Jesus Washes The Disciples' Feet

The reason Jesus washes the disciples' feet

John 13:5-14 Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet

John 13:15-20 A servant is Not greater than his Master

JOHN 13:5 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

Why did feet need to be washed in those days?
Because they became very dirty (see Who was John the Baptist?).

Is that why Jesus dresses down like a slave and washes the disciples' feet?
No, if hygiene had been the issue, the disciples would have washed their feet before the meal started, and it was unthinkable to have a rabbi who washes the feet of his disciples under any circumstances.

Jesus washes the disciples' feet at what moment?
Jesus had told them that one of them would betray Him: "But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!" (Luke 22:21-22). They begin trying to guess the perpetrator among them, and their discussion soon degenerates into an argument over who is the best among them: "Then they began to question among themselves, which of them it was who would do this thing. Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest" (Luke 22:23-24). It is while they argue on in pride that Jesus dresses down like a slave and washes the disciples' feet.

JOHN 13:6-11 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?” 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” 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.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

What tendency does Peter exhibit in John 13:6-9?
He tends to talk before thinking.

What doesn't he exhibit in John 13:6-9?
An ego before Jesus. Having just declared, “You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8) one would expect him to next try to defend his position. Yet on one word from Jesus, he abandons it and instead swings to the other extreme: “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” (John 13:8)

What is meant by, "He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean" (John 13:10)?
When a person is saved by Jesus, they are "completely clean" of sins, but they don't completely stop sinning, even though they sin less and less. So, just as road dirt continues to accumulate on cleaned feet and repeatedly needs to be washed, so should our daily sins constantly be confessed to Jesus, not to another human being, and repented.

Who is Jesus talking about in John 13:11 and what is He saying?
He is saying that Judas Iscariot is not saved.

JOHN 13:12-14 12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.

What’s disappointing about what is described in John 13:4-12?
It records one of the twelve disciples protesting, but none of them volunteering to wash the others’ feet in Jesus’ place.

What is the difference between "Teacher" and "Lord" (John 13:13)?
Teacher is someone to be listened to and observed. Lord is someone to be obeyed unconditionally.

To you, is Jesus both or one?