Foot Washing in John 13

Q. In John 13:3-15 we read that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. Is this an act of worship like praying, singing, the Lord's Supper or some other act of worship? If it is, shouldn't we be doing this?

There are denominations that practice this as an act of worship. But before we jump to conclusions, let's study this subject to see the lesson Jesus was teaching His disciples.

We read in Genesis 18 of three angels visiting Abraham. In verse 3-8 of Genesis 18 we read he offered to wash their feet with water and they accepted. Later he fed them a meal of bread, butter, milk and fresh meat. This was an act customarily performed by a servant to a guest of higher rank as an act of hospitality.

In 1Timothy 5:10 one of the deeds a widow must have done to be taken into the number (placed on the pay-roll), was to have washed the feet of the saints .

Jesus was teaching a lesson on beatitudes in Matthew 5. In verse 5, He says, the meek (humble) shall inherit the earth. In 2 Peter 3:13 Peter speaks of a new heaven and a new earth or heaven. Heaven will be the home of the meek and humble not the arrogant, proud and haughty.

In Matthew 18 the disciples asked about greatness in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus replied they must become like a little child (Matthew 18:3) if they would be great. Jesus uses this occasion to teach His apostles the lesson of humility. This lesson was necessary in their training before they went out into the world to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15).

Further, it is a lesson we must learn if we hope to enter into heaven.

So to answer the question, the lesson is not whether we should practice foot washing as an act of worship but a whether we are to practice humility before God and our fellow man.

Bill Watkins

(Gone to His Reward)

FOOT WASHING

Feet-washing was and still is a common hygienic practice in the Middle East. Being a highly dusty and arid land, and with people only having the equivalent of foot slippers to wear, servants were employed to wash the feet of their masters and their masters' guests when they came in from any outdoor activity. Just as in some countries today [such as homes in Japan], a person who entered a home took off his/her shoes and left them near the door. Two things made this custom practical.

(1) The traveler did not 'track' dirt into the home. There was/is an effort to separate the dirt of outdoors from the home's cleanliness.

(2) In that time and geography, one could not separate self from the weariness of the journey and rest his/her feet. Remember, there were no manufactured shoes--thus boots and shoes as we know them were non-existent. There were few socks or hosiery. Also remember, traveled ways were often rough, producing foot wounds or bruises. Many sandaled people walked, and some traveled barefooted. Clean feet after a difficult journey were [and are] quite refreshing.

In this act, Jesus incredibly combined two concepts of purity to illustrate his lesson powerfully. The common concept of purity in ancient Israel was primarily ceremonial purity. Ceremonial purity stressed the act of outer cleanliness. Thus one did the correct act at the correct occasion in the correct way to produce purity [like not violating Sabbath law in Matthew 12:2 or hand washing traditions in Matthew 15:2]. Jesus stressed moral and ethical purity. Right acts had to come from right motives. If one is pure inwardly, he/she will do what is pure outwardly. Consider Matthew 5:27-48 and 23:1-31 for contrasts and examples.

In this act Jesus acknowledged the value of outward cleanliness based on the humility generated by love (see also Luke 7:44 and John 13:31-35). Foot-washing was a menial task reserved for the lowest of the low. In John chapter 13, Jesus washed the disciples' feet to pass across a message. After he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, He said to them:'Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.' (John 13:12-15).

He gave them an example of how those who are leaders are to be servants. It is the same thing He was saying in another passage: 'But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them. But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many' (Mark 10:42-44).

As far as a commandment or part of worship you may want to consider Mark 7:1-23 which discusses tradition vs. commands of God.

Traditions and Commandments (Mark 7:1-23)

" And there came together to him the Pharisees and certain of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, And had seen that some of his disciples took their bread with unclean, that is, unwashed, hands. Now the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not take food without washing their hands with care, keeping the old rule which has been handed down to them:
And when they come from the market-place, they take no food till their hands are washed; and a number of other orders there are, which have been handed down to them to keep—washings of cups and pots and brass vessels.
And the Pharisees and the scribes put the question to him, Why do your disciples not keep the rules of the fathers, but take their bread with unwashed hands?
And he said, Well did Isaiah say of you, you false ones: These people give me honour with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
But their worship is to no purpose, while they give as their teaching the rules of men.
For, turning away from the law of God, you keep the rules of men.
And he said to them, Truly you put on one side the law of God, so that you may keep the rules which have been handed down to you.
For Moses said, Give honour to your father and mother, and, He who says evil of father or mother, let him have the punishment of death:
But you say, If a man says to his father or his mother, That by which you might have had profit from me is Corban, that is to say, Given to God,
You no longer let him do anything for his father or his mother;
Making the word of God of no effect by your rule, which you have given: and a number of other such things you do. "

What Defiles a Person

"And turning to the people again, he said to them, Give ear to me all of you, and let my words be clear to you:
There is nothing outside the man which, going into him, is able to make him unclean: but the things which come out of the man are those which make the man unclean.
And when he had gone into the house away from all the people, his disciples put questions to him about the saying.
And he said to them, Have even you so little wisdom? Do you not see that whatever goes into a man from outside is not able to make him unclean,
Because it goes not into the heart but into the stomach, and goes out with the waste? He said this, making all food clean.
And he said, That which comes out of the man, that makes the man unclean.
Because from inside, from the heart of men, come evil thoughts and unclean pleasures,
The taking of goods and of life, broken faith between husband and wife, the desire of wealth, wrongdoing, deceit, sins of the flesh, an evil eye, angry words, pride, foolish acts:
All these evil things come from inside, and make the man unclean." (BBE)