ACC ~ John 13 v4

NOT THE USUAL ORDER OF WASHING

ORIGEN: In bringing to mind the spiritual meaning of the passage, the Evangelist here seems to me not to have observed the literal sequence of the washing. Normally, it is before supper and before sitting down to supper that those who need to wash their feet wash them. But passing over that time in his account, he says that Jesus, having already sat down for supper, arose from supper so that the Teacher and Lord may begin to wash the feet of the disciples after they had supper. For before the supper, they had been washed and were altogether clean. [1] But after that washing they needed a second water for just their feet, that is, the lowest parts of the body. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.11-12. [2]

[1] See Is 1:16.

[2] FC 89:344**; SC 385:190.

THE COMPANY AT SUPPER

SEVERIAN OF GABALA: The whole visible world proclaims the goodness of God, but nothing proclaims it so clearly as his coming among us, by which he whose state was divine assumed the condition of a slave. This was not a lowering of his dignity, but rather a manifestation of his love for us. The awesome mystery that takes place today brings us to the consequence of his action. For what is it that takes place today? The Savior washes the feet of his disciples. … Although he took upon himself everything pertaining to our condition as slaves, he took a slave’s position in a way specially suited to our own arrangements when he rose from the table.

He who feeds everything beneath the heavens was reclining among the apostles, the master among slaves, the fountain of wisdom among the ignorant, the Word among those untrained in the use of words, the source of wisdom among the unlettered. He who nourishes all was reclining and eating with his disciples. He who sustains the whole world was himself receiving sustenance.

Moreover, he was not satisfied with the great favor he showed his servants by sharing a meal with them. Peter, Matthew and Philip, men of the earth, reclined with him, while Michael, Gabriel and the whole army of angels stood by. Oh, the wonder of it! The angels stood by in dread, while the disciples reclined with him with the utmost familiarity!

And even this marvel did not content him. “He rose from the table,” as Scripture says. He who is “clothed in light as in a robe” was clad in a cloak. He who wraps the heavens in clouds wrapped round himself a towel. He who pours the water into the rivers and pools tipped some water into a basin. And he before whom every knee bends in heaven and on earth and under the earth knelt to wash the feet of his disciples. HOMILY ON THE WASHING OF THE FEET. [1]

[1] JFA 50-51; REBy 25:227-28.

THE SIGNS OF HUMILITY

CHRYSOSTOM: Observe how not only by the washing but also in another way he exhibits humility. For it was not before reclining, but after they had all sat down, then he arose. In the next place, he does not merely wash them, but he does so taking off his garments. And he did not even stop here, but he girded himself with a towel. Nor was he satisfied with this, but himself filled [the basin] and did not ask another to fill it. He did all these things himself, showing by all of them that we must do such things when we are engaged in well doing, not merely for the sake of appearance but with every effort. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 70.2. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 14:258**.

WHY LAY ASIDE CLOTHING?

ORIGEN: What prevented him from washing the disciples’ feet clothed? This is not a problem at all if we consider (in a manner worthy of Jesus) the garments that he wore while eating and rejoicing with the disciples and what adornment the Word that became flesh wears. But he lays aside that [kind of a garment] that consists in some weaving of words with words and voices with voices, and he becomes more naked in the fashion of a slave, [1] which is signified by “having taken a towel, he girded himself,” both that he might not be completely naked, and that, after washing the disciples’ feet, he might dry them with a more appropriate cloth. COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 32.43-45. [2]

[1] See Phil 2:7.

[2] FC 89:350-51**; SC 385:206.

THE LORD OF THE UNIVERSE HUMBLES HIMSELF

THEOPHILUS OF ALEXANDRIA: What is more contrary to expectation than this, what more awe-inspiring? He who is clothed with light as with a garment [1] is girded with a towel. He who held the waters in the clouds [2] and sealed the abyss with his fearsome name is bound about by a belt. He who gathers the waters of the sea like a wineskin [3] pours water in a bowl. He who covers his upper chambers with waters, [4] with water washed the feet of the disciples. He who measured heaven with his hand’s span and holds the earth in his grasp, [5] with his undefiled palms wiped off the feet of servants. He for whom “every knee bends, of those in heaven, and on earth and under the earth” [6] bowed his neck to attendant servants. The angels saw and recoiled; heaven beheld and shuddered; creation observed and trembled. SERMON ON THE MYSTICAL SUPPER. [7]

[1] Ps 104:2 (103:2 LXX).

[2] Job 26:8.

[3] Ps 33:7 (32:7 LXX).

[4] Ps 104:3 (103:3 LXX).

[5] Is 40:12.

[6] Phil 2:10.

[7] MFC 7:154.

DIVINE HUMILITY IN TAKING THE TOWEL OF A SERVANT

AUGUSTINE: But why should we wonder that he rose from supper and laid aside his garments who, being in the form of God, emptied himself? And why should we wonder if he girded himself with a towel who took on him the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of a man? [1] Why wonder if he poured water into a basin that he used to wash his disciples’ feet who poured his blood upon the earth to wash away the filth of their sins? Why wonder if with the towel in which he was girded he wiped the feet he had washed who with the very flesh that clothed him laid a firm pathway for the footsteps of his Evangelists? In order, indeed, to gird himself with the towel, he laid aside the garments he wore. But when he emptied himself in order to assume the form of a servant, he did not lay down what he had, but he assumed that which he did not have before. When about to be crucified, he was indeed stripped of his garments, and when he was dead, he was wrapped in linen clothes: and all that suffering of his is for our purification. When, therefore, about to suffer the last extremities of humiliation, he here illustrated beforehand its friendly compliances—not only to those for whom he was about to endure death but to him also who had resolved to betray him to death. Because so great is the beneficence of human humility that even the divine Majesty was pleased to commend it by his own example. For proud humans would have perished eternally had they not been found by the lowly God. For the Son of man came to seek and to save that which was lost. [2] And as he was lost by imitating the pride of the deceiver, let him now, when found, imitate the Redeemer’s humility. TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 55.7. [3]

[1] See Phil 2:6-7.

[2] See Lk 19:10.

[3] CCL 36:466; NPNF 1 7:301*.

THE TOWEL OF SUFFERING

BEDE: He rose from the table and put aside his [outer] garments when, ceasing the fuller sharing of his life in time with human beings, he put aside on the cross the bodily members that he had assumed. He took up a linen towel with which he girded himself, when, after having taken up for us the mandate of suffering that he had received from his Father, he covered his body with the torment of his passion. A linen towel, which is woven by the endless labor of twisting [flax], is usually taken to signify the pain of suffering. When our Lord had laid aside his [outer] garments, he girded himself with a linen towel to signify that he was putting aside the clothing of the body that he had put on, [and that he was doing this] not without the distress of sorrow but with the prolonged anguish of the cross. HOMILIES ON THE GOSPELS 2.5. [1]

[1] CS 111:45-46.

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