How to Pull Rank — Adam’s Angle

Jesus got it wrong again — or so the apostle Peter thought. Here they were on the night of the Passover, at the end of a triumphant week. After a grueling three years of ministering in the backwoods of Israel, the disciples finally met an eager crowd in the most important city to the Jews, Jerusalem. Children shouted joyfully. Palm branches waved. Jesus had momentum. But, why, in the midst of this glorious Passover celebration, was Jesus taking off his outer garment and scrubbing toes?

Didn’t he know how to run a kingdom?

At the height of his popularity, Jesus humbly washed the feet of His disciples because He knew something that Peter hadn’t figured out yet: authority is meant for humble service, not for exploitation.

Did Jesus understand his position of authority? You betcha. “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God” (John 13:3).

What is Jesus’ response to his understanding of his position? Does he call for more lamb and more bread to be brought out? Does he command Peter to do a Russian folk dance? No. “He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him” (John 13:4-5).

Foot washing is a dirty job. That’s probably why Peter refused to let Jesus wash his feet at first. It didn’t seem fitting for their leader — the Messiah — to do such a menial task. “Leave the dirty work to the little guys from now on,” Peter might have thought.

But Jesus set Peter (and us) straight on how things work in God’s kingdom: “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord’ , and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (John 13:13-15).

What does this mean for us? This passage should make us think about how we’re exercising our “rank” with the people around us. Some of us may be in a position of authority at church or work. Some may be parents. Some of us may not have a literal rank, but we may have a lot of influence with people who look up to us. Is the way we exercise our God-given rank in line with how Jesus used his? Are we aiming to build up others even when it costs us? Or are we following our own agenda?

In light of the Easter season, I am so glad that Jesus laid down his rights as God and used his authority to serve us by dying on the cross. We can all share in His resurrection, but let’s not forget the passion that proceeded it. Though we need not die on a literal wooden cross, God is calling each one of us to die to our rights and privileges and to use our position so that we can serve our brothers and sisters.

“Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them” (John 13:17).

— Adam Pivec
3/22/08