Foot Washing Part Two - A Servant of Servants

Hello and welcome to the Women’s Weekly Bible Challenge.  I’m Lisa Ann Spencer.

Today, we are wrapping up part 2 of our study on Foot Washing. Last week we attempted to discover if Foot Washing is meant to be taken literally or figuratively when it is used in Scripture.  While it does have a literal meaning of washing the feet as a courtesy and custom offered to travelers in many passages, it is also used as a figure of speech in others. We noticed that Foot washing was often associated with a meal.

REVIEW:

• Abraham offered water so the three visitors could literally wash their feet.
• Abigail offered to wash David’s servant’s feet demonstrating her humility and submission to the word of God.
• King David urged Uriah, to go home and wash his feet which had a very intimate meaning.

📔NOTE: It is important for us to let the context of the passage determine the meaning.

New Testament uses of FOOT WASHING

A WOMAN – A SINNER

The first New Testament reference to foot washing is found in the book of Luke, where we see a nameless woman, called “a sinner”, washing the feet of Jesus with her tears.

Read Luke 7:36-44 

After reading this account, I have a question.  How did this woman, known as a sinner, gain access to the house of Simon the Pharisee? The passage does not tell us, but I wonder if she might have been a servant in the house?  Why would she be standing behind Jesus (v. 38) while He was seated at meat unless she was a servant? 

In this passage, the phrase “washed my feet” is obviously literal because we see the woman literally washing Jesus’s feet with her tears.  But what is the lesson being taught in this passage? Jesus contrasts the works of this sinful woman to the neglect of the Pharisee.  This woman knew who Jesus was; Israel’s long-awaited Messiah.  She believed what the Pharisee chose not to believe, and she acted accordingly.  This is very similar to Abigail’s attitude, not only towards King David, but to the word of God which she believed.  

APPLICATION: From Genesis to Revelation a theme of two ways is presented: God’s way or Satan’s way.  One may choose to believe God’s word, and another may choose not to believe.  A person’s behavior is determined by what they believe to be true. We should always choose to believe God’s word.

JESUS WASHES THE DISCIPLES FEET

Most everyone is familiar with the account in the gospel of John when Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. You can read the account here:   John 13:1-17

Let’s consider what is happening.

John 13:4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.

We can read the conclusion of this passage to understand what Jesus was teaching them.

12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than he that sent him.

There is no doubt Jesus was giving them a lesson in humility and servitude, but WHY?

God sent Jesus for a purpose, which required His humility and service. Philippians 2:7-8 tells us that Jesus humbled himself, took the form of a servant, and was obedient unto death.  He spent three years teaching His disciples to expect to lose their lives for His sake.

After Jesus’s death and resurrection, He would send the 12 apostles to serve the nation of Israel. The 12 apostles needed to understand what it truly meant to be a  servant. 

The Life of a Priest 

There is a connection with foot washing and serving as a priest.  You can compare the following verses:

• Exodus chapter 28, tells us about the garments of the high priest and his sons.
• Leviticus chapter 16, on the Day of Atonement, the high priest puts on and takes off his garments.
• Numbers 18:7, the priests are called servants.
• Song of Solomon 5:3 I have put off my coat; how shall I put it on? I have washed my feet; how shall I defile them?

Jesus was preparing the 12 Apostles to be priests, or servants, to the nation of Israel.   We read in Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:30 that the 12 would sit on 12 thrones, judging the 12 tribes of Israel.

When we see that Peter refused to allow Jesus to wash his feet, we should note Jesus’s response.

John 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet.  Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

That indicates to us that this lesson in foot washing is much more than just an example of serving one another. Jesus was not teaching the apostles to literally wash each other’s feet, but to be obedient servants, just as He was.

Churches that make a religious practice of literally washing each other’s feet, ruin what Jesus Christ is teaching in His word.  He is not looking for ceremonial, religious observance; He is looking for willing servants.

FOOT-WASHING IN THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE

1 Timothy 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man, 10 well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints’ feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work.

The first issue I would like to deal with is the “cultural” argument.  I have heard teachers say that this particular mention of foot washing does not apply today because it is a relic from a past culture, that we do not have to wash feet today because it is not necessary.  We do not walk everywhere we go, and our feet do not get as dirty. 

In essence, what they are teaching is that this passage is only valid because it was necessary in the past.  This teaching diminishes foot-washing to ONLY a literal meaning, and removes from it all that we have learned from the previous passages, where it is clearly a figure of speech that teaches great truths. 

This is a very dangerous position to take; it is a position of disbelief and one which disregards the very words of God.  Once a teacher takes it upon himself to redefine God’s word, where will he stop?

I have heard teachers apply this “cultural relic” argument to the passages on women keeping silent in the churches (I Corinthians 14:34; 1 Timothy 2:11).  When certain teachers come to passages that they do not agree with, or that makes them uncomfortable, they will always be tempted to corrupt God’s word by concluding that it no longer applies. 

We should fear the Lord too much to attempt to make ourselves the authority over His word.  I see no instruction or examples in scripture that sets a precedent for disregarding God’s instructions due to cultural shifts. When God wants us to make changes (and He does!), He makes that clear in His word.

The next issue I would like to deal with is the mistake of thinking that this is a list of works for salvation.  This widow is already saved, so her list of good works is not FOR salvation, but a result OF salvation.

So, how do we approach this foot-washing passage? Do we apply this literally or as a figure of speech? We have already seen this phrase being used as a figure of speech in other passages, so it would not be inconsistent to reach this conclusion.

We have to pay attention to the CONTEXT!  What point is being made?

The point of this passage is that an older widow cannot be taken into the church’s financial care and responsibility unless she is at least 60 years old, has no family to take care of her, and is known for good works.  Among these works is “washing the saint’s feet”.  Like Abigail, this type of woman has a reputation as a servant of servants.  This does not mean that she has literally washed the servant’s feet, but that she is willingly obedient to the word of God!

📔NOTE: In Scripture the words SAINT and SERVANT are used interchangeably.

APPLICATION: In this study on Women and Foot Washing, we began with the first foot-washer, Abigail who, because she believed the word of God, behaved in accordance with His word. Interestingly, Abigail became a widow, but because of her behavior she became the wife of the King.

We end our study with the last foot-washer, a widow, who because she believed the word of God, will not be left destitute but taken into the number of the church’s care.

Paul goes on to say in 1 Timothy 5:11 But the younger widows refuse:

And in verse 14, I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children and guide the house… in other words, the young widows need to learn to do the good works that the older widow is known for.  Foot-washing is not particularly mentioned, but there are many mothers who have washed the feet of the little saints in their care. Something to ponder!

I hope that you have found this study to be helpful, I hope it edifies you as you walk with the LORD, and I hope it helps you get to know the true and living God of the Bible.

In our next lesson I will be returning to our study on “When God Speaks to Women”.  As I am now moving into the New Testament references, this study will be titled, “When Jesus Speaks to Women”.  I hope you will join me.

The material covered in this Blog can be viewed here: