Lord, Teacher, Servant

Day 143: John 13:1-30

'You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.” - John 13:13-15

We all have our own menial tasks that we dread doing. What's yours? Cleaning toilets? Unclogging drains? Doing dishes? Scraping gum off the underside of bleachers? Changing diapers? There is something deep inside of us all that resists doing tasks that we think are beneath us.

Washing feet at a Passover meal wasn't done by those participating in the meal, especially not the one who was presiding over their time together. This was, instead, the job of a slave. When Jesus told His disciples to go and prepare a place, He never asked them to make accommodations for a slave to be there to serve them.

Many believe there was a moment of awkwardness when the disciples were looking around, wondering who would perform the task of a slave by washing their feet. Jesus stepped forward to do the menial task, which was shocking, especially for Peter (see verse 6).

Earlier, Jesus had said this:

"...and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." - Matthew 20:27-28

Now he was giving them yet another example of how to serve. In what ways is Jesus challenging you to do the same today?

"It was because Peter recognized Jesus as teacher and Lord that he was at first unwilling to allow Jesus to wash his feet. Jesus said the disciples were right to regard him as their teacher and Lord, and his humble act had not changed that. That he had adopted a servant role did not change the fact that he was their teacher; he was just a different sort of teacher.
- Kruse, C. G. (2003). John: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 4, p. 279)