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

Before His impending crucifixion, Jesus washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:1–11). This intimate moment is replete with theological, spiritual, and practical significance, especially on the topics of love, service, forgiveness, and humility. Because the disciples expected Jesus to overthrow the Roman government and restore Israel to prominence, they could not understand why Jesus would wash their feet. As usual, Peter is the first disciple to speak up: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (verse 6). Jesus replies, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand” (verse 7, ESV).

In John 13:1, the apostle John records that Jesus was fully aware of His imminent death. Amidst this somber anticipation, He chooses to demonstrate a profound act of love, service, and humility toward His disciples by washing their feet—including the feet of the one who would betray Him, Judas Iscariot. Jesus’ decision to wash their feet, however, was not only an act of humility, but pointed to His atonement for sin on the cross: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

Initially, Peter refuses the foot washing: “Lord, do you wash my feet?” (John 13:6, ESV). The Greek rendering of John 13:6 is much more emphatic: “Are you going to wash my feet?” In verse 8, Peter flat-out objects to it: “You shall never wash my feet.” Peter and the other disciples could not understand what Jesus was doing, especially when they rightly understood Him to be the Messiah: “Why is the Messiah washing my feet? Should He not assemble an army to fight against the Romans?” While the disciples could not understand the foot washing that pointed to the cross, Jesus expected them to submit to it in faith: “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand” (verse 7, ESV).

John 13:7, then, embodies the “already” and “not yet” tension in Jesus’ teachings. The disciples’ present incomprehension of the foot washing reflects the broader theme of progressive revelation. At that moment, they could not understand why Jesus washed their feet. But after Jesus’ resurrection, especially through the giving of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2:1–13), they would understand. Furthermore, as the disciples continue to love and obey the Lord, their understanding of Him will increase more and more (Psalm 111:10; John 14:21).

The foot washing episode challenges us to reevaluate our concepts of leadership and service. In a world that equates greatness with status, power, and dominance, Jesus calls us to adopt a different mindset (see Philippians 2:1–11). In God’s kingdom, greatness is measured by one’s desire and willingness to love and serve others: “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3–4, ESV). The call to servant leadership is not only for those who hold formal positions of authority within the church, such as an elder or pastor, but for every Christian.