HE IT IS
John 13:10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 21 When Jesus had thus said, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. 22 Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom he spake. 23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved. 24 Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. 25 He then lying on Jesus’ breast saith unto him, Lord, who is it? 26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, 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 Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.28 Now no man at the table knew for what intent he spake this unto him. 29 For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night.
What do you do to expose a traitor? You wash his feet and give him a sop! That’s what our Lord did in the case of Judas Iscariot. And when all was over, the other apostles, previously in the dark as to their even being a traitor among them, knew exactly who he was.
As always, the Lord was true to his word which states that evil is to be overcome with good! Romans 12:20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. 21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. And the result of this heaping of coals of fire, means to strongly stir the emotions, hopefully to produce shame, and even repentance! Song 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.
And it worked in Judas, but it was too late! Matthew 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself.
But how did the foot washing expose the traitor? The answer is in John 13:10,11 listed above. First, we must understand what is meant by the words, he that is washed. For all those who are washed, still need to wash their feet. But those who are not washed are not clean even though their feet are washed! And this washing is the washing of regenerating grace, applied by the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
These are those who have the robes of righteousness made clean by the washing of the blood of the Lamb of God! Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. And their linen garments are the covering of righteousness upon those quickened by the Spirit as they are born again! Revelation 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. 8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.
These are also continuously washed by the Spirit’s use of the application of the word of God! Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
Now this foot washing was not meant to be an ordinance of the church, to be continued throughout the age, as is baptism and the Lord’s Supper. For in the former the Lord did instruct, Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them … (Matt. 28:18). And of the latter he did command, this do in remembrance of me. (Luke 22:19). But of this foot washing he simply states in John 13:15, For I have given you an example,… It was done for an example to those disciples who, like so vast a number today, looked to reign in an immediate earthly kingdom! But he well instructs them that the greatest in his kingdom would be those who served, not those who ruled! (And that was the main reason why those multitudes healed and fed by the Lord went from crying “Hosanna,” to crying, “Crucify him! They wanted to reign, not to work as servants. They wanted the crown, not the cross! They wanted their own heads to be crowned, not others feet to be washed!) Matthew 20:25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. 26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;
Therefore the foot washing is but a washing for the example of the humility of servitude, which is to accompany the washing of regeneration for salvation. For He that is washed by the Holy Spirit in regenerating grace, needeth not save (but only), to wash his feet, for a proper attitude of the kingdom’s servitude!
But to wash the feet and not be washed in regeneration is to form but a hypocrite! For then he is but one with the form of godliness, who does not have the power of the Spirit’s identity within! 2 Timothy 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
This is made clear in just two accounts set forth in the scriptures. The first is found in chapter seven of Luke. It is the account of the meal at Simon, the Pharisee’s, house. There the Lord made the distinction between the hypocrisy of Simon, and the genuine love in the heart of the woman who was previously known as a sinner! And how did he do so? He did so by pointing out their revealing of themselves in foot washing! Luke 7:44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
Then there is the instruction concerning those who can be allowed to attain membership in the local church. For church membership is only for baptized believers! And the evidence of inward faith and belief are revealed by the outward actions! 1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. She does not become a christian by washing others feet. But being a spiritually borned christian she now has the spirit of servitude to do so. She had been washed in regenerating grace, but only needed the example of the humility of foot washing to reveal it. 1 Peter 5:5 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.
For one, most assuredly, is not saved by works! (See Titus 3:5, listed above.) But there will always, without fail, be works to follow that regeneration in order to evidence that inward spiritual life! Ephesians 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. If you call the dog, the tail comes with him. It does not precede him, but follows along behind. And if the soul is called by the effectual voice of the Holy Spirit, works to evidence this new beginning always follow!
But now, what of the sop? The foot washing revealed that there was one among them who was not cleansed of his sin. And now the sop, (previously covered in our article, “The Passover Must Be Killed,”) reveals Judas as one who takes the body of Christ unworthily!
The sop contained a piece of the Passover lamb’s flesh, a piece of unleavened bread, and some bitter herbs. Exodus 12:3 Speak ye unto all the congregation of Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: 8 And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.
Our bitter herbs of afflictions in our christian lives are only rendered palatable by the sweet flesh of the Lamb of God! 1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
And Christ is our Bread. Upon him our souls feed to receive spiritual life. John 6:48 I am that bread of life. 49 Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.
For it is in him we live, and move, and have our being; (Acts 17:28). … because I live, ye shall live also. (John 14:19). John 17:1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
And Judas took these tokens of the Lord’s body unworthily, thereby taking damnation into his soul! 1 Corinthians 11:27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
Here is the account of his death: Acts 1:15 And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of names together were about an hundred and twenty,) 16 Men and brethren, this scripture must needs have been fulfilled, which the Holy Ghost by the mouth of David spake before concerning Judas, which was guide to them that took Jesus. 17 For he was numbered with us, and had obtained part of this ministry. 18 Now this man purchased a field with the reward of iniquity; and falling headlong, he burst asunder in the midst, and all his bowels gushed out. 19 And it was known unto all the dwellers at Jerusalem; insomuch as that field is called in their proper tongue, Aceldama, that is to say, The field of blood. 25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.
Dear souls, just as there was a mixed multitude that came out of Egypt, so there was a traitor among the twelve apostles! And even though those who came out of Egypt all underwent the same experiences, with many of them God was not pleased! 1 Corinthians 10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Therefore we should not trust in outward performance of religious tradition. Being baptized cannot redeem the soul! If you are not a Spirit-born believer before you are baptized, you simply went down into the waters a dry sinner, and came up a wet one! We must trust only in Christ! 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
And taking part of the Lord’s Supper unworthily is to partake of it in an unregenerate state! That is what Judas did and he actually ate and drank damnation to his soul! 2 Corin. 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? 6 But I trust that ye shall know that we are not reprobates. 7 Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.
Pastor Gene Breed
February 12, 2015
