This is the week of Christ’s Passion and Monday we were looking at John 13:1-20. This event happens at Passover while they were eating, and no one has had their feet washed.
When I came to this text I was reminded of something that happened when I was a child.
As with most little boys, I was not a fan of taking a bath. I deemed it a waste of time that would be better spent doing things that were much more fun.
One day, a moist towelette had come into my possession – much like this one. While in my bedroom, I opened the towelette and began to wipe myself down with it. From head to toe.
Then later my mother called me to go take a bath. I quickly chimed in with, “It’s already done!”
She responded, “What do you mean?”
I then explained that I had taken the towelette and given myself a proper cleaning, which I learned, was not so proper because I still had to take a bath.
We find that same thought here in this section but the way it is worded can be confusing.
V. 8 Peter refused to have Jesus wash his feet, to which Jesus responded by saying,
“If I do not wash you, you will have no share with me.”
Obviously, Jesus is referring to more than just washing feet. And this becomes clearer when Peter says, “Ok, then do not just wash my feet. Give me a bath! Wash my head and hands too.”
Jesus says, “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.”
I am uncertain if Jesus would have approved of my towelette bath. It is possible, because he says, to Peter, I am only cleaning the part that needs cleansing.
How are we to understand this? Those who are believers, that is those who are IN CHRIST are washed. You are washed clean but because we are in the flesh, we do need daily cleaning.
Just as their feet get dirty and need cleaned, we need daily cleansing (forgiveness) of our sin.
But there was one in that group that was not clean. One of the 12 was not washed. This was Judas, who was to betray him.
Understand this: if you are outside of Christ, you have no hope. You are in the same position as Judas. You need Jesus to clean you. He can. Not only can He clean you now, but those in Christ, are cleaned every day.
This is all for His glory so I say to that S.D.G.