Encore Post: At the time of Jesus, bathing was an important part of being cultured. The Romans especially prized their public baths that was as much a part of daily life as going to the gym to work out is today. Especially when you were going to a banquet, you would visit the baths before you went. In addition to this, in the tradition of the Pharisees, Jewish people would ritually wash themselves and everything they would use to serve food. Especially for the Passover, when no leaven was allowed to be eaten, these rituals would be strictly followed.
The problem was you couldn’t avoid getting your feet dirty in an age when you wore sandals and walked on dirt roads. In well-to-do homes, a gentile slave would be provided to the guests to wash their feet. A disciple would do many things for his master, but footwashing was seen as unworthy of them. When there was no slave, you would wash your own feet.
That is why Jesus’ action was so shocking. The last one who should be washing feet is the Lord. Yet, he is one who serves us all. Because he would wash feet, so also we are called to meet every need of everyone.
Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana
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