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.
Lamb and Dove
60-0805 §11
And this, tonight, is an awful unusual text, but God is unusual. And He does things in an unusual way, at an unusual time, with unusual people. He's altogether unusual. And I think this is one of the most striking instances of all the Scriptures. When it so pleased God, that when He wanted to symbolize His Son on earth, it was called a lamb: "The Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world." And then when God was going to symbolize Himself, He was represented by a dove. Now, if you notice, of all the creatures...
Seals 4: The Second Seal
63-0319 §34
And these things that we are talking about was to be revealed at the last day, just before the last trumpet, at the end of the message of the last church age. That's right. If you want to read that now, you can turn to... I referred to you last night two or three times, Revelation 10:1 to 7: And in the days of the sounding of the seventh angel's message, the mystery of God would be revealed and finished. And there's only one thing left when this seven-sealed book is opened. Then the entire mystery of God... Why, we...
Seals 6: The Fourth Seal
63-0321 §44
Now, we had symbols, and we've probed at it, and done very good sometimes, see. But we know it's moved right on. But now, in the last days we can look back and see where it has been. And then it's supposed to be done there at the end of the church age, just before the rapture. How anyone can get the church going through the tribulation, I don't know. But ... what's it got to go through the tribulation for, when it hasn't got a sin? I mean the ... I don't mean the church; the church will go through the tribulation....
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...