Friday 18 August 2023
Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (v. 1b)
Background
The story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet only appears in John’s Gospel and does not feature in the other three.
The writer presents it as an act of love: Jesus, "having loved his own who were in the world…loved them to the end" (v. 1). The phrase ‘to the end’ in the original language means both ‘completely, utterly, perfectly’ and ‘to the point of death’.
The story also seems to present something of the nature of that love.
It is vulnerable, including to betrayal. Verse 2 tells us that Judas is already planning to betray Jesus. But Judas is included nonetheless: nothing in the passage suggests that Judas is excluded from the act of love that is Jesus washing the disciples’ feet and later, when bread is shared, he is the only one named as receiving it from Jesus.
It involves a radical overturning of notions of leadership and authority: there are no parallels in ancient sources showing someone in authority doing such servile work. Peter’s resistance seems to confirm the scandal of what Jesus is doing in taking on the work usually reserved for the lowest status household slave. This may be an invitation into reflection on the more profound scandal of Jesus’ death, with which the whole of the New Testament is grappling. A Messiah (or the ‘anointed one’ of God) who dies on a cross, an execution reserved for low status criminals, is unthinkable. Jesus’ words to Peter may also arise from this dual scandal, foot-washing and dying on a cross: "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand" (v. 7).
Finally, it is an invitation into a life shaped by this kind of love: Jesus’ words to the resisting Peter are uncompromising, but also an invitation: "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me" (v. 8b). This is a love which is participative, and ultimately, is an expression of an invitation into the life of Jesus, shaped by its source in God’s boundless love and compassion.
To Ponder:
- Why would Jesus wash Judas’ feet?
- What might be a contemporary parallel to the scandal of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet?