NOTES for Joh 13:1-15
1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. |
2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; |
3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; |
4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. |
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. |
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? |
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. |
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. |
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. |
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. |
11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. |
12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? |
13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. |
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. |
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. |
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Only one word comes to mind when the washing of feet comes up, when you remember and imagine someone washing your feet: "piercing." And it is piercing when a brother or sister does this, and the thought does not even arise that your Lord could have done it... How disarmed, how defenseless you become, gathering trust with difficulty so as to accept this amazing gift meekly and humbly. The exposed heart grows still, almost stops, from the depth of the sensations and feelings.
But when you yourself wash feet, the heart beats with the desire to express, through this whole action, the love that increases with the decision to wash someone's feet. The heart beats, commanding you to touch the feet of a brother or sister gently, understanding that the trust shown to you borders on pain. And the Lord, who calls us to do this, is present nearby, blessing openness and multiplying love.
Yet His instruction to wash one another's feet concerns not only this action; it must permeate all our fellowship. But the state of spirit that gives you the possibility of being the one who "washes" or the one who is "washed" is possible only with the presence of Jesus in your heart. For it is He who can take in our hearts the places occupied by pride, fear of trusting, and unwillingness to serve our neighbor.
Readings for 16 December 2025
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