What was he thinking?! Getting down on his knees with water and towel in hand. They all looked at him with astonished faces. What was this? Not a part of the Easter meal that they were supposed to start at any moment; remembering the exodus from Egypt. Sure their feet could use the washing, the streets they had walked in were dusty as any, but not by him; that was just not right!
But he carried on, washing like he was their servant. Until he came to Peter, that was. “No, never shall you wash my feet!” Peter almost screamed to Jesus; this wasn’t how it should supposed to be between a master and his pupil. Peter had to make it stop.
But Jesus simply answered: “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me”, and Peter knew right away that he needed this, he even wanted Jesus to wash his hands and face and all. He so wanted to be tight with Jesus, even though some of his actions might seem a bit odd he didn’t care no more. Peter and Jesus were friends and he truly believed that Jesus was something far more than a normal man - he was the one that should set things right between God and man.
A few weeks ago I told this story for our children Sunday school group. I had brought a towel and a basin and looked forward to (fake) wash their feet to really make them feel how it was back then when Jesus did it. But they got disappointed, since I didn’t use water and they hadn’t to remove their shoes they didn’t feel very much like the disciples at all.
It got me thinking; how can we ever live after the word of Jesus about doing as he did?! It’s not like it’s very dusty around here right now and it’s not like we are laying at the table any more either. What did Jesus want us to repeat?
Maybe not so much the actual washing, but the thought about the leader being the servant?! I think so and it’s a huge challenge, it’ll be so much easier just to poor some water in my basin and let them take off their shoes……
Read more in John 13.
Happy Maundy Thursday!