FOOT WASHING

Yahusha instructed us to wash one another’s feet. I believe that means

everyone, but most especially those in leadership. The ideal is to keep our
perspective of being servants of one another, and that the one who may think of
himself as “greatest” is to be the servant of all. What was going on at the time
Yahusha took the water basin to their feet set the stage for what He wanted to
teach them, and us. He had told them He was going away. They immediately
began to take stock of who would take His place, and become the one in charge.
After reading Yahuchanon’s account, look at the context provided by Luke very
closely (below).

Yahusha said He was giving them an example, and it was a very powerful way of
showing us we are all to serve one another.

Joh 13:3-17: “Yahusha, knowing that the Father had given all into His hands,
and that He had come from Elohim and was going to Elohim, rose from
supper and laid aside His garments, and having taken a towel, He girded
Himself. After that He put water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the
taught ones, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. And
so He came to Shim on Kepha, and he said to Him, ‘Master, do You wash my
feet?’

Yahusha answered and said to him, ‘You do not know what I am doing now,
but you shall know after this.’

Kepha said to Him, ‘By no means shall You wash my feet, ever!’ Yahusha
answered him, ‘If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.’

Shimon Kepha said to Him, ‘Master, not my feet only, but also my hands and my
head!’ Yahusha said to him, ‘He who has had a bath does not need to wash,
except his feet, but is clean altogether. And you are clean, but not all of you.’

For He knew who would deliver Him up, so He said, ‘You are not all clean.’

So when He had washed their feet and taken His garments, and sat down again,
He said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you?
You call me Teacher and Master, and you say well, for I am. Then if I, Master and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.
For I gave you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.

Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is an
emissary greater than he who sent him.

If you know these teachings, blessed are you if you do them.’”

Here we see that Yahusha is teaching His students to be servants, as He Himself

came to serve. If we read past this, and look for other meanings such as an
anointing ritual, we miss a great deal. Look at the same situation from the
account of doctor Luke, and the real teaching emerges very clearly. At the
time Yahusha was washing their feet, His students were debating among
themselves over who was the greatest (or most trustworthy of His followers),
and a dispute was erupting over how superior each one was:

Luk 22:21-27: “‘But see, the hand of him delivering Me up is with Me on the table.

For indeed the Son of Adam goes as it has been decreed, but woe to that man by
whom He is delivered up!’ And they began to ask among themselves, which of
them it could be who was about to do this.

And there also took place a dispute among them, as to which of them seemed
to be greater.

And He said to them, ‘The sovereigns of the gentiles rule over them, and those
who control them are called ‘workers of good.’ But not so with you, but let him
who is greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as one who
serves.

For who is greater, the one who sits at the table, or the one who serves? Is it not
the one who sits at the table? But I am in your midst as the One who serves.’”

Yahusha was teaching them to become servants, and the “greatest” one among
them would be the one that learned to serve. In that same context, after He
had washed their feet, He told them:

Joh 13:34, 35: “ ‘A renewed command I give to you, that you love one another, as
I have loved you, that you also love one another.

By this shall all know that you are My taught ones, if you have love for one
another.’ ”
 Yahusha is so far above our Earthy-mindedness, yet He totally understands the
motives we must overcome. What was wrong with His disciples is still a problem
today among Natsarim. Those who teach and lead the new believers have rival
and strife between them, jealously speaking against one another, instead of
praying for one another. The “elders” of the Natsarim have much to learn from
Yahusha’s demonstration. We must go far beyond kindness, and love one
another deeply and sincerely. Love never fails. Yahusha is looking for the fruit,
and when we bear good fruit, we are pleasing to Him.

brother Lew White

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