John 13:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Thus this expression either means this, or it means that the washing of the feet could in no way abase Him. For He came from God, goes to God, and holds all things.

When you hear of “giving over,” suppose nothing human. This only shows reverence toward the Father and unity of mind with Him.

For as the Father gives over to Him, so He also gives over to the Father. Paul shows this when he says, “when He delivers the Kingdom to God the Father” (1 Cor 15:24).

He speaks here in human terms, showing His great care for the disciples and revealing His ineffable love for them. For He now cared for them as His own.

He taught them the mother of all good things, humility, which He called the beginning and end of virtue.

The words, “He had come from God and was going to God,” are not added without reason. They were added so that we might know that He acted worthily of the One who came from there and goes there, trampling down every pride.

Because they have seized glory for themselves, they do not even wish to bend down, lest they lose what does not belong to them and what they have stolen.

But He was King of all and Son of God. This is what the words mean: “He had come from God,” that is, from the essence of the Father, and again, “He was going to God.”

Therefore His glory, since He is so exalted and so great, will not be diminished if He washes the disciples’ feet.

Notice, I ask you, that if humility is the work of Him who comes from God and goes to God, then pride is plainly the work of him who comes from demons and goes to demons.

When you hear that “the Father delivered to Him,” do not think that the Son’s weakness is being revealed here, but His equality of honor and unity of mind with the Father.

For if, because it is said that the Father delivered to Him, the Son seems weak to you, then consider the Father weak as well. For to Him also, as the Apostle says (1 Cor 15:24), the Son will deliver the Kingdom.

But this is not so. Rather, “delivering” signifies, so to speak, unity of mind, cooperation, and the good pleasure of the Father.

Therefore, having from this the most excellent example of reverence and the most glorious pattern of love toward one another, let us be humble-minded, beloved. Let us think that our brethren possess greater advantages than we do, even if we ourselves are good.

This great model persuades us to think and desire this.

Thus the Evangelist says that Jesus Christ knew He was the Almighty, the Son of God, and that He had the same authority as dignity. Yet He descended to the lowest degree of abasement.

By this He showed, on the one hand, His love for the disciples, and on the other, He taught them humility.

But a discussion arose among the Apostles about this matter. They wished to observe the custom of washing, which the Jews considered especially important on the evening of Passover.

Yet there were no servants there. One of them had to resolve to perform this service for his Teacher and companions.

Since this service was considered especially humiliating and inconsistent with the dignity of free Jews, a dispute arose among the Apostles about which of them should be considered greatest (Lk 22:24).

In other words, which of them was exempt from such humiliating work?

Although the Evangelist Luke does not say what occasioned this dispute, it is evident that there could have been no other occasion.

They had already disputed in due time about primacy in the kingdom of the Messiah, and Jesus had put an end to their dispute.

Jesus heard this dispute and reminded the Apostles of what He had said earlier about their quarrel over primacy.

"You know that the kings of the earth exercise lordship over the nations" (Lk 22:25). In general, all who have authority over men count the exercise of that authority as a benefit to them.

But in the kingdom of God, the kingdom of love and goodness, it must not be so.

"I chose you to establish this kingdom on earth, and through it to lead men into the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore you must be the first to show by example that there is no place in this kingdom for love of power or pride.

Understand that authority or seniority first of all lays duties upon the one clothed with authority. Rights to honor and respect come later, of themselves, if one deserves them.

Therefore, if any of you for some reason considers himself greater, he must behave as though he were the least.

Whoever among you will be chief over others must not forget that, in ruling, he must serve everyone and be the first servant of all."

As He said this, Jesus immediately confirmed His words by His own example. He rose from the table, laid aside His outer garment, and took the towel prepared for washing.

He poured water into a basin and began to wash the Apostles' feet and wipe them with the towel with which He was girded.

In narrating this, the Evangelist John says, "And this was done by Him who knew that God had given all things into His power, and that He had come from God and was going to God."

Yes, Christ so loved men that, at the end, He did not disdain to show them by His own example how necessary humility and meekness are for entrance into the kingdom of God.

In washing the feet of His Apostles, He did not turn away even from Judas. At that time Judas was already at one with His enemies, and therefore was himself an enemy.

He commanded His followers to love their enemies and do good to those who hate them. Wishing to bring Judas to repentance, to do him good, and to save him, He bends before him and humbly washes his feet.

It would seem that even an iron heart should have melted from such a manifestation of all-forgiving love and humility.

But the heart of Judas had already become inaccessible to good. The humility of Jesus did not touch him.

Rather, it likely gave him confidence that his betrayal was being kept by the Sanhedrin in strict secrecy.

In the East, in every house, the middle part of the floor is usually covered with rugs or mats. On entering the room, each person removes his sandals at the threshold.

This is done so as not to soil the white and clean mats with dust and uncleanness from the road or street.

All the disciples did this, and then began to take their places at table. But another pleasant custom, one that Christ valued not a little, was omitted.

Their feet must have been covered with dust from walking along the hot and stony road from Bethany to Jerusalem. In such a case it would have been pleasant to refresh themselves for supper by washing them after removing their sandals.

But washing feet was the work of slaves. Since no one volunteered to perform this good service, the Lord Jesus Himself, in His infinite humility and self-renunciation, rose from the table.

He did this to perform the slave’s service which none of His disciples had offered to do for Him. He removed His outer garment, took a vessel of water and a towel, and silently began to wash their feet.

“He rose from supper”: from this expression, and likewise from what follows, that the Lord, after washing the disciples’ feet, reclined again (Jn 13:12), it is clear that the washing did not happen before supper, but during supper.

Compare Jn 13:2, “during supper.”

There was a custom of washing the feet before supper. This was usually done by the servant of the house (1 Sam 25:41). This custom, however, was not always observed; compare Lk 7:44.

Evidently it was not observed now in the Lord’s small company, for some reason. Most likely, the Lord Himself intended to show the disciples an example of humility and self-denying love.

The Evangelist Luke relates that at this supper a dispute arose among the Lord’s disciples over which of them was greater (Lk 22:34). Perhaps because of this dispute the Lord washed His disciples’ feet.

He did this to show them an example of humility and mutual love. This supposition is all the more probable because the Lord’s discourse concerning this dispute in Luke and His discourse after the washing of the feet in John have considerable likeness.

This is especially true of Lk 22:26-27 and Jn 13:13-15.

According to Luke, this dispute occurred during supper. According to John, the washing of the feet occurred during supper.

According to Luke, the dispute came after Judas had been indicated as the betrayer. According to John, the washing of the feet came before the indication.

But it must be accepted as certain that the betrayer was indicated at supper at least twice. The first time was quietly, so that the troubled disciples did not notice, by an affirmative answer to Judas’s question (Mt 26:25; compare Chrysostom and Theophylact).

The other time was by giving Judas the morsel (Jn 13:26).

Still, we repeat that the Evangelists do not narrate the particular events of Christ’s whole life in strict chronology. This is also true, in particular, of the history of the Lord’s Passion and Resurrection.

They arrange individual events in their own way, while being in general agreement. Thus their accounts complete one another, and from comparison of them all there emerges a connected and sequential history.

Three great truths marked the earthly life of Jesus Christ, and He now sets the same seal before His disciples.

In Jesus’ life was expressed that “the Father had given all things into His hands.” He had entrusted Him with accomplishing the salvation of mankind (Mt 11:27) and had laid this whole great work upon Him (Jn 17:3).

No less clearly He showed in His life that “He had come from God.” He had descended from heaven, and all His works were not human works, but the works of the Son of God.

Finally, it was open to His gaze that “He was going to God.” His death was near, after which His labors of love for mankind would be crowned with glory from the heavenly Father.

These three exalted truths summoned Him in His earthly life to works of self-denial. By their prompting He now appears before His disciples not only as an ordinary Son of Man, but as the servant of His disciples.

He is full of heavenly love toward them.

Among the Hebrews, if the master of the house wished to show special attention to guests or to his household, he would at the beginning of the meal order a servant to wash the feet of those invited to table (1 Sam 25:41).

The Lord takes upon Himself the work of a servant. And how does He perform this work? With the fullest zeal of a sincere servant.

When He and His disciples entered the upper room on Zion, He and the disciples, according to custom, reclined at the prepared table (Lk 22:14; Jn 13:2).

The disciples rested and argued about precedence. But He rises, takes off His outer garment Himself, takes a towel, and girds Himself with it.

Nor does He stop there. He Himself pours water into the basin. “He does not command another to do it, but does all this Himself.”

On the order of the washing, see Jn 13:6.