John 13
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already decided that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, slaves are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.”
After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” Now no one knew why he said this to him. Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival,” or that he should give something to the poor. So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, but you will follow afterward.” Peter said to him, “Lord, why can I not follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly, I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.
Oh Peter. So earnest. So willing. And yet always missing the mark. Completely aloof to not only what Jesus is trying to tell the disciples, but also what Jesus is trying to show them.
When Jesus kneels down and prepares to wash the disciples’ feet, Peter questions what he’s doing, appalled that Jesus would humiliate himself in this way. “This is not what you do, teacher. This is not your job. You are above me, not below me.”
When Jesus explains that he will understand later, Peter rejects it altogether, pride and hubris getting the best of him. He’s unwilling to receive such a gift from his rabbi.
When Jesus gives him an ultimatum saying, this is what it means to be with me, this is what it is to be loved—when Jesus says to him, I need to wash your feet so that you know how to love others—Peter swings to the opposite extreme and pleads for Jesus to wash everything.
When Jesus tells his friends that someone around the table is going to betray him, Peter is shocked. He can see the distress in his leader’s face, so he elbows the guy next to him to try and find out who it is. Hoping to intercept whatever betrayal is about to happen. Hoping to save his savior.
When Jesus gives his friends a new commandment, Peter ignores it and instead asks him where he’s going. Jesus doesn’t answer his question, because Peter cannot follow him. This is the end of the road for now, which Peter does not seem to accept. He says he will sacrifice his whole life for Jesus. He’ll go the distance. He’ll do whatever it takes.
But Jesus knows the truth—and now Peter does, too—that this most earnest and willing disciple will not only fail to lay down his life for Jesus, but will deny him three times. It is a truth that leaves Peter speechless.
Peter gets a lot of flak for being human. We like to give Peter a hard time for being the way he is, but I think he’s one of the most honest characters we have in scripture. He helps us see more clearly our own reactions to Jesus.
The Jesus we find in John 13 is a Messiah, a Savior, a King, who kneels down to wash our feet. That’s not a strong or powerful man. That’s a servant. Someone willing to being humiliated. Someone who’s not ashamed to lower themselves to serve others.
The Jesus we find in John 13 sits among friends, with whom he has shared life and given everything to, but also who will betray and deny him. That’s not a just or righteous man. That’s a weak man, who forgives too easily and is willy-nilly about who he surrounds himself with.
The Jesus we find in John 13 commands us to love one another as he has loved us. He instructs us to follow his lead and kneel down, to lower ourselves below our neighbor, to live in humble service and humility, to touch and love and care as Jesus touched and loved and cared. That’s not a tough man. That’s a tender man.
And someone who seems to be getting even softer as things get even harder.
I don’t blame Peter for reacting in all the ways he did. This new commandment is hard to hear. This humble act of service is hard to receive.
Like Peter, we swing from one extreme to another as we attempt to make Jesus into someone he’s not. We ask questions to more deeply understand, but in doing so often end up missing the point altogether. We reject Jesus’ gift of love because it feels weak and humiliating and vulnerable, and we want our Savior to be strong and dominant and powerful.
Even so, Jesus never banishes Peter. He doesn’t even condemn him.
Instead, he kneels down, wraps a towel around his waist, fills a basin of water, and washes the feet of his friend who never seems to get it, who always asks the wrong questions, and who is about to deny his very existence.
This is the gift of Thursday.
Jesus loved Peter first.
Jesus loved Peter before he messed up.
Jesus loved Peter knowing that he would mess up.
Jesus loved Peter with a tender, humble, servant-like love, a love Jesus believed would change him and send him out to love one another in the same way.
🤲🏼
Seeking more on this Maundy Thursday? Here’s my reflection from last year. ⤵️
