I recently read a list of commands
that Jesus gave Christians. One of the commands was from John 13:14, which
says: “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought
to wash one another's feet.” So the question arises: how literally should we
take this?
In Jesus’ day, the people walked on
dirt roads and wore open-toed sandals. No matter how clean you were, your feet
would get dirty just from walking. It was common for a wash basin and towel to
be by the front door. It was also common for the household servant (if you had
one) to wash the feet of those coming into the house. So foot washing was the
role of the servant. (Not the role of a leader, teacher, lord, master, etc.)
While the disciples were in to the Upper
Room, Jesus adopted the role of the servant by washing the feet of the disciples.
This act is recorded in John 13:1-11. In verse 12, Jesus asked if they
understood what He had done. In verses 13-15, Jesus explains it. Jesus said
that He was in fact their Lord and Teacher (vs13) and if He humbled himself and
did what a servant should do, they should do likewise (vs14). He said that he
gave them an example to follow (vs15).
Here’s the two ways that we are to
apply this passage. First, and foremost, all Christians need to be servants one
to another as Christ was a servant. Second, literal foot washing ceremonies are
great reminders of that command that we are to follow.
“But, wait, foot washing is gross.”
“After all, it’s just symbolic, we don’t actually have to go through with it.”
Well, although it may be symbolic,
there is nothing wrong with actual foot washing ceremonies. It truly teaches
humility and servanthood. It is puzzling to think about this and to think about
baptism. Baptism is a step of obedience and one of the things that it does is
it announces to the world that you are not ashamed of being a follower of
Christ. This could be done by just making an announcement, couldn’t it? Yet, as
Southern Baptists, we believe that the way to do this is for the pastor and the
new convert to go fully clothed into a body of water, for the new convert to be
fully immersed, for both to leave the water, dry off, and change clothes. But
then, we don’t want to kick off our shoes and socks and wash each other’s
feet?!
To Sum Up: Jesus’ command to wash feet in John 13 is a
command for us to serve each other. Foot washing ceremonies are good humbling
reminders of that command.
Full disclosure: I was a member of a Grace Brethren Church which
regularly practiced foot washing as a part of their three-fold communion
service. After becoming a Southern Baptist youth minister, I once demonstrated
actual foot washing with the youth group.
For what it's worth there is nothing wrong with washing another's feet. I don't believe it to be an ordinance of the church the way others like the Christian and Missionary Alliance and some Grace Brethren do, fundamentally because we don't see it being repeated by the church in the New Testament, and no apostolic commands or instruction regarding it.
ReplyDeleteAnd as I understand it, serving is not the primary point of the foot washing. More than anything, the emphasis seems to be the word "clean." Jesus was teaching the twelve that they had been made clean, as in saved (all but one). Their sins had been washed away because they'd already been bathed. What they needed now, and would need from time to time, is cleaned feet. As I see it, this is a picture of the believer still in the world which is filled with sin. Jesus washed their feet (and by the way their hands and head), now He was leaving and the disciples were going to need to wash one another's feet.
Two things:
DeleteFirst, please let me know where you get the idea that Jesus washed their hands and head. As I read the text of John 13, I see that Peter wanted his hands and head washed, but Jesus said it was not necessary. Alittle later, the text said " So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again" but does not mention washing anything but feet.
Second, though we may not have record of foot washing in the NT, that does not mean that it did not continue to be practiced by the Church. Here is a snippet from the Wikipedia article to verify this:
The rite of foot washing finds its roots in scripture. Even after the death of the apostles or the end of the Apostolic Age, the practice was continued.
It appears to have been practiced in the early centuries of post-apostolic Christianity, though the evidence is scant. For example, Tertullian (145–220) mentions the practice in his De Corona, but gives no details as to who practiced it or how it was practiced. It was practiced by the Church at Milan (ca. A.D. 380), is mentioned by the Council of Elvira (A.D. 300), and is even referenced by Augustine (ca. A.D. 400). Observance of foot washing at the time of baptism was maintained in Africa, Gaul, Germany, Milan, northern Italy, and Ireland. According to the Mennonite Encyclopedia "St. Benedict's Rule (A.D. 529) for the Benedictine Order prescribed hospitality feetwashing in addition to a communal feetwashing for humility"; a statement confirmed by the Catholic Encyclopedia.[3] It apparently was established in the Roman church, though not in connection with baptism, by the 8th century. The Albigenses observed feetwashing in connection with communion, and the Waldenses' custom was to wash the feet of visiting ministers. There is some evidence that it was observed by the early Hussites. The practice was a meaningful part of the 16th century radical reformation. Foot washing was often "rediscovered" or "restored" by Protestants in revivals of religion in which the participants tried to recreate the faith and practice of the apostolic era which they had abandoned or lost.