Is Footwashing in the New Testament a Command or Just Symbolic?
1) Direct Answer
It is a command to be practiced by believers. It is not merely symbolic, though it carries a spiritual meaning. Footwashing is a New Testament ordinance tied to the Lord’s Supper.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Jesus said, “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet… I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you… If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:14–15, 17).
- He explained the spiritual meaning—cleansing in our daily walk—yet still told them to do it (John 13:8–10).
- The early church continued it: a faithful widow is described as one who “washed the saints’ feet” (1 Timothy 5:10).
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- Jesus didn’t say, “Think about what I did,” but, “Do as I have done to you.” That’s a command.
- If it were only cultural, the Holy Spirit would not have stamped it in the church record as a mark of faithful service (1 Timothy 5:10).
- Like water baptism and the Lord’s Supper, it is both meaningful and to be literally observed. The act expresses humility, fellowship, and the reminder that the Lord keeps us clean in our daily walk—but He still told us to do it.
4) Reinforcing Statement
Now notice, the Bible ties blessing to obedience: “Happy are ye if ye do them.” So we keep it because the Lord said so. It’s not three ideas or traditions—it’s one simple command: wash one another’s feet.
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Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
On the wings of a snow-white Dove
65-1128E §18
Now, I've always talked about the dove being a symbol of God, and the crow being a symbol of the hypocrite. A crow can sit on an old dead carcass and eat all day long, and fly right out in the field and eat wheat with the dove. But the dove can eat wheat all right, but it can't eat the dead carcass. See? He just can't do it, he can't stomach it. And I wondered why he couldn't do it; they're both fowls, both birds. But why? It's the structure of them. That's the way it is with a genuine Christian. Just a denominatio...
The anointed ones at the end time
65-0725M §60
Zedekiah said, "The Lord spoke to me, 'Make me these two horns of iron,'" a symbol; a prophet usually gives symbols. "He said, 'Make these horns of iron.' The Holy Spirit said to me, 'Take these...' The anointing that blessed me (Don't think it is a sacrificial, but to get in a point.), the Holy Spirit that speaks in tongues through me, the one that's vindicated me, He said, "Take these horns, and by this tell the king that he will push Syria plumb out of the country. And I will give him back the land that rightly...
Church Ages, part 2: The Patmos Vision
60-1204E §18
Now, these virgins that did not get the Holy Spirit, you remember, the only thing they lacked was oil in their lamps. Is that right? The Bible said the oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. That's the reason we anoint the sick with oil, and so forth, because it's a symbol of the Holy Spirit. Now. And then if the Holy Spirit did not come upon them, they did not have it. And then when He come, they said... Now, to the virgins that did have the oil, said... You see, they were back in the church age. There was some of them i...
Token
63-0901M §137
Now, remember, Hebrews, 13:10-20, a "everlasting covenant." God's Blood-bound promise makes us free from sin. Amen! There is no sin in Him. Sin, self, flesh. Worship Him, and show forth His promised power. God's Blood-bound, Token-bound covenant people, has the Spirit of Jesus Christ in here that "He that believeth on Me, the works that I do, shall he do also." Displaying the covenant, see. New Testament, "testament" means covenant. That is right, isn't it Dr. Vayle? Testament means covenant. The New Testament mean...
Church Ages, part 1: Revelation Chapter 1
60-1204M §39
And the book of Revelation has more symbols in it than all the rest of the books in the Bible. It has more symbols because it is a book of prophecy. It's a prophetic book. Therefore, it has to be understood by a prophetic class. This book is not meant for everybody. There's nobody can understand it, hardly. This book is made for a certain class of people. Over in Deuteronomy it says, "The hidden things belong to the Lord." That is right. And He reveals to us, his children, the hidden things. So it doesn't go... The...