Church of God, In Truth
Footwashing
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Footwashing
FOOTWASHING
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"Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded" (John 13:3-5).
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The Church of God, In Truth received a letter concerning the ceremony and the protocol for foot washing at Passover service. The letter states: "We have studied into the Passover for a few weeks. One of the more interesting points which was brought to our attention was when do we wash our feet, should it be before the partaking of the unleavened bread and wine or after? The Worldwide Church of God for a long time has always washed members feet before the service and not after. John 13:2 "And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him; verse 3, ‘Jesus'....verse 4, rose from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. Verse 5, after that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet..." Two interesting points, firstly in verse 2, notice the words, "and supper being ended" and in verse 4, "rose from supper and laid aside His garments" but who is He speaking about? Verse 3, "Jesus....." Jesus Christ established the Lord's Supper first, then He washed the disciple's feet verse 5." Why did the Worldwide Church of God for years, teach it the opposite way around? Was this for convenience sake? Secondly, Judas Iscariot ate the Lord's supper and participated in the foot washing".
The Lord' supper is a Biblical command to Christians to observe and memorialize Christ's death. This memorial Passover is described by two Apostles that were eye witnesses and participants in these events. Their names are Matthew and John. Mark and Luke were inspired to fill in some of the details as well as the Apostle Paul in his instructions to the Corinthian Church.
Through these men, on the evening before Christ' death we are told that Jesus met with His disciples in a large upper room for the observance of the Passover. "And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, ‘Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the Passover with My disciples?' And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us. And His disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as He had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover" (Mark 14:14-16). Notice that Matthews' account of this same event is not as detailed. ‘Now, the first of unleavened the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto Him, "Where wilt thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the Passover?" (Matt 26:17, Interlinear Bible). "And He said, Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, The Master saith, My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at thy house with My disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the Passover" (Matt 26:18-19 KJV).
The Passover is always observed on the evening of the 14th day of the first month. The first day of each month begins with a true new moon.
Christ's last Passover meal with His disciples was on the evening before His death. It was at this Passover meal that Christ instituted the new symbols that are memorialized today. Jesus left some definite and specific instructions for His people. Let's start with and notice what John, an eyewitness stated. "And supper being ended, [textual evidence is divided between this and the reading "while supper was in progress," a piecing together of information provided by the various gospel writers leads to the conclusion that the latter reading is correct," SDA Commentary, page 1028 Book 5]. Up to this point the disciples were comfortably eating the Passover meal, that was taught them from the Old Testament [this supper was the commanded meal as described in Exodus 12 and verse 8]. "The devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him; Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He was come from God, and went to God; He riseth from supper, and laid aside His garments; and took a towel, and girded Himself. After that He poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith He was girded" (John 13:2-5). This ceremony, the washing of the disciples feet, was not part of the Old Testament observance of Passover. Foot washing was now being instituted for the first time.
Looking now at another eyewitness who was at the Lord's last Passover. "Now, when the even was come, He sat down with the twelve. And as they did eat, [the Old Testament Passover meal], He said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me. And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto Him, "Lord, is it I?" And He answered and said, "He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, the same shall betray Me." The Son of man goeth as it is written of Him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. Then Judas, which betrayed Him, answered and said, ‘Master, is it I?' He said unto him, ‘Thou hast said' (Matt 26:20-25). This took place during the Passover meal, that is described in Exodus 12. This [Exodus 12] Passover meal took place just prior to the foot washing in John 13. Notice what Christ said to Simon Peter, "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, "Ye are not all clean." When Jesus had thus said, He was troubled in spirit, and testified, and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, that one of you shall betray Me. Then the disciples looked one on another, doubting of whom He spake. Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved. Simon Peter therefore beckoned to him, that he should ask who it should be of whom he spake. He then lying on Jesus' breast saith unto Him, Lord, who is it? Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when He had dipped the sop, He gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, ‘What thou doest, do quickly.' Now no man at the table knew for what intent He spake this unto him. For some of them thought, because Judas had the bag [money bag], that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the feast; or, that he should give something to the poor. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night" (John 13:10-11,21-30). The eleven disciples who remained were given the instructions and the New Testament symbols of the bread and wine.
The 14th day of God's first month was the day that Christ gave His literal body as a sacrifice. He poured out His life's blood for the forgiveness of man's sins. Paul quoted Jesus, "After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come" (1 Cor. 11:25-27). "Often" refers to something done once a year, especially when done for many years. "Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the High Priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself" (Heb. 9:25-26).
The evening [that starts the day] of the 14th day of the first month is the day we are to commemorate Christ's death. Wine is the symbol to help us to recognize that through Christ's blood we are cleansed and reconciled to God for the forgiveness of our sins. "But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). "And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom" (Matt 26:27-29). What a wonderful thing it is to look forward with great anticipation to God's Kingdom.
We will drink together with Christ. Wine symbolizes rejoicing and joy. Solomon and David said, "And wine that maketh glad the heart of man" (Psa. 104:15). "A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry" (Ecc. 10:19). Christ is looking forward to the time when He will celebrate and rejoice with us in our Father's Kingdom. Pray always for God's Kingdom to come!
Matthew who was an eyewitness to Christ's last Passover with the disciples described the Passover scene as follows: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body" (Matt. 26:26). Unleavened bread was the type of bread used for the Old Testament Passover meal. Jesus and His disciples knew that no leaven was permitted to be eaten with the Passover meal. "And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it" (Exo. 12:8).
Paul also said, "Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Cor. 5:7-8). The feast Paul refers to is the feast of Passover. Leaven is symbolized in the Bible as sin. Leaven denotes sinfulness. The unleavened bread is appropriate since it represents Jesus Christ's sinless and fleshly body. "For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens" (Heb. 7:26). "Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not; but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously: Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed" (1 Peter 2:22-24). Unleavened bread is flat and brittle, not soft. Christ's example at Passover was to take bread and break it. "And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me" (1 Cor. 11:24). "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body" (Matt. 26:26). Had it been leavened bread, He would have referred to it as a loaf. For example, "And He commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude" (Matt. 14:19).
Partaking of the Passover meal, eating the bread, and drinking the wine is an acknowledgment that we are united together in Christ. It is an outward symbol of complete unity. The Apostle Paul says, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread" (1 Cor 10:16-17). The Apostle Paul further writes, "Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body" (1 Cor. 11:27-29). Unclean, unscriptural, or hypocritical practices would disqualify one from eating the Passover. These practices cause the person to eat and drink judgement. They fail to appreciate Christ's sacrifice, it's purpose, and it's meaning. To eat and drink unworthily shows disrespect and contempt for the sacrifice of Christ. "He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know Him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto Me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:28-31). Judas Iscariot found this out.
Before instituting the new emblems for Passover, Christ rose, while eating the Old Testament Passover meal with the twelve disciples, He began washing their feet. Christ knew that Judas Iscariot was going to betray Him. That is why He said to him "He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. For He knew who should betray Him; therefore said He, Ye are not all clean. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with Me hath lifted up his heel against Me" (John 13:10-11,18). Christ knew those who would remain humble and faithful to Him. Judas Iscariot ate the Old Testament Passover meal with Christ and fulfilled prophesy as Christ said in verse 18, "Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of My bread, hath lifted up his heel against Me" (Psa 41:9). John's eyewitness account indicates that Jesus dismissed Judas Iscariot before instituting the new Passover symbols. After this event, Jesus Christ passed the new symbols of bread and the wine to the eleven remaining Apostles and told them to eat and drink.
Afterward, Christ spoke to them, acknowledging that Judas had already been dismissed. "Ye are they which have continued with Me in My temptations. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me; That ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Luke 22:28-30).
Judas Iscariot partook of the Old Testament Passover meal and the foot washing as John 13:21 makes clear. However he did not partake of the symbols of the newly instituted "bread and wine". Once Jesus gave the sop to Judas Iscariot, he left the room (John 13:21-32). You and I are going to be kings and priests. We must be clean in order to partake of Christ's sacrifice. "And that ye may put difference between Holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean" (Lev. 10:10). "Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the Holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them" (Eze. 22:26). Anyone that was unclean as determined by the law was forbidden to eat a communion sacrifice. The offender knew and was knowledgeable about God's law of being cut off from God. "But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the LORD, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people. Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the LORD, even that soul shall be cut off from his people" (Lev. 7:20-21).
Foot washing pertains to renewing or reviewing our baptismal vows. Foot washing is symbolic of the sacraments of baptism, it conveys a lesson in humility. Christ washed the feet of His disciples in connection with the Last Supper. He left them with an example of true humility and admonished them to follow His example. "If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord; neither He that is sent greater than He that sent Him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John 13:14-17). Judas Iscariot was not clean. He was unqualified to partake of the New Testament Passover symbols that was instituted at that time. "And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly. He then having received the sop went immediately out: and it was night. Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in Him" (John 13:27,30-31).
We are to be clean before taking the Passover of Christ's body and blood. "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you" (John 15:3).
James Russell
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