Beloved, I am glad to share today the above theme from Jn 13:13-14. Indeed, for the heart of the Lord, his death was first of all “to pass from this world to the Father” (Jn 16:28-33). But He left those He loved in a world filled with corruption and violence. And, just as a traveler walking on the paths has his feet covered with dust, the believers, although having “the whole body washed” by the blood of the cross (Rev 1:3-6) are, by their incessant contacts with evil, exposed to defilement, in thoughts, in words and in deeds. But the faithful Lord has provided for it, for He sees to the practical holiness of His people. Indeed, High Priest, He washes their feet, in other words, He purifies them by leading them to judge themselves continuously in the light of the Word (water) that He applies to their consciences (Ep 5:22-27; He 10:19-22).
For we also have to exercise this service of love towards each other. In humility, by putting ourselves at their feet, we have to show our brothers by the Word what they have missed, or what dangers they expose themselves to (Ga. 6:1-5). It should be noted that the Lord does not say: you are blessed if you know these things, but, knowing them, “you are blessed if you do them.” For the service of the Lord was completed in the midst of the Jews; he had perfectly accomplished everything that needed to be done to make them believe in him. From then on, he thinks of those who had believed, it is of them alone that he will take care of until the hour of his death and in the glory where he will enter. And when Jesus came to Peter, he said to him, “No, you will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you will have no part with me.”
For out of deference to his Lord, Peter opposes the performance of a humiliating service, the meaning of which he did not understand at the time; but he soon knew the need for it; and he was the first to experience it. Indeed, if the Lord had not looked after him, what would have become of him after the horrible defilement of his denial? Then this look of the Lord in the court of the high priest (Luke 22:61-62) made Peter’s tears spring in the feeling of his fault and prevented him from abandoning himself to despair, like Judas. Then Jesus Christ met him the first of all, on the day of his resurrection (Luke 24:34), and finally the full restoration took place through the interview recorded in chapter 21 of our gospel. Then Peter knew what the Lord wanted to teach him by washing his feet.
Indeed, faith in the word of the Lord, received by the disciples, placed them in the same state of sharpness as faith in His accomplished work. And Peter was clear in that way. For his objection thus gives the Lord the opportunity to define the quality or position of those with whom he is concerned: They are clear by virtue of his work. And those alone get their feet dirty. For purified by the blood of Christ on the cross, they are the object of his care, and those who are not cleansed of their sins by faith in the blood of Christ are entirely defiled; and it would be pointless to wash their feet; for they need the gospel that teaches them what the Lord has done, to save the sinner and make him clean for the presence of God. The Lord therefore does not wash the feet of the unconverted; he presents them with salvation and offers them to be fully washed of all their sins. Judas was not clear, for his conscience had never been touched by the word he had become accustomed to hearing; that is why it had had no effect on him.
Thus, under the law we have in figure what the Lord teaches by washing the feet, and what He says to Peter (Jn 13:10). For when the priests were consecrated, they were washed whole (Ex 29:4; Lev 8.6). Their consecration corresponds to the application of the work of the cross to the believer, by virtue of which he is cleansed of his sins once and for all. And when the priests resumed their service, they did not have to be washed again whole, but they could not enter the tabernacle without washing their hands and feet in the brass vat (Ex 30:17-21). Thus the believer who has sinned does not need to resort again to the sacrifice of Christ, he must let act on his conscience the water of the Word that the Lord applies to him so that he judges his fault and the causes of his failure, as it took place for Peter later. For the Lord, in His infinite love, cannot bear to see His people deprived of the joys and blessings which He has acquired for them at such great cost; for he wants their communion with him not to remain interrupted when sin has occurred. It is therefore important to lend ourselves to the action of this Word by letting it act within us to restore ourselves whenever we need it and, permanently, to prevent us from falling. So, they have to wash their feet to each other. For the Lord has set an example, so that as He has done, they too may do so.
The following verses have been compiled for your edification and grouped together for your better understanding.
- Preeminent Christ
Mt 3:11 I baptize you with water, to bring you to repentance; but he who comes after me is more powerful than I am, and I am not worthy to wear his shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Jn 3.31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is of the earth, and he speaks as being of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all; Jn 13:13 You call me Master and Lord; and you say well, for I am. Rom 14:9 For Christ died and lived, in order to dominate over the dead and the living. Col. 1:18 He is the head of the body of the Church; he is the beginning, the firstborn of the dead, in order to be in all the first. He 1.4 became all the more superior to the angels that he inherited a name more excellent than theirs. Heh 3.3 For he was deemed worthy of a glory so superior to that of Moses that he who built a house has more honor than the house itself. Rev 1:11 which said: What you see, write it in a book, and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamon, to Thyatra, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.
- The Master:
Lk 5:5 Simon answered him: Master, we have worked all night without taking anything; but on your word I will cast the net. Lk 8:24, 45 They approached and woke him up, saying: Master, master, we perish! Having woken up, he threatened the wind and the waves, which subsided, and calm returned. 45 And Jesus says, Who touched me? As everyone defended themselves, Peter and those who were with him said: Master, the crowd surrounds you and presses you, and you say: Who touched me? Lk 9:33, 49 At the time when these men were separating from Jesus, Peter said to him: Master, it is good that we are here; let us set up three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He didn’t know what he was saying. 49 John spoke, and said, Master, we have seen a man who casts out demons in your name; and we have prevented him from doing so, because he does not follow us.
- Christ the Lord:
Lk 6:5 And he said unseed to them: The Son of man is the very master of the Sabbath; Acts 2:36 May the whole house of Israel know therefore with certainty that God made Lord and Christ that Jesus whom you crucified. (Acts 5:31) God raised him by his right as Prince and Savior, to give Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. Rm 10:9 If you confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and if you believe in your heart that God has risen him from the dead, you will be saved. 1 Cor 1:9 God is faithful, he who has called you to the communion of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.); 1 Cor 8:6 nevertheless for us there is only one God, the Father, from whom all things come and for whom we are, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things and by whom we are. 1 Cor 12:3 That is why I declare to you that no one, if he speaks by the Spirit of God, says: Jesus is anathema! and that no one can say: Jesus is the Lord! except by the Holy Spirit.
- Spiritual service accomplished in humility:
Mt 10:42 And whoever gives only a glass of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you in truth, he will not lose his reward. Jn 12:3 Mary, having taken a pound of a pure nard scent of great price, anointed Jesus’ feet, and she wiped his feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the smell of perfume. Acts 20:18-19 When they came to him, he said to them: You know how, from the first day I entered Asia, I have constantly conducted myself with you, 19 serving the Lord in all humility, with tears, and in the midst of the trials that the pitfalls of the Jews aroused me.
Finally, we note that if we possess the same life as the Lord, it’s possible to be animated by the same love as Him; that is why believers have to have a mutual interest whose model is in Him. For all must seek to bring back their brothers, defiled by some fault, so that they may once again enjoy the lost communion. And for this, they will use the Word, in order to produce in the guilty the conviction of his sin and to get him to confess it to God. If it’s a personal offense, he will also confess it to the one to whom he missed. Then the restoration can take place through the Word which, after having shown the horror of evil and having judged it, makes it clear that on the side of God, nothing has changed; for his love is always the same; it touches the heart and produces true repentance and full restoration. So that everything is not only washed, but wiped, as the Lord did with the linen he was girded with, so that there is no trace of defilement left. Our prayers support you all in your efforts to do what our Savior has done.
PRAYING FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST AS A PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOR
I now invite anyone who wants to become a new creation by walking in truth, to say with me the following prayer:
Lord Jesus, I have long walked in the lust of the world ignoring your love for humans. I acknowledge having sinned against you and ask you forgiveness for all my sins, for today I have decided to give you my life by taking you as Lord and Personal Savior. I recognize that you died at the cross of Calvary and that you rose from the dead for me.
I am now saved and born again by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lead me every day to the eternal life you give to all who obey your Word. Reveal yourself to me and strengthen my heart and faith, so that your light may light light out in my life right now.
Thank you Lord Jesus for accepting me into your divine family, so that I may also enjoy the wonders of your kingdom.
I will now choose a nearby watering point where to baptize myself by immersion, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
To you all worship, power and glory, now and forever and ever. Amen!
I would be happy to respond to any questions and comments you may have, before sharing with you next week on “the true vine and the branches.”
May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you abundantly.
David Feze, Servant of the Almighty Lord.