What does John 13:14 mean?

In the ancient world, terms like "master" and "servant" were not purely job descriptions. Outside of a Christian worldview, there is no sense that people are inherently equal. It would have seemed obvious to most people of the first century that the powerful, wealthy, or royal were just better than the weak, poor, and subjugated. The ancient concept of leadership was that of the superior person delegating lesser tasks to lesser people. "That's a servant's job, not mine" was a statement of common sense in that time. This helps explain why Peter was so scandalized when Jesus acted as a servant and washed his feet (John 13:6–8).

What Jesus did by washing the disciples' feet was not meant to suggest they were equal. On the contrary, Jesus clearly states that He is the Lord (John 13:13). His action completely overturned the idea of what godly leadership looks like. It reset the concept of servanthood, changing it from something degrading and shameful into a mutual expression of love and respect.

The point Jesus makes here is clear: He is the Master. What a master does, no servant can claim to be exempt from. If someone claims to be a servant of Christ, they are mandated to follow His example and act in sacrificial service to others. Jesus will reiterate this point several times in the next few verses. The context of this passage, and Jesus' conversation with Peter, also establishes that this is not about a literal physical ritual; the point has much greater implications.