What does "You do not understand now, but afterward you will understand" mean (John 13:7)?

(Vv. 6, 7). "Then comes He to Simon Peter." If others accept the Lord's service in wondering silence, Peter, impelled by his forceful character, utters all his thoughts. Three times he speaks, each time exposing his ignorance of the Lord's mind. His first utterance deprecates the Lord's lowly service: the second utterance declines it absolutely: the last utterance impulsively submits to the service, but, in a way that would rob it of all its deep significance. Yet, as one has said. "If we are admonished by the mistakes of the disciples much more we are instructed by the answers which correct them." In the Lord's answer we learn the deep spiritual meaning of this last act of service.

To Peter it was incomprehensible that the Lord of glory should stoop to wash those wayward feet. Hence his first utterance is one of protest mingled with surprise — "Lord dost Thou wash my feet?" The Lord answers, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Thus we learn that, at the moment, it was not possible for the disciples to discern the spiritual significance of the Lord's act. Hereafter, when the Spirit has come, all will be made plain. Clearly then we learn that this service was not, as is often said, to teach a lesson in humility by an act of supreme humility on the part of the Lord. There would be no need for Peter to wait for a further day to discern the humility of the act. His very utterances show that the humility of the Lord was uppermost in his thoughts at that moment.

(V. 8). Undeterred by the Lord's answer, which should have warned Peter to be silent until the hereafter of full enlightenment, he now boldly says "Thou shalt never wash my feet." The Lord, in His patient grace, passing over the slight, corrects Peter's impulsiveness by saying, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me." Brief as the answer is, we can see, now that the Spirit has been given, that it presents the spiritual significance of feet-washing. We learn that it symbolises the present service of the Lord whereby He removes from our spirits everything that would hinder part with Him.

Peter, true to his character, comes forward, and, speaking after the manner of men, says, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" It was incomprehensible to him. It was lowering Himself on the Lord's part: that was Peter's thought, the thought of man, for we do not know how to stoop naturally — only grace, only real loftiness can do it. But Peter's speaking out what was in his heart, becomes the means of developing, from the Lord, precious blessed truth. "Jesus answered and said to him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter" (John 13:7). It was not till the Holy Ghost came down that there was the spiritual intelligence to learn the meaning of this action. All through the Lord's life His words were misunderstood. Until there be the possession of the Holy Ghost there will never be the knowledge of the mind and ways of God. The possession of life does not mean power, and intelligence — it is the possession of the Holy Ghost that marks the difference between saints now, and those of bye-gone times.

But the meek Lord answered in fulness of grace, and said to him, "What I am doing thou knowest (οἰδας) not just now, but shalt know (γνώσῃ)251 afterwards." Was not this a grave but compassionate intimation to Peter, had he been in the mood to learn? He ought to have gathered from the Lord's words, if he did not at once bow to His act, that there was a meaning worthy of Him Who deemed it due to the Father in truest, lowliest love to the children to wash their feet; he ought to have gathered more than this, that what he did not know of himself then, he was to learn afterwards: I presume, after the things now in progress, His rejection and death, resurrection and ascension, when the Holy Spirit should be given guiding them into all the truth.

Peter. — Wonderment, too, must have increased, as the Lord began to wash their feet one after another. Some permitted it evidently without remonstrance. On the part of Peter, however, when his turn came, there was a distinct refusal to allow it. The Lord was precious to Peter. He was the Master; Peter the servant, the disciple. "Lord, dost Thou wash my feet?" were the first words that escaped his lips. "What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shall know [or, understand] hereafter" (7), was the Lord's immediate reply. The time to interpret the need of such service was future. We understand that it awaited the coming of the Holy Ghost. It was no mistake, however, on the Master's part. He was perfectly aware of that which He was doing, but could not then explain it. It was one of the many things referred to by the Lord in chapter 16:12.

For it was not simply to inculcate a lesson of humility that the Lord Jesus Christ washed the feet of the apostles that evening. It is true, for the Lord told them, that they were to learn from it a lesson of humility, as, resuming His place at the table, He said, "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you" (John 13:14-15). All must understand that He here sets us an example to stoop to lowly service on behalf of other Christians. Peter's exclamation, "Lord, dost thou wash my feet?" tells us what he thought of the act; and his unhesitating assertion, "Thou shalt never wash my feet," shows clearly the light in which he viewed the matter. The Lord's humility is apparent, and His reasoning about it cogent. He has stooped in a way and measure impossible to us. He, our Lord and Master, has stooped to serve His disciples. They may well stoop to serve one another. For if they thus minister to one another, who may often need a similar service to be rendered to them, they can only do it as first taught by Him, who, never requiring such service Himself, set them the example on the night of His betrayal.

From Peter and the rest the deep symbolical meaning of the Lord's act was then concealed; but, the Lord told him, that afterwards he would understand about it: "What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter." There was more intended in the act than what met the outward eye. And now, since the Holy Ghost has come to guide into all the truth, the time to which the Lord referred has arrived; so we shall not be prying into mysteries beyond the Christian's spiritual comprehension, if we endeavour to understand what the Lord meant by this new and, to the disciples, startling illustration of the service which He, whilst in glory, would render to them.

How can we have that? Well, He sets before us in figure what is necessary whilst walking through this defiling world in order that our feet might be kept clean. He takes water in a basin, girds Himself with a towel, and begins to wash the disciples’ feet. Peter demurs to his Lord stooping to an act usually performed by a slave and refuses to have his feet washed. Jesus says, “If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with Me.” Peter did not know the meaning of what the Lord was doing, so the Lord replies, “What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” Evidently then it was not merely feet-washing, not merely a down-stooping to perform a lowly act. Peter knew He was washing the disciples’ feet with water and only thought of menial service, but “thou shalt know hereafter” points to a spiritual meaning typified by the act of feet-washing, which went far beyond Peter’s thoughts.

We should love each other, and be ready to do the most menial service to one another; that is perfectly true, you do get that in the passage, “If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another’s feet”; but it is just as true, on the other hand, that Peter and the other disciples did not know what He was doing. What He was doing is a figure of what would be done for them spiritually during His absence. Peter says, “If I cannot have part with Thee without having my feet washed, well then, wash also my hands and my head, because at all costs I must have part with Thee.”

That the literal washing of the feet is not what is on the mind of the Lord may be gathered from what he says to Peter, “What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter.” In this figure He was setting before them how, when glorified, He would serve them, to enable them to have part with Him. And when Peter is informed, that, if he is not washed, he can not have part with Christ, he will have not only his feet washed, but also his hands and head. But the Lord shows him this is unnecessary, because the believer has been bathed all over, and this needs no repetition. We have heard the gospel, and have, through mercy, believed it, and the Spirit has been given to us, who has made us conscious of the love of God. He has thus got all the affection of our hearts, and we are every whit clean, and as fit to enter heaven as ever we shall be, if our bodies were only changed; and this is all we wait for.

Peter, who in giving way to his own feelings, though very natural, gives occasion so often to the words of the Lord that reveal to us the thoughts of God, objects strongly to the Lord's washing his feet. The answer of Jesus discloses the spiritual meaning of what He was doing, a meaning which Peter could not then understand, but which he should understand later on, for the Holy Ghost would make them understand all these things. One must be washed by the Lord in order to have part with Him: this is the key of all that was being done. Jesus could no longer have part with His disciples down here, and the disciples could not have part with Him, and before God Himself, to whom He was going, unless He washed them. There must be a cleanness such as could suit the presence and the house of God. Then, with his ardent spirit, Peter desires that the Lord should wash his hands and head, and Jesus explains to him the import of what He was doing.

Peter's impetuous remonstrance was overruled to make plain the significance of all this. The marvellous humility of it was very obvious to him, and it prompted his remonstrance. He was plainly told, however, that he did not know the real meaning of the Lord's action, but that when the Spirit was come he should know it. We should understand it too. What then was its significance? The words of Jesus, recorded in verse 8, provide us with the key. He spoke of "part with Me," and if we are to have the happiness of sharing with Him, He must render to us the service symbolized by feet-washing. By our feet we come into contact with the earth, and the dust and defilement which this involves must be removed from us.

This precious service of the Lord for us has been illustrated for us by His ways with Peter in the gospel of John, to which I turn. John 13:1-11, gives us the principle of it in the symbolic washing of the disciple's feet. I say symbolic, because of the Lord's words to Peter, "What I do thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." There was clearly something far deeper in it than the mere lesson of humility. But verse 1 shows us the new position that the Lord was taking, that gives its character to all the subsequent communications. "Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father." And we have to go through the world out of which He had to depart; but He would not forget us in all our need. For "having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end." In His blessed and unfailing love was found the spring of His action that follows. In marvellous grace Peter was one who was allowed to hear of a love so beyond all our thought, the very night he was to deny that he ever knew Him. But who is it that undertakes the cause of those who are beset with danger in such a world as this, and are so liable to fail; stooping even to take their feet into His hands to wash them? It is none other than He into whose hands the Father has given all things. But what light is thrown on the defilement we so easily, and alas! too often carelessly contract in our walk, that it necessitates the action of the Son of God to remove it.

Peter resents the humiliation of the Lord in stooping to wash his feet, till he learns that it is essential to his having part with Jesus where He was going. And thus we learn that while His wonderful service for us includes recovery from sin, and the soul's restoration, yet it goes much further in love that cannot bear a cloud between us and Him; and He provides for the removal of whatever would intercept the light and joy of His presence. Peter thought he could not have too much of such washing — "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head."