Have You Taken a Bath?

Lesson #211

When Jesus came to Peter to wash his feet, Peter refused, but after Jesus informed him that if he didn’t then he would have no share with him. Peter thought about that and went to the other extreme and insisted that Jesus should wash all of him. This is where we pick up the story for this lesson. “Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.”” (John 13:10 ESV). This is another verse that commentators are divided on. They do not agree on the meaning of “bathed.” Does it refer to a physical bath or to spiritual cleansing? If bathed means a physical bath then walking from the bath to supper would require only the feet to be washed, but this idea fails when Jesus refers to Judas as not being clean. I don’t think it means he didn’t take a bath along with the other disciples, so I have to reject this. If I consider belief, then I can think about the disciples being washed from their sins and thus being clean. This would leave Judas in an unclean condition because of his rejection of Jesus. The foot washing could then illustrate our daily sins that we must be cleansed from. In the case of Judas, who had not come to Jesus in belief, foot washing was not enough. There are church goers today who confess their sins, but yet they are not clean because they have not been born again. “[Jesus] knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”” (John 13:11 ESV). There is no question that Jesus knew the true character of Judas and that he would betray him. Judas, in taking his stand against Jesus was still in a sinful, lost and unclean condition.

To finish out this lesson, we will start the next section, defined by John 13:12 – 20, which has its focus on the application of foot washing to our lives. “When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you?”” (John 13:12 ESV). The humble, foot washing ceremony was now over and putting on his outer garments, Jesus no longer filled the role of a slave, but the role of authority as their Teacher and Lord. Jesus returns to his place at the table and asked a simple question, “Do you understand what I have done to you?” They knew Jesus had washed their feet, but as yet, they didn’t know the spiritual implications of it. That is what he wants to help them understand.

Jesus continues by saying, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am” (John 13:13 ESV). Teacher and Lord were names of reverence which disciples of the Hebrew teachers were accustomed to offer their masters. Such an address was a way of showing respect. When I taught in China I was often referred to as teacher. Now in a position of authority, Jesus accepts those labels as an indication of his position by saying, “for so I am.” Jesus is these things, but he is more than that. He is Emmanuel, which translated means, “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23).

Prayer

Father, this act of foot washing and my experience with it in China, makes it clear the importance of humility in relationship with Jesus. Pride is about self and can’t tolerate competition with anyone else; humility sets self aside, making room for others. The connection between having bathed and thus being clean and the washing of regeneration I see as important and when made the foot washing illustrates our daily sin that we continually need cleansing for. Father, thank you that I was cleansed by the blood of Christ and provided with its provision of forgiveness. As I confess my sin, after being born again, you are faithful and just to forgive me and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.