He washed the dirty shoeless feet

tenderly

making them beautiful

announcers' feet to cross

the mountains.

What? Is this right? My Lord

mastering the slave's role

serving the students?

He said, you can't come with me

unless I wash you.

Was it really water, soap, perfume perhaps

that washed those soles?

He said it was the things he said

that made the body clean.

But those clean feet

would need another wash.

But who

would do

the servants' job

when he was gone?

He thought

it should be done by others

servants

sisters brothers

should keep each other's

feet

free from dirt.

With water? soap? perfume?

perhaps the things he said

would serve

to keep announcers' feet

fit

to bring a message

from this King.

Dale Appleby

January 29, 2006

Dramatically Jesus gets up from the table, takes off his outer garment, wraps himself in a towel, takes a basin, pours water into it... You can see the conversation stop. All eyes are on Jesus. This is strange behaviour, totally out of place.

As if the drama of the event is not enough, John has set the scene with heavy marks: the hours has come, Jesus is departing from the world, going to the Father, who has been given everything into his hands. He is in total control. He has come from God and is going to God. And even though the devil has his scheme - put into the heart of Judas - it is Jesus who is the divine Lord and Teacher who is close to the end of completing his love for his own.

He explains to Peter that he will understand later what is being done. So now that we know, what do we know? What was he doing?

The washing of the feet was how the disciples gained a share in Jesus. When Peter wanted to be washed all over he was told they were already clean (except for Judas), they only needed their feet to be washed. So the washing is connected to the being made clean (by the Word Jesus says in John 15.3).

So is this act (which they are to follow as an example) just an act of serving, perhaps one of the explanations of the cross?

Could Jesus have set the same example by doing some other menial act, such as serving the food, or clearing away the dishes?

If the example for us is to serve each other in humility, then we can see that Jesus is preparing them for the time when some will assert themselves to be greater than the others. But this example does not teach great leaders how to serve the lesser members. This is an instruction for equals.

It may be preparing for the time when service will be neglected (as it was that night - no one thought it important to wash feet). Perhaps Jesus wants all of them to share in serving.

He may also have been preparing them for a time when collusional ministry developed. When those who wanted to be great were allowed to be, but were given all the work to do.

In any case he is instructing them how  to serve each other as equals, and he is giving them an example as someone who is not their equal.

But what if the example is a specific action of cleansing? What if the example only works if it is about cleaning feet? If they are already clean because of the Word Jesus has spoken to them, why does he want them to keep on washing each other's feet?

A clue may be found in Paul's instructions to husbands in Ephesians 5.25-27. "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendour, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind-yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish."

Perhaps there is an ongoing washing with the word which is to be done by all of us. Not the washing that makes us clean in the first place, but the ongoing washing that keeps us clean.

James says a similar thing, "My brothers and sisters, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and is brought back by another, you should know that whoever brings back a sinner from wandering will save the sinner's soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." Jam 5.19-20.

Perhaps the disciples who have been made clean by Jesus, need each other to help them stay clean. Restoring the one who is caught in a sin (Gal 6.1), teaching and admonishing one another as the word of God comes to life amongst us (Col 3.16).

How will you help keep your sister or brother's feet clean?