Landmark Baptist

My question is simple what does Christ mean by the answer He gives Peter? Peter is a Saved and Baptized disciple of Christ so what does this mean?


Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

Baptist commentator John Gill wrote, "he does not say, if I wash not thy feet, but thee, meaning not with water, but with his blood, and by his Spirit."

Perhaps he is right, but that doesn't seem to me to fit the discussion and the context.
I have always took it more like as J. H. Thayer in his lexicon "the idea which Christ expresses figuratively is as follows: 'he whose inmost nature has been renovated does not need radical renewal, but only to be cleansed from every several fault into which he may fall through intercourse with the unrenewed world'." That is, daily forgiveness of sin for continued temporal fellowship with Him.

Just a thought. Perhaps someone will weigh in who has clearer insight.

I guess one reason I think this (above) is the contrast of "bath" versus "foot washing". Jesus says that Peter doesn't need another washing all over since he has already had that, but need to have his feet washed.

Perhaps the very idea of Peter saying no to Christ about something he was asked to do would effectually (although not literally) seperate him from his Master?

Yes. As I mentioned earlier when we chatted, one thing to look at is: Peter was perhaps trying to show humility by not letting Christ serve him. But he was actually setting himself above Christ by being disobedient and saying to Him "thou shalt not".

Brother Butler, I see you weren't able to enlist any further comments. I was looking forward to more insight. I think I've expended all I know.

Brother Butler,

I think the statement means the same thing Jesus said in chapter 15 (which was the same occasion). If we do not allow the Lord to cleanse us in a practical way, then we do not practically experience His blessing in our lives.

I think it is the same thing Paul meant when he said that those who sought to be justified by the law were "fallen from grace." It has nothing to do with eternal destiny but with our practical fellowship right now. The bottom line is, if we seek God's blessing any other way than that "faith that works by love" we will not experience the Lord's grace in our lives, for without Him we can do nothing.

Mark Osgatharp
Wynne, Arkansas

Bro. Butler,
To me, this is a fellowship statement; not a relationship statement. I have heard the arguments about the play on words in this passage and certainly this should not be ignored. Yet, the black and white statements (or red) are clear. To me the whole purpose of this passage is to point us to humbly serve one another and in this context that service is to wash one another’s feet. The person who refuses thinks he is greater than his Master and will not know happiness.

GCope wrote:Bro. Butler,
To me, this is a fellowship statement; not a relationship statement. I have heard the arguments about the play on words in this passage and certainly this should not be ignored. Yet, the black and white statements (or red) are clear. To me the whole purpose of this passage is to point us to humbly serve one another and in this context that service is to wash one another’s feet. The person who refuses thinks he is greater than his Master and will not know happiness.

Good points both by Bro Mark and Bro Cope.


With what you both said in mind how much can this impact us if we find ourselves in a highminded position over our Brothers and Sisters in Christ? For instance if we find a Brother in error of something (sin or doctrine) and we look down our noses at him as if he were a bug to be squashed. As opposed to taking the time to sit with the Brother discuss some things to get to the root of whatever issue is at the base of the error in a loving effort to win the Brother back.

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