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The first verse of the account contains three pieces of information: (1) It was the day before the Passover (cf. 18:28; 19:14, 31, 42); (2) the time had come toward which Jesus' entire ministry had moved (cf. 2:4; 7:6; 12:23 and the commentary); and (3) the foot washing that followed was an expression of Jesus' love for his disciples. The action itself was straight-forward. At a supper shared by Jesus and his disciples, he set about washing their feet (v.5). Now, foot washing was not unusual in Palestine, where the roads were unpaved and where the feet of reclining guests could not be hidden under a table. But it was a service performed for guests by household servants, not the host, or by disciples for their master, not the other way around. That there should have been embarrassment when Jesus began to attend to the feet of his neglectful disciples is understandable. In addition, the Evangelist gives two other pieces of information. He lets us know that not all was harmonious that evening, because Judas, motivated by the devil, already harbored treacherous intentions (v.2). And John tells us that Jesus acted not only under the impulse of love but with full awareness of his commission from God (vv.3-4).
With this buildup, the reader is alive to the symbolic significance of Jesus' simple act. But Peter, an actor in the drama, was not aware of it. It was embarrassment and, perhaps pride, that prompted his first reaction to Jesus' approach (vv.6-8). Then partial understanding and enthusiasm led him to ask for more to be washed than just his feet (v.9). But that, Jesus explained, would be unnecessary; it was not a matter of a bath but of inward cleansing (v.10). But not everyone was clean! The treachery of Judas cast its shadow over even the foot washing (v.11).
This event on the eve of Jesus' death may have seemed simple, but it carried profound significance. It was an act of Jesus' love that would stoop to even the most menial service. It was a spiritual cleansing. And it was an example of how Christians should treat each other (vv.12-17). In these ways, the washing of the disciples' feet prefigured the Crucifixion.