It might perhaps be helpful to see what exactly Christ has done for us… One
of the issues we might want to consider is the rulership of men over
women, of which God forewarned the woman in Genesis 3:16. Sadly, we have
seen this happen throughout history and we still see it happening
today. Yet in the midst of this sad picture there has come a glimmer of
hope in the form of a Cross with the broken body of a man hanging on it.
Who was this Man? It was the Man/God, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the
world. He died so that men and women might have life, as the Apostle John
expressed it in John 10:10
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
Through Christ’s death on the Cross, the effects of the Fall were reversed.
What had been lost - the relationship with God and the relationship with one
another on equal terms, have now been restored. Furthermore, both men and
women, who are in Christ, have been given authority. Please understand that
this authority is a delegated authority for it is based on Christ’s authority
given by His Father, as we can read in Matthew 28:18-20
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and
make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
We need to understand, though, that this authority, which has been given to both
men and women who are in Christ, does not give anyone the right to lord it over
another, to rule another, for Christ did not come to be served but to serve, as
Jesus said in Matthew 20:25-28
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with
you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”
Therefore, Christ’s followers, be they men or women, have only been given the
authority to serve others. Christ must have found this a particularly important
subject since He stressed this point at the Last Supper, which we can read
about in John 13:1-17
It
was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come
for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own
who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His
love.The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already
prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that
the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from
God, and was returning to God, so 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. He came to Simon Peter,
who said to Him: “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied:
“You do not realise now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”
“No”, said Peter, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered,
“Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter
replied, “not just my feet, but my hands and my head as well.” Jesus
answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his
whole body is clean. And you are clean. Though not every one of you.”
For He knew who was going to betray Him and that was why He said not
everyone was clean. When He had finished washing their feet, He put on
His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have
done for you?” He asked them. “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 should also wash one another's feet. I have
set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you
the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger
greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you
will be blessed, if you do them.”
We find Jesus having a final meal with His disciples before His Crucifixion.
And what was on His mind? What was to Him the most important issue He needed to
stress while there was still time? Was it to make sure these men knew how to
preach a good sermon, or how to heal a sick person, or even how to deliver
someone from an evil spirit? No, none of these things. The text simply
says that that He, their Lord and Teacher, got up from the table, took off His
outer clothing, wrapped a towel around His waist, filled a basin with water and
began to wash their feet. This was the most menial task in any household, and
here Jesus was performing it. Now don’t for a moment think that it was
only Peter who had a problem with the fact that Jesus was doing something they
all knew was for the lowliest of servants to do. No, they were all embarrassed
that the Lord was performing this task for them. It is just that Peter had always
been very vocal in expressing his opinions and the others might just have
waited for him to say what they were thinking, which is exactly what happened.
Anyway, Jesus washed all of their feet and then sat down. It was only then
that He began to explain to them what this was all about. This had not just
been an act of kindness on His part, but a teaching exercise. He wanted to show
them in a very practical way that even they, who had been given authority in
Christ and who were to become the founding Apostles of the Church which was
about to be born, had only been given this authority to serve others.
Questions & Answers
1. What has brought women a glimmer of hope while suffering under the rulership of men?
Answer: A Cross with the broken Body of a Man hanging on it has given women a glimmer of hope for the Man who hang on that Cross was the Man/God Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. He died so that men and women might have life, as the Apostle John expressed it in John 10:10
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
2. What effects
of the Fall have been reversed?
Answer: Our Relationship with God and our
relationship with one another on equal terms have been restored.
3. What kind of
authority has been restored to women and men?
Answer: Women and men who are in Christ, meaning who are believers, have been given a delegated authority based on Christ’s authority as given by His Father, as we can read in Matthew 28:18-20 “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
4. Does this
authority give women or men the right to rule over
others?
Answer: This authority does not give women
or men the right to rule over others. Women and men have only been given the
right to serve others.
5. Who has given
us the greatest example of servanthood?
Answer: Christ has given us the greatest
example of servanthood, as we can read in Matthew
20:25-28
“You
know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them. Not so with you.
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and
whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not
come to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
6. What story in
the Gospel of John teaches us on servanthood?
Answer: Jesus taught at The Last Supper on servanthood as recorded for us in John 13:1-17. He ended His teaching with the following words, in John 13:12-17
When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” He asked them. “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and your Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”
7. Who were
present at that teaching?
Answer: The Twelve disciples were present at
that meal, including Judas who would later betray Jesus. Eleven of these men
would become the founding fathers of the Church that was about to be born.
Jesus taught them the importance of serving by washing their feet at that meal,
one of the most menial task in any household. Thereby, He demonstrated to them
in a practical way that they were to be “footwashers”, or servants, of those
who would become part of the Church.
Please read John
13:1-17, as quoted.
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