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The Gospel of John, The Period of Conference, Transition, Christ Washes His Disciple's Feet, Part VI, John 13:9,10 - Lesson 114
John 13:1-8, Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
John 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
Peter's emotional pendulum swings fully from the left to the right.
No middle ground for Peter.
Lord, don't stop with my feet only, wash my hands and my head also!
Before, he wished to tell the Lord what he could and could not do.
Now he tells the Lord how things should be done.
How human Peter is.
We are so quick to give an opinion!
How the blood of Peter still flows in our veins!
John 13:10, Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
He that is washed signifies the washing of the whole body.
He that is washed means he that has been bathed, that is, his whole person has been cleaned.
He is saying that acceptance in the beloved person of Jesus Christ requires a full bathing of the whole person.
But there is a partial cleansing that must take place because of the daily walk the believer makes in the way of this world.
If your whole body is washed and you walk in the dust and dirt of the way, all that is needed to be washed is your feet.
Jesus is saying that only a partial washing is needed if the full washing has taken place.
Full washing does not replace the need for a daily partial washing as long as the dirty way of this world is traveled.
Our daily contact with the evil of this world causes the spiritual affections of our heart to be dulled.
A partial washing must take place to keep those spiritual affections strong.
Peter, you have been washed, but as long as you remain in your natural body a partial washing is needed to maintain fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
John has this same message in 1 John 1:6 when he says: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
In other words: If we say that we have fellowship with him, and have dirty unwashed feet, we lie, and do not the truth:
Jesus is telling Peter: I expect you to maintain continual dependence upon me if we are to maintain fellowship.
The road of this life is rough and dusty and dirty and I know that in your strength you cannot wash anything away by yourself.
Cleaning the road will not maintain fellowship.
I do not intend to clean the road!
I do not intend to get rid of the dust and the dirt!
I do not intend to make the way clean!
I do not intend to clean up the road so your feet will not get dirty!
And I don't expect you to clean it up either!
The road is beyond cleaning.
I don't rebuke you either for having dirty feet.
Having dirty feet is the way of this world.
I simply expect you to come to me daily knowing that your feet are dirty and you need them washed by the water of my word.
My word will not clean the world. My word is intended to clean you every whit!
That is my plan for you to maintain fellowship with me as long as you are in this world.
And I expect you to come to me daily because your feet get dirty daily and I will do the washing by the water of my word. |