John 13:1-15
Chapter 13
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet
They were at supper, and the devil had already put into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him.
Jesus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was going to God.
So he got up from the table, removed his outer garment, and took a towel, wrapping it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel around his waist.
When he came to Simon Peter, Simon asked him:
“LORD, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus said:
“What I am doing you cannot understand now, but later you will understand.”
Peter replied:
“You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him:
“If I do not wash you, you can have no share with me.”
Then Simon Peter said:
“LORD, wash not only my feet but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus replied:
“Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you.”
Jesus knew who was to betray him; because of this, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table, and said to them:
“Do you understand what I have done for you?
You call me Teacher and LORD, and you are right, for so I am.
If I, then, your Teacher and LORD, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet.
I have given you an example, that as I have done, you also may do.
Commentaries
Jesus Washes the Disciples’ Feet.
The fourth Gospel marks a significant shift in its depiction of the time before the passion and resurrection. It omits the Eucharistic theme because it has already discussed it in chapter 6, and instead emphasizes Jesus’ act of washing his disciples’ feet, a scene unique to this Gospel. Washing feet was traditionally a task for servants, not for free individuals. Although disciples sometimes performed this act for their teachers as a sign of respect, it was never the other way around. The evangelist describes this moment solemnly and intentionally: Jesus rises from the table, removes his cloak, takes a towel, pours water into a basin, and begins to wash their feet… This act is symbolic, almost prophetic; it prepares the way for his passion and is essential for understanding it: a gesture of love taken to the extreme. The dialogue with Peter helps clarify the deeper meaning of the sign: washing feet is not just an act of humility but primarily an act of service—a symbol of the saving act Jesus accomplishes on the cross to give life to the world. The Christian community receives this message. If the act of washing points to the cross, what Jesus asks is for his followers to also look to the cross and imitate his gesture of love by offering themselves in an act of love that knows no limits, even to the point of sacrificing their lives for others.
The washing of the feet is an act of revelation, a revolution, and a challenge. Revelation: it is not a strange event but the ultimate teaching—love that serves and sacrifices, kneeling before humanity, willing to die on the cross every day, going out of its way, giving its life. Revolution: if God kneels before people and washes their feet, no human—regardless of their importance—has the right to dominate others or strip them of their dignity. Challenge: this example must be followed by the Church, which, out of love for Jesus, must actively seek out the poorest and become poor alongside them.