Communion With the Christ:: Holy Thursday: Do You Know What I have Done for You?

Do you know what I have done for you?” Jhn: 13:12b

As Jesus gathered with his Disciples in the Upper Room on the very night on which he would be arrested and tried then crucified shared his final supper with them. Jesus took a basin of water and proceeded to take the place of house-hold servant and washes the Disciples feet?

“The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.” Jhn: 13:2-5

Do Not Wash My Feet

For the Disciples, this was an unusual occurrence, it would have been very difficult and uncomfortable for each of them to have their master condescend to the level of a house hold servant and wash each of their feet.

St. Peter give voice to the uncomfortably of the situation as his master kneels before him with the basin and towel and prepares to wash his feet clean.

“When Jesus came to Simon Peter, he said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (6)

In response to St. Peter’s objection, Jesus replied by pointing the Disciple to the future; giving St. Peter assurance that what he was doing would take on greater meaning to each of them which the Disciples would later come to understand.

“you do not now realizes what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (7)

But again, St. Peter , not yet grasping the profound significance to his master’s simple actions of that of a servant object emphatically.

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” (8)

Jesus gently rebukes St. Peter hinting at the importance of his actions

“Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Hearing this, the Disciple then relents and desires Jesus to wash more than his feet to is whole body.

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (9)

Not Just Dust from Feet

Jesus now begins to give depth and expands upon his actions of a house-hold servant. Jesus is showing them the meaning of what is about to take place and the purpose for which he has come.

“Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” (10)

By adding the statement “you are clean, though not every one of you.” Jesus is indicating that he was demonstrating more than just showing a servant’s example, though, that can be found within the purview of his actions , but Jesus’ intent goes far deeper and fundamental to the human heart itself.

St. John adds a post resurrection editorial comment now understood in light of the cross and resurrection.

“For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.” (11)

What Jesus was revealing to his Disciples and to we who witness this moment through the pages of the St. John’s Gospel, is that Jesus has come to wash more than just feet.

What I have Done

When Jesus completed the service of foot washing, he assumes his robe once again and is then seated at the table.

“When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place”. (12a)

After Jesus is seated, he asked the Disciples a simple question which is meant to enlarge their understanding of what their master has done.

“Do you know what I have done for you?” (12b)

By Jesus asking the Disciples this question, tells us that what he has done far has greater meaning then they or we might first believe or understand. Jesus tells them that it is what he has done for them. This means that his actions are found within the scope his Messiah-ship.

By washing their feet and proclaiming them as clean, even Judas', has great meaning. That, it is not because Jesus had not washed Judas' feet but because Judas would not receive the washing which Jesus had done to and for him. Therefore, Judas was, as Jesus said, not clean even though he had been washed by Jesus.

“though not every one of you.” (10b)

Jesus also tells his Disciples to follow his example of washing, but this is only possible for them to do because he, their Master, first had washed their feet.

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” (13-15)

Jesus then encourages and instructs his Disciples to follow what he has done and that it is a blessing to his Disciples.

“Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them”. (16-17)

Washing More Than Feet

Many, see Jesus’ act of foot washing as an example of a humble and serving posture of heart , and again that is a valid view point, but consider that Jesus himself expanded it’s application to something even greater, which he as Messiah has done for us. Judas was washed yet still remained not clean, his feet was washed, but not his heart. Judas would not receive the true intent of Jesus' act even through it was done for him.

Jesus came to wash the human heart clean of its stain of sin, recall, that in only a matter of a few hours from Jesus washing their feet that Jesus would be shedding of his own blood through flagellation and crucifixion all to demonstrate the forgiveness of sin and the washing of the human heart and conscience .

The Holy Spirit speaks of this divine washing and the freedom from sinful actions and patterns of behavior and ways of thinking all through Jesus in the Epistle to the Hebrews.

“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself unblemished to God, purify our consciences from works of death, so that we may serve the living God!” Heb: 9:14

In his foot washing service, that is taking on the humble role of a house hold servant , Jesus has showed us the purpose of the Cross of Calvary.

“And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death-- even death on a cross” Philp:2:8

Washed Through the Word

This message of humanity being washed clean through the Salvation work of Jesus upon the cross is the means through which we can experiencing this washing accomplished for us by Jesus.

St. Paul, speaking of the Church, those who have heard this message of the cross and have received what the Lord Jesus has done for them, the Apostle writes to Christians two-thousand years ago and to believers through-out the ages , regarding this washing through the word.

“to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,” Eph:5:26

When the Gospel is heard and received, we can experience what Jesus has done for us and we can be clean as Jesus told them “You are clean”.

Being clean is true of all, but some, like Judas, would not receive it and was as Jesus said “not all of you”. Judas did not have to be in this state, but it was his rejection of what Jesus was doing that made him, or anyone else unclean.

Do As I Have

Jesus encouraged his Disciples to follow suit and do as he had done. Jesus is not just speaking of serving one another, through it is again found within his meaning, Jesus however is speaking of more than that.

Jesus is telling his Disciples there in that Upper Room, to go and spread the message of the cross so that any who will but freely receive can be clean. When his Disciples went into the world and proclaimed the word of the cross they were telling the world what the Lord had done for them, that Jesus has washed them clean as is revealed at the cross and the shedding of his own blood.

The message that forgiveness is accomplished all through Jesus and belongs to anyone who will but freely receive it. This is what the Jesus has done to and for us all, and was revealing through washing of the Disciples feet, even Judas’.

The message of the Gospel answers the question which Jesus posed to his Disciples there in the Upper Room when he asked “do you know what I have done for you?” The answer is; that through Jesus’ Salvation work we have been forgiven and washed clean as demonstrated through his shed blood on the Cross of Calvary. This is the message which we are to go forth and proclaim to the each and to all.

Benediction: May we each and all go forth into the World and proclaimed what the Lord Jesus had done for any who will but receive the message of the Cross of Calvary and has washed us clean, today, tomorrow and forevermore. Amen.