Maundy Thursday is a twofer, two essential elements in the Christian walk with Christ. So that we’re all on the same page, as the commemorations of Holy Week advance, on Thursday Jesus gathered the disciples in a rented room in Jerusalem for his final meal with them. This Last Supper has been observed ever since as the quintessential sign of their continuing communion with their Lord and spiritual Master. It has the marks of the Jewish Passover Seder, but Jesus reinterpreted the meaning of the unleavened bread and cup of blessing to become the sign of his life-giving presence for his followers until he comes again.
The Last Supper is significant in all the gospels. The particular enactment of that meal is recorded in the first three gospels. St. Paul identifies it as key to the disciple’s union with the Risen Christ. But in the Gospel of John the supper itself receives only brief mention before he zooms in on one detail. You see John revealed the rich meaning of that meal of union and blessing in chapter 6 where Jesus unpacked the significance of the feeding of the 5000. There he taught to truly be in union with him one must eat his body and drink his blood.
Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me and I in them. (Jn 6:53-56)
Union with Christ is the governing theme in John’s gospel. It is not more significant than the perpetual memorial announced in the first three gospels. It’s just that the community John wrote his gospel to required direction about the primary purpose of their discipleship – unity in the Lord Jesus.
The first element in the twofer I mentioned at the outset, the Last Supper, was the focus of the first Eucharist today. The second is the one detail in the supper that John calls attention to for the sake of his community – the foot washing. On that we focus this evening.
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. (Jn 13:1-5)
Washing the feet of guests at a meal was the job of slaves. It was considered one of the most demeaning acts of service. You can imagine the vile behavior of some impatient guest, kicking over the bowl of water or even the slave as a sign of contempt, to hurry along this small rite of hospitality. It was not lawful for a Jewish slave to wash the feet of another Jew, for under God all Jews were brothers, or should be. Perhaps the washing of feet at a meal may not have been a regular custom when the disciples gathered for they all were considered equal in the kingdom of God Jesus inaugurated.
In any case, on this occasion Jesus stripped off his outer garments, wrapped a towel around him and taking a bowl of water began to wash the disciples feet. The action must have caught everyone off guard for Peter objects strenuously. Jesus replied, Unless I wash you, you have no share in me (Jn 13:8). Well, put in those terms Peter wanted to have all his visible parts washed. But Jesus indicated that his bathing of feet made one entirely clean, and further, assured union with him, sharing the life of Christ.
Earlier when Nicodemus asked how one could be born again (Jn 3:1-15) Jesus said entrance into the kingdom of God is by water and the spirit, referring to the baptism of repentance and the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit. Is this not what is taking place when Jesus bathes his disciples’ feet? The Lord is offering a menial service through which each disciple washed became entirely clean in body and spirit and one with him. (Unfortunately Judas left on an errand to serve another master before it all happened.)
At the conclusion of Jesus’ service he told his disciples So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. (Jn 13:15) For centuries in the church this rite had become so ritualized and exclusive to the highest orders of the priesthood. Though in some denominations it is a common practice, it has been restored to our Maundy Thursday rite to renew our understanding of the mandatuum, the New Commandment: Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:34-35).
The washing of feet may seem off putting to many Americans. We have such taboos about our bodies that close scrutiny of any part embarrasses, humiliates or irritates. Just think of noses. Enough said. But Jesus’ purpose was none of these, only to remind us of our baptism into his death and rising with him to new life; embarking on a new way of living.
The collect for the second Wednesday in Lent amplifies the meaning of this new way of living:
“O God, you so loved the world that you gave your only-begotten Son to reconcile earth with heaven: Grant that we, loving you above all things, may love our friends in you, and our enemies for your sake....”
Consider the disciples’ state of mind who will shortly encounter the soldiers who will arrest Jesus, the ensuing trial, Peter’s denial, their scattering for fear of their lives. Who really is a friend? Who is viewed with suspicion as a traitor? Jesus’ example is to be our guide. For perhaps as we serve others for Jesus’ sake we will discover how we are bound together in a love that dissolves boundaries, forgives resentments, removes barriers, and helps us meet as friends of God, even under the most adverse conditions.
We are united with Christ in the water of baptism to die to our old selves. Raised with him in the resurrection he calls us to serve as a sacrament for the life of the world. In this way we fulfill the Great Commandment: to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves. As Jesus is God indeed, so we fulfill the Law of Love by loving our neighbor and our enemies for his sake.
