Fellowship & JOHN 13:1–11
The third area of our study is an exposition of John 13:1–13. This passage can be divided into three units.
A. The Historical Setting—John 13:1–3
Now before the feast of the passover, Jesus knowing that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto his Father, having loved his own that were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And during supper, the devil having already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all the things into his hands, and that he came forth from God, and goes unto God.
Insofar as the setting is concerned, it is the Jewish Passover. Even before the first night of Passover, Yeshua knew that this would be His last Passover and that He was going to be departing following this Passover (v. 1). During the Passover supper, Judas had already decided in his heart that he was going to betray Yeshua (v. 2). Yeshua, knowing all this, and knowing that He is about to return to God, set the stage for what was about to happen (v. 3).
On two occasions during the Passover, there is a ceremony known as “the washing of the hands.” Twice, it is hands which are washed and, furthermore, the hands are washed by a servant. That is the normal procedure of the washing at Passover.
B. The Account of the Cleansing—John 13:4–9
rises from supper, and laid aside his garments; and he took a towel, and girded himself. Then he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So he comes to Simon Peter. He said unto him, Lord, do you wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do you know not now; but you shall understand hereafter. Peter said unto him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash you not, you have no part with me. Simon Peter said unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
With the background of the Passover, we see the service of the Messiah. There were no servants at this particular Passover. There were no volunteers from among the disciples to wash the hands of the other disciples, so Yeshua took the role of a servant (v. 4), and He did the washing (vv. 5–9). While doing the washing, Yeshua did not wash the hands, but chose to wash the feet (v. 5).
This raised the question on Peter’s part (v. 6), “Are you going to wash my feet?” Yeshua answered that this is something He is doing as a symbol, which Peter does not understand now, but will understand later (v. 7). Yeshua clearly indicated a symbolic significance. Yet Peter again protested and said, “You will never wash my feet!” the implication being, “I am going to do it myself.” Jesus responded, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me” (v. 8). In other words, “Peter, the symbolism of what I am doing now is not something you can do for yourself; it is something that I must do.” At that point Peter submitted to being washed (v. 9).
C. The Explanation—John 13:10–11
Jesus said to him, He that is bathed needs not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
In these two verses, Yeshua gave the explanation for His symbolic demonstration of washing the disciples’ feet. He defined “the bathing” and “the washing” (v. 10). Bathing is the washing of the entire body, which was usually done at a public bathhouse. This bathing symbolizes salvation forgiveness. When a bathed person walked from the bathhouse back to his home, his feet got dirty, but the rest of his body remained clean; so, his feet needed to be washed upon entering the house. Foot-washing symbolizes family forgiveness. When we received Yeshua as our Savior, we received a bathing. We are totally bathed through our salvation forgiveness. However, as believers we still commit acts of sin and that means “our feet will get dirty.” We need to have our feet washed. Those who have their feet washed are clean every whit because the rest of the body is still clean. By salvation, we have every part forgiven. Foot-washing refers to family forgiveness, which comes by means of confession of our sins.
Some take verse 10 to teach that foot-washing is an ordinance just like baptism and the Lord’s Supper. In this context, that cannot be so because of four reasons.
First, since the bath is spiritual or symbolic, so must the foot-washing be a symbol. After all, we cannot claim that bathing is symbolic, but that foot-washing is literal in the same verse. If the bathing were literal, then the foot-washing would be literal. All agree that the bathing is symbolic; therefore, so is the foot-washing.
Secondly, the language of verses 7–8 has figurative connotations. The response of Jesus to Peter emphasizes a point of illustration; it emphasizes figurative connotations, not literal ones.
Thirdly, while we do see baptism practiced in the Book of Acts and we see the Lord’s Supper practiced in the Book of Acts, but we never see foot-washing practiced in the Book of Acts. This shows it was not taken as an ordinance by the early Church.
Fourthly, in verse 15, it is clearly referred to as an example. The implication is that a symbol is in view. It does not say, “What I did, you should do,” but Yeshua used the word as; as I have done, you should do, again emphasizing that this is a symbol, not a literal practice. This verse does not teach foot-washing as an ordinance.
This, then, would raise a question about Judas. Jesus next dealt with the status of Judas (v. 11). There are two different Greek words for “washing.” The first Greek word is louo, which means, “to bathe.” This emphasizes regeneration. Judas did not have this type of a bath. The second word is nipto, which means, “to wash a part of the body” emphasizing confession. In the case of Judas, this is the word, which is used for “bathe.” Judas never had his “bath,” he was never saved to begin with. His association with Jesus meant he had a part of his body washed, but he never had a bath. Judas is not someone who lost his salvation, but is a case of someone who was not saved to begin with.
Excerpt from Dr Arnold Fruchtenbaum:
MBS139 THE SPIRITUAL LIFE AND FELLOWSHIP: Pg 8-10
