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JESUS IN A DISTURBING DISGUISE
"He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, 'Lord, are you going to wash my feet?' Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.' 'No,' said Peter, 'you shall never wash my feet.' Jesus answered, 'Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.' 'Then, Lord,' Simon Peter replied, 'not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well!'
"Jesus answered, 'Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.' For he knew who was going to betray Him, and that is why He said not everyone was clean." John 13:6-11 NIV.
Don't you just love Peter? No one can fault him for his passion!
But as for his discernment -- he was so much in the moment! And so proud! Once again he was the one to react against Jesus' action. John said nothing about the other disciples. His focus was on Peter. Was he having a little dig at him because of their constant rivalry?
The scene on the beach after the resurrection is another one of John's little pokes at Peter! Jesus had reinstated Peter after his ignominious denial at His trial. Assured of his love, Jesus restored His commission to Peter to care for His sheep. Not satisfied with his own task, Peter questioned Jesus about John's future. In polite terms Jesus told him to mind his own business! And John put that in his story!
Peter's reaction to Jesus says a lot about his character. True humility submits to the person who is willing to serve in a humble task like the one that Jesus wanted to perform on him. The amazing thing is that this kind of submission bonds the served with the server. Was Jesus using this opportunity to test the attitude of His disciples to Him? Were they humble enough to allow Him to wash their feet? It was not difficult for Him to serve them, but how difficult was it for them to accept that service?
Peter's reaction reveals that, in spite of his passionate love for Jesus, he misunderstood the meaning of His action. He thought that Jesus was humiliating Himself and, for him that was unthinkable. Watch how he addressed Jesus as Lord! Did he use that title purposely to make it clear to Jesus that he thought He was above what He was doing?
Jesus was quick to clarify the meaning of His action. 'Peter, this is much more than just washing your feet. This is about restoring our oneness with each other.' Humility responding to humility as the very essence of their relationship; Master and servant -- Master serving and servant humbly receiving that service so that the servant, in turn, would serve with the same heart as the Master.
Unless Peter submitted to and received what Jesus was about to do, he would never be part of who Jesus was, the Son of God, yes, but the Ebed Yahweh, the Son who came to serve in the disposition of a slave -- one who had no reputation to defend because He purposely made Himself nothing. How else could He empty Himself so completely that He could hang naked on a Roman execution stake for the sins of the world?
For three and half years Jesus had been painstakingly washing His disciples with His word. From the eternal perspective they were already clean, except for Judas because he had refused the word. They only needed the daily cleansing from the dust of their walk in a sinful world. Washing their feet was the symbolic cleansing they needed by allowing the word to wash them daily.
What amazing lessons they were learning in this single, simple loving act of hospitality. To set it up as a religious ritual has no meaning because it contributes nothing to our oneness of heart with Jesus. True "washing" that reflects our unity with Him would be to serve someone whom we consider "lower" than ourselves because Jesus said that, if we do it to the least of these, His brothers, we do it to Him.
As Mother Theresa said, the lowliest to whom we minister is Jesus in a disturbing disguise!
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