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Jesus doesn’t merely teach lessons, He establishes categories. Who better to do so? He created and sustains reality, He formed and filled the world, and He made our mental shelves just as much as He made the books that fill them. In John 13, Jesus begins to prep His disciples for His departure and tells them new things that have always been. It is a defining moment preparing them for a categorical command.

It’s Thursday evening at the last Supper (verse 1). Jesus and His disciples are prepared to eat the Passover dinner when Jesus gets up from the table, took off His outer garment, poured water in a bowl, took a towel and begin to wash the disciples’ dirty feet (verses 4-5).

It’s not like Jesus had anything important going on. I speak, of course, with my tongue in cheek. He was a few hours from being arrested, then falsely accused and mock tried, beaten, and murdered. The human torture couldn’t compare to the infinite wrath His Father was about to crush Him with, as Jesus would lay down His life for the sheep. Even the meal, the Passover, pointed to Him. He was the lamb of God that keeps eternal death away from all who are covered by His blood (compare with John 1:.

With all that and the betrayal by one of His inner circle, Jesus “loved His own to the end” (verse 1). John sets up the story of foot washing as a service of love. Once it’s over, John let’s Jesus explain His meaning of His foot ministry in verses 12-17 and the talk about love continues through verse 34. Jesus is establishing categories of humility and service and love.

But Peter objects. Maybe more than any other disagreement, we can sympathize with Peter on this one, at least at first. John records this interchange in verse 6-11 and, though it diverges from the main lesson, Jesus patiently follows the rabbit trail and establishes a couple additional categories for Peter and the other disciples. As usual, Jesus knows what He’s doing. And in this dialogue with Peter He tells us three things we need to know (as divided by the three part interchange): we can trust Him, we must be washed by Him, and that if we’re washed by Him then we’re clean before Him.

We need to know that we can trust Him. (verses 6-7)

Never one to keep a thought to himself, Peter questions what Jesus does.

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” (John 13:6, ESV)

There is a sense in which Peter does the right thing, and certainly the other disciples must have been similarly confused. However many feet were scrubbed before his, Peter doesn’t appear to be emphasizing that his humility is better than the other disciples. Peter is pointing out that he can’t compare with the dignity of the Lord . “Are you going to wash my feet?”

Only the lowest servants washed feet. Peter is at least confused by Jesus’ behavior and his question challenges Jesus’ behavior.

We can, and should, appreciate Peter’s attempt to honor his Lord, though, we can admit the irony of challenging the one he wants to honor.

Jesus answers. Even with all the pressures bearing down on Jesus, He replies to Peter’s challenge with patience, gentleness, and confidence.

Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” (John 13:7, ESV)

Jesus knew what He was doing. He knew that He was Lord, He knew “that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God” (verse 3). He knew that Peter (and the other disciples) did not understand everything that was happening, that the fruit of Peter’s protest grew from the soil of ignorance. He also knew that they would get it a short time from that night. It was okay. Rather than getting irritated at Peter’s ignorance, Jesus assured him that he would know later. That should have made it easy for Peter to follow along.

The afterward or better, “after these things,” probably refers to after His death and resurrection, perhaps even to the Holy Spirit coming at Pentecost. The “after” referred to further after than His explanation about the foot washing done in the next paragraph, since He could have just started the answer with verse 12 here. There was something else Jesus was teaching, a second level lesson, and Peter wasn’t in a place to see it yet.

We need to know that we must be washed by Him. (verse 8)

Even though Jesus told him that he didn’t understand and then promised him that he would eventually understand, that wasn’t good enough for Peter which, of course, displayed his failure to understand. Ignorance often presents a bold face, and Peter objects.

Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” (John 13:8, ESV)

In other words, “No way! Not ever!” Never isn’t quite a strong enough translation. More accurately, “You shall never wash my feet unto the ages!” Peter knew that Jesus deserved honor and there was no way that he would let Jesus dishonor Himself this way.

His motivation may be understandable, but this objection was disrespectful if not actually defiant. Jesus just told him that he didn’t and wouldn’t know for a while and implied that that was okay. Peter, by refusing, refused to submit to His Lord’s service and His Lord’s word. This amounts to Peter sitting in the Lord’s seat. A stump speech about Jesus’ greatness isn’t so great when run by a campaign of disobedience.

Calvin observed that

we should not take it ill to be ignorant of those things which God wishes to be hidden from us for a time; for this kind of ignorance is more learned than any other kind of knowledge, when we permit God to be wise above us. (56)

Jesus admonishes. The rabbit trail gets to another level of the foot washing, the level that Peter won’t understand until later, but also a second level that he absolutely needs.

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” (John 13:8, ESV)

Jesus didn’t say, “If you don’t let me wash your feet right now, then you have no share.” This shows that Jesus thinks of the foot-washing service as a figure of the cleansing that His sacrifice would provide. This is the truth that Peter wouldn’t get until later.

It’s a bit confusing, but Jesus references salvation by the washing. The foot washing points to that, to the complete bath, though it also points to sanctification, as it seems to in verse 10. No one has a share or “part” with Jesus without this washing.

All men are corrupt, they are soiled with sin. Even their righteous works are filthy and polluted, so they need to be cleansed. The work of Jesus is a cleansing work. He removes the dirt and grime and makes pure. Unless one has this washing he cannot have anything to do with Christ. Jesus isn’t telling Peter that this hasn’t happened to him, but that it needs to happen.

We need to know that if we’re washed by Him then we’re clean before Him. (verses 9-11)

Peter got his money’s worth on this swing by riding the pendulum to the opposite side. Peter effuses.

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (John 13:9, ESV)

There doesn’t seem to be anything extra special symbolic about the hands and head , nor does it seem to be an exaggerated reference to the entire body. But Peter wanted a “share” with Jesus and his head and hands were also exposed with his feet. If there is any doubt, make sure all the bases are covered. This, while perhaps more teachable, was not actually less ignorant.

Jesus clarifies. Jesus makes one more step down the rabbit trail before He returns to explain the need for humble service.

Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” (John 13:10, ESV)

The illustration wasn’t difficult. Guests who had bathed at home and then walked to the host’s home didn’t need a full body bath again, they simply needed a foot job. The same is true on a spiritual level. A man only needs one salvation bath. It marks him differently since the one who has bathed…is completely clean . Once bathed, always bathed. However, since God planned to leave us here working out the sins in our hearts, we do need daily forgiveness.

Jesus affirms that His disciples already are clean: you are clean . His work on the cross would finish it off, but the saving washing was done. At least for 11 since there was one exception: not every one of you was clean.

For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” (John 13:11, ESV)

John adds verse 11 because the disciples must have been bothered, at least to the degree they were tracking by the not all of you are clean . Yet Jesus knew what He was doing, even as He washed the feet of one who wasn’t washed, the one who was at that very moment in the act of betrayal (“the one betraying him”, present tense substantival participle). Jesus was fully aware of Judas’ heart and sin that stained.

Conclusion

With verses 12-17 clearly containing the main lesson of verses 1-5, why this rabbit trail? Is Peter wrecking the point in verses 6-11? If so, then why did John include it? He could have edited it like he did everything else he included or didn’t in his gospel account. For that matter, Jesus could have shut Peter down. He didn’t. So what do we need to know?

First, it reiterates that sin makes us unclean and that only the clean have a part with Jesus. Also, only Jesus can wash one so that he can be clean. A man can’t save himself because he cannot cleanse himself.

[W]e ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior. (Titus 3:3–6, ESV)

Second, it reminds us that even those who are saved will still need ongoing cleansing. This is why John wrote in his first letter that if we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). We are not whisked away into heaven after regeneration, but we are cleaned up along the way.

Third, it reminds us to trust Jesus. He knows what He is doing. That includes not letting us in on what He’s doing immediately. Providential ambiguity is alright; it’s providential. He doesn’t mind letting us linger in ignorance for a time. We should still trust and obey. Arguing with Him about what will honor Him better is a fools debate and a kind of false honor anyway.

He loves us, all the way. He removes guilt for sin (He pardons) and He removes desire for sin (He purifies). We need to know this since Jesus leaves us in the world to love each other in humble service.