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What the Fathers say
Eastern Fathers
John Chrysostom
Now when He had washed their feet, and taken His garments, and sat down, He said, "Know ye what I have done unto you?" He no longer addresseth Himself to Peter only, but to them all. "Ye call Me Lord and Master, and ye say well, for so I am." "Ye call Me." He taketh to Him their judgment, and then that the words may not be thought to be words of their kindness, He addeth, "for so I am." By introducing a saying of theirs, He maketh it not offensive, and by confirming it Himself when introduced from them, unsuspected. …
Cyril of Alexandria
He now clearly explains the object of what He has done, and says that this example of incomparable humility had been set forth for the sake of the benefit therefrom derived for us: and in making His reproof of pride unanswerable, He is constrained to put forward the conspicuous example of His Own Person. For in such an act anyone may behold the incomparable greatness of His humiliation. …
Theophylact of Ohrid
The Lord now directs His speech no longer to Peter alone, but to all, and sets forth the reason for such humility on His part. The reason is that the disciples must imitate Him in this. Perhaps it is about the present time that the Lord speaks when He says to Peter "you will understand after this," that is: "Peter, you will understand after I take My garment and recline, and begin to teach you and say: 'Do you know what I have done to you?'"
Western Saints
Augustine of Hippo
"So, after He had washed their feet, and had taken His garments, and was set down again, He said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you?" Now it is that the blessed Peter gets that promise fulfilled: for he had been put off when, in the midst of his trembling and asserting, "Thou shalt never wash my feet," he received the answer, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Here, then, is that very hereafter; it is now time to tell what was a little ago deferred. …
Bede
Our Lord first did a thing, then taught it: as it is said, Jesus began both to do and to teach. (Acts 1:1)
Thomas Aquinas
After our Lord showed that his humble service was necessary, he then urges that it be imitated. First, the Evangelist describes the circumstances of this exhortation; secondly, he mentions the exhortation itself (v 12b). Concerning the first he does two things: first, he mentions the sequence in this exhortation; secondly, he describes the one giving the exhortation (v 12a). The sequence found in this exhortation is that Christ later taught in words what he had first done by his actions. …
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