p. 327 | Ought by Editor

Seventh-day Adventist Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Jul 26, 1883

"Ought."

By Editor

THE following communication we find in the Christian Herald (Disciple), in answer to a statement previously made that feet-washing was not enjoined by Christ, and ought not therefore to be practiced as an ordinance. How any one can read the thirteenth chapter of John and not come to the same conclusion that the author of this article does, we cannot imagine:—

In love I desire to submit a few thoughts. There is no question as to feet-washing under certain circumstances; but as an ordinance what saith the record? Jesus was engaged in the act of washing the disciples' feet when Peter objected. Jesus answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me." Can it be conjectured that the washing was because of the dust that had adhered through the day and that this was preparatory to the usual rest at night? Did Peter so understand Jesus? "Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit." The washing here referred to is the same as 15th chap., 3d verse, "Ye are clean through the word," and he that is thus cleansed needeth not "save to wash his feet." Jesus said to them, "Ye are not all clean," having reference to the "inner man" authenticated by Judas' work that night. Why the feet-washing? Where is the key to solve the question? "Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." First teach, then baptize them, and then teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you"—to observe. We claim our authority from this commission; and for church ordinances we go to the form as instituted by our great Exemplar. "Ye call me Master and Lord (Master is teacher and Lord is one having authority to command), and ye say well, for so I am; If I then the Lord and the Master have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet." Why? "For I have given you an example that ye should also do as I have done to you." Truly, "a servant is not greater than his Lord, neither an apostle that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things [the supper, the feet-washing, the bread, and the wine] blessed are ye if ye do them." Shall we, with the words of life in our hands, single out from the institutions of one single hour and say, that this only is binding on us? The very fact that Jesus was speaking not of bodily cleansing, saying nothing of the corresponding fact that these things were not preparatory for a night of rest, teaches us that as the bread and wine is monumental—an evidence of our faith, so is the feet-washing a token of that humility of soul and brotherly love that permeates the church and should live together, since our Saviour gave them divine authority, and connected and designated them "these things," and since the "servant is not greater than his Lord," would it not be well for us, as followers of an exemplar, to consider, in the absence of that which declares null and void, the institutions of our Saviour as binding on us?