Messiah’s Foot Washing Instructions (John 13)

We will review clues that the foot washing Messiah told his saints to do as He had done to them did not happen on Passover but more than likely happened two nights before Passover.  Let us review six clues.

 

John 13:14 If I then, your Sovereign and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.   15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.   16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his master; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.   17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

 

• First clue is that we clearly see that the foot washing occurred after a supper was served, but not the supper of Passover. In fact, John clearly tells us Messiah’s foot washing took place before the Passover.

 

John 13:1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Yah’shua knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.  2 And supper being ended (better translated served), the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him;  3 Yah’shua knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from Yahweh, and went to Yahweh;   4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.   5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.

 

• The next clue about when Messiah washed His disciples’ feet comes from comparing John 13:27 and Luke 22:3. These verses are parallel Scriptures describing the moment Satan entered Judas.   It is clear that in the account of John 13 the foot washing occurred before Satan entered Judas (compare John 13:5 with John 13:27).  And in the same account in Luke verses 22:1-3, Satan entered Judas as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, drew near.  Therefore the foot washing would have to have been before Passover.

 

John 13:26 Yah’shua answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop (i.e. piece of bread), when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.   27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Yah’shua unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.

 

Luke 22:1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.  2 And the chief priests and scribes sought how they might kill him; for they feared the people.  3 Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.

 

• The third clue we also find in John 13. In this chapter, Simon Peter, after Messiah washed his feet, asks Yah’shua to also wash his hands and his head. But Yah’shua replies that he who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean.  Therefore Messiah knew that Simon Peter’s hands were clean. But compare this to Matthew 26:23 and Mark 14:20 where the disciples washed their hands in a dish during the Passover meal. Therefore it is clear that the foot washing and Passover meal must have been two different nights.

 

John 13:9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Sovereign, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Yah’shua saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit:

 

Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.   22 And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, Sovereign, is it I?  23 And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

 

• Let us review another clue in John 13, which is the night of the foot washing. Yah’shua in John 13:18 says that “He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me” and in verse 13:26 states “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it”.   But in Matthew 26:23 (also Mark 14:20) Yah’shua says during the Passover meal “He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me”.  Clearly the foot washing night and Passover night are two different times.

 

• Another clue that the foot washing Messiah told his saints to do was on a different night than Passover is again found in John 13. Verse 23 reads “Now there was leaning on Yah’shua’s bosom one of His disciples, whom Yah’shua loved”.  Leaning on Yah’shua’s bosom is a picture of a relaxed meal.  If you read how the Passover meal was supposed to be eaten, it was to be eaten in haste (see Exodus 12:11).  Again the foot washing night and Passover night are two different times.

 

• The last clue is found in John 13:29 which shows the disciples trying to figure out the night of the foot washing why Yah’shua said to Judas, “what you do, do quickly”. They knew that Judas had the money box and thought that Yah’shua was asking him to buy what they needed for the feast or that he should give something to the poor.  It makes the most sense that the disciples would think of preparing for the feast or giving to the poor before Passover.

 

John 13:26 Yah’shua answered, “It is he to whom I shall give a piece of bread when I have dipped it.” And having dipped the bread, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.   27 Now after the piece of bread, Satan entered him. Then Yah’shua said to him, “What you do, do quickly.”   28 But no one at the table knew for what reason He said this to him.   29 For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Yah’shua had said to him, “Buy those things we need for the feast,” or that he should give something to the poor.

 

So why was the foot washing Messiah told His saints to do more than likely two nights before Passover?

 

A big clue to figuring out this puzzle is found when Satan entered Judas.  We have already gleaned that this happened before Passover (clue #2) when we compare John 13:27 with Luke 22:1-3. And when Satan entered Judas, Yah’shua said to him in John 13:27, “what you do, do quickly”.  And as we continue to read in John 13:30, Judas went out immediately and it was night.  It is clear that if the Son of Yahweh tells someone to do something quickly, you better believe it was done quickly.  So take this account and compare it with Matthew 26:2 in which Yah’shua tells us that after two days is the Passover and that the son of man will be delivered up to be crucified.  And if you jump down a few more verses you read the following:

 

Matthew 26:14 Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,   15 And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.   16 And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.   17 Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Yah’shua, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?

 

We know that Satan entered Judas before Passover.  We also know that Yah’shua told Judas after Satan had entered him, what you do, do quickly.  And we can assume Judas obeyed Yah’shua’s commandment.  Then we know that Yah’shua stated that in two days it will be Passover and that after this statement by Yah’shua we find Judas with the chief priest plotting to betray Yah’shua.  Then we see after this event, Passover begins.  Putting all these clues together we can conclude that the foot washing likely occurred two nights before Passover.

 

HalleluYah

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