"Come and See": A Web Commentary on the Gospel of John: Section 12 The Last Supper and Farewell Discourses

12.1 Jesus Washes his Disciples' Feet (Jn 13.1-20)

13¹Then before the feast of Passover, when Jesus saw that his hour had come for him to pass from this world to the Father, since he loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ²And during dinner, when the Enemy had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot¹ to betray him, ³since Jesus² saw that the Father had entrusted everything to him and that he came from God and was returning to God, ⁴he got up from the dinner and took off his outer garments and, taking a linen cloth, he belted it around him. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and wipe them with the linen cloth with which he was belted. ⁶Then he reached Simon Peter. Simon³ said, "Lord, are you washing my feet‽ ⁷Jesus answered and said to him, "You don't know now the things I am doing, but you will understand them later. ⁸Peter said to him, "You will not ever wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me." ⁹Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not just my feet but also my hands and head!" ¹⁰Jesus said to him, "Someone who has bathed doesn’t need to wash, except for their feet, but is entirely clean. You⁴ are also clean, but not all." ¹¹For he knew that someone would betray him; therefore he said "You are not all clean."

¹²Then when he had washed their feet, he put on his outer garments and reclined at the table again; he said to them, "Do you understand what I have done for you? ¹³You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord', and you speak well, for I am. ¹⁴So if I, your lord and teacher, washed your feet, you ought also to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you should do for one another just as I have done for you. ¹⁶Amen, Amen, I say to you, the slave⁵ is not greater than their master nor is the messenger greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷If you understand these things, you are blessed if you do them.

¹⁸"I am not speaking about all of you; I know the ones I chose, but it was⁶ so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, "The one that ate my bread lifted his heel against me"⁷. ¹⁹Now I am telling you before it happens, so that, when it happens, you may trust that I AM. ²⁰Amen, Amen I say to you, the one who receives someone I send receives me, the one who receives me, receives the one who sent me."