The Context: A Moment of Confusion

To get what’s happening in John 13:7, you have to picture the scene. It’s the night before Jesus is arrested. The disciples are gathered for the Passover meal, expecting something big. They still don’t fully grasp what’s coming, but Jesus does. He knows this is his last night with them before the cross.

And then, in the middle of dinner, he gets up, takes off his outer robe, grabs a towel, and kneels to wash their feet (John 13:4-5).

Now, in modern terms, this might not seem like a big deal. But in first-century Jewish culture, foot washing was about as low as it got. Roads were filthy, people wore sandals, and washing someone’s feet was a task reserved for the lowest servant in the household. It was never something a respected teacher, let alone the Son of God, would do.

So, when Jesus moves to wash Peter’s feet, Peter reacts exactly how most of us would. “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (John 13:6). You can almost hear the disbelief in his voice. This is backward. This is uncomfortable. This is wrong.

But Jesus insists. And when Peter outright refuses, Jesus raises the stakes:

“Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” (John 13:8)

That’s when Peter, in classic Peter fashion, flips to the other extreme: “Then, Lord, not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” (John 13:9). He still doesn’t fully get it, but if this is what it takes to stay with Jesus, he’s all in.

And that’s when Jesus delivers the line:

“You may not know now, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7)

Peter doesn’t get it, not yet. But later, after the crucifixion, after the resurrection, and after years of leading the early church, it will all click.

This moment is more than just an act of humility, it’s a foreshadowing. Jesus isn’t just washing their feet; he’s showing them something deeper about who he is and what he’s about to do. But right now? Right now, all Peter sees is confusion.

Just like us, in the middle of our own unanswered questions.

The Pattern: Why We Rarely Understand in the Moment

Peter’s confusion in John 13:7 isn’t just a one-time thing. If you step back and look at the bigger picture, both in the Bible and in life, you’ll notice a pattern: God rarely explains things upfront. Understanding almost always comes later.

Biblical Examples of “Not Knowing Now”

Peter wasn’t the first to be caught in the fog of confusion. Throughout scripture, God’s plan often unfolds in ways that don’t make sense at the time:

• Joseph in Egypt – Imagine being Joseph, sitting in prison for a crime you didn’t commit, years after your brothers sold you into slavery. At that moment, did he understand why? Absolutely not. But later? Later, he became second-in-command of Egypt and saved an entire nation, including those same brothers (Genesis 50:20).
• The Israelites in the Wilderness – Forty years of wandering with no clear destination. Why? The people didn’t get it. But later, it became clear that God was preparing them for something bigger than just reaching the Promised Land. He was shaping them into a nation that could carry his covenant (Deuteronomy 8:2-3).
• The Disciples at the Crucifixion – If you had asked them on that Friday, as they watched Jesus die, whether this was part of the plan, they would’ve said no. In their eyes, it was the end of everything. But three days later? Everything changed (Luke 24:25-27).

Why Understanding Comes Later

It’s not just a biblical pattern - it’s a human one. There’s a reason we struggle to grasp things while they’re happening but can see them clearly in hindsight.

Psychologists call it the hindsight bias. When we look back, our brain connects the dots in ways we couldn’t see before. The chaos of the moment feels like it had a purpose, even if it didn’t make sense at the time.

Think about any major lesson you’ve learned in life. Did you understand it fully while you were in the middle of it? Probably not. Clarity tends to show up after the fact…sometimes weeks, sometimes years later.

If we could see the full picture right away, faith wouldn’t be necessary. Growth wouldn’t be necessary. But God doesn’t just hand out blueprints for our lives, he invites us to walk forward, even when we don’t understand.

Peter didn’t get it in that moment. But later, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, after years of following in his footsteps, he understood.

The same is true for us. Right now, you might be in the middle of something that doesn’t make sense. But later? Later, it might just become the most meaningful chapter in your story.