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.
