Peter deeply respects his Teacher, and therefore he reveres Him, and does not accept His ministry. Although on other occasions Peter received a rebuke from the Lord (Matt. 16:22), and in order to avoid that reproach he would now have to accept washing from the Lord, nevertheless, since the work now being done by Christ is very important, Peter resists, and does not think that the Lord may again reprimand him even more severely, as if he were disobedient. What about Christ? He does not say to Peter, "I teach you humility, and for this I wash your feet." For Peter would have told Him, even with an oath, that I would have humility even without washing my feet. What does the Lord say to him? Which, according to the Lord's knowledge, could especially touch Peter's heart, He makes it seem to be a certain threat. "If," he says, "I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Since Peter, more than all the other disciples, desired to be together with Christ, which is why he asked Him where He was going, and out of love promised to lay down his life for Him (John 13:36, 37), the Lord shakes his soul with a real threat. "If," he says, "I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." Peter, having heard such a terrible threat, as he was firm in his resistance, was just as strong, and still more, in expressing his consent; for he also gives his head to wash. In both cases, he is guided by love: he resists washing because he greatly reveres the Lord; agrees because he does not want to be separated from Him. And I ask you: when you see that someone insists on his own way out of ignorance, and with an oath promises, "I will not do this," and then, out of respect for the oath, abides in that which he has not discussed well, and because of this suffers harm in soul or body, then make good use of the example of the Apostle Peter, who insisted on his own, but when he saw it, that his persistence could separate him from Christ, he lagged behind her.

Jesus said to him; He who has been washed only needs to wash his feet, because he is completely clean; and you are pure, but not all. For He knew His betrayer, therefore He said, "Not all of you are pure."

The Lord, having received a pretext, denounces the betrayer that he has an impure thought, needs to be washed from deceit and to change his intention. You, he says, being washed, do not yet need another ablution, but one is unclean and needs ablution. Many people ask: why did the Lord say to the Apostles: "You are clean," when they were not yet freed from sins, when they had not yet received the Spirit, since sin still reigned, the oath still retained its power, for the Lamb, who takes away the sin of the world, had not yet been slain, our Redeemer from the curse had not yet been hanged on a tree? In what sense were the apostles pure? It can be said that although they have not been completely freed from sins, they are pure through the word which the Lord preached to them (John 15:3), pure, at least in that they have already received the Light, have already been freed from the Jewish error. For listen to how Isaiah teaches us to wash: "Wash yourselves and be cleansed, put away evil from your souls" (Isaiah 1:16). For this reason the Lord justly calls His disciples washed and clean; for they dwelt with Christ with all kindness and simplicity. By supper some have understood the knowledge of the mystery of Christ at the end of the ages, which Jesus teaches His disciples, for which purpose He also washes their feet, not because they are dirty, but in order to prepare them for the gospel, according to the saying of Isaiah: "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace!" (Isaiah 52:7), And so, he says, you are clean, as far as yourselves are concerned, but you must also be sent to cleanse others, which is expressed by washing your feet. Thus, washing does not give us the thought of cleansing the apostles from sins, for they, according to the testimony of the Lord, are pure, but serves as a sign that they are sent out to preach, so that the purity granted to them through the teaching of the Lord may be passed on to others. For this reason Peter also says: "Wash not only my feet, but also my head," that is, not only go forth to preach, but cleanse my head also through martyrdom. Notice, perhaps, how this is done today. For even now there is a supper when the Divine Body and His Blood are presented during the Divine rite. What kind of work is required of each of us? Listen. All of us who believe in Christ have within us the Word of God and the preaching of the Gospel, for we have all received Christ into our hearts; but in this divine supper, we must restore this Word and take off his garments that hide Him. Such garments are the love of money, vanity, envy, and each of the other passions, which, leaning on the Word of God that exists in us, burden it. So, when the Word arises, we need to put aside the passions, so that He, having become light, can cleanse us through repentance. For the Word, having risen and laid aside all burdens and cares of life, will wash away our thoughts, which learn from Him and follow Him, and will also wash our feet, that is, our active movements and our actions. But if anyone is in need of another purification, desires improvement in study and contemplation, let him say to the Lord: Lord! Wash not only my feet, but also my hands and head, that is, cleanse not only my actions, but also my "hands," so that I may be able to guide others and take up the good, "and my head," so that in the contemplative and theological sense I may have a pure and irreproachable conception of the things of God. Thus, through confession we can be washed, so that we may worthily partake of the supper, and not eat or drink condemnation to ourselves (1 Corinthians 11:29).

And when He had washed their feet, and put on His garments, He sat down again, and said to them, Do you know what I have done to you? You call Me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for I am exactly that. Therefore, if I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, then you also must wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, A servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than he who sent him.

The Lord no longer addresses His speech to Peter alone, but to everyone, and sets forth the reason for such humility on His part. The reason is that the disciples are to imitate Him in this. Perhaps it is not about the present tense that the Lord is speaking when He says to Peter: "You will know "after this," that is: Peter, you will know after I take My garment and sit down, and begin to teach you and say: "Do you know what I have done to you? For if I, who am acknowledged by you as Lord and Teacher, and who am not falsely acknowledged, for I am certain, have washed your feet (and did not say, "Unlettered and unlearned servants," but left it to you to figure it out for yourselves), then you also must necessarily wash one another's feet, that is, render every service to one another. For through washing, which is considered the last service, it teaches that we should all the more perform other services, which are more honorable. I have given you an example that you also should do what I have done to you, that is, serve with the same diligence. Yet My work is greater, for I, the Lord, have washed the feet of slaves, and you wash the feet of slaves like you. Thus we see that teachers also write very beautiful letters for children, so that little by little they will come to imitation. To the Apostles, of necessity, the Lord inspires this. They had to receive honor, some greater, others less. In order that they may not be exalted before one another, He purifies the thoughts of all of them. For a servant is not greater than his master, as long as he is a servant, nor a messenger greater than him who sent him, as long as he is a messenger, and when he is greater, then he is neither a servant nor a messenger;

If you know this, blessed are you when you do it. I do not say of all of you, I know whom I have chosen; but let the Scripture be fulfilled: "He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me" (Psalm 40:10). Now I tell you, before it comes to pass, so that when it comes to pass, you will believe that it is I.

Lest they say, "What dost thou tell us about this, as if we did not know?" We ourselves know that humility is good, and therefore He says: if you know, this alone is not enough, but you are blessed when you do it. For the Jews also knew the commandments, but they are not blessed, but very miserable, because they did not keep them. "I do not say of all of you, I know whom I have chosen." With these hidden words he denounces the traitor and at the same time does not convict him, for he wanted to bring him to repentance. Therefore, omitting all the other benefits that he has shown him, he sets forth that which could convert him most of all. Whoever eats My bread, whom I nourish, whoever shares a table with Me (which circumstance softens even enemies), he... and he did not say, "He betrayeth" Me, but, "He has lifted up his heel against Me," that is, he has used deceit and deceit against Me, in the likeness of wrestlers who contrive against their rivals, and stumbling their heels, they overthrow them. "I am not talking about all of you." In order not to bring fear into many, He clearly separates him (the betrayer) and shows that He is only one plotting against Him. Therefore He says: "He who eats My bread with Me."

When Jesus said, "I know whom I have chosen," what did He tell us about Judas? Did He choose Him also? Yes, when he was good, he chose, like Saul (but he himself changed, because he is free; the Lord allows everyone to act according to his will, because He does not take away freedom); and when Judas changed, he rejected him, although he had chosen him before. "Let the Scripture be fulfilled." Understand this expression in the same way as other similar expressions, of which we have often spoken.

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth him whom I send receiveth me; but he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me.

What is the connection between the present words and the previous ones? For hitherto He has spoken of a traitor, and now He adds: "He who receives him whom I send, receives Me"? There is a connection, and the closest one. The Lord said that He would be betrayed, said that He would leave them, that they would then disperse, be scattered, and endure many calamities; therefore he comforts them in two ways. First, through Himself. For He showed them what He Himself would endure, and what He had done to the betrayer, by washing his feet and allowing him to sit at the table. For if they have these things in their souls, they will easily endure all kinds of calamities. Thus, one way is that the Lord comforts them with what He has done to the enemy, healing him to the end, and what He Himself will endure. Another way is that He opens the houses of all to them, that all who listen to their teachings will receive them. Do you see the connection between the present words and the previous ones? The Lord will forsake them: they will endure many evils and misfortunes; He comforted them by his own example, for he will be betrayed by a disciple, and will wash him; He also comforts them by prophesying to them that although they will experience many troubles, they will all receive them. He who receives you receives Me, and through Me receives God and the Father. Notice the power of consolation. You, he says, will be revered by people as God Himself; Therefore, do not be discouraged by the malice of the persecutors.

And when Jesus had said this, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me. Then the disciples looked at each other, wondering of whom He was speaking.

The Lord, thinking that the betrayer had lost both – both patience in his labors and services from the people who would receive the apostles – "was troubled in spirit," that is, he felt sorrow in his soul. "And he testified." This means: predicted, testified in advance, announced. "The disciples looked at each other in bewilderment." Each of them was aware of himself as pure, did not find any deceit in his thoughts; but he revered the word of the Lord more authentically than his own thoughts. Therefore they are all grieved and perplexed. For the declaration was made by Him who is not false, and they were sure that it would surely come to pass.

Some of the words, "one of you," were understood in this way: "He who has fallen away from your countenance, and has come out from among you, will betray Me," as well as the expression: "Behold, Adam has become as one of us" (Gen. 3:22), was explained quite elegantly: "He has become as one who has fallen away from us, that is, the devil." For as he fell away, so this one through disobedience became from (outside) us, that is, fell away from us.

And one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved, reclined at the breast of Jesus. Simon Peter made a sign to him to ask who he was talking about. He fell down on the breast of Jesus and said to Him, "Lord! Who is this? Jesus answered, "He to whom I, having dipped a piece of bread, will give."