John 13:1-17 – The Meaning of Being Partakers of Christ

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

In John 13, Jesus set the example of what it meant to have part with Him. Many Christians desire to inherit the kingdom, but how many of us desire to be a partaker of Christ’s service.

The Hypocrite’s False Claim

In today’s climate, with many proclaiming to be Christians, I believe John 13:1-17 is a passage of scripture that must be taught and studied.  The reason why I say this is because Jesus teaches the powerful lesson about having part with Christ.  There are many who proclaim to follow Him today, but in their actions, they prove to have no part with Him.

This study is a follow-up to my sermon – “The Faith to Be God’s Servants, Not “Christian Oppressors”.  In that sermon, I cross-referenced with Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant, found in Matthew 18:21-35.  Because of that cross-reference, I didn’t dive too deep into the meaning of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.  So, I hope you spend a moment going with me in my study of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

Points of Interest Before Study

I want to make some quick notes before we dive into the meaning and lessons we ought to learn from Jesus washing the disciples’ feet.

John 13:1-2 helps to establish when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.  The scripture states, “supper being ended”, which we should understand as the dinner portion, not the Lord’s Supper.  The Lord’s Supper took place after Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.  This is confirmed for us in the other gospels; they were all eating a meal before Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:20-25; Mark 14:17-21).

Something else of note is the presence of Iscariot during the dinner supper.  Iscariot was initially present at the Feast of Passover, and he even got his feet washed by Jesus.  However, John makes it clear to us that Iscariot left before Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper.  Iscariot had even gotten so far as getting a piece of the bread and dipping it, but he did not go beyond that point to take part in the Lord’s Supper (John 13:23-30).

The reason why I mention Iscariot’s presence is because he will serve as a very important point in this study.  Both Peter and Iscariot are going to be key figures for us to pay attention to in this study.

Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet

I want to start by taking a look at John 13:4-8. In John 13:4, we are told, “[Jesus] rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.”    The dinner was still taking place as many of the disciples were still eating and enjoying the occasion.

John 13:5 tells us, “After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.”  This action would have certainly caught the attention of the disciples, and you can imagine that conversations began to cease.

The role of a servant

When Jesus took off His robe and wrapped the towel around His waist, He took on a role that would be done by a servant or slave.  Washing off the feet of another was a customary act in that day, as a special basin of water would be set aside for the feet of guests to be washed when they visited.

Washing the feet of another was also a humble act.  For example, in Luke 7, we are told of an occasion when Jesus sat at the home of a Pharisee named Simon to eat with him.  As He sat with the Pharisee, a sinful woman washed Jesus’ feet with her hair and her tears, and then she anointed them with oil (Luke 7:36-38).

The Pharisee scoffed at the idea of Jesus letting a sinful woman touch Him and wash His feet.  Jesus rebuked the Pharisee for his thoughts, asking him, ‘Why didn’t you do this for Me (Luke 7:44-47)?’  The Pharisee didn’t do what was customary in washing Jesus’ feet, as one could assume the Pharisee may have felt that he was above washing the feet of another.  

After rebuking the Pharisee, Jesus looked to the sinful woman and forgave her of her sins (Luke 7:48).  Jesus then told her that her faith had saved her, and encouraged her to go in peace (Luke 7:50).

So, in a manner of speaking, Jesus had taken up the same position as the sinful woman, though He had no sins.  Yet, He takes up the humble position of being a servant to the disciples.  Moreover, the disciples were men who, in their society, were looked down on as being so simple that the only thing they could do was fish.  

Lesson from Peter rejecting Jesus’ service

Peter, for his part in our study, understood what he was seeing, but he didn’t like it.  Peter understood that Jesus was doing something that a servant or a slave would do.  This is why we see Peter ask, in John 13:6, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”  

You see, Peter was not ignorant of what he was seeing. Peter understood very well that Jesus was the Son of God, He was Most High (Matt. 16:13-16).  So, to see Jesus taking up such a position to wash his and the rest of the disciples’ feet was preposterous.  

Yet, Jesus’ lowering Himself was the point in why He washed the disciples’ feet!  This is why Jesus responded by saying, in John 13:7, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”  

Peter certainly would understand after Jesus gave His life and rose again, but in that moment, Peter was not having it with Jesus acting as a servant or slave.  Peter vehemently protested, saying in John 13:8, “You shall never wash my feet!”

Now, here is where Jesus tells Peter something extremely important.  Jesus said to Peter, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”  To which Peter then responded, in John 13:9,  “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

Partakers With Christ

Now, I don’t believe that Peter fully understood what he was saying here, and I say this for a couple of reasons.  For the first reason, I will cross-reference with scripture from Luke 22:24-30.  

At some point during the feast, the disciples disputed amongst themselves, which of them was the “greatest”.  Personally, I believe that Peter was the one leading the charge in this argument.  The reason why I believe this is because Peter, as the oldest disciple, saw himself as the leader.  

Now, I don’t believe this was an argument they had after Jesus washed their feet, as it could have been what led to Jesus washing their feet.  I suggest this because Jesus told the disciples, in Luke 22:26, “he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.”  (Keep this thought in mind).

The second reason I don’t believe Peter fully understood what it meant to be a partaker with Christ is because He, a short time later, would deny knowing Christ three times.  Now, after Jesus’ resurrection, and throughout the rest of his ministering life, Peter certainly gained a great understanding of having part with Christ.

Peter, later in his life, would say, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy (1 Pet. 4:12-13).”

In his earlier years, Peter had the same desire that many believers have today –  we want to have a part in God’s eternal kingdom.  Yet, having part with Christ goes beyond what we and Peter saw on the surface level.  Christ has given us an assignment to minister and impart grace throughout the world, to all people (Matt. 28:19-20).

What Peter had come to learn in his ministering years is that having part with Christ went beyond being able to say he walked with Christ.  It would go beyond being baptized or being able to quote scripture.

Christianity Is a Service

Peter would learn that being a partaker with Christ meant that he had to live like Christ, which meant he had to serve like Christ.

In John 13:9, Peter excitedly told Jesus, “[Wash] not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.” To which Jesus responded, in John 13:10, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.”

Jesus’ response to Peter was about Iscariot, who, like Peter and the others, walked with Jesus, yet his path veered in a different direction that led him to betray Jesus.  How does one, like Iscariot, who walked with Christ, end up betraying Him?  That question can be asked of many today who say they believe in Christ but betray Him through their actions.

The one mistake in identity that people often make about Christianity is that it is a religion.  Sadly, many “believers” make Christianity out to be a religion.  What I mean by this is that many so-called believers believe that there is a checklist of things they are supposed to do to be a Christian.  Doing this and doing that because of a list is not faith – it is mechanical religion.

Jesus said that all one must do to be a follower of His is to believe in Him whom the Father sent (John 6:29).  Beyond that, Jesus said that one should love the Lord wholeheartedly, and then He said one should love their neighbor (Matt. 22:37-39).  

To be clear, this is not a checklist.  Christians are to serve God, and in our service, we are to serve one another and all of those around us.  Nowhere in scripture will you find that Jesus tells us that we have to go to church service.  Nowhere in scripture will you find that Jesus tells us how many times we have to pray in a day.  

When Peter asked Jesus about how often he should forgive someone, Jesus gave him the outlandish number of 490 times a day – seventy times seven (Matt. 18:21-22).  The lesson to Peter was that he should strive to always do what is just because that is what faithfulness looks like.

Going to the synagogue was part of the holy convocation of the Sabbath.  The early church, established by the apostles, who were Jews, carried the tradition over to the first day of the week in recognition of the day Christ rose.  Paul said that it is good for one not to forsake assembling together, which is certainly true (Heb. 10:25).

However, what is most important to the Lord is that the follower of Christ carry themselves in the same gracious manner that Christ carried Himself in.  We can go to church every Sunday, but what good is that if we don’t have a gracious and merciful heart?

We can read the bible and quote scripture to others every day, yet what good is that if we don’t live by the principles?  It is no good to the one who professes to be a Christian.  When your actions betray our beliefs, it makes you a hypocrite, and hypocrisy is a great danger, as it hurts oneself and pushes others away from God. 

Seek to Glorify God, Not Oneself

The Christian is not above living by the word!  As Jesus said to the disciples in John 13:16, “A servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.”

Jesus washed the disciples’ feet, saying to them in John 13:14, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”  This verse is one that we can use to refer back to what Jesus said in Luke 22:26, “he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves.”

In any room, Jesus is the one who sits highest – He is God.  Yet, Jesus took a towel, girded Himself, and moved as a servant to the disciples.  One must understand that Christianity is a service where we serve each other and all of those around us.  

The problem within the false Christianity that’s present in this land is that it rather serve oneself rather than serve another.  There are many so-called leaders who seek to bring glory to themselves, rather than glorify the Lord.  From such, one ought to turn away!

If we look back to Luke 22:25-26a, Jesus said to the disciples, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.  But not so among you…’’

When Jesus spoke of Gentiles in this verse, He literally spoke of those who were outside of the blood of Israel, to illustrate to His Jewish disciples how they were thinking.  In a spiritual sense, a Gentile could also be considered as one who has not been washed clean by Jesus.  This is to say that spiritually speaking, a Gentile is one who does not have part with Christ and is still worldly.

In no way were the disciples Gentiles, not by blood nor in a spiritual sense.  If you are of sincere faith, you have been sanctified (set apart) from the world.   What Jesus tells us is the notions of grandeur – self-glory – ought not be among our thoughts and intentions.

Iscariot’s failure is that he had never learned this lesson from watching how Christ operated.  Christ chose to live in submission to the Father’s will.  Christ did not come to the earth and set up HIs throne on earth, not in His first coming.  Christ taught and healed, both physically and spiritually.

If Christ taught and healed, what do you suppose His disciples (all who believe) ought to do?  We should understand that Christianity is not about how often we go to church, nor is is about how many bible verses we know.  

Christianity is not about how often we pray, nor is it a competition about how many souls we have saved.   Christianity is not about making a name for yourself; that was the failure of the scribes and Pharisees.  Our service is a service about pleasing the Lord by sincerely being obedient to God’s word.

A lowly work

With these things in mind, we must also understand that having part with Christ means we take part in a lowly work.  Again, I remind you, Jesus said that the servant is not greater than his master.

While Jesus did have a multitude of followers, He also acknowledged that the world despised Him.  Think about this:  Iscariot, one of His closest followers, betrayed Him shortly after the Feast of Passover for thirty pieces of silver (Matt. 26:14-15).  Jesus was rejected by His hometown because He proclaimed Himself to be the Messiah (Luke 4:16-30).  After He fed multitudes, many left Him because He told them to consume Him and His every word (John 6:60-66).

You will be rejected, whether it is by family, friend, acquaintance, or stranger ( ).  When Jesus first sent out the twelve, He told them to expect rejection and to move on when it happened (Matt. 10:14).  If you have part with Christ, expect that those of a worldly mind won’t be your biggest fans.  Like Christ, those who are of a worldly mindset will hate you (John 15:18-20).

The service of serving others is a thankless task, at least it is today.  Consider how often God is thanked for causing His sun to rise and set on our world.  Yes, we who are of faith give thanks, but we are in such a small minority in comparison to the world.  When a Christian does good, we ought not expect a standing ovation for our work.

In Luke 17:9-10, Jesus tells us that when we do what has been commanded of us, we ought to say, “We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

In Matthew 6:1-4, Jesus teaches that we are to do our charitable deeds in secret, not to be seen as the hypocrites do.  While we may not be thanked for our efforts today, we will be thanked in the day to come.  Jesus tells us in these verses that our Father in heaven will reward us openly.

When we think about Christianity, we ought to always think about Christ’s service to us.  Christ put us ahead of Himself.  How many of us are esteeming others better than we esteem ourselves?  I feel this is a question that we, Christians, must ask ourselves if we truly desire to be serious about our Christianity.