John 13:4Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

For this fierce beast of pride nearly always attacks those who possess something glorious. But what is more glorious than the holy Apostles? Or what could be more honorable than friendship with God?

On the contrary, this passion does not touch the one who is nothing among men. It almost always avoids the one who has nothing worthy of rivalry, and it is inaccessible to those who are distinguished in nothing from others.

Indeed, how could exaltation over anything arise in such a person?

Rather, the one who is worthy of rivalry usually falls into pride. For this reason he sets himself above his neighbor, irrationally imagining that he differs greatly from others.

He thinks he has attained some remarkable and wondrous excellence, and has completed a course of life extraordinary and unattainable for others.

If, then, the sickness of pride usually appears in those who possess something glorious, should not Christ have become a model of humility for the holy Apostles?

Thus, having the Lord of all as their example and image, they too would transform their mind according to the will of God.

This sickness could not be destroyed otherwise than through clear instruction to count oneself so far below others in dignity as to place oneself even as a servant.

One should not fear to perform the service most proper to a servant, even by washing the brethren’s feet and girding oneself with a towel because of the need.

Notice, indeed, how lowly this service is, I mean from the viewpoint of worldly manners and outward customs.

Thus Christ became the model of a modest and humble disposition for all men, not for the disciples alone. Therefore the divine Paul takes Him as an example and exhorts us to this.

He says, “Let this mind be in each of you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). And again, “In humility count one another better than yourselves” (Phil 2:3).

For the law of love and concord consists in humility.

But when He emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant (Phil 2:7), He did not lay aside what He had. He took what He did not have.

Going to crucifixion, He was stripped of His garments. When He died, He was wrapped in linens (see Jn 19:23-24, 40).

All His suffering is for our cleansing.

As He prepared to endure the end of His sufferings, He here sent ahead His service not only to those for whom He was going to die, but also to him who was ready to betray Him to death.

Behold how great is the benefit of human humility, since even the divine Majesty demonstrates it by His example.

Proud man would have perished forever, had the humble God not found him.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Lk 19:10).

Since man perished by imitating the pride of the deceiver, now that he has been found, let him imitate the humility of the Redeemer.

And behold, knowing this, He rose from supper, laid aside His outer garments, and, taking a towel, girded Himself.

Then 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.

Beloved, we must listen attentively to what the Evangelist says.

When he was about to speak of the Lord's great humility, he first wished to speak of His greatness.

To this belongs what he said: knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God.

And so, when the Father had given all things into His hands, He washed not the hands, but the feet of the disciples.

Although He knew that He had come from God and was going to God, He performed the duties not of the Lord God, but of a manservant.

To this also belongs his wish to speak at once of His betrayer, who had already come to the supper as such and was not hidden from Him.

Thus to the greatness of His humility was added this also: He did not think it unworthy of Himself to wash even the feet of him in whose hands He already foresaw the crime.

What is astonishing if He rose from supper and laid aside His garments, who, being in the form of God, emptied Himself?

What is astonishing if He girded Himself with a towel, who, taking the form of a servant, was found in appearance as a man? (cf. Phil 2:6-7).

What is astonishing if He poured water into a basin to wash the disciples' feet, who poured His blood into the earth to wash away the filth of transgressions?

What is astonishing if He wiped with the towel with which He was girded the feet that He had washed?

He, by the flesh in which He was clothed, left footprints for the evangelists.

Although, to gird Himself with a towel, He laid aside the garments He had, yet, to take the form of a servant when He emptied Himself, He did not put away what He had. That is, He did not abandon the Godhead.

He took what He did not have.

When He was crucified, He was indeed stripped of His garments. When dead, He was wrapped in linens.

All His Passion is our cleansing.

And so, as He prepared to suffer death, He showed submission not only toward those for whose sake He intended to accept death, but also toward him who had resolved to betray Him to death.

Surely the benefit of human humility was so great that even the divine Majesty entrusted it by His own example.

For man, puffed up with pride, would have perished forever, had the humbled God not found him.

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost (Lk 19:10).

It perished by imitating the pride of the deceiver. Therefore now, having been sought out, let it imitate the humility of the Redeemer.

He who receives all as His guests, being invited with the others, reclines with them at table. He who feeds the universe is fed among the disciples.

He was not satisfied with that great gift, that He reclined at table with His servants. Earthly men, Peter, Matthew, and Philip, reclined at table with Him, while Michael, Gabriel, and all the host of angels stood before Him.

O wonder! While the angels stand before Him in fear, the disciples recline with Him at table with great freedom. And even this wonder is not enough for Him.

But having risen from supper, He who is clothed with light as with a garment (Ps 104:2) removed His cloak. He who girds the heaven with clouds (cf. Ps 147:8) girded Himself with a towel.

He who fills seas and rivers with the nature of waters poured water into a basin. He who washed the disciples’ feet bowed His knees.

He is the One before whom every knee shall bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth (Phil 2:10).

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.

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.