Foot Washing
A common form of hospitality offered to travelers in biblical times. A host offered a basin full of water to a guest so he/she could clean their feet upon entrance into the home. The dusty and dry climate of Palestine made foot washing a necessity as people often walked along dirt roads with nothing more than sandals on their feet. Foot washing was so common that hosts who failed to offer this basic expression of hospitality and comfort were severely criticized (Luke 7:44).
Although a staple of hospitality, foot washing was considered to be the lowliest of activities performed by a servant. It was so demeaning that Jews did not was the feet of other Jews but left the task to Gentile slaves. More often travelers simply washed their own feet rather than having the chore performed for them (Gen. 18:4; 19:2; 43:24; Judg. 19:21; Luke 7:44).
Because foot washing was performed by a person of inferior social status for a superior (1 Sam. 25:41), it would be unthinkable to reverse this socially accepted norm in a culture saturated with relative social status. So for Jesus, a superior, to perform this demeaning chore for his disciples, his inferiors, makes his object lesson all the more dramatic (John 13:5-17). Jesus washed his disciples’ feet to show them that no role is too lowly for him to show the extent of his love (John 13:1). Peter learned the necessity of spiritual cleansing when Jesus washed his feet (John 13:8). Jesus also taught his disciples the importance of following his example in their own lives by washing one another’s feet (John 13:14). No act of service is too lowly for Christ’s followers and no one is too great to perform such a humble act.
Some early churches may have taken Jesus’ example literally (1 Tim. 5:10). Widows seem to have expressed their devotion by washing the feet of other Christians. Such good deeds need not be taken literally today but can be expressed figuratively in other culturally accepted acts of service. Nonetheless, some churches do perform ritual foot washings today.
Another one of my entries in The Baker Illustrated Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2013).
