As Jesus begins this Passover meal with his disciples, he notices the ‘dispute’ going on as to which of them ‘should be considered as the greatest’. Given the meal protocols of their day, it was probably about who got to sit in the places of honor next to Jesus (Med.#68). Jesus has tried to teach them that significance and authority in the Father's new kingdom do not come from holding a higher social position than others (Med.#18 & Med.#92) but they still don't get it. Why? Because: in most societies, social significance and power came from having a higher social position. Thus: men often get to sit at the table while women and children serve them; younger family members run the errands; kings lord it over their subjects; and those with authority of any kind draw a sense of importance from being known as ‘Benefactors’, because of the way their decisions and actions ‘benefit’ those ‘under’ them.

However, the kingdom that Jesus came to bring is very different from earthly ones. Yet behavioral patterns based on earthly ideas about social importance and power are deeply ingrained in all of us. So as followers of Jesus we still tend to reproduce in our church life the social structures we grew up with. Yet a focus on positions and titles can keep us from experiencing the full ‘blessings’ of our Father's kingdom. So on this occasion, Jesus teaches and models a different way of approaching significance and authority in this new kingdom.

First, he shows his disciples that there is only one position that is important. After washing his disciples' feet, even though he is ‘'Teacher’ and ‘the Lord’, he explains that any place at the table makes us ‘great’ in the Father's kingdom. Sitting ‘at table’ and eating with Jesus is a position for all disciples, not just for leaders. Likewise, Jesus turns a lowly act associated with the position of a servant into a symbol for the way all of us who sit at his table are to act according to his example. All of us are to serve one another! Jesus did not wash his disciples' feet to teach church leaders to be more servant-like! Even earthly leaders serve those under them, though they do so to affirm their leadership position and role—as ‘Benefactors’. Then, after the meal, Jesus underlines this message by ‘conferring’  on all his disciples a kingdom authority that will ultimately be greater than the authority exercised by their own tribal and national leaders. All who endure with Jesus through their trials will grow in this authority—as heirs of God and co-heirs with Jesus by the Holy Spirit (Med.#5)—regardless of social position.

So it's about equality, then. Well, yes and no. Jesus does not do away with leadership roles in the church. However, he wants all of us who follow him—whether we are leaders or the ‘youngest’ Christian in the church—to get our attention off of social positions so we can come to know what Jesus ‘knew’. When we, like Peter, try to protect leadership positions, or to get special treatment from the leader, we still don't ‘understand’ what Jesus was modeling. Though he was ‘the Teacher and the Lord’, Jesus knew that his significance derived from his eternal relationship with God as his Father—for he had come from him and was returning to him. And he ‘knew’ that the Father had ‘given all things into his hands’, by the Spirit (Med.#26), long before he was raised to the highest place above all rule and authority (Med.#44). It was this confidence that freed him to remove his ‘outer garments’ and ‘take the form of a servant’ while washing his disciples' feet (Med.#56). Later, during a time of great weakness and public humiliation, he would even serve his abusers by asking his Father to forgive them (Med.#41).

This is the same kingdom authority that has been conferred on us, as sons and daughters of God by the Holy Spirit (Med.#57, Med.#49), now that Jesus has ascended to God, who is our Father as well as his Father (Med.#42). So Jesus' purpose in washing his disciples feet reminds us that both our new authority and our motive for service, need to flow from our own relationship with the Father in Christ. For he taught that we too can be confident: through the Scriptures, that we were created to be sons and daughters of God (Med.#65, Med.#A); and through Jesus as our Family Redeemer [Heb. goël] (Med.#E, Med.#7)—as the ‘Way’ to the Father's house—we too are going to the Father (Med.#2). Jesus washed his disciples' feet so that all of us might learn to use our authority in the Father's kingdom in a new way. Not to defend our positions but to serve one another by empowering all Jesus' followers, from the ‘eldest’ to the ‘youngest’ to grow in confidence (Med.#76): in who they are in Him (significance), and in exercising their authority in Him as adult daughters and sons too.

During my 45 years of Christian service, I have been in and out of Christian leadership positions five times. Twice my Father has led me to take a position under the leadership of someone who previously had been under my leadership. This experience has helped me understand the truth of Jesus' teaching: that my significance and my authority come from an eternal relationship with my Father, not from any leadership position I might, or might not occupy. Leadership is merely one of the many roles we can play in our Father's family kingdom.

How about you? Is your behavior in God's kingdom focused on gaining recognition through a leadership position in the church? Or through being identified closely with a church leader or some famous Christian? In the next chapter (Med.#68-#77) we will look further at what Jesus and the apostles teach about how leadership needs to function differently in the church, since we belong to a totally new kind of kingdom—a family kingdom.

Great Creator, you are my Father. You knit me together in my mother's womb, and in your house, Jesus has prepared a place for me to share with him and all his disciples. (Dt. 32:6; Ps.139:13; Jn.14:2-3)

Father, glorify your name! I want to follow Jesus and be where he is; I want to become a servant of all, for you have been pleased to give us the kingdom. (Jn.12:28,26; Mk.10:44-45; Lk.12:32)

Father of all, you are over all, through all and in all. Help me use my freedom to serve others in works of love guided by your Spirit, so we together may all become mature and attain to the full measure of Christ. (Eph.4:6,13; Gal.5:13,16)

[i] This cup, sometimes called the ‘cup of sanctification’ is the first of four cups that are part of Passover meal ritual, each associated with one of the four promises in Exodus, (1) ‘I will bring YOU out from under the burdens of the Egyptians’; (2) ‘I will deliver YOU from their bondage’; (3) ‘I will redeem YOU with an outstretched arm and great acts of judgment’; (4) ‘I will take YOU for my people and be your God…’ (Ex.6:6 -7a RSV).

[ii] The Scripture passage is taken from J.K. Mellis, The Good News of the Messiah by the Four Witnesses: pp.231-233,235-237,239-240.

[iii] This was probably the third cup (see footnote [i])