13. The King with the Basin and the Towel

(John 13: 1-17)

One evening Jesus and his friends were gathered together at a supper in an upper room in a house which belonged to a friend of Jesus, and which had been loaned for this special supper. Jesus and his friends had walked a long distance that day over a rough and dusty road and their feet, in the loose sandals, were sore and dusty. Near the door stood a stone pitcher filled with cool, fresh water, and also a basin and a towel, but there was no servant at the door to wash their feet when they removed their sandals and passed to their places about the table. Each of the twelve friends of Jesus was thinking which would occupy the highest seat in Jesus’ kingdom, and each wanted to have the highest place of honor at the table. No one had offered to take the basin and the towel, but rather they were even quarreling over which should recline next to Jesus at the head of the table. Jesus spoke not a word. He arose from the table, went quietly over to the water-jar, laid aside his outer cloak, tied a towel around his waist, like a servant, took up the basin, filled it with water, and began to wash his friends’ feet, one after the other, and to wipe them with the towel. Jesus was the King of heaven and earth! Jesus was Lord and Master, as well as Friend. One of them should have offered to do this. But no one thought of serving others in any such slave’s way but Jesus. So, when he had finished washing the feet of all, he put on his outer cloak again, took his place at the table, and said, “He that would be greatest of all must become the servant of all.”