Where Have Those Feet Been?

Foot-washing was a very common practice in ancient times, since all roadways were generally regular old dusty dirt . . . with an added bonus. Folks all wore sandals of some fashion, but those nearly bare feet, combined with often hours of travel, resulted in quite filthy feet indeed.

Keep in mind, of course, in those days, people weren’t driving Toyotas, Fords, Chevys or Subarus, replete with their toxic emissions. No, they were driving camels, oxen, sheep, donkeys and goats, replete with their toxic emissions! Such transportation and walking cargo did not “hold it” until the next gas station. The animals relieved themselves as they moved, which was on the very highway on which everyone else was traveling.

This means that those designer sandals did nothing but keep stones from piercing the soles of their wearers’ feet, failing to protect them from the literal filth on the ground. While the sandals would keep such stuff from squishing through their toes (nice and steamy in the early morning), it didn’t keep it off their feet.

So when people came to their own or another’s abode, how did they keep such junk from being transplanted into their home? Well, typically, they’d simply remove their shoes and wash their own feet before going inside. But if there were household servants present, then they would be tasked with the job of washing guests’ feet. Sometimes that same servant that was awarded the responsibility could then get up and go prepare a meal. And this courtesy extended to any visitor of the home, whether strange or familiar, for it was important that the filth of the world not contaminate their dwelling place.

We must also realize that the opportunity to take a daily shower or bath was not an option (and still isn’t in some places) where there was no running (or living) water. Washing was a luxury, and was therefore, for most, not something done as frequently as desired. 

Understanding this, one can more readily see the significance of Jesus’ act of washing the disciples’ feet following the Last Supper.

[Jesus] got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself.

Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things . . .”

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”

Jesus replied, “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean . . .”

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:4‭-16 NET

The disciples were dumbfounded. This was just not something someone of Jesus’ stature should do. Touching another’s feet was a very lowly thing to do, and washing them was all the more so.

Jesus’ cousin John, the Baptist (that wasn’t his real name), understood the significance of touching feet when he said,

“Someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to stoop down like a slave and untie the straps of his sandals.” Mark 1:7 NLT

John was saying that he was even “lower on the totem pole” than a servant when it came to Jesus. (That’s an ironic expression, though, whose origin is unknown, as totem poles actually rendered the “greatest” imagery closest to the ground.)  So for Jesus to remove His suit and tie and begin washing the disciples’ feet, as would a slave, was indeed a shocking example of servant leadership.  Here was Jesus, the son of the Most High, serving as the most low.

Was Jesus actually instructing all of us to follow His example and likewise practice the washing of one another’s feet? I don’t think so, really, since that was clearly a cultural act. But it is quite fascinating that this did not become a lasting sacrament in the Church, as did communion and baptism, even though it seems that Jesus was very explicit about us doing so. I quote,

“Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”

I do believe, however, that He’s providing a figurative example of servant leadership; that we must position ourselves as servants when leading. For when we lead, we must clearly demonstrate that our position is one of service. Whether we are leading our spouse, our family, our church, our community, or our nation, we are serving them as that leader. But you know this already. The last time we spoke of this foot-washing event, we noted that Jesus was responding to an argument the disciples were having about who was greatest among themselves. (Read: The First Communion: The Making of the Last Supper)

IT WAS ONLY THE LAW

When we look at Exodus 30:17-21, we discover that the priests were instructed to wash their hands and their feet before entering the Tent of Meeting. There was also a special oil that was to be manufactured and used to anoint the priests to mark them as holy and fit for service in the house of the Lord. They were to be physically clean before they could be considered ceremonially clean.

Dirty feet were a big deal. God didn’t want His servants leaving road remnants in His House, so He made sure they kept things sanitary. But this all came down to a matter of worship and respect. God demanded that the people treat Him with reverence and respect. Not because He was full of Himself, but it was important that the people learned how to separate the world from their worship. 

If they could just “come as they were,” they would. They wouldn’t stop to even consider how marvelous God was, and how special their relationship with Him could be. If they could be allowed to just wander on into the sanctuary with all of the filth the world brought with it, they would never be able to separate themselves spiritually from that world. (Hmm, now I’m wondering about the way I dress for church.)

God was setting them up for success by teaching them how to behave differently from that world; and that by setting Him apart as special demanded some special effort, attention, and sacrifice. If they were going to be His children, they were going to have to be recognizable as such, and this meant being special in every way, shape, and form.

As Christians, we frequently miss the point of being set apart by God. We don’t see it as being very special. We mostly do our own thing, worrying about our own lives and circumstances, ignorant of the truth that our day to day struggles are not our purpose. We have been chosen for something meaningful, however, and running around with our heads cut off, worrying about our job and our next meal is not that “meaningful something.”

And if we do not set ourselves apart for God, how can He set us apart and use us for His purpose? Not that we must acquire any special skill or quality (we already have them), but we must set our hearts apart for His use, being willing to let Him do good works within us.

Now in a wealthy home there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also ones made of wood and of clay, and some are for honorable use, but others for ignoble use. So if someone cleanses himself of such behavior, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart, useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart. 2 Timothy 2:20-22 NET

But if we continue to live our lives as though we were just ordinary people trapped in ordinary lives destined to do ordinary things, then are we really believers? Can Jesus truly consider us His disciples if we’re only claiming association with Him by name, and not by faith or action? Remember, if we are not living by Jesus’ words, then we are living against them!

“On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” Matthew 7:22-23 NLT

So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. 1 John 1:6,8,10 NLT

KISSING DEFEAT

And so, even though dirty feet was a big issue, it was still an everyday concern that affected everyone, except for royalty who had the benefit of horses, chariots and carriages to keep their feet off the ground. For the rest of them, however, it would seem they all had pretty stinky feet.

But Mary, the sister of Lazarus and Martha, close friends of Jesus, made quite a spectacle of herself:

Six days before Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, home of Lazarus, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Lazarus and his sisters hosted a dinner for him. Martha served and Lazarus was among those who joined him at the table. Then Mary took an extraordinary amount, almost three-quarters of a pound, of very expensive perfume made of pure nard. She anointed Jesus’ feet with it, then wiped his feet dry with her hair. The house was filled with the aroma of the perfume.

Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), complained, “This perfume was worth a year’s wages! Why wasn’t it sold and the money given to the poor?” (He said this not because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He carried the money bag and would take what was in it.)

Then Jesus said, “Leave her alone. This perfume was to be used in preparation for my burial, and this is how she has used it. You will always have the poor among you, but you won’t always have me.” John 12:1-8 CEB

Because of the way people reclined on the floor or on a couch with a table in their midst, their feet were quite exposed to those who served the food at such an event. As a result, it was quite easy for Mary, in this episode, to position herself at Jesus’ feet to anoint him with her tears and perfume. (The versions of this event in the other gospels convey varying details, but all with equal results, even though they are often misunderstood as being unique and separate events because of those details.)

But here she is, holding and kissing Jesus’ feet! Of course, these are the cleanest and sweetest smelling feet ever, and perhaps the perfume just made them that much better. And so while the feet were the lowliest and dirtiest part of a person, Mary was quite content to humble herself for the sake of her Lord.