Washing the Feet of Judas
The full meaning of John 13, where Jesus is gathered with his disciples for the Jewish Passover meal, begins in John 12. In that chapter, John brings all that he has written about Jesus up to that point to a climax, setting the stage for chapter 13.
Compared to the other gospel-writers, John uniquely presents Jesus in chapters 2–11 through seven signs that point to Jesus’s glory as the resurrected Son of God. Jesus turns water to wine and cleanses the temple (chapter 2), he heals the Roman official’s son (chapter 4), the lame man at the pool of Bethesda (chapter 5), feeds the 5,000 (chapter 6), heals the man born blind (chapter 9), and finally raises Lazarus from the dead (chapter 11).
The purpose of the signs is to prove Jesus’s identity and cause people to believe in him. But despite his signs, John 12:37 sadly notes, “Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him.”
In chapter 13, therefore, Jesus ends his public ministry to his people and carries on a private ministry to his disciples only, during these final hours before his crucifixion. He is gathering together these men who would form the new community of believers that we now call the church. And the first lesson that he teaches this new community is a lesson in washing feet.
Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him (John 13:1–5).
Many of us have pondered the significance of this surprising act by Jesus. Not only is it demeaning to wash feet, but it was considered to be especially condescending by the Jews to do so. But Jesus really gets into the role of foot-washing, even removing his outer garment and putting a towel around him, the look of a slave.
So the disciples are aghast, and silence falls on the upper room as they watch Jesus wash their feet. That is, until Peter breaks the silence in order to voice his objection (John 13:6–10)! But when Jesus is done, he brings home the point of the lesson in 13:14–20. In essence, he has washed their feet as an example for them to follow. If their Lord and Master can serve them by stooping low to wash their feet, then surely they can serve one another in any way. The first lesson Jesus has taught the church, therefore, is to humbly, lovingly, and sacrificially serve other people.
When we read this amazing story, we’re riveted on Jesus and Peter because of Peter’s strong reaction. But let’s consider for just a moment that Jesus not only washed the feet of Peter, but he also washed the feet of Judas, the disciple who was about to betray the Son of God.
Later that night, Judas would lead the temple authorities to find Jesus, making it possible for them to arrest Jesus secretly and lead him away to trial and crucifixion.
As Jesus shares the Passover meal with his disciples and washes their feet, John has already reminded his readers that Judas is the elephant in the upper room. John says at the beginning of the passage that the devil had already seized Judas’s heart to betray Jesus (13:2). Also, as Jesus is washing Peter’s feet he tells Peter, “You are all clean, but not every one of you” (13:10). John, now looking back on the scene years later, explains, “For Jesus knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, ‘Not all of you are clean’” (13:11).
What was going through Judas’s mind as the Lord knelt before his feet and rendered the service of a slave? Did Judas already know that Jesus knew what he was about to do? That depends on the order of the foot washing. John says in verse 6 that he “came to Simon Peter” after he had started washing their feet in verse 5. So, did Jesus have the conversation with Peter before or after he had washed Judas’s feet?
Either way, it had to be a very awkward moment for Judas. When he heard Jesus say, “You are all clean, but not every one of you,” all that Judas could have been thinking was, he knows. He knows, and still, he’s washing my feet. I wonder if their eyes met and Judas had to look away.
On the other hand, what was going through Jesus’s mind as he bent over the dirty feet of Judas Iscariot and washed them with the water and wiped them with the towel? He was not only washing the feet of a man with a devilish heart, who was about to become the biggest traitor in human history. He was washing the feet of one of his disciples whom he had chosen, whom he had taught, and ministered to.
He had commissioned Judas and had given him power to preach in his name, as he had done with the other disciples. Judas was there when Jesus calmed the storm and when he fed the 5,000 and when he raised Lazarus from the dead. And still, Judas was about to set into motion the event that God would use to bring about the horrifying death of his Son through crucifixion, a death that hours later Jesus would beg the Father to avoid, if he could, sweating drops of blood in palpable sorrow.
Judas is on Jesus’s mind when he prays in the garden later that night. For in John 17:12, while Jesus is praying specifically for his disciples, Jesus says to the Father, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.”
So Jesus knew all about what Judas was doing. And yet, John tells us in verse 1, he loved “his own” disciples “unto the end.” And “his own” included Judas Iscariot. In fact, Jesus dismisses Judas in verse 27, after announcing to the disciples that there is a traitor in their midst. He could have removed Judas from the Passover meal sooner if he had wanted. But instead, Jesus waits until he has washed Judas’s feet along with the other disciples, as if to say, “You are still one of mine. And I still love you.”
And Jesus would go to the cross the next day and give his life not only for the eleven but also for Judas, his betrayer. It’s very hard for us, I think, to imagine a love like that.
So, Jesus teaches the church to wash one another’s feet—that is, to sacrificially serve others even in ways that we might think are beneath us. And his ultimate foot-washing act would be to go to the cross for the world.
But this lesson is not only about our willingness to do a dirty task. It is also a lesson about our willingness to love other people, even those who are unlovely, or unloving in return. After all, if Jesus, our Lord, can wash the feet of those who would scatter from him, of one who would deny him, and even of one who would betray him—in fact, if he can wash our feet—then surely we can wash one another’s feet.
[The Image above is “Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet” by Ford Madox Brown]Recent Viewpoints | Recent Theology in 3D
13 responses to “Washing the Feet of Judas”
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I suspect that Judas looked at Jesus with great distain while Jesus was washing his feet. This act of humility and service was not the act of the great political leader that Judas and most other Jews were looking for. Judas saw no need for a humble savior to save him from his sins.
Jesus was himself Jewish and was known as rabbi. Judaea was a subjugated Roman province presided over by Pontius Pilate who ordered the crucifixion. It would be better to ask what most Romans, particularly those in power, were looking for.
1. Greg: He was washing the feet of one of his disciples whom he had chosen, whom he had taught, and ministered to.”
John 13:18 “I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen.”
Me: In chapter 13, John was highlighting that Judas, though one of the 12 chosen disciples (John 6:70), was not chosen for salvation.
So while I agree with your point, you need to explain that Judas was also not chosen, because it’s so in your face in John 13.
2. Greg: And “his own” included Judas Iscariot.
John 17:9-10 “I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.”
Me: John’s logic is that what the Father “owns”, Jesus also “owns” and this owning does not include the lost. So, John 13:1 probably does not include Judas.
It weakens your overall argument (which I agree with) when you ignore that Judas did not belong to Christ.
3. I hope my comments do not come across as harsh.
Your first reaction may to be get mad at me. I implore you, in humility as one who has nothing, to humble yourself and vet my points based on the text.
If what I have said is wrong, correct me. But if there is truth, then let us both submit to the Lord who humbly served and serves us.
in love, your brother in Christ.
❤ BEAUTIFUL, I LOVED THIS. It makes me think about what Jesus said I Matthew : LOVE THOSE WHO DESPITEFULL USE YOU AND PERSECUTE YOU AND SAY ALL MANNER AGAINST YOU FOR MY SAKE. And we can do this because the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. By the way our church had two foot washing services and the presence of The Lord way very strong and we began to praise Him. IT WAS AWESOME. THANK YOU FOR SUCH A BEAUTIFUL INTERRPUTATION OF GOD’S WORD IT REALLY BLESSED ME!
Brian Chan: That is absolutely true your statements regarding Judas
I am an ordained Free Will Baptist minister. I have always loved the Whole communion service. The Lord’s Supper teaching how Christ ultimately will serve humanity by willingly laying down His life for others. The Washing of the Saint’s Feet demonstrates this principal but takes us to the next level and that is how we are to serve others, especially the brotherhood. I truly feel sorry for those who choose to not follow the whole Pass-over service in the Upper Room as Jesus presented it to them. His words to Peter are chilling, “If you do not this, ye have no part with Me” and “I have given you an example. As I have done to you, ye ought to do to one another.”
Did Jesus actually wash Judas feet? Would that fall under the understanding love your enemies, or beware wolves in sheep’s clothing! It was prophecy he was the chosen one, to bring the world to salvation I wonder could he have changed, it’s says later on he threw the money back at them, and knew what he had done was wrong scripture says he was filled with remorse, and he hung himself, I think he was still saved
Someone had to be strong enough to bring the sacrificial lamb to the high priest. Judas was chosen, God is in control. Just as hard as it is to wash the feet of others we love. How hard it must have been to bring the Son of God to be slain for the sin of all mankind. But it had to be done, because it was from the beginning of time, God’s plan.
I am not as learned in these things as other commenters, however, I believe that, someone had to do it to fulfill God’s plan. Judas was “chosen”. Judas was also indwelt by Satan, therefore, in my opinion, did Judas actually have a choice?
Secondly, Judas knew Jesus and Jesus knew Judas. If Jesus will forgive sinners of ALL walks of life, and love them ALL to the end, why would he not also love and forgive Judas, knowing it was part of God’s plan? He forgave Peter’s betrayal. He forgave Thomas’s doubtfulness. He forgives others on a momentary basis!
I think this is what we are all left pondering …if Judas was saved?
Yes he was remorseful.
Yes someone had to be chosen to deliver Jesus up or there would be no propitiation for any of us.
Yes Judas feet were washed and Jesus washed them.
Maybe it’s all of our hope that he didn’t go to hell. Peter denied jesus three times and Thomas refused to believe that Jesus had resurrected until he say him. I wouldn’t wish my worst enemy to go to hell …Judas threw the money back at the Pharisees in his remorse I would hope that he had been considered.
When Jesus resurrected He told Mary not to touch Him He went shoel and preached to the captives and set them free. Could Judas have been one.?
Paul said said these words to the church “ you have washed and sanctified speaking of those who had committed different types of sin that he was addressing . I guess we shall see.
Let’s not isolate the unfailing love of God, with His righteous judgement which comes when we reject his love, because he is a Holy God and can never condone sin. John 3:16-21. Iscariot prepared his heart by leaning on his own understanding; stealing from the coffers he look after, thinking the Lord had a blind spot. Furthermore he was there when they tried to catch him in Bethany n Jesus slipped away. From the event of that day he must have concluded that even if he betrayed his Master, no one could really capture him. That truly fulfilled scripture; there is a way that seemeth right to a man, but the end thereof is destruction.
Ray Sanders, Jesus said If I don’t clean you, then you can’t be a part of Me. Not if you don’t foot wash.
He meaning later I’m going to cleanse you with my blood
Mathew 26:24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed ! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.
John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
Just as God has His sons, satan has his too, and they love to be right next to God’s sons……appearing religious, waiting for the opportunity to destroy. A person’s choices, life or death, heaven or hell, truth or lies, sin or righteousness, still today will give you eternal life or eternal damnation. If Judas had run to Jesus with tears apologizing, I might think different, but he ran to satan an apologized ! He is burning ! Either way, God is PERFECT in His Judgment !