December 22nd, 2021—John 13

The washing of the disciples’ feet sets the stage for what Jesus says to them in verses 31–35. He was preparing to leave them, but He wanted them to understand why. He also wanted them to know what it would mean to follow Him even after He was gone. So He took the place of a slave in order to remind them that “the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Then He told them to do the same by giving them the new command to love one another. In and of itself, of course, it was not new. In fact, it was almost the highest obligation of God’s law (Matthew 22:37–40). What was new was the understanding of what it meant to love. It is supposed to be sacrificial, costly. Rather than seeking advantages for ourselves, the price Christ paid for us is to be reflected in what we do for our brothers and sisters. That new understanding was radical, and it remains a breath of fresh air in a world that still puts the self above everything else. It is how we ought to be known, in order to make Him known to those who need Him.