Lent 2025 Day 24: Tue 1 Apr
John 13:1-5
Jesus washes his disciples’ feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him.
I struggle and fail to comprehend the broad dimensions revealed in this scene. The Word Incarnate, through whom all things were made, stoops down to wash feet. Jesus did not make a drama or a ritual out of washing their feet. It was an expression of his servant love towards them. That event is only recorded in John’s Gospel.
John gives only passing attention to Judas’ intent to betray Jesus. We get no information in any of the Gospels that indicate the reasons behind Judas’ actions. We can only surmise from what we read. He was the wrong choice as treasurer, but I wonder what Judas would be doing with the money he stole from the common purse or, for that matter, the money the chief priests gave him. Had he some plan in mind for his future? A villa somewhere in the provinces, perhaps?
Had the things he’d seen Jesus do and heard him say made no impact upon Judas’ understanding of God’s purposes?
Jesus has told the disciples three times that he’s going to be put to death, but three times he also tells them that he will rise from death in just three days. Why would Judas want to betray him if he believed what Jesus said?
Judas is an enigma. We’ll have to wait till eternity for the answers.
Perhaps Jesus knew when the pairs of feet that came before him to be washed who the betrayer was. What a way to serve your disciples, to kneel down and clean feet. Feet that were hardened and cracked. Soles stained from the sandal leather. Ingrained dirt and rough toenails. And a waft of rotten fish. Jesus washed them. And when Judas came forward, the Master washed his feet too.
Did Jesus speak with Judas as he washed his feet and dried them? What was going on through Judas’ mind as the one he was about to betray knelt there before him? Did he have second thoughts, or was he resolute? Did the thirty pieces of silver weigh heavily in Judas’ purse?
Would you let Jesus wash your feet?
Would you wash Judas’ feet?
How do you see Judas – a misguided fool or a scheming idealist? Or something else?
Did Satan take over and control Judas?
Father God, it is a wonderful act of kindness Jesus made to the person who was to betray him. Deliver me from evil, but give me grace to love and serve people, including those who would wish me harm. Amen.
1:32:34 Bin ich gleich (Choral)
40. Chorale
Although I have been separated from you,
yet I bring myself back again;
even so your Son set the example for us
through his anguish and mortal pain.
I do not deny my guilt,
but your grace and mercy
is much greater than the sin
that I constantly discover in me.
41a. Evangelist The next day, however, all the high priests and the elders of the people held a council about Jesus so that they could put him to death. And they bound him, led him out and turned him over to the Governor, Pontius Pilate. When Judas, who betrayed him, saw that he was condemned to death, he felt remorse and brought back the thirty silver pieces to the high priests and the elders and said:
Judas I have done evil by betraying innocent blood.
Evangelist They said:
41b. Chorus I & II How does that concern us? See to it yourself!
41c. Evangelist And he threw the silver pieces into the temple and left, and went away and hanged himself. However the high priests took the silver pieces and said:
High Priests It will not do to put them into the coffers of God, since it is blood money.
Ends at 1:35:22
Paul