Gospels In Harmony – The Washing of the Disciples’ Feet

Mat 26:20-21, Mar 14:17-18, Luk 22:14-30, Joh 13:2-17

[Study Aired October 26, 2021]

Mat 26:20a Now when the even was come, 
Luk 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
Luk 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Luk 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.
Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
Luk 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Joh 13:2 (Rotherham) And, supper, being in progress, the adversary, having already thrust into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, that he should deliver him up,
Joh 13:3 Jesus knowing that, all things, the Father had given unto him, into his hands, and that, from God, he had come, and, unto God, he was going, 
Joh 13:4 rouseth himself out of the supper, and layeth aside his garments, and taking a linen cloth, girded himself. 
Joh 13:5 Next, he poureth water into the wash-basin, and began to be washing the feet of the disciples, and to be wiping them with the linen cloth wherewith he was girded. 
Joh 13:6 So he cometh unto Simon Peter. He saith unto him—Lord, dost, thou, wash my feet? 
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered, and said unto him—What, I, am doing, thou, knowest not, as yet; howbeit, thou shalt got to know, hereafter. 
Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him—In nowise shalt thou, ever, wash my feet. Jesus answered him—If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him—Lord! not my feet only, but my hands also, and my head. 
Joh 13:10 Jesus saith unto him—He that hath bathed himself, hath no need save as to the feet to get washed; but is pure, as a whole. And, ye, are, pure, but not ye, all. 
Joh 13:11 For he know the man that was delivering him up; therefore, said he—Not ye all, are pure. (Rotherham)
Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

Our last study was about the preparation of the feast being a type and shadow of our time in Babylon when the Lord begins to prepare our hearts and minds to become a living sacrifice.

Rom 12:1-2 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

This study will show us a division must take place in order for us to share in the Lord’s supper. We will see that the passover is for all the chosen, but the Lord’s supper is for those that do not betray the Lord and keep his commandments and continue in his word.

Mat 26:20a Now when the even was come, 
Luk 22:14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
Luk 22:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:
Luk 22:16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.

Christ is laying the foundation of our process to the entrance of the kingdom of God. Suffering is His example we all must follow. Before we suffer with Christ, we go through several stages. These stages take place before even receiving the holy spirit. Some of these stages are strife, betrayal, denial, and then finally we receive the spirit. After receiving the spirit, the beginning of our true sufferings starts so that we can fill up that which is ‘behind of the afflictions of Christ’.

Col 1:21-29 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

Here is the stage of strife.

Luk 22:24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.

Being carnally minded we desire to be the greatest or consider others to be greater than they actually are, causing division within the church. We do not understand that those that are the least esteemed in the ways of the world are the greatest in God’s eyes.

Rom 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.

Here is what Christ has to say to those that strive with each other in the church.

Luk 22:25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors.
Luk 22:26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
Luk 22:27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
Luk 22:28 Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.
Luk 22:29 And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me;
Luk 22:30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

We are to be servants of the body. God has gifted everyone with something. Every member is important, and there are different functions of the members.

1Co 12:20-31 But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Christ now shows another example of what must take place while eating the Lord’s supper. I have used the Rotherham translation because the KJV shows this happening after supper, but many other translations have this happening during the supper before the breaking of bread. Of course, we care more about the spiritual significance of the message than the order, but it does seem to make sense to be presented in this order.

Joh 13:2 (Rotherham) And, supper, being in progress, the adversary, having already thrust into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot, that he should deliver him up,
Joh 13:3 Jesus knowing that, all things, the Father had given unto him, into his hands, and that, from God, he had come, and, unto God, he was going, 
Joh 13:4 rouseth himself out of the supper, and layeth aside his garments, and taking a linen cloth, girded himself. 
Joh 13:5 Next, he poureth water into the wash-basin, and began to be washing the feet of the disciples, and to be wiping them with the linen cloth wherewith he was girded. 
Joh 13:6 So he cometh unto Simon Peter. He saith unto him—Lord, dost, thou, wash my feet? 
Joh 13:7 Jesus answered, and said unto him—What, I, am doing, thou, knowest not, as yet; howbeit, thou shalt got to know, hereafter. 
Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him—In nowise shalt thou, ever, wash my feet. Jesus answered him—If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 
Joh 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him—Lord! not my feet only, but my hands also, and my head. 
Joh 13:10 Jesus saith unto him—He that hath bathed himself, hath no need save as to the feet to get washed; but is pure, as a whole. And, ye, are, pure, but not ye, all. 
Joh 13:11 For he know the man that was delivering him up; therefore, said he—Not ye all, are pure. (Rotherham)

Christ must bathe our feet so that we can be completely clean and free of sin. Feet represent our walk, and our walk represents our way of life and must be purified.

Lev 16:26 And he that let go the goat for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward come into the camp.

Psa 15:1-2 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.

1Jn 1:5-8 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 

The water Christ is using to clean our feet is the word.

Eph 5:26-27 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Christ now explains why he is washing their feet.

Joh 13:12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?
Joh 13:13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.
Joh 13:14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.
Joh 13:15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
Joh 13:16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.
Joh 13:17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

So we are to do this with each other. That is the purpose of our gatherings. We share the knowledge and understanding Christ has given us, and therefore we are cleansed by the washing of the water of the word.