Thread: Foot Washing - Two Part Question

Good question... something I have not studied. I do find some interesting study on it in my Denton Lectures:

SHOULD WE PRACTICE FOOT-WASHING AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP IN THE CHURCH, AS SOME INSIST (JOHN 13:4-15)?

Foot-washing has become common practice among certain branches of the Baptist organization. It has been taken up among the majority of Pentecostals, and, unfortunately advanced by some of our own brethren. While we were working in South Africa we received a bulletin from a church just outside of Johannesburg, wherein the "preacher" invited the congregation to "skip" the Lord's Supper that morning, and come back that afternoon for the joint "foot-washing and Lord's Supper" service. No, we have not escaped the ravages of this error. The claim is made that, when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He instituted foot-washing as a church ordinance. Foot-washing was practiced many years before Jesus ever came to this earth. The hospitality of Abraham to the three men who visited him in the plains of Mamre involved foot-washing (Gen. 18:1-4). Abigail asked that she might wash the feet of the servants of David (1 Sam. 25:41). Jesus rebuked Simon the Pharisee for his failure to wash His feet upon entrance into his house (Luke 7:44). Foot-washing was already being practiced before this incident in John 13, so Jesus certainly did not institute the practice itself.

We need to consider the background of this event, recorded in Matt. 20:20-28 and Luke 22:24-27, wherein James and John asked to be given positions of honor above the other apostles. Jesus used the occasion to teach an object lesson on humility. The importance of this object lesson was expressed by B. W. Johnson:

"It may be that the very act of taking their seats at the table had, once more, stirred up in the minds of the apostles those disputes about precedence which, on previous occasions, our Lord had so tenderly and carefully rebuked. The mere question of a place at table might seem too infinitesimal and unimportant to ruffle the feelings of good men at an hour so supreme and solemn; but that love for "the chief seats at feasts," and elsewhere, which Jesus had denounced in the Pharisees, is not only innate in the heart, but is so powerful that it has, at times, caused the most terrific tragedies."

We must be careful to separate the circumstance from the principle of truth which our Lord intended to teach. Sandals were the common footwear during that time. When someone entered the home of a guest, it was the accepted practice of the time for one of the household servants to wash the feet of the guests who were present. R. L. Whiteside had this note:

"From early times feet washing was a social custom, an act of hospitality. Much of the traveling was done on foot. As they either went barefoot or wore sandals, their feet became tired and dusty. Sweat and dust mixed did not feel good nor look well. At the end of the journey to bathe the feet was very refreshing. The host furnished water to wash the feet of his tired guests. As a mark of special honor to his guest, he himself washed the feet of his guests. To fail to furnish water for this service was to fail in his duty as a host."

The setting in the upper room implies that no servant was available, and none of the disciples, at that point, had volunteered to wash the feet of the others. The disciples of Jesus were unwilling to engage in such a menial and lowly task as that of washing dirty, filthy feet. So, rather than play the part of a servant, they gathered around the table unwashed. We must keep in mind that the washing of the feet in that day always occurred on entrance, and never after the guests had assembled. It was obvious, therefore, that the apostles did not intend to act on this most pressing need. That being the case, Jesus took the towel, girded Himself, and began the humble task of washing the feet of His disciples. The words, "What I do thou knowest not now," should give some indication of the fact that what the Lord was "doing" was not what was discernible with the eyes. In other words, it was not the washing of the feet as some sort of a religious ordinance that Jesus was here instituting. It was a deeper, yea much deeper, object lesson that He was seeking to teach His disciples -- a lesson so great that the disciples might not immediately perceive its impact at the moment. Upon completion of washing the disciples' feet, Jesus said, "I have given you an example." This example did not consist of the act of washing feet, but one of humility and service. Again from the pen of Whiteside:

"Jesus was washing their feet because they needed washing. But our feet-washing Baptists are careful to see that their feet do not need washing on "foot-washing day." Jesus washed feet that needed washing; our feet-washing Baptists wash feet that do not need washing, and thus convert a useful service into an empty ceremony ... Humility does not consist in doing useless things. There is no significance in foot-washing as an act of public worship. But there was a lesson in that washing of feet ... By example Jesus showed them that greatness consisted in rendering needed services, no matter how lowly the service might be. He was not performing a useless deed to teach them humility, but performing a useful service to teach them the real spirit of his religion. When you render any service, however lowly it may be, to make life more comfortable for others, you are carrying out the very essence of the example Jesus set.

Foot-washing is mentioned only one more time in the New Testament, in 1 Tim. 5:10. There it is listed as one of the works of the worthy widow. There is no passage in the New Testament, either direct statement, example, or implication, that suggests foot-washing is a church ordinance or an act of worship. As Johnson noted, "That foot-washing belongs to the class of examples, rather than of church ordinances, is demonstrated by the fact that when we turn to the inspired history of the church as recorded in Acts and in the Epistles, it is silent concerning any such ordinance."

Seems like reasonable information to me.

There is no doubt there are congregations who pick and choose in regards to many different things, but ultimately we have to make rational decisions based on "Thus saith the Lord".

UncleAbee,
What was the lesson that Jesus was teaching by washing the feet?

Originally Posted by thediznave

interesting.. i have also wondered about the scripture that talks about elders praying for ,laying on of hands and anointing with oil the sick. someone told me that we only follow "approved" examples. and when i asked him what qualifies something as an "approved" example he answered that i just needed to study more.

I believe that the article that brosonnie posted is accurate for both the footwashing and the application of oil,etc. These were customs of the ancients; oil was carried by all to apply to wounds, scratches,etc. The answer that you received seems like one did not know the answer but did not want to admit that he did not know. Should have told you he would study more and get back to you. No one knows all the answers but they are in "The Book" if we just search.

Similar to what brother Bill stated... when I don't know the answer, I don't know the answer. I usually won't get into trying to explain it, but instead I simply tell the person that I don't know and have not studied that particular topic or situation yet, but I will and I can get back to you on what the Bible says about it. Or maybe you suggest that you have studied it, but are not good with putting it in spoken words and that you will write it down for them. Then put your study together on paper to share. Or something similar to what I did above. Copy that to paper and explain to them that this is as good, if not better explanation on the matter as I could prepare myself.

Originally Posted by broSonnie

Good question... something I have not studied. I do find some interesting study on it in my Denton Lectures:

SHOULD WE PRACTICE FOOT-WASHING AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP IN THE CHURCH, AS SOME INSIST (JOHN 13:4-15)?

Foot-washing has become common practice among certain branches of the Baptist organization. It has been taken up among the majority of Pentecostals, and, unfortunately advanced by some of our own brethren. While we were working in South Africa we received a bulletin from a church just outside of Johannesburg, wherein the "preacher" invited the congregation to "skip" the Lord's Supper that morning, and come back that afternoon for the joint "foot-washing and Lord's Supper" service. No, we have not escaped the ravages of this error. The claim is made that, when Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, He instituted foot-washing as a church ordinance. Foot-washing was practiced many years before Jesus ever came to this earth. The hospitality of Abraham to the three men who visited him in the plains of Mamre involved foot-washing (Gen. 18:1-4). Abigail asked that she might wash the feet of the servants of David (1 Sam. 25:41). Jesus rebuked Simon the Pharisee for his failure to wash His feet upon entrance into his house (Luke 7:44). Foot-washing was already being practiced before this incident in John 13, so Jesus certainly did not institute the practice itself.

We need to consider the background of this event, recorded in Matt. 20:20-28 and Luke 22:24-27, wherein James and John asked to be given positions of honor above the other apostles. Jesus used the occasion to teach an object lesson on humility. The importance of this object lesson was expressed by B. W. Johnson:

"It may be that the very act of taking their seats at the table had, once more, stirred up in the minds of the apostles those disputes about precedence which, on previous occasions, our Lord had so tenderly and carefully rebuked. The mere question of a place at table might seem too infinitesimal and unimportant to ruffle the feelings of good men at an hour so supreme and solemn; but that love for "the chief seats at feasts," and elsewhere, which Jesus had denounced in the Pharisees, is not only innate in the heart, but is so powerful that it has, at times, caused the most terrific tragedies."

We must be careful to separate the circumstance from the principle of truth which our Lord intended to teach. Sandals were the common footwear during that time. When someone entered the home of a guest, it was the accepted practice of the time for one of the household servants to wash the feet of the guests who were present. R. L. Whiteside had this note:

"From early times feet washing was a social custom, an act of hospitality. Much of the traveling was done on foot. As they either went barefoot or wore sandals, their feet became tired and dusty. Sweat and dust mixed did not feel good nor look well. At the end of the journey to bathe the feet was very refreshing. The host furnished water to wash the feet of his tired guests. As a mark of special honor to his guest, he himself washed the feet of his guests. To fail to furnish water for this service was to fail in his duty as a host."

The setting in the upper room implies that no servant was available, and none of the disciples, at that point, had volunteered to wash the feet of the others. The disciples of Jesus were unwilling to engage in such a menial and lowly task as that of washing dirty, filthy feet. So, rather than play the part of a servant, they gathered around the table unwashed. We must keep in mind that the washing of the feet in that day always occurred on entrance, and never after the guests had assembled. It was obvious, therefore, that the apostles did not intend to act on this most pressing need. That being the case, Jesus took the towel, girded Himself, and began the humble task of washing the feet of His disciples. The words, "What I do thou knowest not now," should give some indication of the fact that what the Lord was "doing" was not what was discernible with the eyes. In other words, it was not the washing of the feet as some sort of a religious ordinance that Jesus was here instituting. It was a deeper, yea much deeper, object lesson that He was seeking to teach His disciples -- a lesson so great that the disciples might not immediately perceive its impact at the moment. Upon completion of washing the disciples' feet, Jesus said, "I have given you an example." This example did not consist of the act of washing feet, but one of humility and service. Again from the pen of Whiteside:

"Jesus was washing their feet because they needed washing. But our feet-washing Baptists are careful to see that their feet do not need washing on "foot-washing day." Jesus washed feet that needed washing; our feet-washing Baptists wash feet that do not need washing, and thus convert a useful service into an empty ceremony ... Humility does not consist in doing useless things. There is no significance in foot-washing as an act of public worship. But there was a lesson in that washing of feet ... By example Jesus showed them that greatness consisted in rendering needed services, no matter how lowly the service might be. He was not performing a useless deed to teach them humility, but performing a useful service to teach them the real spirit of his religion. When you render any service, however lowly it may be, to make life more comfortable for others, you are carrying out the very essence of the example Jesus set.

Foot-washing is mentioned only one more time in the New Testament, in 1 Tim. 5:10. There it is listed as one of the works of the worthy widow. There is no passage in the New Testament, either direct statement, example, or implication, that suggests foot-washing is a church ordinance or an act of worship. As Johnson noted, "That foot-washing belongs to the class of examples, rather than of church ordinances, is demonstrated by the fact that when we turn to the inspired history of the church as recorded in Acts and in the Epistles, it is silent concerning any such ordinance."

Seems like reasonable information to me.

There is no doubt there are congregations who pick and choose in regards to many different things, but ultimately we have to make rational decisions based on "Thus saith the Lord".

I think that about sums it up. I might add that there is no spiritual significance to the act of washing someone's foot. However, there is spiritual significance attached to serving one another's needs with a humble spirit.

If Jesus had have meant to teach that foot washing as an ordinance was required, then certainly there would be a frequency associated with it similar to what we find with the Lord's supper. Foot washing would not be left to man's device as to when or how often it should be done. Jesus was teaching a principle, not instituting an ordinance.

Thanks all for the posts. This has cleared up my understanding.