Clean From Sin
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, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his 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 was why he said not everyone was clean John 13:6-11
Peter must have expressed what they were all thinking, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus was not just hosting their meal together; He was their master and the disciple always served his master and not the other way round. ‘Jesus replied, “You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”’ Peter only understood on the surface level what was happening. The fuller meaning would come later.
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Like the rest of the disciples, Peter was unwilling to take on the menial task of washing feet before the meal but was appalled to think Jesus would do it. ‘Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”’ What did He mean? Jesus humbling of Himself to wash the disciples’ feet symbolised His humbling of Himself to go to the cross to bring final cleansing from sin. If the disciples didn’t accept what Jesus did for them, they could have no part with Him, no relationship and no fellowship. The cleansing of feet pictured the cleansing of the soul through the blood of Jesus (1 John 1:7). Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” Peter so wanted to continue his relationship and fellowship with Jesus that he said in effect, ‘If the only way I can have this relationship keep going is by being washed by you, then wash me all over.’
‘Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean.”’ There are two ways of interpreting Jesus’ words depending on whether the words ‘needs only to wash his feet’ were John’s original wording. Some early manuscripts omit them; so the verse reads, ‘Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath; his whole body is clean.”’ If this was John’s original wording, Jesus is saying that when He washes us, we are completely clean. But if the clause is meant to be here, Jesus is saying there is a once-for-all cleansing when we first come to Him for salvation, but in the course of everyday life we sin in different ways. This sin too is cleansed by coming to Him and allowing His blood to wash the sin away (1 John 1:9).
Then Jesus said “And you are clean.” Their faith in Him was a continuing faith. The disciples were clean because they accepted Jesus’ word and accepting Jesus’ word was ‘how’ they were made clean (15:3). People today continue to be made clean by accepting Jesus’ word. His word to us embraces the cross and the benefits of the cross that come to those who trust in Him.
Though Jesus knew most of His disciples were clean, not all were. ‘For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.’ Judas Iscariot was still with them. Jesus had washed his feet but Judas had not received Jesus’ word. He was looking for a different kind of Messiah and so decided to betray Jesus to the Jewish authorities knowing they would kill Him.
Do you keep short accounts with God? Do you confess sin as soon as you commit it, claiming the wonderful truth ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness’ (1 John 1:9)? This is how we maintain unbroken fellowship with God.
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