Scripture Reading: John 13
In the foregoing chapter we saw that before the Lord Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, He realized that the Father had given all things and all people into His hands, that He had come forth from God, and that He was going to God (John 13:3). We have also seen that the commission the Lord Jesus received from the Father was to bring fallen mankind into God. When the Lord was about to wash His disciples’ feet, they had not yet been brought into God. Rather, they were still at the altar in the outer court. They had not yet come into the tabernacle. In order to come into the tabernacle, they needed the washing of their feet.
There is a hymn that speaks of passing the outer court, the outer veil, and the inner veil (Hymns, #551). This is related to the tabernacle and the outer court. The outer veil was the veil at the entrance to the Holy Place, and the inner veil was the veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, this inner veil was split in two from top to bottom (Matt. 27:51).
Spiritually speaking, in chapter 13 of John the disciples were neither in the Holy of Holies nor in the Holy Place; they were still in the outer court. Their sins and sin had been dealt with by the offerings. However, because they were still unclean due to the earthly touch, they needed the washing of the laver before they could enter the tabernacle. Without this washing, certain frustrations or hindrances would have remained. Hence, there was the need for all earthly defilement to be washed away. This defilement is removed by foot-washing.
We have seen that in washing His disciples’ feet, the Lord loved them to the uttermost (v. 1). The purpose of foot-washing was to keep the disciples in constant fellowship with God and with one another. Apart from foot-washing, there is no way for this fellowship to be maintained.
In the church life often there are problems between the brothers. None of us can say that he has never had a problem with another saint in the church. Although we may have problems with one another, we may try to act polite. But if the problems are not dealt with, they will eventually become problems between us and God.
Do not think that a problem you have with a brother is simply a problem between you and him. If that problem is not taken care of, it will become a problem between you and God. For example, having a problem with a brother may hinder you from praying properly. This problem between you and the brother keeps you out of God; that is, it keeps you outside the tabernacle and at the altar. By this we see that even a small problem with a brother can keep us from entering the tabernacle. Therefore, we need the washing in the laver.
If we do not have the washing, both our fellowship with the brothers and our fellowship with God will be broken. We cannot maintain our fellowship with God if the fellowship with our brothers is broken. We need to be impressed with the fact that there are not two fellowships. There is not one fellowship with God and a different fellowship with the brothers. No, our fellowship with the brothers is actually part of our fellowship with God. Therefore, we should not regard our fellowship with God as one thing and our fellowship with the brothers as another thing. This fellowship is absolutely one matter. Hence, if our fellowship with our brothers is broken, that means our fellowship with the Father is also broken. At least, one link of this fellowship is broken. In order for our fellowship with God to be broken, it is not necessary that every link be broken; it is enough that just one link is broken. By this we see that a problem with a brother or sister can cause our fellowship with God to be broken. A problem with another saint hinders us from entering the tabernacle.
Whenever our fellowship has been broken, we need foot-washing in order to recover this fellowship. You may not have any problem with God directly. But you may have a problem with God indirectly through the problem you have with your brother. The problem with your brother also becomes a problem between you and God. This indicates that we need foot-washing in order to maintain our fellowship with God and with one another. Day by day, we all need foot-washing. However, many Christians do not realize what the significance of foot-washing is.
The Lord’s washing the disciples’ feet was a matter of love to the uttermost. After He washed their feet, He charged them to do the same to one another: “If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example so that you also may do even as I have done to you” (vv. 14-15). To wash one another’s feet, therefore, is a matter of brotherly love.
The commandment to love one another is the unique commandment in the New Testament. This commandment was first given in John 13, the chapter on foot-washing: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (v. 34). The commandment to wash one another’s feet is related to the commandment to love one another. Today Christians talk a great deal about brotherly love, yet not many realize that brotherly love is expressed in foot-washing. If we do not have the reality of foot-washing, we actually do not have brotherly love. If we love one another, we need to wash one another’s feet. Without foot-washing, there is no brotherly love. The Lord Jesus loved His disciples to the uttermost, and this love is seen in His washing their feet. Now we also need to love the brothers in washing their feet.
Perhaps you are wondering what we mean by foot-washing, since it is not our intention to become a foot-washing group, a group that has the requirement of practicing literal foot-washing. I think that the best way to explain what we mean by foot-washing is to use an illustration from our experience in Shanghai in 1948.
In two consecutive meetings of a conference a particular sister prayed in an offensive, unseemly manner. All the leading ones felt that in her praying this sister went too far, overstepping others. After she prayed this way the second time, we felt that we could no longer tolerate the situation. As some of us were fellowshipping after the meeting, we were wondering what to do. Brother Watchman Nee asked me to write a note to that sister. In that note we pointed out to her that in her prayer she had gone too far. In love we asked her not to pray that way again. We closed the note with the words, “The Lord’s grace be with you.” This letter was then signed by Brother Nee, an elderly sister who was a co-worker, and me. The person to whom that note was addressed was Brother Nee’s mother.
After the note was delivered, I was concerned about what the result would be. The next evening we were again meeting together, this time before the meeting. That elderly sister came to the door and spoke one sentence to us: “Foot-washing is good, but the water was too hot!” Then she walked away to the meeting hall.
The note that was written to that sister is an illustration of foot-washing. This loving activity can be found only in the proper church life.
In human society, including organized religion, there is no such thing as foot-washing. In both secular and religious society, people behave in a political way. Instead of foot-washing, there is backbiting. People may be nice to you, but they may criticize you behind your back. No one will wash your feet, and neither will you wash someone else’s feet. In order to be a member of a denomination, there is no need to practice genuine foot-washing. It is sufficient to be well-mannered and polite. However, those who behave in such a way may be filled with complaints about others. This should not be our practice in the church life. If we are political in the church life, we are through with the fellowship. If instead of washing one another’s feet we are polite and political, the defilement on us will make fellowship impossible.
Neither in secular society nor in religious society is there fellowship. But the church life requires fellowship, a fellowship that is crystal clear. Only by foot-washing can our fellowship with God and with one another be maintained.
Suppose we in Shanghai had done nothing about our feelings concerning the way that elderly sister prayed in the meetings. Suppose we had said nothing and kept the feeling within us. If we had done that, that feeling eventually would have destroyed the fellowship between us and that sister. Furthermore, our fellowship with God would have been frustrated.
Because of the lack of foot-washing, there is not proper fellowship among many Christians today. Instead of being crystal clear, the situation is opaque. Furthermore, certain feelings are concealed within the hearts of the saints. As a result, there is no crystal-clear fellowship among the believers. Such believers may not even be in the outer court of the tabernacle.
Although we may experience all the matters revealed in chapters 3 through 12 of the Gospel of John, we still need the foot-washing in chapter 13. It is not sinful for our feet to be unclean. For example, it was not sinful for the leading ones to be bothered by the way that sister prayed in the meetings. But that feeling was a frustration to our fellowship. We all felt that we should write that sister a note in order to wash her feet.
I wish to point out that she was not offended by what we did. I can testify that afterward this elderly sister and I became quite close. This is a proof that she was helped by the note we sent her. Yes, when she first spoke to us about it, she complained that “the water was too hot.” I also had the feeling that the water was too hot. I would have preferred to have spoken to her directly. However, because Brother Nee was taking the lead and because this situation concerned his own mother, I did not want to express my opinion. In this matter, Brother Nee set an example of the way to deal with relatives, and we all learned much from it. No one was hurt, and the “muddy” situation was cleared up. This illustrates that in the church life we need foot-washing to clear away everything that hinders our fellowship with one another.
In the past we have also had some experience of literal foot-washing. One day, I believe in 1954, the elders in the church in Taipei were led of the Lord to wash the feet of all the brothers. That literal foot-washing recovered many who were weak. Although we washed the brothers’ feet on that occasion, this has never been a regular, ordained practice. But spiritually we need to wash one another’s feet all the time.
One way to practice spiritual foot-washing is to be frank with one another. We may say that frankness is equal to foot-washing. This does not mean, of course, that we should rebuke others out of anger. But it does mean that we may wash one another’s feet by speaking frankly to one another. If we do this, the situation among us will be clear, and we will have excellent fellowship with one another. Furthermore, if our fellowship with one another is clear, our fellowship with God will also be clear. This will strengthen our spirit, cause us to grow in life, and truly build us up together. In the church life we need such a spiritual foot-washing all the time.
Instead of washing one another’s feet, some brothers in the church life are political or practice politeness. For example, suppose brother A is having fellowship with brothers B and C. Brother A may be very nice to brother B and speak politely to him. Nevertheless, the fellowship between them is not genuine. After brother B leaves, brother A may turn to brother C and tell him that brother B is hypocritical. What should brother C do in this situation? He should look to the Lord for His grace and then, in love, speak a frank word to brother A and say, “Brother, you said that this brother is hypocritical. But when he was here, you were very nice to him. Now you tell me that he is a hypocrite. Brother, you are not being honest. Whether this brother is hypocritical or not, I do not know. However, I am certain that your behavior is not genuine. If this situation is not cleared up, how could all of us have the peace to attend the Lord’s table meeting together?” To speak in such a frank, honest way with a pure spirit is to practice foot-washing.
We have pointed out that in both secular and religious society today, there is no foot-washing. Suppose brothers A, B, and C are members of a religious organization. Brother C may hear brother A’s criticism of brother B. But instead of saying anything honestly to brother A, he may first keep the matter to himself. Later, he may go to brother D and tell him about brother A. This kind of behavior is common in human society, including religious society. In the church life our practice must be different. We need continual foot-washing in order to maintain our fellowship.
It is not easy to wash someone’s feet. Neither is it easy to have our feet washed. In other words, it is difficult to be either a washing one or a washed one. This is the reason that many behave in a political way and do not wash the feet of others.
Sometimes others are offended when we wash their feet. At least a few times I have offended saints simply because I washed their feet. Because others may be offended by our foot-washing, we should never be in a hurry to practice this. If we would wash someone’s feet, we need much grace. We also need to be clean ourselves. It is easy for the flesh to come in while we are dealing with someone else’s defect. Therefore, we need to be careful to be absolutely in the Spirit.
It is just as difficult to receive foot-washing as it is to administer it. If we are willing to be washed, we will be blessed. We need mercy and grace both to wash another’s feet and also to receive the washing of our own feet.
In 13:17 the Lord Jesus said, “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.” This indicates that to practice foot-washing is to receive blessing. However, if instead of practicing foot-washing, we conceal within us our feelings concerning the defects of the brothers and sisters, there will be much accumulation of dirt to hinder our fellowship. If we know the significance of foot-washing and practice it, we will be blessed. Foot-washing is a way to receive blessing.
Foot-washing also sifts the false one (vv. 18-30). Among Christians today there are many tares, many false ones, because spiritual foot-washing is not practiced. But whenever we practice this foot-washing, the false ones are exposed.
Chapter 13 of the Gospel of John puts together three matters: foot-washing, Judas’s betrayal of the Lord, and Peter’s self-confidence. The fact that these matters are put together indicates that foot-washing sifts the false one and also exposes the real, yet self-confident, one. Among those who claim to follow Christ, there are two problems related to fellowship. These problems are falsehood, signified by Judas, and self-confidence, signified by Peter. Today’s society is full of falsehood and self-confidence. Peter was genuine, but with his genuineness there was self-confidence.
The best way to keep the false ones away from the church life is to practice foot-washing. The more we practice foot-washing, the more the false ones will be sifted. Because foot-washing exposes, the false ones cannot stand it. It is possible to be a false one at a love feast, but it is not possible to be a false one when foot-washing is practiced. Only the genuine ones can receive foot-washing. The false ones cannot tolerate it.
If a local church practices foot-washing, no false one will be able to remain. Foot-washing closes the door to every false one. The reason today’s religion is full of false ones is that there is no practice of foot-washing. Instead of foot-washing, there is politics, and politics produces false ones.
False ones are also produced by politeness. Some may be troubled to hear that politeness produces false ones. If you turn to your spirit, stay in the spirit, and live and walk according to the spirit, I doubt that you will be merely polite. I believe that you will see that the Spirit leads you only to be genuine, humble, frank, and upright. Politeness, on the contrary, may be only beautified hypocrisy. If you try to be polite, what you are actually doing is beautifying your hypocrisy. This can be compared to a mortician applying cosmetics to a dead body. In human society today, there is a certain kind of beauty, but this beauty is that of cosmetics applied to a dead body. Politeness may be nothing more than dead beauty.
We have seen that foot-washing exposes the false ones and does not allow them to remain. It was at the time of foot-washing that the Lord Jesus released the word that Judas would betray Him. Instead of concealing the matter, the Lord released what was on His heart. Concerning Judas’s betrayal, the Lord Jesus was troubled in spirit: “When Jesus had said these things, He became troubled in His spirit, and He testified and said, Truly, truly, I say to you that one of you will betray Me” (v. 21). The Lord Jesus revealed what was troubling Him. Here we see the principle, set up by the Lord’s example, that foot-washing sifts the false one.
We have indicated that foot-washing also exposes the self-confident one. Foot-washing will expose whether we are proud or humble, whether we are self-confident or trust in the Lord. Peter was exposed by foot-washing. Although he was genuine, he was also very self-confident. Therefore, at the time of foot-washing the Lord said to him, “Will you lay down your life for Me? Truly, truly, I say to you, A rooster shall by no means crow until you deny Me three times” (v. 38). The Lord loved Peter to the uttermost, but Peter denied the Lord to the uttermost. Before Peter denied Him, he was self-confident, and this self-confidence was exposed by foot-washing.
I am glad that in the church life we do not practice literal foot-washing as a legality. But we do have spiritual foot-washing in order to eliminate all defects so that we may have clear fellowship with one another and with God. Through the practice of foot-washing, everything becomes genuine, frank, pure, clean, and clear. No dirt is concealed, and no falsehood or self-confidence remains.
If we practice foot-washing in the church life, no false one will remain. Moreover, the strong, self-confident ones will be subdued. If someone had asked Peter about his denying the Lord, he may have said, “I was full of self-confidence. But the Lord had a way to bring me down. The Lord washed my feet, and I was exposed. But I still need your foot-washing, and I am willing to receive it.” This is needed in the church life.
Apparently, the record of foot-washing in John 13 is not important. Actually, it is crucial in a very practical way. If there is no foot-washing, we cannot have the church life. From over fifty years’ experience in the church life, I realize that all the churches on earth need the practice of foot-washing. In order to maintain clear fellowship with one another and with the Lord, we need the reality of foot-washing.
