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Peter showed his motivational gift of Perceiver at the Passover supper when Jesus knelt to wash his feet. (John 13) For Peter, it was either all or nothing. He was so passionate about everything, and he had a sureness about Jesus that was only a little misplaced as Jesus taught him that evening.

Jesus brought the water and the drying cloth to Simon Peter who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Peter probably drew up his knees and leaned away from his beloved friend.

Jesus gazed up at Peter and replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand,” and he took one of Peter’s feet in His hand.

“No,” said Peter jerking his foot up and away, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus held out his hand and answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Peter dropped to his knees leaning forward toward Jesus and cried out, “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus smiled at Peter’s enthusiasm and explained, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean (John 13:6-11).

Jesus was telling His disciples that a bath (baptism) was only necessary once, yet foot washing was a regular necessity for all of His followers. We have been forgiven, but we continually need forgiveness. It is a continual relationship strengthener between the Father and His children. Peter protested because he did not understand what Jesus was teaching.

A friend explained it to me a long time ago this way:

Jesus tells Peter that his protest is one of ignorance, for he does not grasp that Jesus’ act of foot washing has multiple layers of symbolism. Three prominent elements of symbolism are: (1) Jesus’ role as servant, signifying that we must take such a posture toward one another; (2) Jesus lays aside his garment and performs an act of cleansing, signifying what he would do in his dying; (3) Jesus’ cleansing act signifies the ongoing need for humans in this present age to return to the source of initial cleansing, for trafficking in this world will soil the feet of all his disciples. Therefore we all have a continual need to receive fresh cleansing from Christ every day. We receive this cleansing by acknowledging our sins, which is, by confessing our sins and seeking God’s forgiveness.

Note Peter’s second protest: “No, you shall never wash my feet.” Peter didn’t understand the dramatized metaphor. Peter’s faith was small. Peter did not bridge the gap between earthly image and heavenly reality. He did not understand that Jesus’ act was a dramatized metaphor of things spiritual. Thus, he protested and went to an extreme—“Give me a bath!”

Note Jesus’ second response: “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.” First, Jesus draws a distinction between the forgiveness of radical conversion and the forgiveness of repeated returns to the only fountain for spiritual cleansing. A bath is proper for one who has never been cleansed before. Foot washing is proper for those who have been cleaned. Then Jesus makes his imagery more clear by identifying the fact that there is only one among the eleven who is unclean—Judas (see also John 15:2).

Jesus was using physical imagery to illustrate a spiritual truth. Even more telling is the imagery He uses in Revelation 3 concerning the church at Sardis when He says, “I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.” 2 … “I did not find your works being fulfilled before My God.” The church at Sardis were called Christians (Christ like, alive), but their conversations, their preaching, their prayers, their listening were all deadened. They had a form of godliness, but no power of it. Matthew Henry says, “…what little life that was left inside them was expiring, ready to die.” This is what tainted, soiled, and defiled their garments.

This is when Jesus pointed out there were a few whose names and character in Sardis were not defiled. Their garments were clean, and they would walk with Jesus in white for they are worthy.

A remarkable illustration of James’ assertion, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also” (James 2:26).

"Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life" from Tom Kelley

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