it was the evening before Christ’s death and it was also the time for the passover meal to be eaten according to Jewish custom. John 13:1 sets the scene for us as John explains how Jesus knew that it was the hour that he would depart from the world and that “he loved those who were his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” So these words immediately draw us into the kind of evening Jesus had in store for his own, his disciples those who he loved. Luke tells us in chapter 22:15,16 that he had earnestly desired to eat the passover meal with them and that it was to be the last meal he would eat with them on the earth. The last supper. So we understand by just the introduction of this story that this was a very important evening for Jesus and the men that he would use to start his church and spread the gospel through out the world. Then, what he goes on to say and the events that unfold are heavy to say the least:
Luke 22:24 tells us how. “A dispute arose among them as to who was to be the greatest.” Bad timing guys!!! Jesus must have been thinking “here we go again.” Now we don’t know for sure based on a study of the parallel accounts what the order was of all of these events. Maybe Jesus responded to this dispute by humbling himself and washing their feet or maybe he washed their feet before the dispute arose. The order of events does not matter. The point is that they were still discussing these things which seemed to be a regular concern of theirs even now in this desperate hour before Christ’s death. He was sharing His last supper, the very first communion with them and praying for them and telling God how much he loved them and telling them how much he loved them and in the vicinity of all of this they are still concerned about who would be the greatest?
Now no doubt there were a few things happening at this supper that made this concern rise to the surface. With all the talk of Jesus dying they must have been very agitated at the fact that he said nothing about who would take over after he left. Who was going to be charge after Jesus died? I mean, how could Jesus not understand that this was an important matter?
They also must have been concerned, in the event that they would die with Him the next day, about who would sit at his left and right hands in heaven? I mean, Jesus hadn’t answered that old question adequately to their satisfaction either. And here it was, the night before he was going to die. It was time to put everything on the table (no pun intended) and stop procrastinating on these important issues.
And there was one more issue that presumably had them perplexed and that was where everyone was seated around the table. Now in the ancient world (the Jewish culture was no exception) the order at which people sat at the table had a great level of significance. The guest of honor or the head of the family would sit at the head of the table. And the next important people in order of age (especially if it was a family) would sit at his right and left sides. Well we know from John 13:23 that the disciple whom Jesus loved, which was John was sitting there at his side close enough to lean back against him. Now John was one of the youngest among the disciples, maybe the youngest. So this must have caused a great deal of consternation here because they must have been thinking “is Jesus going to make John one of the youngest the leader after he leaves us?” And of course this would not be fair or culturally sound.
Now, Jesus does two things in response to this kind of behaviour. He tells them that the greatest is the youngest and the one who serves. Then he demonstrates that by taking all of his garments off and wrapping himself with a towel in the manner of the lowest servant in the household and he washes their feet. Imagine the impact of that visual on the disciples. The incarnate, God--man Jesus Christ, the king of glory, wrapping himself in the garment of the lowliest servant of the household, doing the lowest, most detestable and demeaning job there was, cleaning another person’s feet. And they still didn’t get it!!
It is very easy for us to look at the disciples with judgement but don’t we usually do the same things? Aren’t we concerned with the same questions? But notice that Jesus never answered their question. He never said, “Peter is in charge” or “John is in charge.” One would think that it would behoove him to do just that considering the fact that he was entrusting the building of His church to these men. But he did not focus on what their titles would be. He concentrated on what their character needed to be.
It is so easy for us to get caught up in our status. Most of us aren’t as bold as the disciples and just blurt out our fears, concerns and questions. Most of us know how to pretend like we really don’t care who is on the worship team at church or we don’t care if they failed to ask us to teach a bible class because hey... we are just servants. But the reality is that we are all struggling with the same things the disciples were.
The disciples exhibited a classic case of bad timing. They were more concerned with themselves than with what Jesus was saying. How many times have we sat through a bible study or church service and have been more concerned with who was on the stage and who was not on the stage and who we thought should be on the stage or in the front or in the spotlight rather than focusing on the message of life God was trying to communicate to us at that specific moment? I know I have, how about you?
Our response, when we see this in ourselves should be identical to that of Christ’s. Just humble ourselves and strip ourselves of all the garments and titles that make us feel important and find a way to serve. God help us, because we all know how difficult that truly is!!!!!!
- He tells them that Judas will betray him and Judas leaves
- He tells peter in front of everyone that he will deny him
- He tells them that he is going to die
- He shares the first communion with them and tells then that the bread and wine signify his broken body and shed blood.
- He washes their feet in a demonstration of servant hood and how they are to treat each other.
- He prays His high priestly prayer over them.
Luke 22:24 tells us how. “A dispute arose among them as to who was to be the greatest.” Bad timing guys!!! Jesus must have been thinking “here we go again.” Now we don’t know for sure based on a study of the parallel accounts what the order was of all of these events. Maybe Jesus responded to this dispute by humbling himself and washing their feet or maybe he washed their feet before the dispute arose. The order of events does not matter. The point is that they were still discussing these things which seemed to be a regular concern of theirs even now in this desperate hour before Christ’s death. He was sharing His last supper, the very first communion with them and praying for them and telling God how much he loved them and telling them how much he loved them and in the vicinity of all of this they are still concerned about who would be the greatest?
Now no doubt there were a few things happening at this supper that made this concern rise to the surface. With all the talk of Jesus dying they must have been very agitated at the fact that he said nothing about who would take over after he left. Who was going to be charge after Jesus died? I mean, how could Jesus not understand that this was an important matter?
They also must have been concerned, in the event that they would die with Him the next day, about who would sit at his left and right hands in heaven? I mean, Jesus hadn’t answered that old question adequately to their satisfaction either. And here it was, the night before he was going to die. It was time to put everything on the table (no pun intended) and stop procrastinating on these important issues.
And there was one more issue that presumably had them perplexed and that was where everyone was seated around the table. Now in the ancient world (the Jewish culture was no exception) the order at which people sat at the table had a great level of significance. The guest of honor or the head of the family would sit at the head of the table. And the next important people in order of age (especially if it was a family) would sit at his right and left sides. Well we know from John 13:23 that the disciple whom Jesus loved, which was John was sitting there at his side close enough to lean back against him. Now John was one of the youngest among the disciples, maybe the youngest. So this must have caused a great deal of consternation here because they must have been thinking “is Jesus going to make John one of the youngest the leader after he leaves us?” And of course this would not be fair or culturally sound.
Now, Jesus does two things in response to this kind of behaviour. He tells them that the greatest is the youngest and the one who serves. Then he demonstrates that by taking all of his garments off and wrapping himself with a towel in the manner of the lowest servant in the household and he washes their feet. Imagine the impact of that visual on the disciples. The incarnate, God--man Jesus Christ, the king of glory, wrapping himself in the garment of the lowliest servant of the household, doing the lowest, most detestable and demeaning job there was, cleaning another person’s feet. And they still didn’t get it!!
It is very easy for us to look at the disciples with judgement but don’t we usually do the same things? Aren’t we concerned with the same questions? But notice that Jesus never answered their question. He never said, “Peter is in charge” or “John is in charge.” One would think that it would behoove him to do just that considering the fact that he was entrusting the building of His church to these men. But he did not focus on what their titles would be. He concentrated on what their character needed to be.
It is so easy for us to get caught up in our status. Most of us aren’t as bold as the disciples and just blurt out our fears, concerns and questions. Most of us know how to pretend like we really don’t care who is on the worship team at church or we don’t care if they failed to ask us to teach a bible class because hey... we are just servants. But the reality is that we are all struggling with the same things the disciples were.
The disciples exhibited a classic case of bad timing. They were more concerned with themselves than with what Jesus was saying. How many times have we sat through a bible study or church service and have been more concerned with who was on the stage and who was not on the stage and who we thought should be on the stage or in the front or in the spotlight rather than focusing on the message of life God was trying to communicate to us at that specific moment? I know I have, how about you?
Our response, when we see this in ourselves should be identical to that of Christ’s. Just humble ourselves and strip ourselves of all the garments and titles that make us feel important and find a way to serve. God help us, because we all know how difficult that truly is!!!!!!
