The Gospel According to John

Biblical Research Monthly
June, 1957
Dr. David L. Cooper
(Installment Twenty-nine)

THE LAST SUPPER

In our study of the Gospel of John we have come to the consideration of John 13:1-30, which narrates an account of the Last Supper, that is, the last Passover supper which Jesus observed with His disciples. Each of the four evangelists give a short account of this supper. See Matthew 26:20-29; Mark 14:17-25; and Luke 22:14-23. After Jesus had observed the Passover supper with His disciples, He instituted what is known as the Lord's Supper. This fact is brought out very clearly in Luke's record. In Luke 22:14-18 obviously Luke is speaking of Christ's observance of the Passover. In verse 19 and 20 we see that he is talking about Christ instituting the Lord's Supper. That this interpretation is correct is seen clearly by the following facts. According to verse 19 Jesus brake the bread and said that it was His body and that the disciples were to partake of it in remembrance of Him. Then, in verse 20 Luke tells us that Christ took the cup in like manner after supper—after the Passover supper. Thus, it is clear that the Lord's supper was instituted after the Passover supper was over. A failure to observe this fact has brought much confusion into many circles.

In John 13:1-3 the Apostle gives us an introduction to the material found in chapters 13-17. John follows this method all through his book, here and there.

John tells us that Jesus knew before the Feast of the Passover that the fatal hour had come, the hour for Him to depart out of this life. On several occasions He had referred to this same time. On a certain occasion He told enemies that they could not do anything against Him because His hour was not yet come. He knew God was protecting Him and that Satan and the forces of evil could not take him until they were permitted to do so by the Almighty.

In this introduction John tells us that Jesus loved His disciples unto the end, that is, until the very end of His life—even unto His resurrection life. He not only loved them, but loved them to the very end of His earthly career.

The Devil is always present to thwart the plan and purpose of God and to hinder in every way possible. According to verse 2 the Devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot to betray Jesus. We have reason to believe that Jesus knew what Satan had done and that He was taking steps to counteract the evil influence, to check-mate Satan at every turn.

The Lord Jesus was conscious of the fact that the Father had placed all things in His hands, and that He came from God and was going back to God—after His resurrection from the dead. With an undimmed knowledge of the entire situation, Jesus, in the calmness and quietness of an abiding faith—an unshakeable conviction—arose from the supper and performed an extraordinary act.

Jesus, the Creator of the universe, the Lord, Master, and Saviour of the disciples, took the lowliest position that anyone could take, that of a menial servant. He, therefore, arose from the supper, laid aside His garments, took a towel, girded Himself. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. We may be certain that the disciples were dumbfounded at His actions.

When Jesus came to Peter, immediately in an impetuous manner, Peter asked, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" Jesus replied, "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt understand hereafter." Then Peter, ignorantly yet boldly, declared, "Thou shalt never wash my feet." The Lord Jesus answered him saying, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Then Peter, in his characteristic manner, went to the other extreme and said, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head." Jesus closed this part of the conversation by saying, "He that is bathed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all." The reason for Jesus making this statement is, "He knew him that should betray him. Therefore said he, Ye are not all clean."

There are reflected in this language facts and social customs that were well known to orientals of that day. Those who had taken a bath prior to leaving on a visit to the home of a friend were to do so. In making the journey to the place of visitation, they would, wearing sandals, get their feet dirty. Thus, they would not need to have a complete bath, but simply to wash their feet. Doubtless the disciples' feet at the time really needed washing since they had probably walked some distance on a dusty road. Jesus took these homely facts and created a parable or drama to teach a profound spiritual lesson. Those who have taken a bath are the ones who are clean, having made their robes white in the blood of the Lamb. After they have washed their robes, they are clean—every whit whole. They, however, make mistakes or do some things that are wrong. Such sins are here thought of as the dirt on the feet that can be washed away very quickly and easily. The one who is washed in the blood of the Lamb needs only to have his feet washed. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life and cometh not into judgment, but is passed out of death into life (John 5:24). Whenever those who are washed in the blood of the Lamb commit any wrong, in genuine repentance they are to ask forgiveness of their errors—their sins. In the language of this passage they have their feet washed.

It seems that Peter was the only one who said anything in regard to what Jesus was doing. When Jesus finished, as we see in chapter 13:12-17, He took His garment, sat down again, and then spoke, asking 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 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."

Why did Jesus on this occasion take the place of a servant and wash the disciples' feet? This question is important. The probable answer is found in Luke 22:24-30. Here we see that the disciples had a dispute among themselves as to which of them was the greatest. They were thinking of positions in the Kingdom which they might occupy, positions of honor and glory in the sight of men. Each was thinking of his own selfish interests and was oblivious to the need and desires of the others. Doubtless, Jesus, the Lord and Master, played the role of a servant in order to teach them the folly of wanting positions of honor and of glory in the eyes of men.

Jesus gave them an example as to how they should honor the others and humble themselves in the true spirit of meekness, declaring that He had given them an example which they should follow.

Does Jesus mean for His disciples to practice foot-washing today? Some earnest, sincere Bible believers are convinced that we are literally to wash one another's feet. Thus, in some groups foot-washing is practiced in connection with the observance of the Lord's Supper. Those taking this position understand the passage literally and act accordingly. Others who are just as sincere, who are as genuinely saved as those belonging to the other groups, to which I just referred, and who do not take this passage literally, are convinced that Jesus was simply giving an object lesson of humility and of preferring others to one's self. There can be no doubt that Jesus meant for the disciples to follow His example because He plainly stated that fact.

I believe the answer to the question can be found in the light of the following facts. Jesus said that the Holy Spirit would bring to the memory of the Apostles all things whatsoever He had commanded them and that He would bring new truths to them. But in the teaching of the Apostles as found in the New Testament, we do not see that any church or any group under their care and supervision observed foot-washing as a church ordinance. On the other hand, we see that there is reflected in the language of Peter the spiritual lesson which Jesus doubtless was teaching on this occasion. In I Peter 5:5 the Apostle urged the brethren saying, "Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble." There can be little doubt that this language is an echo of Christ's washing the disciples' feet. Peter urged the Christians to whom he wrote this letter to gird themselves with humility and serve one another—just as Jesus had showed in His object lesson on the occasion which we are studying.

If any brother or sister thinks that foot-washing should be practiced literally by the people of God today, I have no objection—even though I think that the Lord was teaching an object lesson and that Peter echoed it in the passage to which I have just referred. As we see in verses 18-20, Jesus, urging the disciples to do as He had done, did so in full view of the knowledge of those whom He had chosen and of the one who was to betray Him.

According to verse 21 Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified saying, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me." Each of the evangelists tells us of this incident. When Jesus made this remark, the disciples looked at one another, doubting of whom He spoke. At that time there was one of the disciples who was nearest Jesus and was reclining on his bosom. Peter, in his impulsive manner, beckoned to this disciple, saying "Tell us who it is of whom he speaketh." Then, this disciple, leaning backward on Jesus' breast said, "Lord, who is it?" Jesus then replied that it was the one for whom He would dip the sop and to whom He would give it. So when He dipped it, He gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.

After Jesus gave the sop to Judas, He said to him, "What thou doest, do quickly." No one at the table understood what Jesus had in mind. Some thought, however, that, because Judas carried the bag in which the money of the party was deposited, Jesus said to him, "Buy what things we have need of for the feast"; or, that he should give something to the poor.

When Jesus made this remark, Judas received the sop and went straightway out into the darkness of the night. But we see that, the sop was given during the Passover supper, Judas left while the Passover was being observed. Since the Lord's Supper, as we have already seen, was instituted after the Passover supper was over, we may be absolutely certain that Judas was not present when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. This position is incontrovertible.