Images of Ministry: Feet Washing (Johannine Transfiguration Story)
(Images And Characterization of Jesus’ Ministry Of Feet Washing in Johannine Gospel)
1. Introduction
Jesus’ ministry of feet washing is recorded only in the Gospel according to John among the canonical gospels. This significant event of feet washing is an incredibly powerful presentation of Jesus, the Messiah in Johannine Gospel. It intentionally helps the readers to understand the significance of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. This paper attempts to study the images and characterization of Jesus’ ministry of feet washing recorded in John 13.1-20.
2. Johannine Understanding of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing
The account of the feet washing in Johannine Gospel is powerfully directed to Jesus’ parting reflections. It is now the day before the crucifixion. The setting is the upper room, prepared for the Last Supper. The evening meal is the Passover meal. The first twelve chapters of the gospel of John describe the public ministry of Jesus. Starting in chapter 13, most of what John describes are the last private moments Jesus reveals prior to His crucifixion. The phrase “the hour has come” (John 13.1) denotes that Jesus would hang on the cross soon. Jesus knew that he did not have much time left with his disciples, and he had something that he wanted to teach them before he left earth. So, he used these last precious hours to serve and prepare His disciples.
It is common in Johannine studies to interpret the meaning of Jesus’ action as a willingness to humble himself in service of other believers, based on the fact that slaves usually washed the feet of guests, marking it as an action reserved for people of lower status. Washing feet in such a situation is the role of the most menial of servants. Normally, the host would not do this washing himself, because it is regarded as a very demeaning task. But Jesus gets up from the meal, takes a towel, and wraps it around His waist and washes the disciples’ feet. It was a powerful visual lesson in servant leadership. It is a way that Jesus could demonstrate His unfathomable love for His disciples. But beyond this, it’s a lesson which the disciples desperately need to learn, a lesson in humility. In the kingdom of God, a position of leadership is simply a place of service.[1]
3. Images of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing
3.1 Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing as Metaphorical Image
One of the potent metaphors is foot-washing. Jesus attempts to speak about the unfamiliar, to give it new meaning, and to create a new reality by using something that is familiar, at least in his time. A host would provide water for guests to wash their feet, provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests or even serve the guests by washing their feet. This is mentioned in several places in the Old Testament (Gen 18:4; 1 Sam 25:41). In the time of Jesus also, washing one’s feet was customary (Luke 7.44). If there was no servant present, it was customary for people to wash each other’s feet before eating. The disciples have likely performed this numerous times previously. One of the typical, everyday things they did to respect and care for one another.[2] The new reality that Jesus is trying to communicate with the disciples by this metaphor, he shows who God is and help them to understand how much he love them.[3]
3.2 Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing as a Model of Ministry and Mission
Jesus’ foot-washing was a Concise Summary of the mission’s main points. “Jesus and the devil had been at odds throughout his mission, and it was about to come to a head. The love of the Father and the evil plans of the devil are sharply contrasted in this passage.”[4] In accordance with Jesus’ repeated assertion that he was carrying out the Father’s will, (John 13. 3) John notes that Jesus knew that the hour of grief was in his Father’s hands.[5] It is a unique act of Jesus’ ministry during his last hours in this world. He has fulfilled God’s mission and taught his disciples to do his mission as he has done. Jesus came from the above to below to fulfil God’s will of the mission in this world. He gave a model of ministry and mission from his own life.
3.3 Washing as a Symbol of Sharing with God
“Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me”” (John 13.8b). The washing was a symbol of spiritual cleansing. If Peter did not participate in the cleansing, he would not enjoy fellowship with him. It emphasised that Peter has no share in companionship with Jesus Christ. Jesus by washing His disciples’ feet, He simply didn’t do this because a servant had not been given, as was traditional in those days, or because He had mentioned the necessity for their feet to be washed. Jesus was saying that they cannot have fellowship with Him unless their sins are forgiven. “Even at this late point in Christ’s ministry, the disciples were still unable to fully comprehend what Christ’s purpose for coming to earth was. They continued to seek a material, earthly kingdom while being unaware that His kingdom was spiritual and not of this world.” This straightforward deed was intended to demonstrate that they cannot share the kingdom of God until they have fellowship with him.
4. Characterization of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing
4.1 Jesus’ Ministry with Out of His Unconditional Love
The feet-washing reveals that the crucifixion was Jesus’ consummate act of love. “Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13.1b).[6] He was not only washing the feet of his disciples but also washing the biggest betrayer in human history. Jesus would go to the cross and surrender his life not just for the other eleven, but also for his betray Judas. This message, however, is not only about our willingness to perform the tasks. It teaches us to be willing to love others, even when they are unlovable or unloving in return.[7] In the overall mission of Jesus, the feet washing, the ultimate purpose of Jesus is to enable his team to see God’s love and power in him.
4.2 Jesus’ Ministry with Humility
Jesus was humble in nature and had taught them to be humble. He does not merely talk about these qualities but demonstrates them. He was willingly washed his disciples’ feet.[8] It was obvious that the gesture was meant to be symbolic, signifying both humility and purification. In verses 12–17, the significance of the completely unexpected gesture of humility is explained. The highest extent of Jesus’ humility was that he humbled himself unto death (Phil. 2.8). This feet-washing was thus a token of expression of what is to come-his death on the cross.[9]
4.3 Jesus’ Servant-hood Ministry
“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13.14). Jesus came not to be ministered unto but to minister (Mk. 10.45).[10] In Philippians 2.5-8, Apostle Paul emphasizes the self-emptying of Christ, not only in terms of becoming a man among men but becoming a servant among men. “But (He) emptied himself taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2.7a).[11]
5. Reflections
The Gospel of John as a whole describes how God himself became a human being. Jesus’ descend from the heavens, total identification with the humans (1:14), and his service in the world (13:1-20) are emphasized by the Fourth Evangelist. John 13:1-20 also demonstrates the horizontal and humanitarian aspects in the ministry of Jesus. As M.M. Thomas and P. D. Devanandan suggests, the Church should get involved in the very act of nation building and she should serve the country through humanization.[12] As Johannine Jesus, who turns to be a servant of God, uplifted the marginalized sections of the society, today’s Church, as an agent of mission, should uplift the Dalit, Tribal, and other marginal groups of the society. The apostle John attempts to merge the theme of servant-hood with the glorification aspect. In that sense, as Jesus manifested his glory through service until his death, the church should exemplify its service to the community and reveal Christ’s honour in the public.
As Jesus appears to be a ‘sent one of God’ to send people for witnessing, the Church as the ‘sent one’ in the world is expected to send people for witnessing Christ at varied levels of community life. The Church should transcend all sorts of human made boundaries for witnessing Christ and also, she should prioritize loving kindness as the greatest virtue of God. The event of washing the feet exemplifies Jesus’s pattern of sacrificial and costly service. It is in this manner the disciples are expected to show their agape to one another as they are engaged in witnessing Christ in the world. The Church should, as an agent, function of charity, reconciliation, and liberation with agape love. The servant-hood model of the Church reveals her identity as a worthy community in the present and thus achieving a glorious future.
6. Conclusion
The narrative of feet washing in Johannine gospel exhibits a unique incident of Jesus, a Guru voluntarily washing the feet of his disciples. By this action he taught his disciples simplicity, love, and readiness to serve others. It is an act to show the nature of Christian fellowship and ministry. Through Jesus’s activity and the subsequent instruction, the disciples are prepared to carry out the virtue of humility through the act of service. It is noteworthy to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ, who said, “For I have set you an example that you also should do as I have done to you” (John 13.15).
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barclay, William. The Gospel of John. The William Barclay the New Study Bible. Vol. 2. Bangalore: Theological Publication in India, 2019.
Barrett, C. K. The Gospel According to St. John. An Introduction with Commentary and Notes on the Greek Text. 2nd Edition. London: SPCK, 1978.
Guthrie, Donald. “John.” New Bible Commentary. Edited by D.A. Carson, R.T. France, J. A. Motyer and, G. J. Wenham. Hyderabad: Good Shepherd, 2019.
Kanagaraj, J. “Johannine Jesus, The Supreme Example of Leadership.” Themelios 29/3. Accessed September 15, 2022, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/johannine-jesus-the-supreme.
Koester, Craig R. Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel. 2nd Edition. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003.
Lalfakmawia, H. Joseph. Re-Reading the Gospel of John. Kolkata: ESPACE, 2013.
Perkins, Pheme. “The Gospel According to John.” In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Edited by Raymond E. Brown, S. S. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J. Roland E. Murphy and, O. Carm. Bengaluru: Theological Publication in India, 2019.
Rao, O.M. St. John’s Gospel: A Study Guide Commentary. Delhi: ISPCK, 1998.
Thomas M.M and Devanadan P.D. eds. Christian Participation in Nation Building: The Summing Up of a Corporate Study on Rapid Social Change, (Bangalore: NCCI and CIRS, 1960), 48.
Weiss, Herold. “Foot Washing in Johannine Community.” Novum Testamentum vol. 21/4 (Oct, 1979): 298–325. Accessed September 12, 2022. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1560729.
Footnotes
[1] Herold Weiss, “Foot Washing in Johannine Community,” Novum Testamentum, vol. 21/4 (Oct, 1979): 312, accessed September 12, 2022, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1560729.
[2] William Barclay, The Gospel of John, William Barclay the New Study Bible, vol. 2 (Bangalore: Theological Publication in India, 2019), 165.
[3] Pheme Perkins, “The Gospel According to John,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by Raymond E. Brown, S. S. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J. Roland E. Murphy and, O. Carm (Bengaluru: Theological Publication in India, 2019): 973.
[4] Donald Guthrie, “John,” New Bible Commentary, edited by D.A. Carson, R.T. France, J. A. Motyer and, G. J. Wenham (Hyderabad: Good Shepherd, 2019), 1053.
[6] Craig R. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 131.
[7] J. Kanagaraj, “Johannine Jesus, The Supreme Example of Leadership,” Themelios 29/3, accessed September 15, 2022, https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/johannine-jesus-the-supreme.
[8] H. Joseph Lalfakmawia, Re-Reading the Gospel of John (Kolkata: ESPACE, 2013), 118-119.
[9] O.M. Rao, St. John’s Gospel, A Study Guide Commentary (Delhi: ISPCK, 1998), 258.
[10] O.M. Rao, St. John’s Gospel, 259.
[11] C. K. Barrett, The Gospel According to St. John, An Introduction with Commentary and Notes on the Greek Text, 2nd ed. (London: SPCK, 1978), 437.
[12] M.M Thomas and Devanadan P.D. eds. Christian Participation in Nation Building: The Summing Up of a Corporate Study on Rapid Social Change, (Bangalore: NCCI and CIRS, 1960), 48.
Friendly Note
Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ! We are deeply thankful for your visit to BD Materials. It is our mission and joy to serve Bible students, pastors, and believers with high-quality theological resources that strengthen faith and understanding of God’s Word.
At BD Materials, you’ll find study notes, articles, question papers, and valuable academic content designed to support your biblical and theological education. We are dedicated to helping you grow in knowledge, ministry, and devotion to Christ.
We also invite you to explore our partner sites: Telugu Gospel Lyrics, featuring inspiring gospel song lyrics in Telugu, and Theological Library, a hub for Christian book summaries and devotionals.
Your encouragement means a lot to us! We invite you to share your study materials, articles, or insights with our community. Thank you for being part of this mission—may God bless your studies and ministry abundantly!
