John 13:1, 3-4 NIV
[1] “It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
[3] Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; [4] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.”
Is God humble?
A strange question, yet we must answer it because humility is high on God’s list of priorities. Turns out that the question is irrelevant but for one exception. Jesus!
Humility is an attribute of humanity. Therefore, pride, the attitude of self importance that elevates the proud above his fellow beings, can never apply to God as there is no one higher than He.
By contrast, the humble person accepts and fully occupies the space God intended for him or her, in partnership with the Holy Spirit, without intruding in attitude or action into the space of others.
The Father sent Jesus to occupy His space as the God-man during His time on earth. In His humanity, Jesus accepted and functioned fully in that space. His union with the Father, through the Holy Spirit, enabled Him to carry out the Father’s will in perfect submission and obedience to Him. Therefore, He could both claim…
Matthew 11:29 NIV
[29] “Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
…and act in humility.
John 13:5 NIV
[5] “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
What was the space the Father prepared for Jesus to occupy?
Mark 10:45 NIV
[45] “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
He came as a servant to serve both God and man.
A servant can only serve, first, when he accepts his position and role as a servant.
John 13:3 NLT
[3]”Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.”
Jesus was fully aware of His position in the heavenly realm. He was God with all the authority and power of His divine nature. His humanity did not take away His attributes of deity, only veiled them for a season.
To fulfil His role as the ‘Ebed Yahweh’ of Isaiah’s messianic prophecies, the servant of the Lord, Jesus had to choose to be a servant. There was no resistance or reluctance in His attitude towards the Father. He was a servant who fully embraced and carried out His role.
Philippians 2:6-7 NLT
[6] “Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. [7] Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being…”
Although Jesus was a servant…a slave in fact, the meaning of ‘doulos’…He never acted from a slave mentality. He knew who He was, in every sense of the word. He was God Himelf, veiled in a human being. However, He chose to be a Son, completely subject to His Father, during His time on earth.
As Charles Wesley so ably wrote,
“Let heaven and earth combine,
Angels and men agree,
To praise in songs divine
Th’incarnate Deity,
Our God contracted to a span,
Incomprehensibly made man.
“He laid His glory by,
He wrapped Him in our clay;
Unmarked by human eye,
The latent Godhead lay;
Infant of days He here became,
And bore the loved Immanuel’s name.”
(Words: Charles Wesley, Hymns for the Nativity of Our Lord (London: William Strahan, 1745), number 5.)
Jesus’ commitment to be a faithful servant of the Father coloured His every thought and action. Being a servant of God both humbled Him to serve sinful humans and elevated Him to the high office of an atoning sacrifice.
The Apostle Paul adopted the same attitude as Jesus in his life of serving and suffering. He accepted his role as Christ’s slave with unswerving loyalty and obedience, together with the authority his role gave him to act for Jesus.
Philippians 1:1 NLT
[1] “This letter is from Paul and Timothy, slaves of Christ Jesus. I am writing to all of God’s holy people in Philippi who belong to Christ Jesus, including the church leaders and deacons.”
Paul viewed his suffering as an offering of worship and a badge of office. He rejoiced in the privilege of pouring out his life of service to others as a sacrifice to God.
Philippians 2:17 NLT
[17]”But I will rejoice even if I lose my life, pouring it out like a liquid offering to God, just like your faithful service is an offering to God. And I want all of you to share that joy.”
He knew who he was but he never lorded his position as an apostle over those he served. He used his authority at times but only to stamp the authority of Jesus on the behaviour of God’s people. His authority lay in the anointing of the Holy Spirit for his office as an apostle. He had no authority of his own. Before God, he was an empty vessel bearing the glory of God’s presence in him.
2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT
[7] “We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.”
Even the Apostle John wrote, “As He was in the world, so are we.”
And so, Jesus could take up a towel and water, and wash His disciples filthy, smelly feet and lose nothing of His person, His position, His dignity, or His authority. His love for the Father called from Him His unique response…and example.
John 13:14-15 NLT
[14]”And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each other’s feet. [15] I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.”
John 13:16-17 NLT
[16]”I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. [17] Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.”
We are stamped with the image of God, redeemed and recreated in the likeness of His Son. We have His name, His power of attorney, and His Spirit in us. We are holy and beloved, God’s own children, elevated to co-heirs with Jesus, seated with Him in the heavenly realm…
…but we are His slaves, ‘douloi’
For love of the Father, He calls us to serve.