Visual Theology: The Tabernacle

Today’s graphic looks to the Old Testament tabernacle. Every item in the tabernacle was given by God to display truth and here we’ve tried to show what each item proclaims about the sinner’s need, God’s provision, and the ultimate fulfillment in the coming Messiah.

Visual Theology: Phil 2:5-11

Today’s graphic is a visual representation of one of my favorite texts: Philippians 2:5-11. This text challenges us to grasp the extent to which Jesus went in glorifying his Father.

Visual Theology: Genealogy of Christ

Tim Challies has developed quite a line of visual theology graphics.

Check out one of his latest about the Genealogy of Christ.

BTW, anybody else have trouble spelling "genealogy"?

Visual Theology: The Trinity

Too bad some people did not have this graphic recently. With all the drama associated with recent high profile individuals and their understanding of the Trinity, this recent visual theology graphic from Tim Challies would have been very informative.

http://www.challies.com/resources/visual-theology-the-trinity

Five Misdiagnosed Symptoms

From The Cripplegate:

In the Emergency Room, decisions of life and death are regularly made with extreme pressure and very limited information. Symptoms present themselves and a trained, discerning mind diagnoses the real issue. Get it right and the treatment plan takes over. Get it wrong and not even the best treatment plan is able to fully help.

But what about diagnosing spiritual problems? Only God is omniscient and has a full, uninfluenced view of the human heart (1 Samuel 16:7). As believers, our discernment must be driven by the insights and fruit Scripture directs us toward as His Word exposes and corrects issues of the heart (Matthew 7:20; Hebrews 4:12-13). Many more could be added, but here are five symptoms that are commonly misdiagnosed by pastors:

1. Remorse misdiagnosed as repentance

Remorse is the reaction to the temporal, human consequences of sin. It springs from guilt and often seeks to halt the sin for a season. Mere remorse does not require any supernatural power. Remorse is not repentance. True repentance is God’s supernatural, sanctifying work in our hearts! It is both forsaking sin and turning to righteousness (2 Corinthians 7:10-11). It is the abandoning of self as the Spirit works in us to put off sinful thoughts, words and actions and works in us to putting on righteousness (Colossians 3:1-11) producing His fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Guilt and God’s wrath are not erased by remorse and His discipline will continue to remain until a believer is brought to repentance on a given sin issue (Hebrews 12:6).

2. Selfish ambition misdiagnosed as God’s direction

There is a world of difference between wanting to do something and presuming upon a divine commission. Sanctification, in all its components is God’s stated will (Romans 12:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3). Before you “take the moon for Christ”, root out selfish ambition (Philippians 2:3) and presumption (James 4:13-16). It is one thing to humbly seek God’s leading and move out in faith, trusting Him to direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5,6;16:9). It is another to presume God’s anointing and appointment is on you. Saul did that and look how that turned out (1 Samuel 15:9-11). Follow James on this one (James 4:15).

3. Rebellion misdiagnosed as Spiritual drought

A powerful Christian life is filled and fueled by the Holy Spirit, producing His fruit in us (Galatians 5:22-23). With His unchanging love (Romans 8:35-39), He promises to “never leave us nor forsake us” (Hebrews 13:5). As the Father model’s love for His Son, Christ said, “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. (John 15:9-10)”.

Christ’s obedience was the key to the intimacy of abiding in the Father’s love. Christ says the same is true for us. Rebel and intimacy is obstructed (Psalm 66:18) and the Spirit is grieved (Ephesians 4:30). Whether our sin is failing to trust God’s character (Romans 8:28) or the proud self-righteous of wanting sanctification of our own design, we should never expect to enjoy God’s love as we abuse His mercy!

When a season of “spiritual drought” appears, submerge yourself in God’s Word, reset your mind on the person and work of Christ (Colossians 3:16). If your heart struggles at that point, prayerfully confess the sin of looking for intimacy with Christ apart from the way He has revealed Himself. The self-righteous sin of our heart will long for an easier pathway of sanctification and fickle emotions are seldom an ally in the fight against sin. Yield your will to Christ’s loving commands and in faith, trust His Spirit to do His transforming work.

If you are striving toward holiness, repenting of sin, submitting your will to every command of God, and ready to embrace whatever His providence allows, then rest assure He is doing everything through you that He intends to do at this moment. Leave sanctification in the hands of the One who does it.

4. Attendance misdiagnosed as Holiness

Filling a chair is no more a gauge of holiness than wearing a uniform makes you worthy to wear it. Yet it is easy to assume that being present also means being prepared to engage in corporate worship. Corporate worship services for believers are non negotiable and should be the predictable pattern of life.

However, perfect attendance at every event is not necessarily a mark of holiness. Sometimes it is a cover for a guilty conscience. Just the same sporadic attendance at a peripheral ministry meeting is not necessarily a symptom of sin.

Before clenching down on the jugular of attendance, ask! Consider several options, (1) Is there a conflict that can be worked through (work, rides, etc.) (2) is the meeting an obstacle to ministry and should be revamped or canceled; (3) is there something of greater spiritual importance is requiring their attention or (4) yes, maybe there is a heart issue being exposed. Pursue the heart issue. Don’t assume attendance equals holiness, Don’t assume absence equals sin. If godliness was gauged by attendance, Judas gets an “A”.

5. Discipline misdiagnosed as Persecution

Scripture assures us that our loving Father will discipline His children (Hebrews 12:6). But dismissing the consequences of sin as if it was “persecution” only cultivates spiritual blindness.

When sin provokes or prompts another to sin in return, it is not persecution. No matter the intensity or longevity, it is part of the manifold consequences of sin (1 Peter 2:20). Those consequences serve as painful reminders of the heinous offense our sin is to God (Psalm 5:5), the price He paid to forgive our sin (2 Corinthians 5:21) and how dependent we are on His strength to embrace whatever follows as part of His refining, humbling work in us. When we are taking full responsibility for our sin, we are able to see how even the most sever consequence is used by God to press us toward holiness (Hebrews 12:5-11).

Persecution is totally different. It is the hatred the world directs at Christ on display in our life. It fills the range from insults, lies, and slander to physical threats and attacks (Matthew 5:11-12). In every case, it is the world’s venom against the working of God in and through a believer (John 15:18-21). Persecution produces endurance (James 1:2-3;12). Consequences of sin produces righteousness (Hebrews 12:11). Job was persecuted (Job 1), David was punished (2 Samuel 12:13-14).

The Apostle Paul urged us to “admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). Misdiagnose the issue and you may end up encouraging the unruly, helping the fainthearted, admonishing the weak, and being patient with no one!

We will get it wrong. Our flesh is deceptive (Romans 7:18), humanity limits our knowledge (Psalm 139:2) and we must guard against presumption (Proverbs 18:13). Yet we know the Holy Spirit is at all times working to sanctify each child of God (John 17:17). His Word exposes our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13) and HIs love truly does cover all of our sin (Colossians 2:13-14, Romans 5:8). His diagnosis is always both accurate and precise and along with His Word, He gives 24 hour supervision and power in sanctifying Christ’s bride (Ephesians 5:25-29; 6:17).

Christ + Anything = Insult!

From John Piper:

The plight of us finite, sinful human beings is seen not merely in the fact that we have so many unanswered questions, but also in the fact that we often don't even know the right question to ask. The Bible is a Book full of right answers — but only to the right questions. I want to think together this morning about a question of Christian experience which, I think, is often asked in an unanswerable form, but for which there is a correct, and answerable form.

But for the right question Paul offers an answer in his letter to the Ephesians. The question runs something like this — see if it sounds familiar — "I'm a Christian, I'm saved, Christ is in my heart, the Holy Spirit has been given to me, I'm going to Heaven, but something is wrong: I don't have the joy in the Lord some others seem to have, my heart doesn't seem to be full of praise like it should, I don't honor God with my actions as consistently as I ought to. What do I lack, what more do I need to get?"

I think this is a fairly common question of Christian experience. But if we go to the Scriptures or to God with this question, I don't think we will get an answer, because the question is wrong.

Christ is the image of the invisible God, through whom, and for whom, all things were created (Colossians 1:15ff), who took on human form, who humbled himself freely for our sake even to the death of the cross, who has been raised by God to sit at His right hand in Heaven, who is sovereign over every ruler and authority and power and dominion in the universe, who will come again as victorious King to complete his work of redemption and receive his people to himself. If we have this Christ there is no more to get besides.

Picture yourself asking this question to the Lord face-to-face: "Jesus, I know I've got you, but surely there's got to be more! I mean, no offenses, Lord . . . but . . ."

No offense!! There is no greater offense! What could Jesus answer if you tell him face to face he's not enough?

The question is all wrong. The one who has Christ, the Lord, does not ask, "What more can I add to Him?" He asks instead, "How can I enjoy, appreciate, and act according to what I already have in Him?" For this kind of question the apostle Paul offers an answer, because it is the very thing he wrestled with in the care of his young churches.

Visual Theology: Books of the Bible

This appealed to the science nerd in me.

Who was it?

Question: When Jesus entered the world, who was the first to express his joy?

Answer: An unborn baby. (Luke 1:41)

History of Salvation in the Old Testament

There are a huge number of informative resources in the new ESV Study Bible. Here's an excerpt from an article called Preparing the Way for Christ; which traces the references to salvation in Christ throughout the books of the Old Testament.

The article gives a brief redemptive historical approach to salvation history for each book of the Old Testament and then lists specific references from almost every chapter of each book (along with related New Testament passages) which anticipate our redemption through Jesus Christ, what God has accomplished for us:

History of Salvation in the Old Testament:

Preparing the Way for Christ

Genesis

After God creates a world of fruitfulness and blessing, Adam’s fall disrupts the harmony. God purposes to renew fruitfulness and blessing through the offspring of the woman (3:15). Christ is the ultimate offspring (Gal. 3:16) who brings climactic victory (Heb. 2:14-15). Genesis traces the beginning of a line of godly offspring, through Seth, Enoch, Noah, and then God’s choice of Abraham and his offspring (Gen. 12:2-3, 7; 13:14-17; 15:4-5; 17:1-14; 18:18; 22:16-18; 26:2-5; 28:13-15).

Exodus

Through Moses God redeems his people from slavery in Egypt, prefiguring Christ’s eternal redemption of his people from slavery to sin.

Leviticus

The requirement of holiness points to the holiness of Christ (Heb. 7:26-28). The sacrifices prefigure the sacrifice of Christ (Heb. 10:1-10).

Numbers

The journey through the wilderness prefigures the Christian journey through this world to the new world (1 Cor. 10:1-11; Heb. 4:3-10).

Deuteronomy

The righteousness and wisdom of the law of God prefigure the righteousness of Christ, which is given to his people. The anticipation of entering the Promised Land prefigures Christians’ hope for the new heaven and the new earth (Rev. 21:1-22:5).

Joshua

The conquest through Joshua prefigures Christ conquering his enemies, both Satan (Heb. 2:14-15) and rebellious human beings. The conquest takes place both through the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20) and in the destruction at the second coming (Rev. 19:11-21).

Judges

The judges save Israel, thus prefiguring Christ. But the judges have flaws and failures, and Israel repeatedly slips back into idolatry (2:19), spiraling downward to chaos. They need a king (21:25), and not only a king but a perfect king, the Messiah (Isa. 9:6-7).

Ruth

The line of offspring leading to Christ goes through Judah to Boaz to David (4:18-22; Matt. 1:5-6). Boaz the redeemer (Ruth 2:20), prefiguring Christ, enables Naomi’s disgrace to be removed and Ruth, a foreigner, to be included in God’s people (prefiguring the inclusion of the Gentiles, Gal. 3:7-9, 14-18, 29).

1 Samuel

David, the king after God’s heart (16:7; Acts 13:22), prefigures Christ, in contrast to Saul, who is the kind of king that the people want (1 Sam. 8:5, 19-20). Saul’s persecution of David prefigures worldly people’s persecution of Christ and of Christ’s people.

2 Samuel

David as a model king brings blessing to the nation until he falls into sin with Bathsheba (ch. 11). Though he repents, the remainder of his reign is flawed, pointing to the need for the coming of Christ the perfect messianic king.

1 Kings

The reign of Solomon fulfills the first stage of God’s promise to David to establish the kingdom of his offspring (2 Sam. 7:12). Solomon in some ways is a model king, prefiguring Christ. But his decline into sin (1 Kings 11), the sins of his offspring, the division and strife between Israel and Judah, and the continual problems with false worship indicate the need for a perfect king and an everlasting kingdom (Isa. 9:6-7) surpassing the entire period of the monarchy. Many passages in 1 Kings have parallels in 2 Chronicles.

2 Kings

Following the history in 1 Kings, Israel and Judah continue to decline through their false worship and disobedience, leading to exile (2 Kings 17; 25). Some good kings (notably Hezekiah and Josiah, chs. 18-20; 22:1-23:30) prefigure the need for Christ the perfect king, while Elisha prefigures the need for Christ the final prophet (Heb. 1:1-3). Many passages in 2 Kings have parallels in 2 Chronicles.

1 Chronicles

David as the righteous leader and king prefigures Christ the king, not only in his rule over the people of God but in his role in preparing to build the temple. First Chronicles looks back on the faithfulness of God to his people in the entire period from Adam (1:1) to David (3:1) and even beyond (3:10-24; 9:1-34), indicating the steadfastness of God’s purpose in preparing for the coming of the Messiah as the offspring of Adam (1:1; Gen. 3:15; Luke 3:38), offspring of Abraham (1 Chron. 1:28; Gal. 3:16), and offspring of David (1 Chron. 3:1; 17:11, 14; Luke 3:23-38; Acts 13:23).

2 Chronicles

Solomon as a wise king and temple builder prefigures Christ the king and temple builder. After Solomon the line of Davidic kings continues, leading forward to Christ the great descendant of David (Matt. 1:6-16). But many of the later kings go astray from God, and they and the people suffer for it, showing the need for Christ as the perfect king. Hezekiah (2 Chronicles 29-32) and Josiah (chs. 34-35) as righteous kings prefigure Christ. Second Chronicles has parallels in 1-2 Kings but focuses on the southern kingdom (Judah) and the line of David, and it shows focused concern for the temple and its worship, anticipating the fulfillment of temple and worship with the coming of Christ (John 2:19-21; 4:20-26; Eph. 2:20-22; Rev. 21:22-22:5).

Ezra

The restoration and rebuilding after the exile, in fulfillment of prophecy (1:1), prefigure Christ’s salvation (Col. 1:13) and the building of the church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20-22). They also look forward to the consummation of salvation in the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 21:1).

Nehemiah

The restoration and rebuilding after the exile prefigure Christ’s salvation (Col. 1:13) and the building of the church (Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:20-22).

Esther

God providentially brings deliverance to his people through Esther, prefiguring final deliverance through Christ.

Job

Job’s suffering and relief prefigure the suffering and glory of Christ.

Psalms

By expressing the emotional heights and depths in human response to God, the Psalms provide a permanent treasure for God’s people to use to express their needs and their praises, both corporately and individually. Christ as representative man experienced our human condition, yet without sin, and so the Psalms become his prayers to God (see esp. Heb. 2:12; cf. Matt. 27:46 with Ps. 22:1). The Psalms are thus to be seen as his words, and through our union with him they become ours.

Proverbs

Wisdom ultimately comes from God and his instruction, which anticipates the fact that Christ is the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:3) and that in him and his instruction we find the way of life and righteousness (John 14:6, 23-24). Through the Spirit we may walk in the right way (Gal. 5:16-26).

Ecclesiastes

The meaninglessness, frustrations, and injustices of life “under the sun” call out for a solution from God. Christ through his suffering and resurrection provides the first installment (1 Cor. 15:22-23) of meaning, fulfillment, and new life (John 10:10), to be enjoyed fully in the consummation (Rev. 21:1-4).

Song of Solomon

The Song of Solomon depicts marital love. But after the fall merely human love is always short of God’s ideal, and so we look for God’s remedy in the perfect love of Christ (Eph. 5:22-33; 1 John 3:16; 4:9-10). The connection with Solomon (Song 1:1; 3:7, 9, 11; 8:11) invites us to think especially of the marriage of the king in the line of David (Ps. 45:10-15), and the kings point forward to Christ the great king, who has the church as his bride (Rev. 19:7-9, 21:9).

Isaiah

Isaiah prophesies exile because of Israel’s unfaithfulness. But then God will bring Israel back from exile; this restoration prefigures the climactic salvation in Christ. Christ as Messiah and “servant” of the Lord will cleanse his people from sin, fill them with glory, and extend blessing to the nations. Christ fulfills prophecy in both his first coming and his second coming.

Jeremiah

Jeremiah’s prophetic indictment of Israel is largely rejected, prefiguring the rejection of Christ’s prophetic message to Israel (Luke 11:49-51). God’s judgment on Israel for apostasy prefigures the judgment that Christ bears as substitute for the apostasy of mankind (1 John 2:2). It also prefigures final judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). Restoration from exile prefigures final restoration to God through Christ (Heb. 10:19-22).

Lamentations

The lament over Jerusalem anticipates Christ’s lamenting over the future fall of Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). In both cases, Jerusalem suffers for her own sins. But suffering for sin finds a remedy when Christ suffers as a substitute for the sins of his people (2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 2:22-24).

Ezekiel

God judges Israel’s apostasy through the exile. Israel suffers for her own sin, and in so doing anticipates God’s final judgment against sin (Rev. 20:11-15). But the suffering also anticipates the suffering of Christ for the sins of others. The subsequent blessing in restoration prefigures the blessings of eternal salvation in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14).

Daniel

Daniel and his friends exemplify the conflict between the kingdom of God and the kingdoms of this world, a conflict that will come to its climax in Christ, in both his first coming and his second coming.

Hosea

The unfaithfulness of Israel calls for a permanent remedy, which will come in the faithfulness of Christ to the Father and the faithfulness that Christ then works through the Spirit in his people. God’s love for Israel foreshadows Christ’s love for the church (Eph. 5:25-27).

Joel

The day of the Lord, the day of God’s coming (see note on Isa. 13:6), brings judgment on sin but also may include blessing. Both aspects are fulfilled in both the first coming and the second coming of Christ.

Amos

God comes to Israel with both judgment for sin and promises of restoration. The judgment and restoration anticipate the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, as well as the final judgment (Rev. 20:11-15). The demand for righteousness is fulfilled in the righteousness of Christ (Rom. 8:1-4).

Obadiah

The judgment against Edom, a traditional enemy of Israel, contributes to the blessing of God’s people. The judgment and vindication prefigure the vindication of Christ and the judgments against his enemies, both in his first coming and in his second coming.

Jonah

Jonah’s rescue from death prefigures the resurrection of Christ (Matt. 12:39-40). The repentance of the Ninevites prefigures the repentance of Gentiles who respond to the gospel (Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:47).

Micah

God pronounces judgment on Israel, prefiguring final judgment (Rev. 20:11-15) and the judgment that fell on Christ (Gal. 3:13). He promises blessing through the Messiah, anticipating the blessings of salvation in Christ (Eph. 1:3-14).

Nahum

Judgment on Nineveh, a traditional enemy of God’s people, prefigures final judgment and final release from oppression (Rev. 20:11-21:8).

Habakkuk

God’s use of a wicked nation to accomplish his righteousness foreshadows the use of wicked opponents to accomplish his purpose in the crucifixion of Christ.

Zephaniah

Judgments on evil people anticipate the final judgment (Rev. 20:11-15) and indicate the necessity of Christ’s work and sin-bearing in order to save us from judgment (see note on Isa. 13:9).

Haggai

The rebuilding of the temple prefigures the building of NT temples: the church (1 Cor. 3:16; Eph. 2:20-22) and the new Jerusalem (Rev. 21:9-22:5).

Zechariah

The rebuilding in the time of the restoration from exile prefigures the eternal salvation that comes in Christ.

Malachi

Disobedience and compromise are eliminated with the coming of Christ and his purification.

Quote of the Day

“We cannot find God without God. We cannot reach God without God. We cannot satisfy God without God – which is another way of saying that our seeking will always fall short unless God’s grace initiates the search and unless God’s call draws us to him and completes the search. The decisive part of our seeking is not our human ascent to God, but his descent to us. Without God’s descent there is no human ascent. The secret of the quest lies not in our brilliance but in his grace.”

– Os Guinness

David's Mighty Men

“And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to David. And he became captain over them.” 1 Samuel 22:2

This rabble included mighty men. We read some of the details in 1 Chronicles 11-12. These chapters stir me. I read of Jashobeam, who “wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time” (1 Chronicles 11:11). Then there was Benaiah, “a doer of great deeds,” who “went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a snowy day” (1 Chronicles 11:22). There were more like these amazing men. And any man worth his salt wants to rise up and take his place among such men, for the Lord’s sake.

But we can get it wrong in two ways. Theologically, we know that Jesus is our David, our captain, and we rabble have gathered to him for his kingdom in our generation and the next. We are both weak in ourselves and strong in him. We know that. But we can lose our bearings in either of two ways.

One way is so to emphasize how strong we are that we lose touch with our real weakness. We read, “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Ephesians 6:10). And so we should be. We have no excuse not to be. But we are also weak, and we would be fools not to factor in our pervasive weakness. It will show up.

The other misstep is so to emphasize our weakness that we lose touch with his real power. “Wretched man that I am!” (Romans 7:24) gives voice to the Christian, I believe. But if all we do is wring our hands and moan, “Oh, I’m so broken, I’m so broken,” without laying hold of God’s strength — that self-indulgence will defeat us every time.

Here is how we can be David’s mighty men today: “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). Both are there — our weakness, his strength — and in proper relation to one another. Neither reality cancels out the other. But our weakness is the opportunity for his strength. A faithful man of God openly, even gladly, admits his weaknesses, because the power of Christ is resting upon him. His deep needs and the Lord’s great supply combine to make him an honest, mighty man.

Which are you denying today — your weakness or his strength? Which do you need to acknowledge and embrace? If you ask the right questions with an honest heart, the Lord will be with you and will make you strong, whatever your weakness.

Quote of the Day

“The preaching of the pure Word of God is the first mark of a healthy Church.”

– J.C. Ryle

He Is Risen!

[20] He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you [21] who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. – 1 Peter 1:20-21 (ESV)

Quote of the Day

“If you have been truly born again you have a new and holy nature, and you are no longer moved towards sinful objects as you were before. The things that you once loved you now hate, and therefore you will not run after them. You can hardly understand it but so it is, that your thoughts and tastes are radically changed. You long for that very holiness which once it was irksome to hear of; and you loathe those vain pursuits which were once your delights. The man who puts his trust in the Lord sees the pleasures of sin in a new light. For he sees the evil which follows them by noting the agonies which they brought upon our Lord when He bore our sins in His own body on the tree. Without faith a man says to himself, ‘This sin is a very pleasant thing, why should I not enjoy it? Surely I may eat this fruit, which looks so charming and is so much to be desired.’ The flesh sees honey in the drink, but faith at once perceives that there is poison in the cup. Faith spies the snake in the grass and gives warning of it. Faith remembers death, judgment, the great reward, the just punishment and that dread word, eternity.”

- C.H. Spurgeon

Make My Life A Miracle!

“A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest,”
and poverty will come upon you like a robber,
and want like an armed man. Proverbs 24:33-34

“Your danger and mine is not that we become criminals, but rather that we become respectable, decent, commonplace, mediocre Christians. The twentieth-century temptations that really sap our spiritual power are the television, banana cream pie, the easy chair and the credit card. The Christian wins or loses in those seemingly innocent little moments of decision.

Lord, make my life a miracle!”

Raymond C. Ortlund, Lord, Make My Life A Miracle (Glendale, 1974), page 151.

Maundy Thursday

From Desiring God:

The Maundy in Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin root mandatum, or commandment, taken from Jesus’ words in John 13:34:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

Just prior to speaking these words, Jesus knelt down to wash the disciples’ feet, a model of love for the disciples. But Maundy Thursday celebrates more than a new mandate of sacrificial love, it points to a sacrifice of eternal significance.

Slaves and Foot Washing

For the sandal-wearing disciples, washing feet was a common cultural practice. It was proper hospitality to offer your guests a basin of water for their feet. But guests were usually expected to wash their own feet. Washing the dirt off someone else’s feet was a task reserved for only the lowest ranking Gentile servants, and Jewish slaves were often exempted from this duty. In a household without slaves, everyone washed his or her own feet.¹

Yet Jesus willingly dropped to his knees in the position of this extra-lowly slave to wash the disciples’ feet in John 13:1–20. The disciples were immediately shocked, and it seems, embarrassed by this act of humility. But their surprise should be no surprise to us. "There is no instance in either Jewish or Greco-Roman sources of a superior washing the feet of an inferior."² And this was the Creator of the universe on his knees washing the dirt from the callused feet of his followers!

When Simon Peter refused to have his feet washed, Jesus said, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand” (John 13:7). Whatever the meaning of the foot washing, it was not immediately evident to the disciples. The washing provided an example of love towards one another (John 13:12–17), but it also forecasted something.

Hold that thought for one moment.

Slaves and Crucifixion

If foot washing was the task of the lowest slave, public crucifixion was a unique threat to the slave class. With few exceptions, Roman citizens and the upper classes were spared from crucifixion. Slaves were especially vulnerable.

Crucifixion was a public tool to discourage dishonesty, retaliation, and rebellion among the slave class.³ In 71 B.C., after a slave rebellion was suppressed in Spartacus, over 6,000 slaves were crucified together along the Via Appia between Capua and Rome.⁴ In other instances, if one slave was caught breaking the law, the entire slave community within a single household could be rounded up and crucified together, irrespective of individual guilt.⁵

So while the brutal punishment of crucifixion was used for dangerous criminals and for political insurrectionists (of which Jesus was accused), it was especially used to intimidate the slave class.⁶ Public crucifixions kept slaves in line. So much so that crucifixion eventually became known by a convenient circumlocution, “the slaves’ punishment."

Slavery and crucifixion merged in the social consciousness, writes one author:

It is hardly an accident that crucifixion, the most dishonorable form of public humiliation that socially conscious Roman elites could employ in their efforts to punish and discourage rebellion among the lower classes, was so closely associated with slavery, the lowest class in the stratified social world of Roman antiquity. The juxtaposition of the two ideas — σταυρός [cross] and δούλος [slave] — served to compound the social stigma associated with both slavery and crucifixion in the ancient world and thereby to reinforce in the public arena the social hierarchy that served the interests of the dominant culture.⁶

Back to Maundy Thursday

When we look again at Jesus’ humble act of foot washing, we see why the disciples were unable to immediately grasp the significance of the act. Jesus lowered himself into the position of a lowly slave, he served like a slave, he washed the disciples’ feet like a lowest-of-the-low slave, because ultimately he was preparing to die the dehumanizing death of a slave. In essence this is the connection made in Philippians 2:5–8.

As he washed out dirt from between the disciples’ toes, Jesus performed a parable of the cross. The disciples could not see the the symbolic anticipation, not here, not now. The full explanation for why Jesus washed their feet would only become clear after the substitutionary atonement of the Savior on Good Friday. Then they would look back and understand the act of deep humility in the cross that brought us a once-for-all, head-to-toe, cleansing from our sin.

On Maundy Thursday Jesus dropped to his knees to scrub away every ethnic and economic hierarchy from the church. He upset cultural norms. He now calls us to go low in foot-washing-like service to one another. But most importantly we are reminded that the Son of Man came to earth as a slave to serve us, to be crushed for us, to free us from our own slavery to sin that leads to eternal death, and to open the way for us to enjoy and delight in God’s presence now and forever (Matthew 20:28; Psalm 16:11).