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“search the scriptures” John 5:39
John’s Gospel portrays the Lord Jesus as the Son of God and yet only John shows the Lord’s meekness at His disciples’ feet, John 13. Luke’s Gospel, on the other hand, reveals the Lord Jesus as the Son of Man, but gives us a glimpse of His majesty by making the most mention of other people at His feet. Luke tells us about a sinful debtor who stood at the Lord’s feet weeping, a man delivered from demon possession who sat at His feet resting, a desperate father who was at His feet pleading, a devoted woman who was at His feet listening and a defiled Samaritan leper who fell at His feet appreciating the Lord.
In Song of Solomon chapter 6 verse 1 the question is asked, ‘Whither is thy beloved gone, O thou fairest among women?’ The sinful woman in Luke chapter 7 verses 36 to 50 knew that her Beloved ‘sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house’ and went there to be at His feet. While there, the woman seems to have said nothing, but her act of love spoke volumes. Her passion for the Lord was evident in her loud wailing, klaiō.1 She laid her pride at the door as she washed the Lord’s feet with her tears, wiped them with her hair, and kissed them with her lips! And finally, her precious possession was also placed at His feet as she anointed them with perfumed oil.
Note the change when the man of Gadara met the Lord Jesus! First, the change in relationships. The man was described as having no house to abide in, Luke 8. 27, but was sent to his ‘own house’ in verse 39. He was ‘in the tombs’ at first, among the dead, v. 27, but later was found at the Lord’s feet, with the source of life, v. 35. Second, the change in raiment. He went from being naked and shameful, v. 27, to being clothed and dignified, v. 35. Finally, the realization! He went from being in torment, v. 29, to being of sound mind, v. 35. How beautifully this experience describes the change in a sinner when encountering the Lord Jesus.
In Luke chapter 8 verses 40 to 56, we find Jairus who was both a dignified man, as the ruler of the synagogue, and a desperate man, as the father of a dying daughter. In fact, there were two daughters whose stories intertwined at this juncture. While Jairus was concerned about his daughter, the Lord did not forget the woman whom He also called ‘daughter’, v. 48.
The Lord raised three people from death, and, in each case, instruction was given according to their needs. The man in Nain was delivered to his mother, and fellowship was provided, Luke 7. 15. Lazarus was released from the grave clothes that bound him, and freedom was given, John 11. 44. Here, Jairus’ daughter was given something to eat, so food was supplied, Luke 8. 55.
Today, Bethany is called al-Eizariya, ‘the place of Lazarus’ in Arabic, but in John chapter 11 verse 1, it was the town of Mary and her sister Martha. The Lord would identify Bethany with a woman who devoted herself to Him wholeheartedly and her sister. We see Mary’s devotion in that she is at the Lord’s feet every time she is mentioned as being in His presence.
We learn much from what Mary did in the Lord’s presence, Luke 10. 38-42. We see her cessation from work, vv. 39, 40. She stopped and turned from work to sit and listen. We notice her concentration on the word, v. 39, as she listened carefully to the Lord’s teaching. We also observe the choice of the wise, v. 42, as she chose the part that was not taken away. That’s the choice we want to make for ourselves!
It is worth considering the contrasting features among the lepers mentioned in Luke chapter 17 verse 11 to 19:
The response, vv. 15, 16, 18. The one leper would not go ahead to enjoy his blessings without first returning to the source of that blessing to give thanks. That one leper glorified God with a loud voice, recognizing that the blessing he enjoyed came from God through Christ. That one leper was a Samaritan. The despised Samaritan, like the despised woman in Luke chapter 7, knew how to give thanks. Do we?
The reverence, v. 16. The one leper ‘fell down on his face at his feet’. Though the condition of the spirit mattered most, the physical posture reflected his attitude concerning the Lord Jesus Christ.
As the Gospel draws to a close, Luke 24. 36-43, the disciples are presented with the feet of the Lord Jesus, among other things. They were not asked to handle a sunbeam but the actual resurrected body of Christ. Those ‘beautiful . . . feet’ that brought good news to people, Isa. 52. 7, were the pierced feet of the person who bore the judgement of God upon sin, Ps. 22. 16. They were the powerful feet that will one day stand on the Mount of Olives, Zech. 14. 4, and the brass feet belonging to the person who will bring swift judgement to His enemies, Rev. 1. 15; 2. 18. One thing is certain; nobody ever came to the feet of the Lord Jesus Christ and went away unblessed!
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