IMAGES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF JESUS’ MINISTRY OF

FEET WASHING IN JOHHANNINE GOSPEL

A Paper Presentation
Submitted to
Rev. Dr. Subhro S. Sircar, Ph.D.
Professor of New Testament
Serampore College, Faculty of Theology

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Subject

Jesus Tradition in the Johannine Writings (BBN06)

By,
Mr. Lalkungthanuama Nampui, Mr. Y. Golden Rathis, and Mr. Jaya Ebenezer
(Group 10)
BD Final Years

28th September 2022

 IMAGES AND CHARACTERIZATION OF JESUS’ MINISTRY OF
FEET WASHING IN JOHANNINE GOSPEL

1. Introduction
Jesus’ ministry of feet washing is recorded only in the Gospel according to John among the
canonical gospels. This significant event of feet washing is an incredibly powerful
presentation of Jesus, the Messiah in Johannine Gospel. It intentionally helps the readers to
understand the significance of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. This paper attempts to
study the images and characterization of Jesus’ ministry of feet washing recorded in John
13.1-20.

2. Johannine Understanding of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing

The account of the feet washing in Johannine Gospel is powerfully directed to Jesus’ parting
reflections. It is now the day before the crucifixion. The setting is the upper room, prepared
for the Last Supper. The evening meal is the Passover meal. The first twelve chapters of the
gospel of John describe the public ministry of Jesus. Starting in chapter 13, most of what
John describes are the last private moments Jesus reveals prior to His crucifixion. The phrase
“the hour has come” (John 13.1) denotes that Jesus would hang on the cross soon. Jesus knew
that he did not have much time left with his disciples, and he had something that he wanted to
teach them before he left earth. So, he used these last precious hours to serve and prepare His
disciples.

It is common in Johannine studies to interpret the meaning of Jesus' action as a willingness to

humble himself in service of other believers, based on the fact that slaves usually washed the
feet of guests, marking it as an action reserved for people of lower status. Washing feet in
such a situation is the role of the most menial of servants. Normally, the host would not do
this washing himself, because it is regarded as a very demeaning task. But Jesus gets up from
the meal, takes a towel, and wraps it around His waist and washes the disciples’ feet. It was a
powerful visual lesson in servant leadership. It is a way that Jesus could demonstrate His
unfathomable love for His disciples. But beyond this, it’s a lesson which the disciples
desperately need to learn, a lesson in humility. In the kingdom of God, a position of
leadership is simply a place of service.1

1
Herold Weiss, “Foot Washing in Johannine Community,” Novum Testamentum, vol. 21/4 (Oct, 1979):
312, accessed September 12, 2022, https://www.jstor.org/stable/1560729

1
 3. Images of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing

3.1 Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing as Metaphorical Image

One of the potent metaphors is foot-washing. Jesus attempts to speak about the unfamiliar, to
give it new meaning, and to create a new reality by using something that is familiar, at least
in his time. A host would provide water for guests to wash their feet, provide a servant to
wash the feet of the guests or even serve the guests by washing their feet. This is mentioned
in several places in the Old Testament (Gen 18:4; 1 Sam 25:41). In the time of Jesus also,
washing one’s feet was customary (Luke 7.44). If there was no servant present, it was
customary for people to wash each other’s feet before eating. The disciples have likely
performed this numerous times previously. One of the typical, everyday things they did to
respect and care for one another.2 The new reality that Jesus is trying to communicate with
the disciples by this metaphor, he shows who God is and help them to understand how much
he love them.3

3.2 Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing as a Model of Ministry and Mission

Jesus’ foot-washing was a Concise Summary of the mission’s main points. “Jesus and the
devil had been at odds throughout his mission, and it was about to come to a head. The love
of the Father and the evil plans of the devil are sharply contrasted in this passage.” 4 In
accordance with Jesus’ repeated assertion that he was carrying out the Father’s will, (John 13.
3) John notes that Jesus knew that the hour of grief was in his Father’s hands. 5 It is a unique
act of Jesus’ ministry during his last hours in this world. He has fulfilled God’s mission and
taught his disciples to do his mission as he has done. Jesus came from the above to below to
fulfil God’s will of the mission in this world. He gave a model of ministry and mission from
his own life.

3.3 Washing as a Symbol of Sharing with God

2
William Barclay, The Gospel of John, William Barclay the New Study Bible, vol 2 (Bangalore:
Theological Publication in India, 2019), 165.
3
Pheme Perkins, “The Gospel According to John,” in The New Jerome Biblical Commentary, edited by
Raymond E. Brown, S. S. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J. Roland E. Murphy and, O. Carm (Bengaluru: Theological
Publication in India, 2019): 973.
4
Donald Guthrie, “John,” New Bible Commentary, edited by D.A. Carson, R.T. France, J. A. Motyer
and, G. J. Wenham (Hyderabad: Good Shepherd, 2019), 1053.
5
Guthrie, “John,” 1054.

2
“Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me”” (John 13.8b). The
washing was a symbol of spiritual cleansing. If Peter did not participate in the cleansing, he
would not enjoy fellowship with him. It emphasised that Peter has no share in companionship
with Jesus Christ. Jesus by washing His disciples’ feet, He simply didn't do this because a
servant had not been given, as was traditional in those days, or because He had mentioned the
necessity for their feet to be washed. Jesus was saying that they cannot have fellowship with
Him unless their sins are forgiven. "Even at this late point in Christ's ministry, the disciples
were still unable to fully comprehend what Christ's purpose for coming to earth was. They
continued to seek a material, earthly kingdom while being unaware that His kingdom was
spiritual and not of this world." This straightforward deed was intended to demonstrate that
they cannot share the kingdom of God until they have fellowship with him.

4. Characterization of Jesus’ Ministry of Feet Washing

4.1 Jesus’ Ministry with Out of His Unconditional Love

The feet-washing reveals that the crucifixion was Jesus’ consummate act of love. “Having
loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end” (John 13.1b). 6 He was not
only washing the feet of his disciples but also washing the biggest betrayer in human history.
Jesus would go to the cross and surrender his life not just for the other eleven, but also for his
betray Judas. This message, however, is not only about our willingness to perform the tasks.
It teaches us to be willing to love others, even when they are unlovable or unloving in return. 7
In the overall mission of Jesus, the feet washing, the ultimate purpose of Jesus is to enable his
team to see God’s love and power in him.

4.2 Jesus’ Ministry with Humility

Jesus was humble in nature and had taught them to be humble. He does not merely talk about
these qualities but demonstrates them. He was willingly washed his disciples’ feet. 8 It was
obvious that the gesture was meant to be symbolic, signifying both humility and purification.
In verses 12–17, the significance of the completely unexpected gesture of humility is
explained. The highest extent of Jesus’ humility was that he humbled himself unto death

6
Craig R. Koester, Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel, 2nd ed. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2003), 131.
7
J. Kanagaraj, “Johannine Jesus, The Supreme Example of Leadership", Themelios 29/3, accessed
September 15, 2022 https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/johannine-jesus-the-supreme
8
H. Joseph Lalfakmawia, Re-Reading the Gospel of John (Kolkata: ESPACE, 2013), 118-119.

3
(Phil. 2.8). This feet-washing was thus a token of expression of what is to come-his death on
the cross.9

4.3 Jesus’ Servant-hood Ministry

“So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s
feet” (John 13.14). Jesus came not to be ministered unto but to minister (Mk. 10.45). 10 In
Philippians 2.5-8, Apostle Paul emphasizes the self-emptying of Christ, not only in terms of
becoming a man among men but becoming a servant among men. “But (He) emptied himself
taking the form of a servant” (Phil 2.7a).11

5. Reflections
The Gospel of John as a whole describes how God himself became a human being. Jesus’
descend from the heavens, total identification with the humans (1:14), and his service in the
world (13:1-20) are emphasized by the Fourth Evangelist. John 13:1-20 also demonstrates the
horizontal and humanitarian aspects in the ministry of Jesus. As M.M. Thomas and P. D.
Devanandan suggests, the Church should get involved in the very act of nation building and
she should serve the country through humanization. 12 As Johannine Jesus, who turns to be a
servant of God, uplifted the marginalized sections of the society, today’s Church, as an agent
of mission, should uplift the Dalit, Tribal, and other marginal groups of the society. The
apostle John attempts to merge the theme of servant-hood with the glorification aspect. In
that sense, as Jesus manifested his glory through service until his death, the church should
exemplify its service to the community and reveal Christ’s honour in the public.

As Jesus appears to be a ‘sent one of God’ to send people for witnessing, the Church as the
‘sent one’ in the world is expected to send people for witnessing Christ at varied levels of
community life. The Church should transcend all sorts of human made boundaries for
witnessing Christ and also, she should prioritize loving kindness as the greatest virtue of God.
The event of washing the feet exemplifies Jesus’s pattern of sacrificial and costly service. It is
in this manner the disciples are expected to show their agape to one another as they are
9
O.M. Rao, St. John’s Gospel, A Study Guide Commentary (Delhi: ISPCK, 1998), 258.
10
O.M. Rao, St. John’s Gospel, 259.
11
C. K. Barrett, The Gospel According to St. John, An Introduction with Commentary and Notes on the
Greek Text, 2nd ed. (London: SPCK, 1978), 437.
12
M.M Thomas and Devanadan P.D. eds. Christian Participation in Nation Building: The Summing
Up of a Corporate Study on Rapid Social Change, (Bangalore: NCCI and CIRS, 1960), 48.

4
engaged in witnessing Christ in the world. The Church should, as an agent, function of
charity, reconciliation, and liberation with agape love. The servant-hood model of the Church
reveals her identity as a worthy community in the present and thus achieving a glorious
future.
6. Conclusion
The narrative of feet washing in Johannine gospel exhibits a unique incident of Jesus, a Guru
voluntarily washing the feet of his disciples. By this action he taught his disciples simplicity,
love, and readiness to serve others. It is an act to show the nature of Christian fellowship and
ministry. Through Jesus’s activity and the subsequent instruction, the disciples are prepared
to carry out the virtue of humility through the act of service. It is noteworthy to follow the
footsteps of Jesus Christ, who said, “For I have set you an example that you also should do as
I have done to you” (John 13.15).

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Barclay, William. The Gospel of John. The William Barclay the New Study Bible. Vol. 2.
Bangalore: Theological Publication in India, 2019.

Barrett, C. K. The Gospel According to St. John. An Introduction with Commentary and
Notes on the Greek Text. 2nd Edition. London: SPCK, 1978.

Guthrie, Donald. “John.” New Bible Commentary. Edited by D.A. Carson, R.T. France, J. A.
Motyer and, G. J. Wenham. Hyderabad: Good Shepherd, 2019.

Kanagaraj, J. “Johannine Jesus, The Supreme Example of Leadership.” Themelios 29/3.

Accessed September 15, 2022,
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/article/johannine-jesus-the-supreme

Koester, Craig R. Symbolism in the Fourth Gospel. 2nd Edition. Minneapolis: Fortress Press,
2003.

Lalfakmawia, H. Joseph. Re-Reading the Gospel of John. Kolkata: ESPACE, 2013.

Perkins, Pheme. “The Gospel According to John.” In The New Jerome Biblical Commentary.
Edited by Raymond E. Brown, S. S. Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S. J. Roland E. Murphy and,
O. Carm. Bengaluru: Theological Publication in India, 2019.

Rao, O.M. St. John’s Gospel: A Study Guide Commentary. Delhi: ISPCK, 1998.

Thomas M.M and Devanadan P.D. eds. Christian Participation in Nation Building: The
Summing Up of a Corporate Study on Rapid Social Change, (Bangalore: NCCI and
CIRS, 1960), 48.

5
Weiss, Herold. “Foot Washing in Johannine Community.” Novum Testamentum. vol. 21/4
(Oct, 1979): 298 – 325. Accessed September 12, 2022.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/1560729