Lord and Servant
Like a high priest preparing to cleanse the footstool of Yahweh, Jesus put aside His garments and girded Himself to wash His disciples’ feet (John 13:1-11). The Lord became servant.
It was not the first time. He had been the Lordly servant from the beginning, and He would be servant right to the end, all the way to the cross.
Did He wash Judas’s feet? He must have done. He doesn’t identify Judas as the traitor until He is finished washing feet. It’s one thing to wash Peter’s feet – weak, bombastic, faltering Peter. It’s quite another to wash feet that will trample Him down.
This is not new either. The Lord Jesus doesn’t just serve those who appreciate His service. He came to serve those who would prefer not to be served. He came to serve us .
The Lord puts aside His garments of glory to become a servant. And there , in His very humiliation, we see a glory past compare.
Peter Leithart
Peter J. Leithart is President of Theopolis Institute. He is the author of numerous books on theology, literature, and culture, including Theopolitan, Defending Constantine, and Baptized Body.
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