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.
Ask a Follow-up Question
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 Token
64-0308 §14
Peter said on the day of Pentecost, "Repent, every one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to them that's far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call." See, not showing it just to them---as many as the Lord will call. There's many think they're called. But all the Lord calls, those who He foreknew, He called. All who He called He justified. All who He justified He ha...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §81
Now the five wise virgins... Now, oil in the Bible symbolizes the Holy Spirit. We all know that. That's why we anoint the sick with oil, and oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. So the wise had oil in their lamps, which was the Holy Spirit, so they were ready to go in at the wedding supper. And we could go back in Ezekiel 9, and so forth, and pull out and show, but I got about fifteen more scriptures wrote out here. So oil ... I believe we've already had it in our class this week, that oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit. We...
God making His promise
56-1209A §26
But when Christ comes on the scene, that changes everything. Not teach theology, but preach the Gospel. Demonstrate the power of the Holy Spirit in all the world: the risen Jesus Christ alive just as much today as He ever was, never die no more. He died once and rose again, and He's alive. Now, in the type of seeing Him the lamb: the lamb was used many times, or practically every time, and the first time as a symbol of Christ. Back in Genesis where God provided a lamb, a lamb was a symbol looking to Christ because...
Seals 3: The First Seal
63-0318 §68
Then when the Lamb took the Book and broke that First Seal, God spoke from His eternal throne to say what that Seal was to be revealed. But when it was placed before John, it was in a symbol. When John saw it, it was still a mystery. Why? It wasn't even revealed right then. It cannot be revealed until what He said here at the end-time. But it come in a symbol. When it thundered, remember, a loud clapping noise of a thunder is the voice of God. That's what the Bible says, see-a clap of thunder! They thought it was a...
The Lamb's book of life
56-0603 §24
Let's get over here just a minute. Turn with me back to, I believe it's the 12th chapter of Revelations. Let's get over in that just a moment, and see if we can't get just a little bit of something good right here to start with. Thinking of shadow. Now, let's read again now, you with your Bible. And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman [What does woman represent in the Bible? Church.] a woman clothed with the sun [That was her garment she had on, see], and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a cr...