part 2 of “The Last Night With Jesus”
In the last post, we see the table being set for the hours to come. Jesus knew that His time on Earth was coming to a close. Jesus also was getting ready to spend some of the most personal time with His disciples during these final hours. Jesus was going to continue to teach them right up until the very end. The dinner had begun. But the disciples were in for a little bit different post-dinner conversation than they had in the past. But first, they were in for their first surprise of the evening.
“So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.” - John 13:4-5 NLT
This had to be a surprise to them. The washing of feet was meant for a low servant. When people entered a house, there was a servant there to wash the feet of the guests. This process is similar to when we enter a person’s house and take off our shoes. The bottom of our shoes can have dirt on them, water, or anything else that would not be good to track through a person’s home.
It is important to know that back then they didn’t have shoes as we do. If they could afford them they had sandals that they could wear on their feet. If they didn’t have sandals, they walked around barefoot. Also, they didn’t have paved roads and sidewalks like we have today. They walked around on dirt paths and roads. These paths and roads were shared by the animals that people used for travel. The presence of these animals on the paths and roads led to them doing their business on the paths and roads. The same places where the people would walk! So, even if they were wearing sandals, their feet would be dusty at the very least. But sometimes, of course, it would rain. So their feet could be muddy. But their feet could also have the animal's business on them. So, you can see how important this feet-washing process was before someone came into your house - just like taking off your shoes now.
You can imagine the shock of this situation when Jesus started to go around and wash their feet. There are a couple of things we can note from what is happening here. First, there was no one there to wash their feet. This could be just because of where they were meeting for dinner and no one was available. It could that it was just overlooked. I mean Jesus did have a lot of other things on His mind. But here is the one I find most interesting and I have never thought of this until diving into a little bit deeper study of this event. It is possible that Jesus intentionally had no one there to wash their feet to see if one of His disciples would do it [1].
So, they sat down to dinner with dirty feet. Dinner was already in progress (John 13:2), and it is unclear how far they were into dinner. But Jesus finally got up to wash the feet of His disciples. He probably could no longer take the smell! As He rose from the table, the disciples were probably interested in what He was doing. When Peter figured it out, he objected to the whole thing. He didn’t want Jesus to wash his dirty feet. But Jesus told Peter that it needed to be done if Peter wanted to belong to Him. So Peter told Jesus to wash his whole body (John 13:6-9).
This was Jesus showing an act of humility. But Peter also had to be humble to accept what Jesus was doing for him. This is the lesson that we can learn from this first dinner surprise. We have to be humble to accept that we need Jesus. We need Jesus to do what we can’t do. We need to accept what Jesus did for us.
Jesus was also setting an example for His disciples and us to follow. The example of loving others enough to be a servant to them.
“And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.” - John 13:14-15 NLT
Jesus doesn’t necessarily mean for us to go around and wash people’s feet. Although some still do feet washing ceremonies. Jesus wants us to have a servant's heart. This is the second thing that we can learn from this event. Jesus was teaching His disciples and us to have the heart of a servant. If it is true and Jesus was testing his disciples by not having a foot washer available, then they had a lot to learn about having a servant’s heart. But we all do. I don’t think any of us in the same situation would have jumped up from the table to wash our dinner companion’s feet. Maybe you’re with me and probably wouldn’t have even thought to wash Jesus’ feet. Jesus was teaching them how to be a servant and love others well. Jesus says these words:
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”- John 13:34-35 NLT
We all can learn from this teaching of Jesus. Jesus showed us all that sometimes to show love you need to be willing to be a servant and do anything for someone else.
As dinner continued, there was a second surprise that Jesus had for His disciples. The mood of dinner changed when Jesus, who was deeply troubled, said this:
“I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me!” - John 13:21 NLT
These words of course got the attention of the table. They had all been friends and following Jesus for 3 years and Jesus said that one of them was going to betray Him. This caused all of them to begin looking around the room in wonder of who Jesus could be talking about (John 13:22).
John leaned over to ask Jesus who He was talking and Jesus said:
“Jesus responded, ‘It is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl.’” - John 13:26 NLT
You have to imagine that John watched Jesus’ every move after that to see who Jesus gave the piece of bread. John watched, along with the other disciples, as Jesus gave the bread to Judas and tell him to “do what you are going to do” (John 13:27). No one else at the table knew what had just gone down. Judas was the treasurer, so they all just thought he was going out to pay for the food (John 13:29).
When Judas ate the piece of bread, Satan entered him (John 13:27). Satan had also already made his choice on who he was going to pursue to betray Jesus. Judas had a love for money [2]. We see this when Judas gets mad at Mary for using perfume that was worth a year’s wages on the feet of Jesus. Judas said that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. But John notes that Judas was a thief and stole from the disciples on regular occasions (John 12:4-6). So, Judas then went out the next day to set up the deal to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver [3]. This is then why we see John write this:
“It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.” - John 13:2 NLT
Judas came to dinner having already started the process of betrayal. When left dinner after Jesus gave him the piece of bread he was going to officially complete the act and gain his payment. This was an act that Judas would later regret [4].
But there is something that we can learn from Judas. There is a truth that we can learn in this moment with Judas and Jesus. Judas was chosen by Jesus.
“Then Jesus said, ‘I chose the twelve of you… I know the ones I have chosen.’” - John 6:70 + 13:18 NLT
Even though Jesus knew everything about Judas and He still chose him to be one of His disciples. He knew the character of Judas. He knew what Judas was going to do. He even referred to Judas as the devil (John 6:70). But Judas was still chosen.
The same is true for us too. Jesus knows all about us. Jesus knows who we are and what we are going to do. Jesus still has chosen us. We are chosen. You are chosen. Jesus loves you with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3).
The third and final surprise of the dinner was what Jesus said to Peter. Like Judas, Peter was chosen by Jesus too (John 6:70). But Jesus had something to say to Peter that was going to be shocking to everyone. Jesus was telling the disciples how He was soon going to leave them and where He was going they couldn’t go right now. Peter said to Jesus that He was ready to die for Jesus (John 13:37). But Jesus responded to Peter:
“Jesus answered, ‘Die for me? I tell you the truth, Peter—before the rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know me.’” - John 13:38 NLT
This had to be a shock to the entire room. Peter was often the one that Jesus was having to calm down. Peter sometimes was over-eager and Jesus would have to reel him in a little bit. Peter, however, was the one who walked to Jesus on the water (Matthew 14). So, Jesus calling Peter out with such an accusation had to have been a shock to Peter and the other disciples. Peter does deny Jesus three times and Peter ran off crying (John 18:17, 25-27 + Luke 22:62).
Overall, there are just 2 things I want you to take away from John 13.
1. You are loved by Jesus. Jesus loved us to the very end of His life. Jesus loved us enough to go to the cross even though God had given Jesus the authority to do as He wanted (John 13:3). But Jesus loves us and He knew we needed Him to do what we could not do. Jesus loves us and wants us to show the same love we have received from Him (John 13:34).
2. You are chosen by Jesus. Jesus chose you. Jesus chose you just the way you are. Jesus is for you. Jesus is there to help you. Jesus is there to pick you up when you fall. Jesus has chosen you. You may feel unchosen. You may feel like no one will ever choose you. But Jesus did. Jesus chose you.
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[1] “None of the disciples were interested in washing each other’s feet. Any of them would have gladly washed Jesus’ feet. But they could not wash His without having to be available to wash the others’ feet, and that would have been an intolerable admission of inferiority among their fellow competitors for the top positions in the disciples’ hierarchy. So no one’s feet got washed.” - Enduring Word - Read more at - https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-13/amp/
[2] It was probably through greed and discontent the devil gained a foothold in Judas’ life. - Read more https://enduringword.com/bible-commentary/john-12/amp/
[3] By some chronologies Judas went out the next day and made his bargain with the religious leaders to betray Jesus for 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11). “The impression left is that Judas, seeing one source of personal enrichment lost, hastened to create another.”
[4] “Very early in the morning the leading priests and the elders of the people met again to lay plans for putting Jesus to death. Then they bound him, led him away, and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. When Judas, who had betrayed him, realized that Jesus had been condemned to die, he was filled with remorse. So he took the thirty pieces of silver back to the leading priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he declared, ‘for I have betrayed an innocent man.’ ‘What do we care?’ they retorted. ‘That’s your problem.’ Then Judas threw the silver coins down in the Temple and went out and hanged himself.” - Matthew 27:1-5 NLT
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