Why Don’t We Wash Each Other’s Feet?

Recently one of my new connections on LinkedIn asked me a question. A quick note, I share daily short scripture passages and thoughts inspired by them on LinkedIn. Click here if you’d like to connect or follow.

Ok, here is the question from Nancy Sween.

“A friend recently asked me why foot washing isn’t a regular part of public worship as communion is. Do you know?”

What a great, practical question! Thanks Nancy!

What Jesus Said About Foot Washing

This will take some time to work through the associated scriptures, so please understand there will be passages that are a bit longer than we sometimes share. Let’s start out with just after Jesus finished washing the feet of His disciples.

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.’”
-John 20:12-17 ESV

Jesus washes the feet of His disciples and tells them that they ought to wash one another’s feet. So, why don’t we regularly wash the feet of people in our worship services or in our small groups? Are we disobeying a command of Jesus if we don’t?

The Lesson Being Taught

Let’s be clear here, I don’t see any Jesus follower being in danger of Hell because they don’t go around washing the feet of other Jesus followers. It doesn’t seem Jesus was commanding us to literally wash each other’s feet. Let me explain with two points, culture and analogy.

From a cultural standpoint at that time, washing feet was done upon entering a tent or home. There was much dust and animal debris on the roads and paths, and the people generally wore sandals. For reasons of both hygiene and respect for the place being entered, foot washing was a regular cultural practice. In fact, there are several references to foot washing even in the Old Testament. Here are a few: Genesis 18:4,19:2, 24:32, 43:24, Judges 19:21, 1 Samuel 25:41, 2 Samuel 11:8.

When foot washing was done, people usually washed their own feet, except in the homes of those who had servants. In those cases, servants washed the feet of those entering the home. Washing feet was considered a very lowly role, even though it was necessary.

Of course, in our time we don’t wash our feet when entering our or anyone else’s home. We wear shoes and often socks, so our feet are covered and don’t require washing at these times. It would be a very odd thing indeed if you walked into a friend’s house and they expected you to bare your feet and wash them. There is no practical purpose in foot washing in most cultures today.

Now, from an analogy perspective, foot washing isn’t necessarily meant to be taken literally. Let’s make this clear with another statement from Jesus.

“Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
-Matthew 16:24 NIV

I’m going to take a chance here and assume that you don’t literally pick up a cross most days as part of following Jesus (I’m not referring to crosses on jewelry, etc. 😊). No, because you recognize that in this case, the cross is an analogy for total surrender to following Him. Here is how the helpful team at Got Questions summarized it:

“Jesus’ command to “take up your cross and follow Me” is a call to self-abasement and self-sacrifice. One must be willing to die in order to follow Jesus. Dying to self is an absolute surrender to God.”

In the same way, the washing of feet need not be taken literally as a regular practice but means something more basic. I should point out that some churches practice foot washing at certain times. I even saw a beautiful symbolic foot washing ceremony at a family wedding earlier this year.

What Foot Washing Represents

Let’s go back to the passage referenced earlier.

Now, the key to seeing the analogy is in in the last three verses. Let’s break each one down.

“For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.”

Washing feet was the job of the person or a servant. It was a humbling, humiliating role. But this is not specifically about washing feet. Jesus is telling us to serve each other in whatever way is available, and to always be in a position of loving humility towards each other.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”

Jesus Himself took the position of a servant here. The Lord and Creator of the universe, who is infinitely greater than us or them, chose willingly to honor His disciples by acting in the way of a servant towards them. If He, the One who rules over all, became a servant, how can we ever regard ourselves as better than another person? We are lesser than Christ, He is our Master. In following Him, we also humble ourselves to serve.

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”

I love the promise in this verse! If we know Jesus has called us to serve others, and if we obey Him in that, we will be blessed! Beloved, it is not a burden or a chore to serve others, it is the call of our Lord, and it comes with His promise of blessing!

One Closing Thought

I’m not sure if you’ve ever caught an important detail in the timing of this event. It was very recent when someone pointed it out to me, I wish I could recall who so I could give them credit.

Soon after the foot washing Jesus pointed out Judas Iscariot would be His betrayer. This means that Jesus washed the feet of the man who was soon to betray Him…knowing the whole time that Judas would do so!

Here is the point. God loves the entire world. He wants everyone to be saved. In the same way, we need to be willing to serve anyone the Lord puts in our path, whether we feel like doing so or not. Is this always easy? Certainly not. But do you think it was easy for Jesus to wash the feet of His soon-to-be betrayer?

Lord, please give us the strength to serve, even when it’s difficult.

If you have follow-up thoughts, feel free to reach out to me directly via our contact form. Also, if you’d like to learn more about me and why I create all this content about following Jesus, check out my About page. If you love the content and would like to support this work, please visit Troy Stoneking (buymeacoffee.com). Finally, would you like to see a list of ALL our blog posts? Here it is!

Love you Jesus follower!

-Troy