John 13:2 “And when the supper had come into being (was laid), Jesus with the thought in mind of His very purpose of being sent by the Father (v. 3), rose from the set table and meal, laid aside His outer garments, took, and girded Himself with a linen. He poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and wipe them with the towel that He had girded Himself.”

When the Passover meal was laid (Luk. 22:14, 17), Yeshua blessed and passed around a Cup of Kadesh (sanctification), setting the meal apart as holy, acknowledging the Father’s consecration to holiness of those partaking of the meal. The call to holiness and nearness to God demanded a cleansing. Israel traditionally achieved purity through water and blood. After the participants washed their hands, they dipped bitter herbs (standing for hyssop) in salt water (symbolizing blood) and ate. At this moment, Yeshua rose from the table, laid aside His garments, took a towel, girded Himself like a servant, and washed His disciples’ feet.

Why the Father sent Him in the flesh motivated Yeshua’s cleansing of His disciples’ feet. Like all humans, they had become stained and defiled by sin, unable to enter God’s Holy Presence. He laid down His life so that we might be forgiven and cleansed unto holiness to appear before God, one in fellowship and name on His Sabbath solemn days of joy. Yeshua, being especially aware that He had come from the Father, provided a way for us to be cleansed and perfected unto holiness.

Ordinarily, a servant cleansed a guest’s feet before entering the house for a meal. The Servant of God set us an example by washing each disciple’s feet. Feet bathed of defilement walk in holiness with God, thus Yeshua’s words to Peter, “If I do not wash your feet, you cannot participate with Me in My work.” A tradition of washing one’s hands during the meal already existed. Eating the Passover meal signified the partaker’s works (use of hands and feet) were according to the will of the Father and not according to their own desires. Since Yeshua made His followers holy, their works would also be holy.

After their seven-day consecration, the priests who daily served YHWH in the Tabernacle washed their hands and feet before approaching their daily duties (Lev. 30:19–21). Therefore, Yeshua pointed out to Peter, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet but is completely clean, and you are clean.” Bathing, mikvah “washings” (doctrine of baptisms, Heb. 6:2, 9:10) had already cleansed Peter,¹ and Yeshua’s calling consecrated him to the priesthood; he needed only his feet washed from defilement.

After washing their feet and putting on His garment, Yeshua asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?” Historically, only the priests with washed bare feet could enter and serve in God’s presence in the Tabernacle (Exo. 30:1). Washing the guests’ feet was traditional hospitality in Yeshua’s day, acknowledging their honor and status. Then He said, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you” (Jhn. 13:14–15). Their great Master had just made Himself a servant to them. Because His disciples could not be greater than He was, they could not raise themselves to be more than servants to humanity (Jhn. 13:16). For His disciples to eat and drink at His table with Him in His kingdom and sit on thrones of judgment, they could never exercise lordship and authority over those they governed, as did the world (Luk. 22:24–30). In preparation for God’s kingdom bestowed upon them, they must stop their rivalry about who is greatest and exercise greatness according to His wisdom. “He who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves” (Luk. 22:26).

Their Master, Lord, and Teacher stooped to humbly cleanse His disciples’ feet, honoring those who had given themselves to serve His will. They would prepare others’ minds to experience the Father through their individual lives of humility. Greatness in His Father’s kingdom was not determined by social standing but by service and obedience to the Father’s will. Yeshua was more significant than they, just as the One who sends is greater than those He sends. He sent them out as messengers of the kingdom’s way of living, commanding them to remember always how He cleansed them to partake of the holy Passover meal, preparing them to enter the most intimate relationship with God. He served and honored them so that their work of service in the Father’s name could be of blessing. Later, declaring the truth of His actions, His apostles followed His pattern in laying aside their garments, becoming “clothed with humility” (1Pe. 5:5), and serving others in Yeshua’s way of quietness and rest. After explaining His actions, He blessed them, saying, “If these things you know, blessed are you if you do them.”

Takeaway:
After consecrating the meal and His disciples, Yeshua washed His disciples’ feet, preparing them for the new covenant proposal, making them fit to interface and walk with His Father. Taking off His robes, His office, and identity, Yeshua took on a humble servant’s role while His disciples argued who was the greater and who would sit where at the table (Luk. 22:24-30). His service was forefront to the disciples’ rivalry over who would be the greatest in His kingdom—a disposition Yeshua identified as the spirit of faithlessness and betrayal that led to His death (Luk. 22:21–30).

Fun Factors:
John 13:14’s nineteen words, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet,” have a letter sum of 10625, or 5⁴ × 17, or 52² + 89², showing the victorious power of His abundant mercy.

John 13:15’s twelve words, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you,” have a letter sum of 5979, 3 × 1993, 1993 is the 301^st prime (7 × 43, 43 is the 4^th centered heptagonal number), and the 146^th Pythagorean prime (2 × 73, 11² + 5²); 1993 is 43² + 12², numbers pointing to the fullness of El’s wisdom in His Passover sacrifice, filled with light and mercy.

John 13:17’s eight words, “If these things you know, blessed are you if you do them,” (38 letters) have a letter sum of 3400, 8 × 25 × 17, 54² + 22²; 3 × 4 = 12, 3 + 4 = 7, denoting His words ultimate victory in us, His righteousness and justice flowing from His throne.