556
The Desire of Ages
world. With great emphasis he exclaimed, “Thou shalt never wash my
feet.”
Solemnly Christ said to Peter, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part
with Me.” The service which Peter refused was the type of a higher
cleansing. Christ had come to wash the heart from the stain of sin.
In refusing to allow Christ to wash his feet, Peter was refusing the
higher cleansing included in the lower. He was really rejecting his
Lord. It is not humiliating to the Master to allow Him to work for
our purification. The truest humility is to receive with thankful heart
any provision made in our behalf, and with earnestness do service for
Christ.
At the words, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me,” Peter
surrendered his pride and self-will. He could not endure the thought
of separation from Christ; that would have been death to him. “Not
my feet only,” he said, “but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to
him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean
every whit.”
These words mean more than bodily cleanliness. Christ is still
speaking of the higher cleansing as illustrated by the lower. He who
came from the bath was clean, but the sandaled feet soon became
dusty, and again needed to be washed. So Peter and his brethren had
been washed in the great fountain opened for sin and uncleanness.
Christ acknowledged them as His. But temptation had led them into
evil, and they still needed His cleansing grace. When Jesus girded
Himself with a towel to wash the dust from their feet, He desired by
that very act to wash the alienation, jealousy, and pride from their
hearts. This was of far more consequence than the washing of their
dusty feet. With the spirit they then had, not one of them was prepared
for communion with Christ. Until brought into a state of humility
and love, they were not prepared to partake of the paschal supper, or
to share in the memorial service which Christ was about to institute.
Their hearts must be cleansed. Pride and self-seeking create dissension
and hatred, but all this Jesus washed away in washing their feet. A
change of feeling was brought about. Looking upon them, Jesus could
say, “Ye are clean.” Now there was union of heart, love for one another.
They had become humble and teachable. Except Judas, each was
ready to concede to another the highest place. Now with subdued and
grateful hearts they could receive Christ’s words.