Jesus washes Judas’ feet
Last week, Jesus challenged us to love others by putting them first. When we consider their needs above our own or are willing to sacrifice to meet the needs of others, we live out the second great commandment–
Matthew 22:37-40 | Jesus replied, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”
As if putting others first isn’t hard enough, sometimes loving others is made even more difficult because of the way they treat us. But the command to love others as ourselves isn’t qualified by any fine print. It doesn’t say, ‘if they love you,’ ‘if they are nice,’ or ‘if you feel like it.’ It also doesn’t say ‘except when they hurt you.’ We are to love others, all others, as we love ourselves. This is not easy!
But as we’ve seen all along the way, Jesus provided the example of loving others, even those who are hard to love, during His time on earth. Consider Judas. Jesus chose Judas as one of His disciples (Mark 3:19) – a person who was present to see every part of Jesus’ earthly ministry up close. In John 13, Scripture tells us Jesus knew His death was near and that Judas would betray Him. Yet, because of His love, Jesus did something that at the time, was unthinkable –
John 13:4-5 | So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.
The washing of feet was a job for the lowest servant in the house. Certainly the disciples could have humbled themselves to wash the feet of their teacher, Jesus, but it was a gross job they would have considered beneath them. And under no circumstances should the teacher have assumed the position of servant by washing the feet of his students. Because of this, Peter protests (John 13:6-8), but Jesus continues and as he does, he says–
John 13:10b-11 | And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.” For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Judas is there, just hours before he would betray Jesus, and Jesus knows his actions are coming. But still, Jesus washes the feet of all his disciples, even Judas! (John 13:12).
After he’s done washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus once again explains that he was loving them by putting them first – treating them better than himself. And he commands the disciples to do the same–
John 13:14-15 | And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.
But for us who know the rest of Judas’ actions, Jesus’ example that night carries even more weight. Even though Judas didn’t deserve it, Jesus loved His enemy, treating Judas as better than Himself!
Judas wasn’t the only person that Jesus showed love to who didn’t deserve it. There were plenty of other people who mistreated Jesus – the religious leaders who hated him, the people who lied about him in court, and the soldiers who drove the nails through His hands. But friend, Jesus showed His love to them all!! He did this when He paid the price for their sins on the cross and while suffering in agony for it, asked God -
Luke 23:34a | Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
Jesus loved each of these people, even though they didn’t deserve it. But the truth is, we’re on the list of people who wronged Jesus too. Our sin caused just as much suffering as the sins of those who hurt him here on Earth. But Jesus loved us as well-
Romans 5:8 | But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Jesus lived out His own teaching–
Matthew 5:43-44 | “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!
–and taught us our Timeless Truth: we love others even when they don’t deserve it. We love others when we put our enemies first!
What is something that stood out to you about Jesus washing Judas’ feet?
What would you have felt if you were Jesus, washing the feet of the one who was planning to betray you?
Why would Jesus show love to Judas just hours before He betrayed Him? How did Jesus show us this same type of love?
Who in your life doesn’t deserve your love? Why? What have you learned from Jesus’ example and how can you live it out?