When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. ”Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them.
If you have read the Gospel of John before, you know that Jesus answers his own question in the next few verses. Even so, I want to stop here for a moment and think about Jesus’ question.
‘’Do you understand what I have done for you?”
Imagine that you were in the upper room with the disciples and Jesus. He has finished washing the feet of everyone there. Maybe you are puzzled by this. You think to yourself, “What is he doing?”
You look around the room and look to the faces of the disciples who are there. Peter, who tried to refuse Jesus. James, John, Matthew, Philip, Andrew. Their faces are blank. You look over at Thomas. You are not sure whether you see doubt or puzzlement in his face. Judas Iscariot seems distant. The other Judas is as confused as everyone else. Simon the Zealot seems rather subdued. James (the son of Alphaeus) is quietly talking with Bartholomew.
‘’Do you understand what I have done for you?”
The question hangs in the air. This is one of those moments when time seems to stand still. No one answers. Instead, the silence answers for them. No, we don’t understand.
Let’s Discuss: From a human perspective, Jesus did something most people would prefer not to do. Maybe most would find it embarrassing. What do you make of this?
I am reduced to extreme humility concerning my lack of it. Can that even make sense? I can’t quite find the words. I’m aware of my need to grow here and it humbles me… The chasm is too vast.
It is so hard for me to understand that Christ as God, humbled himself as a man and in ways that I cannot even understand (and yes would even find embarrassing). That he came to serve, blows my mind.
In the end, I feel like we have nothing to offer that God hasn’t either given/granted us. If anyone is to be humble it is us. And if anyone exalted, it is God. This honestly just blows my mind and I think we will in part spend eternity being continually enamored by this reality and the sacrifice Christ gave, always throwing down our crowns at his feet.
Crowns that he gave us…
Nicely said, NMOP3PISdn.
If there are signposts on the road to deeper faith, I think that our understanding of what Christ has done and does for us marks how far we have come on that road. I know my personal understanding of this truth has changed as I have studied the Word.