THE FOOT WASHER

John 13:1-9
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004 by Tyndale Charitable Trust.

Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet

1 Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. 2 It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. 4 So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5 and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

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

7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”

8 “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

9 Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”


During the time when Jesus walked the dusty streets of Jerusalem, it was the slave of the household who was responsible for washing the feet of the guests. It would have been a cultural break in etiquette if this act of hospitality and servanthood had not already been performed. When Jesus took up the towel, He was doing more than washing feet. He was teaching a lesson … making a point.

The relationship between Jesus and His disciples was different than the relationship between the slave and the guests of the household. When Jesus washes His disciples feet, He seals the bond between them. “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”

Have you been washed by Jesus? Has His blood, shed on Calvary washed away your sins and sealed your relationship? Do you belong to Him?

“Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”