacrificing death on the Cross. That's why the washing would make them have a share with Jesus. They were told to do that to each other because even their Lord and Teacher did so.
When they saw the death of Jesus they would understand. Then they should follow Jesus to love and sacrifice to each other.
1 John 3:16 We have come to know love by this: that Jesus laid down his life for us; thus we ought to lay down our lives for our fellow Christians.
Reflection: Do we show our love in our sacrifice? In our giving up? Can we giving up our Sunday activity for God? Can we put ourselves down for Jesus? He did not ask us to do that without He Himself first did that for us.
Do we love each other to the point of death? If the answer is yes then why do we not willing just to work together in harmony in church/at home?
Audrey
Comments