Jesus made His service of foot washing to be an arrow pointing to the cross, the "afterward," which would bring understanding to Peter and eventually the whole world. There, at the cross, Jesus would stoop even lower than foot-washing; He would wash the world of their sin, with His blood: “Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins with his own blood” (Revelation 1:5 KJV).
Oh friend, do you understand that Jesus’ death on the cross was to wash you and make you clean? “Washing at the cross” is our first principle of freedom!
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." (9) "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!" (10) 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." (11) For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean” (John 13:8-11 NIV).
In this passage, Jesus made it clear that the one requirement for people to have a part in Him is that he washes them. Remember, Jesus’ death on the cross was to open a “cleansing fountain” (Zechariah 13:1) where people could come and be washed and set free from idols.
The requirement for sharing any part with Jesus is not that we have lived perfectly, but rather that we are washed and cleansed from our sins at the cross, through the work of the Holy Spirit. “He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).
“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them” (John 13:12 NIV).
Having completed His demonstration of love, His act of service in washing the disciples’ feet, Jesus put on His clothes and returned to His place at the head of the table.
This entire scene in the upper room is a picture of the gospel. Think of it in this way:
In the beginning, Jesus sat at the head of the table, fellowshipping with His disciples.
Then He laid aside His outer garments, put on a towel.
Then He bent down and washed the disciples’ feet.
When He finished, He returned to His place at the head of the table.
Question 4. How can you see the gospel message in the account of Jesus washing the disciples' feet?
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Wende captures the heart of the gospel in her answer to the above question:
"Jesus, sitting at the head of the table is a picture of him being one the Father, at His side in Heaven as creation was formed. That is His true identity, being one with the Father, the Lord of all. When he left Heaven and came to Earth as a naked baby, he humbled himself by taking off that identity or garment so he could live among us and as one of us. He came down to our level as he kneeled down to wash the feet of the disciples. This parallels his ultimate humbling of dying on the cross and spilling his blood to wash the sins of the world away. Rising up from the foot-washing, putting his outer garments back on and returning to the head of the table is a foreshadow of him rising from the dead after three days and ascending into Heaven to take his rightful place at the right hand of God the Father."