Foot Washing
Foot Washing
“You call me
Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For
I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to
you.” (John
13:13-15)
This command looks as firm and definite
as the command to baptize or to remember Jesus in the bread and wine. Two
features, however, suggest that Jesus did not intend this commandment to be
taken literally for all time.
(1) Foot washing was a practice directly
relevant to the kinds of shoes worn and the roads used. It was normal practice
for slaves to wash the feet of guests. In modern conditions, foot washing is no
longer necessary when guests are entertained for a meal.
(2) What Jesus did and commanded seems to
have arisen out of a specific situation.
Luke 22 records an argument at the Last Supper:
A dispute also
arose among them, which of them was to be regarded as the greatest. And he said
to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and those in
authority over them are called benefactors. But not so with you; rather let the
greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.
For which is the greater, one who sits at table, or one who serves? Is it not the one who sits at table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke
22:24-27)
It seems likely that Jesus undertook the washing of the disciples’
feet to demonstrate how important it was for leadership to be service. No task
of service to others was too menial. This was the principle behind Jesus’
actions. The meaning of the commandment for all time is that those who follow
Christ should never stand on their dignity or be too proud to be slaves to
others. In conditions like those of the first century, foot washing is a matter
of attention to the needs of others (1 Timothy 5:10) and would still be fully
appropriate today, not as a ritual observance because of Jesus’ commandment (as
is done by some churches) but as a proper response to human need.
The
importance of humility is underlined in Romans 12:16: “…do not be haughty, but
associate with the lowly; never be conceited.”
The RSV margin offers the alternative: “Give yourselves to humble
tasks.” If we do these, then we can properly be said to be following Jesus’
instruction, “I
have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”
