As a result of John 13, (where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples) the question arises if we should do the same. For those who believe that is the case, their stand is justified by verse fifteen that says, “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” To understand if this admonition is something we should follow today, we should put this verse back in the context of the whole chapter.
Jesus observed his last Passover with the disciples before his crucifixion. It was at that time that Judas confirmed in his heart that he would betray Christ. Just prior to this time, the mother of two of his disciples asked that the men be granted special privilege to sit on either side of him when he came into his kingdom. (Matthew 20:20) The other disciples found out about the special request. They were very angry at the two disciples in question. That means that as Jesus and his disciples observed the Passover, they did so with contention within the ranks.
It was customary for the host of a dinner to either himself or have his servant washed the feet of his guests. In those days, their feet were dusty and tired. To have their feet washed was quite refreshing and appreciated. However, the two disciples who went to set up the Passover in the upper chamber as hosts neglected to follow through on this custom. That meant that everyone who came to the dinner had their feet unattended. It was a gross neglect of kindness.
Since this was the last time Jesus would spend personal time with his disciples before his crucifixion, he needed to share with them about the upcoming betrayal of Judas.
After dinner, Jesus implemented the new covenant in his blood that we today call communion or the Last Supper that we observe in our own churches today. Judas was present during that time! He heard the analogy of the blood and body of Christ to no avail. It had no effect on him because he had another agenda.
In looking back at those times in the Scripture, there is no doubt there was an air of tension among the disciples. They vacillated between anger at the two disciples and pointing fingers for who would betray Christ. The disciples were so out of touch for the moment that when Judas left to betray Christ to the priests, they thought Jesus sent him to give money to the poor since he was the treasurer of the group. Obviously, their awareness was very dull. Likewise, they missed the point of Jesus teachings. He tried to explain some details about his death and resurrection, but they wanted to brag about their devotion to him.
To counter the stress and misunderstanding of the disciples, the Bible says that he laid aside cloak so that he might wash their feet. Peter was so brazen that he initially refused Jesus’ efforts. It was our Lord’s intention to refocus the disciples away from themselves and their bickering onto the need for humility and kindness toward each other. He took advantage of the failure of the two disciples for this lesson.
There are those who through the years wanted to implement feet worship as a sacrament similar to communion and baptism. Some churches practice this today. The problem is that the need for feet washing in those days has no equation to the need of today. We have better fitting shoes and rarely do our feet get dusty. Jesus did say in John 13:15 to follow his example. The higher goal is not to wash feet but to demonstrate humility one to another without pride and without ulterior motives. Of course, there is no harm in churches practicing feet washing; it is their business to do so. However, we must not miss the important lesson that Jesus was trying to teach that we must be humble and love one another.
Christian Writer 