Left foot, right foot, which foot, spite foot

Those who think washing feet in church is sort of odd and quaint often find humor at the expense of feet-washers. I guess it doesn’t hurt for us to laugh at ourselves. Laughter can be good medicine. R. Inman Johnson told the following (probably made-up) story of the New Harmony Church’s origin:

“A little foot-washing Baptist church over in Georgia got concerned over the complication of the foot-washing procedure as the membership grew. By unanimous vote, they decided they’d wash just one foot instead of both feet. Then the church split over which foot to wash.”

The Arkansas Baptist newsmagazine published this story, November 16, 1961 (p. 23). A little extra humor hides in the name of the church – New Harmony. How often we Baptists call our church splits Fellowship, Harmony, and Unity!

Interestingly, washing feet has held an unusual and unique place in the annals of Baptist history, one Baptist leader advocating it while another decries it. For example, in 1882 J. R. Graves called J. B. Gambrell, who in 1877 founded The Mississippi Baptist Record, “the champion advocate of feet-washing in the Southwest.” According to a preacher whose father was in the founding of the Mt. Zion Association in East Texas, and who himself became an ordained minister in it soon thereafter, recorded that almost all the churches of the once practiced feet washing. Within 100 years, none of them did. I do not know for sure, but I suspect at some point, as he became a leading Southern Baptist minister, J. B. Gambrell, probably quietly dropped any mention of feet washing. R. Inman Johnson taught speech and music for many years at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.

The Tennessee Baptist, May 5, 1882, p. 8

Book Review: Feet Washing - Heritage, Answers, Application

Nearly twelve years ago I reviewed The Washing of the Saints’ Feet by J. Matthew Pinson. Recently I have purchased another book on the topic from a Free Will Baptist author – Feet Washing: Heritage, Answers, Application by Thurmon Murphy.[i] This book is religious non-fiction, available in paperback from Amazon, FWB Publications, or the author.

After a foreword and preface, the author lists the scripture verses that are relevant to the topic, followed by ten chapters that elucidate the subject of washing the saints’ feet as a religious rite. Since Murphy is a Free Will Baptist, readers may come to the book with preconceived ideas – and are likely to be surprised (I did, and I was). Beginning on page 10 the author reveals a five-fold purpose for writing this book. The first is, “I want to show that those who do not practice feet washing are as fully franchised Free Will Baptists as those who do practice it.” Those who are not Free Will Baptists – and perhaps some who are – may be surprised by the notion that there are Free Will Baptists who do not observe feet washing as a rite/ordinance.[ii] Murphy’s aim is to consider both sides (p. 22). He brings a unique perspective by having been on “both sides.” On pages 33-36, he details his journey from one who practiced feet washing as an ordinance to one who believes “that Jesus never intended for us to literally wash one another’s feet.”

To fulfill his purpose of showing that those who do not practice feet washing are “fully franchised Free Will Baptists” the author visits the feet washing heritage of Free Will Baptists in chapters two and three. For the most part, he looks at the treatise, minutes, and writings of the Northern branch of Free Will Baptists, beginning in 1780 with Benjamin Randall. The reasonable conclusion is that Northern Free Will Baptists held a variety of views on the rite, from practicing it to not practicing it. The northern treatise was the foundation of the treatise of the Free Will Baptists who formed the National Association of Free Will Baptists in Nashville, Tennessee in 1935.[iii]

In chapters 5-8, Murphy considers “Six Arguments in Favor of Feet Washing.” He holds that these arguments do not stand up to scrutiny, and that there is “no scriptural or historical evidence that any of the New Testament churches practiced feet washing” (p. 152). He follows this with a chapter positing that the first century churches (after the close of the New Testament) did not practice feet washing. In his final chapter, the author presents “What Jesus Was Teaching.” His view is that the act of Jesus in washing his disciples’ feet teaches humility (p. 172), cleansing (p. 178), and service (p. 184). The author concludes that “When we have humbly served our fellow believers in various ways we have done exactly what Jesus meant for us to do” (p. 187).

Thurmon Murphy’s book is primarily a book by a Free Will Baptist written for Free Will Baptists. He speaks out of his experience to those with similar heritage and experience. This does not render it useless for others, though. There is a good deal of history for those interested in the history of feet washing. There is a good deal of theology for those interested in the theology of feet washing. This book contains valuable information for a broader readership than just Free Will Baptists. And good books on the topic of washing the saints’ feet are not constantly coming to the fore!

Interestingly, Murphy’s aim is at odds with Pinson’s aim (in the book I cite in the first paragraph), part of which is to re-energize the Free Will Baptists’ vision of washing the saints’ feet. Some of Murphy’s aim is more toward re-directing than re-energizing. At times I found Murphy’s views, reasoning, and conclusions at odds with my own as well. I was surprised at his primary focus on the Randall (Northern) movement while mostly ignoring the Palmer (Southern) movement. He explains this on page 134 – “apparently the Palmer movement left little in book form and it is difficult or even impossible to gather much information about them.”

I recommend the book with the understanding that I nevertheless do not agree with Murphy’s main thesis.[iv] If you believe in feet washing as a rite you will not agree with a good deal of what he says. You will find your position challenged (and, if withstanding the challenge, strengthened). If you do not believe in feet washing as a rite, you may come away with new support for your own belief. I am glad that I purchased and read Feet Washing: Heritage, Answers, Application. I think you will be, too.

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[i] Columbus, OH: FWB Publications, 2018. According to the back cover, “Thurmon Murphy is a retired Free Will Baptist pastor with nearly sixty years’ experience…a 1964 graduate of Welch College” who has served in various state and national denominational positions. Murphy is also author of From the Red to the Rio Grande: a History of the Free Will Baptist Work in Texas, 1876 to 2014.

[ii] For example, A Treatise of the Faith and Practices of the National Association of Free Will Baptists, Inc. lists three “Ordinances of the Gospel” – Christian Baptism, the Lord’s Supper, and Washing the Saints’ Feet.

[iii] Most of the Northern Free Will Baptist movement merged with the Northern Baptist Convention (now ABCUSA) in 1911, but the remnant joined with the Southern Free Will Baptists in creating the National Association.

[iv] Feet Washing: Heritage, Answers, Application can be somewhat repetitive, but overall this probably serves Murphy’s five-fold purpose. There are also a few publisher’s issues, in my opinion, such oddities as a different font on the chapter nine heading, or chapter six bearing a different title than the one given in the “Table of Contents.” An index would also improve the usefulness of the book.

A (Foot Washing) Song

A SONG.

1. Come now my Christian brethren, who are in Christ baptis’d,

And learn’d of him humility, and this vain world despis’d;

Let us join with heart and voice, his praise and honor sing;

Extol the name of Jesus, our Prophet, Priest and King.

2. Sing of his humble kindness; tell of his dying love;

Lord pour thy Holy Spirit, upon us from above.

He laid aside his garments, when He rose from his seat,

Pour’d water in a basin, and wash’d his servants feet.

3. Peter forbid his Master, e’en said it ne’er shall be

Jesus answer’d him and said, lo if I wash not thee;

With me thou hast no part in the heav’nly joys above.

Nor in the glorious world of light, nor my redeeming love.

4. Such benefits to Peter, from this his Lord had shown.

Lord my hands and head wash thou, and not my feet alone,

Then Jesus unto him replied, the cleansed soul is meet,

Nor need he further washing, save this, to wash his feet.

5. For to Christ the Traitors heart and all his works were seen,

Therefore said Jesus to them lo ye are not all clean.

Let none of us my brethren against our Lord rebel,

Like Judas sell our Lord for pelf,[i] and sink ourselves to hell.

6. After he their feet had wash’d, and was again set down,

Know ye he said unto them what I to you have done,

If I your feet have wash’d now, as truly it was meet

Who am your Lord and Master: then wash each other’s feet.

7. For an example I have giv’n my followers to you,

As I have done so should ye to one another do;

Now here’s my hand in friendship let us each other greet,

Like Jesus in humility wash one another’s feet.

8. And now we thanks and praises. Dear Lord ascribe to thee,

Who bare the cross to save us, from endless misery,

In love to Jesus Christ and you, come brethren take your seat,

And let us now as Jesus did wash one another’s feet.

The above hymn is transcribed as printed on page 40 of An Attempt to Prove the Propriety and Utility of the Saints Washing One Another’s Feet: in Two Parts (John Lee, St. Louis, MO: Printed at the Gazette Office, 1841). The meter is mostly 7s.6s.D. I have not seen it in any other source, which may suggest that John Lee wrote it.[ii]

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[i] Money, riches, or wealth – especially when acquired by reprehensible means.

[ii] Based on Stanley Kimball’s reference on page 494 in “The Saints and St. Louis, 1831-1857: An Oasis of Tolerance and Security,” (Stanley B. Kimball, Brigham Young University Studies, Vol. 13, No. 4, Summer 1973, pp. 489-519), John Lee may have been a Mormon or ex-Mormon.

The Marrow of Gospel-History, Chapter XVI

For several years, I have researching Baptist hymns on “washing the saints’ feet” (with book hopefully one day to follow).[i] The following poem has previously escaped my attention – The Marrow of Gospel-History by Hercules Collins, which Collins describes as “A Poem on the Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection of our most blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” What follows excerpts four 8-line stanzas on “the Paschal Lamb's Supper,” which includes four lines on “washing the saints’ feet.”

The time draws on, Christ must be gone 

From Earth to Heaven high. 

As Lamb’s prepared, we might regard

That it did typify. 

Pure Shilo’s Fate did intimate, 

That Lamb for us must die; 

Who had no Spot, yet takes his Lot 

To bleed at Calvary

The Paschal Lamb’s Supper be’ng done, 

He blessed Bread did break; 

Lest we forget Love Infinite, 

He gave Command to eat. 

And after supt, he took the Cup, 

Which also signified, 

Blood must be shed, for there is need 

Man’s Soul be purified.

And gave Command, that Act should stand

Until he come again.

For every Church to practice much,

To shew his Death and Pain.

Than after Supper he did utter

A Sign of humble Love,

In washing Feet: Come it’s most meet

We follow him above.

They sweetly sing a blessed Hymn, 

Before he went to die; 

With Heart and Tongue they sweetly sung 

The Praise of God most high, 

The Lord goes out to Olive Mount, 

And Gethsemain also; 

Saith he, my Soul is sorrowful, 

My Griefs no Man doth know.

The Marrow of Gospel-History, or, A Diversion for Youth at their Spare Hours being a Poem on the Birth, Life, Death, and Resurrection of our most blessed Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ by Hercules Collins, London: Printed for the author, 1696 (Copied as transcribed by Mark Nenadov, Essex, Ontario, 2013, pages 15-16 in this transcription)

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[i] This is intended to be a companion to Materials Toward a History of Feet Washing Among the Baptists: Consisting of Historical References to the Practice Among the Missionary Baptists, Including Miscellaneous Notes on Other Groups.

Virginia Baptist minister William Marshall

William Marshall: "His strong mind, deep research, and prayerful spirit, well qualified him to clear the subjects he discussed, of all ambiguity. He was rather inclined to consider the command to wash the disciples' feet, &c. as obligatory on all Christians." -- Lives of Virginia Baptist Ministers, James Barnett Taylor, 1838, p. 105

Mary at the Feet of Christ.

"For she loved much..." Luke 7:47

1 When Mary to the Heavenly Guest 

Her duteous offering made,

And, faith's allegiance to attest, 

Her weeping homage paid; 

2 The heavy drops, distinctly traced 

On His untended feet, 

Soon every stain of toil effaced, 

And gave Him welcome meet.

3 She with her veil of folding hair 

The broidered woof supplied, 

And ministered with gentlest care 

The rites His host denied. 

4 Then, on that more than regal head, 

(Unseen its glory-crown,)

The broken alabaster shed 

Its costly incense down. 

5 More precious than her Indian nard 

The homage it expressed,— 

The humblest, holiest regard, 

Her contrite tears confessed. 

6 So would I bow, ascended King! 

And thy forgiveness move.

No worthy tribute can I bring: 

Thou wilt the Giver prove. 

7 So at thy feet my faith shall live, 

By love adoring led; 

My heart its broken marble give, 

But Thou the perfume shed.

--Mrs. Josiah Conder (nee Joan Elisabeth Thomas)

Feet washing and supper

John 13:1-17 1 Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17 If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

In two previous feet-related texts I investigated from a more devotional nature. In John's account of Jesus washing His disciples' feet, I'd like to consider the timing of the feet washing. It is fairly common, perhaps nearly universal, among old-timey Baptists that observe washing the saints' feet in connection with the Lord's Supper to have the supper first and the feet washing last. I knew one Faithway Baptist minister who believed the feet washing occurred first but with deference followed the practice of his churches in observing it last. It is my conviction that the washing of the saints' feet precedes the bread and wine both chronologically and logically.

Chronologically. Some few writers, who appear determined to distance feet washing from communion, argue that the Jesus washing the disciples' feet does not occur on the same night as the Lord's Supper. While there may be some wondering, the full context of John 13 places the timing together. In his Harmony of the Gospels, A. T. Robertson writes, "It is not worth while to maintain that John in chapter 13 alludes to a different meal on a different occasion. The points of contact with the Synoptics are too sharp and clear, such as the sop given to Judas." (p. 281) Others remark that the feet washing occurred during the midst of the supper and should be thus translated (e.g. "so He got up from supper," HCSB). Because the King James and other English texts state "supper being ended," many consider the incident occurring after the institution of the Lord's Supper. While one cannot erase all doubts, there is a simple explanation that fits the text and harmonizes with the disciples singing an hymn and departing after the Lord's Supper. This is that the supper that was ended was the Passover supper, from whence Jesus constituted the New Testament supper of His body and blood. This fits theologically as well, for this was an ending of the old and installation of the new.

Logically. Not only does the actual incident precede the institution of the Lord's Supper chronologically, the symbols of its nature also logically precede it. Jesus, the Son of the Father in heaven, laid aside his beauty, glory and power, took on human flesh, and came to serve rather than be served. The ultimate end of that service was His death, giving His life and blood a ransom on the cross. He first laid aside His glory of deity and became man in the flesh, then offered His life. This is pictured vividly in the feet washing incident, as He lays His garments by and girds Himself with a towel and washes His disciples. One precedes the other, and how much fuller the lesson of these glorious symbols when they follow the order of Christ's mission!

Theologically and historically the incarnation precedes the crucifixion. Just as surely the symbols should agree with this fact.

Jesus washing His disciples' feet provided them (and us) an example to go and do likewise. It also paints a beautiful picture of a sovereign Lord who could not stoop too low to serve His people, but stepped out of heaven's glory fashioned as a man to serve, to be nailed to a cross, to give His life a ransom.

O how happy are they,
Who the Savior obey,
And whose treasure is laid up above!
Tongue can never express
The sweet comfort and peace
Of a soul in its earliest love.
--From "True Happiness" by Charles Wesley

Six years later: Interview with Matthew Pinson on The Washing of the Saints' Feet

In 2006 Matthew Pinson published his book The Washing of the Saints' Feet. After its publication, I purchased the book, read it, reviewed it, and recommended it. Six years later I still recommend it. Six years later the author has agreed to the following interview. I hope you will find it interesting. J. Matthew Pinson is a Free Will Baptist minister & educator, and president of Welch College in Nashville, Tennessee.

R. L. Vaughn: Brother Pinson, one of your reasons for writing the book was to re-energize the Free Will Baptists' vision of washing the saints' feet. Why did you feel the vision needed re-energizing, and do you feel the book has helped accomplish that goal?
Matthew Pinson: Free Will Baptists are not isolated from the wider evangelical lack of attention to ecclesiology. Like other evangelicals, we have drunk in our fair share of consumer values and pragmatism in our attempt to grow our churches--concerned more about what will attract people than about the sufficiency of the new covenant means of grace. However, a younger generation is becoming more interested in ecclesiology, as it is in biblical theology and the Christian tradition. There is more of an interest in what Timothy George has referred to as "renewal through retrieval." Younger Free Will Baptists are not alone in this. But part of what is involved when younger Free Will Baptists engage in renewal through retrieval is the retrieval of the washing of the saints' feet. Most of the people I get emails from who have benefited from my book, used it for church Bible studies, etc., have been younger, well-educated Free Will Baptist pastors, youth ministers, etc. As we move forward, this will no doubt have the effect of helping to re-energize the vision for the rite of washing the saints' feet.

R. L. Vaughn: You also hoped that the book would help to offer that vision of washing feet to the wider Christian family. Have you seen or heard of any response of such an accomplishment?

Matthew Pinson: I don't really have any knowledge of how the book has been received outside Free Will Baptists. You reviewed it, as did another feet-washing friendly Baptist, Robert Gardner, a historian at Mercer University. He gave it a positive review in Baptist History and Heritage. It was also reviewed positively in a Mennonite academic journal--I think the Conrad Grebel Review, which I think is published in Canada. It seems that there was also an Anabaptist reviewer in Europe that gave it a good review. This is all I know about its reception outside Free Will Baptist circles.

R. L. Vaughn: Have any of your views about feet washing changed since the publication of the book? If so, in what way?
Matthew Pinson: None of my main views have changed. However, I continue to develop and broaden my understanding of the concept of "ordinances" in Free Church life, especially in Baptist life. I am becoming convinced that, in Baptist life, the word and concept of "ordinance" gradually morphed from talking about simply a God-ordained church practice to being a Baptist synonym for "sacrament." This development made the subsequent jettisoning of the washing of feet by the myriad Baptists (Arminian and Calvinist alike) who practiced the rite an easier development--they simply parroted much of the sacramental language and categories of the wider non-Baptist Reformed movement, just without the deeper sacramental theology. Thus the "two sacraments" of the Magisterial Reformation became the "two ordinances" of many Baptists as they moved into modernity. This may not have happened as much if Baptists had retained the earlier usage of the concept of "ordinance" simply to mean a God-ordained Christian practice, rather than using it as a synonym for "non-sacramental sacraments." This does not mean, of course, that early Baptists did not use sacramental language (and we all know that all sorts of ritual ordinances were more important to early Baptists in England and America than they are now--rather than just being "tacked on" like they are now), even though it would still be seen as very "non-sacramental" to Reformed, Lutheran, or Anglican communicants. 

R. L. Vaughn: You included six songs in your book on feet washing. This seems unique in comparison to many such treatises. What motivated you to include these songs? Are songs on washing the saints' feet an important part of Free Will Baptist worship?
Matthew Pinson: My interest in the Christian tradition in general and the Free Will Baptist and larger Baptist traditions in particular, together with my musical interests, have fueled a fascination with the way Christians prior to recent times utilized song to inculcate doctrine. They saw themselves as fulfilling the command from Col. 3:16 about letting the word of Christ dwell in his people richly as they teach and admonish one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. The Baptists in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries led the way in the development of extra-canonical hymnody (as opposed to exclusive psalmody). But, as some research I've been doing on the English General Baptist Joseph Wright and the English Particular Baptist Benjamin Keach (both seventeenth century) has shown, they were very intent on fulfilling the command in Col. 3:16. The main reason for hymnody, as they saw it, was to teach doctrine. They would have been completely mystified by the shallowness and non-doctrinal nature of much of our evangelical church music of late. It was obvious to these people, and to most of our Baptist forebears, that the practices of the church, including things like baptism, the Lord's supper, and feet washing, should be sung about by the people of God. Yet this seems so foreign to our time.  Believing as I do in the need to renew the church by the retrieval of Christian song which fulfills the dictates of Col. 3:16, and believing that good theology is always doxological, and given that what I am writing about in this book is itself a worship practice, I thought it was fitting to publish these songs. The music to one of the songs was even originally written for the book by my friend Dr. James Stevens, chair of the Music department at Welch College.

R. L. Vaughn: Were there any objections to your proposal that feet washing symbolizes resurrection, and if so, how would you answer those objections?
Matthew Pinson: I can't really remember, but it does seem that there were a few people that balked at that. If I were writing the book now, I would probably clarify a little more that it is not that the washing of feet necessarily directly represents the resurrection of Christ. Rather, it represents sanctification--which is referred to in Scripture (Rom. 6) as resurrection to new life (our identification with Christ in his resurrection), whereas justification is referred to as being planted together with Christ in his death (our identification with Christ in his resurrection). The trouble I see is that the Lord's supper doesn't seem to have a referent to sanctification (the horizontal) as it does to Christ's work an its appropriation in justification (the vertical). My use of the categories of identification with Christ in his death (justification) and my identification with Christ in new resurrection life (sanctification) should not be abstracted from the vertical/horizontal and first great commandment/second great commandment categories. I simply believe that the Lord's Supper more naturally symbolizes our identification with Christ's death (justification), our vertical relationship with God, and the first great commandment, whereas it doesn't directly picture our sanctification (Rom. 6--resurrection life), the horizontal outworking of our relationship with God, and the second great commandment. 

R. L. Vaughn: What, if anything, might you do differently if you were writing the book today?
Matthew Pinson: The things I mentioned above.

R. L. Vaughn: Is there anything you would like to add that I forgot to ask?
Matthew Pinson: No. Thank you so much for the opportunity to discuss this book.

R. L. Vaughn: Thank you so much for giving of your time for this interview, and the discussion of your book and the subject of washing the saints' feet.

Matt Pinson speaks on "The Washing of the Saints Feet" from John 13
Book review by Pieter Post
Book review by Robert Gardner

A meal and a feet washing

Luke 7:36-50 And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. 37 And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, 38 And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. 39 Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner. 40 And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on. 41 There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. 42 And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most? 43 Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. 44 And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. 45 Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. 46 My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. 47 Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. 48 And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven. 49 And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? 50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.

A meal
“In Luke’s Gospel Jesus is either going to a meal, at a meal, or coming from a meal,” says Robert Karris, author of Eating Your Way Through Luke’s Gospel. At least nine such accounts are recorded*. An oft-repeated complaint of the Pharisees was that Jesus ate with publicans and sinners (Cf. Luke 5:30 7:34; 15:2). “The Son of Man is come eating and drinking, and ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners.” This story reminds us that Jesus not only ate with publicans and sinners, but also with Pharisees and lawyers (Cf. Luke 14:1-6). Often we only see what we want to see, only what pride and prejudices allow. The truth is that Jesus is no respecter of persons, but if any man will hear His voice and open the door, He will come in sup with him.

A feet washing
At this meal with the Pharisee appeared an uninvited guest – a sinful woman with a dark reputation. Surprisingly the woman weeps profusely and begins to take those tears as water to wash Jesus’ feet. Her hair supplies the rag to wipe them, and with her lips she vigorously kisses those sacred feet. An ointment that cost her greatly is then applied to Jesus’ feet. Simon, the host and a Pharisee, is flabbergasted, privately thinking ill of Jesus – if he really were a prophet, he would know the sinful reputation of this woman and not let her near him, much less wash and kiss his feet. But Jesus did know this woman and her sins (Cf. verses 47-38). Knowing Simon’s thoughts, Jesus puts forward a parable illustrating the source of the woman’s actions – she loves much because she has been forgiven much! The woman, the forgiven, worships Jesus without words. Jesus, the forgiver, justifies her actions by His words. She stood forgiven. She could go in peace. “Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace with God.”

May we feast with Jesus, may we worship at His feet.

Jesus! What a friend for sinners!
Jesus! Lover of my soul;
Friends may fail me, foes assail me,
He, my Savior, makes me whole.**

*Luke 5:27-32 (Matthew Levi, a publican)
Luke 6:1-5              (In the corn fields)
Luke 7:36-50          (Simon, a Pharisee)
Luke 9:12-17          (5000 fed)
Luke 11:37-54 (A certain Pharisee)
Luke 14:1-24          (A chief of the Pharisees)
Luke 19:1-10          (Zaccheus, a publican)
Luke 22:7-20           (With the twelve)
Luke 24:13-32 (Cleophas and other disciples)
Luke 24:41-42 (With the eleven)
(And many many other lessons involving eating)

** Hymn by J. Wilbur Chapman