RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-12-24	Significance of Jesus Washing the Feet of the Disciples (Jn.13:1-17)
		Jesus washed the feet of the disciples in the Upper room just before the Last Supper. Walking in sandals on the dusty roads of Israel in the first century made it important for feet be washed before a meal. People reclined at a low table and feet were very much noticed. The placement of the foot washing here is that it is the beginning of a new section in the book of John. John chapters 1-12 are about the rejection of Jesus by the nation of Israel. John chapters 13-17 focus on those who did receive Jesus. After the foot washing Judas leaves and then the disciples have the Lord's Supper (Jn.13:30). There is a difference between union (sonship) and communion (fellowship). So when Peter said, “You shall never wash my feet!”, Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” Peter was in union (sonship) with Jesus (Jn.15:3; 1Co.6:9-11; Ti.3:5-6). He was saved. What Jesus was saying is, If I do not wash you, you will have no communion or fellowship with Me. Many today make the mistake Peter made (Jn.13:9). They want to be saved (washed) all over again, when all we need is to have their feet cleansed. Jesus is teaching that when we come to Him for the washing of sins, it is permanent. No act can cleanse us any further. There is a difference between union and communion (v.10). Daily cleansing keeps the believer in communion with Christ. Joh 13:10 Jesus said to him, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you." He that has been once-and-for-all washed all over does not need anything more than to cleanse his feet (1Jn.1:7-9). When we are saved, we are washed all over (1Co.6:9-11; Ti.3:5-6). But life happens and we sin again. But this time we just need a foot washing, not the whole body. When we confess our daily sins to the Lord, we have our feet washed spiritually and our “walk” is cleansed (1Jn.1:7-9). So the contrast is between union and communion, or sonship and fellowship (v.10). Foot washing becomes a picture of the believer's daily walk with the Lord. Every day we go out we get our feet dirty. And so we need to wash (confess of sins) our feet. This is fundamental to Christianity. We are 100% clean before God, but we need daily cleansing. Salvation is a one-time act of justification by faith, but the lifelong process of sanctification is one of washing the stain of sin we experience in the world. There is certainly nothing wrong with physically washing each other's feet. But the significance is not about dirty feet, but about sin in our daily lives. Jesus was careful to point out that this picture of the believer's life does not apply to all of them. He said, “You are not all clean” (v.11) referring to Judas. Judas needed to be cleansed all over, that is, he needed to be saved! So the picture of confessing daily sins did not apply to Judas. The same picture can be seen in the Old Testament. When a priest was ordained, they were washed all over (Ex.29:4). This pictures our once-for-all cleansing, aka, being saved. Then God provided for them the laver to use in the daily washing of their hands and feet (Ex.30:17-21). This pictures our fellowship or communion with the Lord. Today, Christ is cleansing His church spiritually through the Word (Ep.5:25-26; Jn.15:3) Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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