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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What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
The Mark of the Beast
54-0513 §18
Now, we're going to begin. Turn in your Bible now to the 13th chapter of Revelations, and we will start just in a few moments. Now, this is very essential. And listen closely now. First, we want to pick up our subject from last night. Last night we taken on the church ages, how that we saw Jesus standing in His church, "Speaking as the voice of many waters and He had hair like wool; eyes like flames of fire." Remember, all the Revelation is a vision, and symbolic. All of it has a meaning, so you have to watch close...
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 5:E-161
Now with this thought in mind, look at the verse again. "I will give him the hidden manna." We all know that the manna was angel food; it was what God sent down upon the grass for Israel at the time of their wanderings. It was perfect food. It was amazing how those little pellets of food kept them in perfect health. No one got sick. It was all they needed. When the ark was made they put some of that manna into it. Then the ark was put behind the veil and only the high priest would dare approach unto it and then he...
Revelation, Book of symbols
56-0617 §10
The book of Revelation was the sealing of the last testimony of the Lord Jesus. And it was given... The first chapter, we'll start at. I was thinking maybe we would start over in some of the other symbols. Now, the whole book is written by symbols. There is hardly anything just direct with the Word, where you just place it right out and say... It's by symbols. And God has a way of doing that, and a reason for doing it. God does nothing without He has a reason behind it. And would anybody (this is a class now), woul...
Seals 6: The Fourth Seal
63-0321 §18
John even saw it, the announcement when the first come forth. He said, "A white horse went forth. He had a rider on it. He had a bow in his hand." That's symbol. That isn't revealed. No, it's just a symbol. And as far as any man upon the earth, that's all he could say. That's right. He might stumble and stagger---no doubt hit somewhere here or there, and after awhile... But we find out then that in the book of the Revelation at the seventh angel's message, the mysteries---all the mysteries of it---should already be...
A Hidden Life
55-1006A §14
Now, God has made it so wonderful that in the Old Testament, where usually I go to for refuge for a text once in a while... He's made the Old Testament in parables and in symbolic forms to express Himself and His doings, that the simple-minded might be able to have a conception of His will and what He's done. Many times in the Old Testament, how I have went back to find the Old typing the New. Always, God did and what He's doing now in the New Testament, He foreshadowed it in the Old Testament. And all of those who...