The Paschal Meal. Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet.

  11 For he knew him that should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

  12 So when he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and sat down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?

  13 Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

  14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

  15 For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.

  16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.

  17 If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them.

[Since a servant is not greater than his lord, he should not be ashamed to do what his lord does. It is well known that many, by a literal construction of this passage, have esteemed it to be their duty to wash each other's feet in their churches. But it should be noted that in the entire New Testament there is no command for this, nor is there any passage which recognizes any such church ordinance or practice. Jesus did not institute feet-washing; he found it already a familiar custom of the land, and merely used it as a most appropriate way of showing the proper spirit of humble service. Hence he does not say, "Do what I have done," but "Do as I have done," which requires us to do something similar to that which Christ had done, but necessarily the very same thing. The washing of feet as an act of courtesy or hospitality was never a custom among Western people, and to adopt it because of these words of Christ is to entirely miss his meaning. What he did was a natural daily act of hospitality. But what we introduce a strange, outlandish practice, which would put a guest to great embarrassment and inconvenience.]

  13 Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord: and ye say well; for so I am.

  14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet.

  15 For I have given you an example, that ye also should do as I have done to you.

  16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, a servant is not greater than his lord; neither one that is sent greater than he that sent him.

  17 If ye know these things, blessed are ye if ye do them.

  18 I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled: He that eateth my bread lifted up his heel against me. [ Psalms 41:9 .]

  19 From henceforth I tell you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.

  20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

[The meaning of the above passage may perhaps be brought out more easily if we paraphrase it as follows: "I do not speak of blessing to you all, for there is one who shall never be blessed. His conduct does not deceive or surprise me, for I know those whom I have chosen whether they be good or bad. His choosing is in accordance with the prophecy contained in the Book of Psalms. Hitherto I have held my peace about him, but henceforth I shall point out his course, that my foreknowledge of his actions may strengthen your faith in my Messiahship, and not leave you in that condition of hopelessness and despair in which the consequences had come upon me unawares. Do not let his treachery shake your confidence in me, for verily I say unto you that in being my messengers ye are indeed the messengers of the Most High."]

  20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.