| The Christian Life | May 1940 |
Spiritual Feet Washing
“Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet.”—John 13:14
THESE words of the Master were uttered toward the close of His ministry, following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem amid the shoutings of the multitude. It also followed His several days preaching in the temple to large crowds, and of the coming of the Greeks to inquire for Him. All of this seemed to indicate a growing popularity. While Jesus had declared to His disciples that He was shortly to be put to death, yet they were utterly unable to comprehend the significance of these statements, hence were full of ambitious thoughts respecting their future identity with the Lord, and of how His exaltation as a King would bring them into prominence and honor with Him, as well as confer upon them a coveted opportunity of accomplishing a large amount of good.
Had our Lord and His disciples been the guests of some host on this occasion, doubtless a menial servant would have been provided to wash their feet. This was the custom of the country, and a very necessary custom. The open sandals generally worn at that time allowed the dust of the highways to soil the feet as well as to irritate them. This made feet washing almost a necessity after every journey.
But on this occasion the Lord’s company were not guests, but merely had the use of the room. Consequently no servant appeared to wash their feet. Under such circumstances it would have been properly the duty of one of the number to have performed this menial service for the others. But apparently the disciples were too taken up with their thought of exaltation with the Master to give consideration to a humble service of this kind. The spirit of rivalry for high positions was in their hearts, hence no one volunteered to serve the others; and, of course, no one had the right to demand it in this company in which the Lord had appointed none as being either above or below the others in rank.
Jesus apparently let the matter go to the full limit to see whether or not any of them would improve the opportunity and make himself the servant of the others, but none did. Then, arising from the table, He laid aside His outer garment and took a towel and girded Himself for service. We can well imagine the consternation of the apostles as they watched this procedure, and then saw the Lord go from the feet of one and another as they protruded from the couches on which they reclined.
The great astonishment of the apostles at the procedure of the Master, and the condemnation which His course implied, for a time silenced them, and this silence apparently was not broken until the Master came to Peter to wash his feet. This impetuous apostle strenuously objected to the Master rendering this menial service on his behalf. He said, “Thou shalt never wash my feet.”
However, with appropriate words of explanation, Jesus proceeded with the feet washing, and by His action brought to the disciples, and to all the consecrated since, a vitally important lesson concerning the true attitude of humility and burning zeal to serve one another that should be present in the hearts of all those who are seeking to follow in His footsteps. In their fear to be the least, all the disciples had shunned this opportunity of service for the Master and for each other. Our Lord, though acknowledged Head and Master, the Messiah, had humbled Himself to serve them all, and had thus rebuked their lack of humility and at the same time set them an example that would apply to every affair of life, namely, that they should be glad to serve one another on every proper occasion, in the high things as well as in the common affairs of life.
This washing of one another’s feet we may readily see applies to any and every humble service of life that can be rendered to the Lord’s people, though specially to those services and kindnesses which would he along the lines of spiritual assistance and comfort. How many blessed opportunities we now have for comforting, refreshing, consoling one another.
Today we do not have the opportunity of washing the literal feet of the Master, but we do have the opportunity of rendering whatever service we can to the feet members of His body—feet members who, in these days of trial and distress, need all the assistance that can be given to them by their fellow members in the body. Let us lose no opportunities of this kind. Let us, like the Master, not merely assume humility, but actually have that humility which will impel us to do kindnesses and services to all with whom we come in contact, and especially to the “household of faith.”
Today the feet members of the body of Christ are busily laying down their lives in proclaiming the glad tidings of the Kingdom, and saying unto Zion, “Thy God reigneth.” This Kingdom truth is unpopular now even at it was in Jesus’ day. Faithfulness in proclaiming it brings down upon those who are thus engaged the enmity of the world. Because of this all the consecrated need as much sympathy and encouragement as can possibly be given to them, that they may be assisted in proving faithful even unto death. What a glorious opportunity is ours today to wash one another’s feet!