Julia Hardt

TH201.25
Trent Pomplun
December 7th, 2015
Jwhardt@loyola.edu

I understand and will uphold the ideals of academic honesty as stated in the Honor

Code. _____________________ date: _____________________

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
   In the Gospel According to John, the story that stood out to me the most was the story of

Jesus washing his disciple’s feet. This story has many major themes but the most prominent and

important is the theme of humility, which Jesus takes very seriously. The disciples would all

walk around Palestine barefoot, and their feet would become incredibly dirty throughout the day.

At dinner, Jesus began to wash each of their feet, which was typically the job of someone very

low in class, such as a servant. Washing someone’s feet is an act of pampering, and typically the

washer is inferior to the one receiving. The fact that Jesus got down on his hands and knees to

wash his disciple’s dirty feet was not only an extremely humble act, but a very unexpected act as

well.

Jesus is their Lord and this act was extremely inappropriate in terms of superiority. If

any one was supposed to be washing feet; it would be more of a norm for the disciples to wash

Jesus’ rather than the latter. In modern times it would be similar to Barack Obama getting down

on his hands and knees and polishing Joe Biden’s shoes. It not only proved as an example to the

disciples, but it also was an act that made them feel ashamed of their actions. The disciples

would argue over mere irrelevant things, such as who among them was the best. They would

complain about having dirty feet, and complain about having no one to wash them. They had

never thought to care about each other and wash them for one another. This in a way, was Jesus’

way to show how humility is an essential quality in a leader. It not only shows a genuine side of

someone, but it also commands respect. By not being full of oneself, people respect immensely

more. The act of washing feet shows many other themes rather than just humility; it shows that

he loves his disciples, it shows that he is a teacher, and it shows a deeper meaning that he has a

mission.

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 Before Passover, Jesus knew his time in the world was up. At the supper, the devil had

already convinced Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. Jesus got up from the supper, wrapped a towel

around his waist, poured water into a bucket, and started washing his disciple’s feet on his hands

and knees. He moved from one disciple to the next, starting with Simon Peter, who was

confused, and began to refuse. Jesus explained that he will not understand what he is doing until

later, and also says that if he does not wash him then he will not have any part in him. Peter also

began to be concerned about the rest of his body, and Jesus assured him that those who have

bathed do not need to wash, because if you are bathed you are clean, except for your feet. He

assured Peter that he was clean, but not all of them are clean, alluding to Judas, who Jesus knows

will betray him.

Jesus then sat back down at the table after washing all of the feet, and asked if they knew

what he had just done to them. He explained that he is their Lord and teacher, and that he just

taught them a lesson, that they should do as he has done and wash each other’s feet. He then

explains that humility makes one great by using an example of a servant and master. Next, he

admits that he knows one of them will betray him. The disciples looked at each other wondering

who it was. Jesus, when asked, said that it is who he will give the morsel to after he dips it.

After dipping the morsel, he handed it to Judas. After this moment, the devil entered into Judas.

Jesus then asked what he was going to do. No one at the table really knew what this meant, but

some believed he was asking about what Judas would do with the money box: use it to buy food

for the feast or spend it on things to give to the poor. Judas then left and went off into the night.

Jesus then speaks briefly about glory and how now, the Son of man is glorified and thus

in him, God is glorified as well. He tells his disciples that they will look for him, but they can

not go where he is going. Jesus then commanded that they love one another like he has loved

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them, for if they love each other, everyone will know that they are his disciples. Simon Peter

asks Jesus where he is going that they cannot follow, and Jesus doesn’t say, he just says that they

will follow him eventually, alluding to death. Peter was still confused and again asked why, and

followed up by saying that he would lay down his life for Jesus. Jesus replies by asking him if

he truly would, and then says that the cock will not crow until Peter has denied him three times.

Jesus then repeatedly assured his disciples to not worry once he is gone; he will prepare a

place for them at Father’s, and he will take them there eventually. He tells his disciples that he is

the way, the truth, and the life. He adds that no one comes to God other than through him. He

says that those who have seen him have seen the Father; he is in the Father and the Father is in

him. Jesus again says that he will not leave the disciples alone; he will keep his word, and if a

man loves him as well, they will keep their word to him.

He then compares himself to a vine, and describes God as the vinedresser. God takes

away his branches without fruit, and the vines with fruit he prunes, in the hopes that more fruit

will grow. The branch can not bear fruit by itself, it needs the vine. Jesus tells his disciples that

he is the vine, and they are the branches.

Next, he explains that there is no greater form of love then someone laying down their

life for someone else. He says that they will be his friends if they listen to what he says. He then

tells him that he will no longer call them his servants, but he will now call them his friends. He

will do this because a servant does not know what his master wants or is doing, and that does not

apply to them anymore. They know as much as Jesus does now, because he tells them

everything that God tells him.

He then reinforces to his disciples that the servant is not greater than the master. He says

that if he is persecuted, they will be as well, and if someone kept his word, they will keep theirs

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as well. Jesus tells the disciples that it will be beneficial if he goes without them because he will

be able to send the Counselor. If he stayed, the Counselor would not come. Lastly, the disciples

became confused because Jesus kept saying that in a little while they will not see him, then again

in another little while they will see him again. They were confused by what he meant by ‘a little

while’, and Jesus expected this question. He explains but simply says that they will be sad, but

their sadness will turn to joy when they see each other again.

Love is the proof of true devotion, and Jesus asks one of his disciples, Peter, after asking

to follow him, if he would “lay down his life for [him]” (John 13:38). Love has many definitions

and interpretations but universally the most sought after type of love is one that will last for all of

one’s life. This is extremely important in the story of Jesus washing his disciple’s feet because

he reveals his love and eternal devotion to his disciples, proving true all the way to his

crucifixion. I think that Jesus not only expresses his own love to the disciples, but he also

throughout this story talks about how his love and his Father’s love are interconnected. When

Jesus says, “He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who

loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him” (John

14:21). This shows that the disciples, if they keep Jesus’ words, will be loved by God. God loves

those who Jesus loves, and Jesus loves those who God loves. Because they are such a large part

of each other, their love became interconnected.

The love that Jesus has for his disciples does not go unreciprocated. Although not quite

obviously stated, it is very present. It can be seen in actions and words, for example when Peter

begins to refuse Jesus from washing his feet. This is not only out of respect for his Lord, but also

because he genuinely loves him and does not want Jesus, a superior, in any place of inferiority.

Even though his refusal defeats the goal of Jesus’ action, Peter was trying to do the right thing.

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Jesus did want to prove that this unordinary act is actually good, and the disciples should follow

by this example.

Another very prominent theme throughout this story is the theme of departure and return.

Jesus confuses the disciples by mentioning that he will be gone for a little period of time, but that

he will also be back in a little bit of time. It is a very vague statement, and for the disciples it

made little to no sense. In Jesus’ mind, he knew exactly what he meant. He knew that his time

was up, and that Judas would betray him and he would be crucified. Jesus brought up many

times about visiting his Father, and that he would save them all a place to stay. The disciples

wondered why they could not go with him, but Jesus had reasons for that also.

The disciples became concerned that they would not be able to find the way to the place

he keeps referring to, but Jesus assures them, saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;

no one comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). This provides a sense of comfort, that Jesus

is the messenger or mediator between us and God. When Philip, one of the disciples, after

hearing this asks Jesus to show them God if this is true. Jesus replies by telling him that he does

not understand. If Philip has seen him, then he has seen the Father. God is in Jesus and Jesus is

in God, so if he has seen one then he has seen the other.

This theme of departure and return is brought up multiple times, and Jesus comforts the

disciples with the fact that he will go away, but he will come back to them. He says that it is an

advantage that he does leave, because he will call the Counselor back to them, meaning that if he

stayed, the Counselor would never come. He says that their hearts will be filled with sorrow at

first, but it will soon turn to joy once he sees them again. Jesus also says that he knows the

world hasn’t known God, but he has known him, and his disciples know that God sent him. He

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promises that he made his name known, and he will also make it known that the love he gave to

Jesus will be in them, along with Jesus’ own love.

The theme of mission is also reinforced many times throughout this story by Jesus. He

speaks numerous times about the relationship between that of a servant and master, and that

between a messenger and their sender. He says that “a servant is not greater than his master; nor

is he who sent greater than who sent him” (John 13:16). Jesus enforces that even though he is

being humble, the hierarchy is still there; the disciples were sent out on a mission by him so

therefore they are not greater than him. The same goes for a servant and his master. Jesus then

says that if his disciples know this, then they will be blessed. If they understand the mission and

their role, then “blessed are you if you do them” (John 13:17).

Jesus also says that because he chose the disciples as his messengers for his mission,

when they are sent, Jesus is sent through them as well. He does not forget that he is also a

messenger for God, so he is on his own mission as well. By carrying out his mission from God,

he is also bringing a part of God with him, saying “he who receives any one whom I send

receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me” (John 13:20). This theme of

mission not only shows that he who is sent not only carries the word of the one who sent him,

but also a part of him. The mission is also important to not merely see who is greater than

others, but to establish who the true sender is. God sent Jesus, and then Jesus sends the disciples,

so the words of the disciples trace back to Jesus and then through Jesus back to God. Therefore,

Jesus and the disciples are on the mission to spread God’s word.

In practice, because Jesus is sent from God and he has held his word and has been

following God’s requests, the disciples, because sent from Jesus have the obligations to hold

their word and follow Jesus’ requests, following the example Jesus has shown. The mission can

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then be seen as a way of life, following and spreading the importance of following up on one’s

word and obligations.

Humility is the most important theme in this story, because it is the concept Jesus wants

to teach to his disciples by washing their feet. The purpose of this action was to show the

importance of humility by example. Jesus washing his disciples’ feet was an extremely

unexpected act because they are inferior to him in a way; they are his messengers and he is the

sender whose only superior is God. Like stated earlier, having ones’ feet washed would be a

service given by a slave or servant to one’s master. Because Jesus was seen as the master or

Lord in the disciples’ eyes, this shook them, and caught them completely off guard. Jesus was

trying to prove a point, that if one is a leader, one must not be pretentious or entitled.

Jesus also wanted the disciples to realize that they have not been treating each other well

enough either; they should be humble enough to wash each others feet and take care of each

other out of love, which Jesus stresses is extremely important for his disciples to have towards

one another. Humility attracts more respect typically because people do not respond well to

someone who knows their power and acts full of themselves or superior. It is a quality that

makes a person genuine, and loveable. Jesus wants his disciples to love each other, a quality that

will make them distinctive and known.

Humility also goes hand in hand with love in this story. By preforming this humble act,

Jesus not only proves his humility as a person and leader, but also how much he loves and cares

about his disciples. He would not perform this act if he did not care about the wellbeing of them,

or if he did not want them to be the best person they could be. Teaching them the lesson of

humility shows that he wants them to be the most successful and the greatest they can be.

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 The theme of teaching is also very present throughout this story. Jesus serves as not only

the disciples Lord, but also serves as their teacher. He teaches the disciples how to have a proper

moral compass, be a rounded person and love each other, and how to spread the word of God.

The importance of this story is that a lesson was taught; the whole point was to prove the

importance of humility.

Jesus proves himself as a fantastic teacher in this story. He does this by leading by

example, which teaches them more than just one lesson. Jesus gets on his hands and knees and

washes his disciples’ feet, which at first really confused them. They began to refuse and Jesus

assured him that they would only understand why he was doing this until later. The lesson later

occurred to the disciples, that Jesus was showing them how humility is important. Jesus also

wanted to prove that the disciples hadn’t been acting properly towards each other. They would

compete with each other to who was the best amongst themselves, and also all had dirty feet,

when they could have washed them for one another.

Another lesson Jesus teaches in this story is that God is a part of him, and he is a part of

God. The importance of this is that because Jesus is a part of God, and the disciples are a part of

Jesus, the disciples are therefore a part of God as well. He teaches them this by saying wherever

they go, they carry the word of Jesus, and Jesus carries the word of God. He proves this and also

that he knows more than they think. He knows that Judas is going to betray him, and he knows

that he will have to go for a period of time. The disciples do not understand what he means by

this, but Jesus assures that he will save them a space, for there is plenty of room in God’s house,

alluding to heaven. He tells them to not to worry; he will come back.

Personally, I feel a connection to this story because I learned from Jesus’ teaching as

well. I believe that we all need a reminder like the one Jesus taught through his actions. I think

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that humility is an extremely important quality that we sometimes overlook. I think that this

story can connect to modern life, especially in the setting of the workplace. It is essential that

bosses and employees understand the principles that Jesus has related to the messenger and its

sender. Employers need to treat their employees with respect, as do the employees with each

other. Employees additionally would respond better to an employer who is humble and

occasionally stoops low and does dirty work, to keep from becoming power hungry.

I also believe that this story and its moral should be applied to society in general, rather

than just in the workplace. If we all treated each other with the self-sacrificing and devoted love

Jesus does with his disciples, then the world would be a much better place. Not only does Jesus

show his love towards his disciples in just the act of the foot-washing, but also when he talks to

them about the concept of laying down your life for someone. Laying down your life for

someone means devoting your entire life, and putting effort into an everlasting love, one of the

qualities of true love. I think this is also an important concept we can all learn from. Love can

only last if one puts in an effort for it to last. This also relates to what Karol Wojtyla writes in

Love and Responsibility, a text that explains that love requires effort from both parties in order

for it to be everlasting.

Similarly, I think that Jesus’ connection between his love and God’s is also a good

mentality to live by today. Jesus says that anyone that God loves, Jesus loves too, and vice

versa. This would spread the love immensely if people tried to love one another more, just like

Jesus and God do with their interconnected feelings. He tries to teach this mentality to his

disciples as well, and says that if they love each other, they will be recognized and remembered

as his disciples.

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 I love how Jesus teaches by example in this story. For me, this is the most effective

teaching method and the most effective leaders lead by example. It is hard to take someone

seriously if all they say are words; actions speak much louder. This is why Jesus receives such

praise from God and why his disciples respect him so much. If I follow my interests in

education, I one day hope to follow these examples and lead and inspires others using the same

methods.

The idea that everyone is following a mission is reassuring as well. In this story, Jesus

tells his disciples that he following a mission from God, and they are following a mission from

Jesus. It is not that they are merely following orders, it is an honor to be chosen in this manner.

I believe it to translate into the idea that we are all apart of a larger plan than we sometimes

aren’t even aware of. This is assuring to me because I think everything happens for a reason, and

that we shouldn’t overthink everything because things will work out naturally.

In conclusion, within the Gospel of John, this story of Jesus washing his disciples’ feet

has the prominent themes of humility, love, return and departure, mission and teaching. These

themes all provide valuable moral lessons within the story that can apply to our everyday life

today. Jesus teaches us to be humble, lead by example, and to love one another. If we all were

to follow these lessons, the world would be a much better place. The disciples are not the only

ones to learn from Jesus; Jesus learns more about himself and God, while we the reader are also

given great insight into the greater scheme of our lives. We all belong to our own mission, a

purpose that we will fulfill throughout our life. Additionally, we can all learn from one another

by practicing humility and by loving with the greatest devotion. This is the key to a good life.

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 Work Cited

John. The Holy Bible: The New Oxford Annotated Bible. New York: Oxford UP, 1973. Print.

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