I'd Like Opinions Here About This Washing Of The Feet

[Righteousone]

Since holy Thursday is coming, and the custom of our priests is to wash the feet of the Apostles just like in the New Testament. Jesus chose 12 men and 12 men only to do this kind act. It bothers me when I see women get up and take off their shoes to have this done. I’d like to keep the tradition that Jesus did and keep it 12 men. I just feel uncomfortable to see women get up there as that how it wasn’t in the bible.
Do the Protestants do the washing of the feet also? Do other religions? How do you feel about women involved as it wasn’t in the bible? Does it have to do with woman’s lib?

 

[adventistnomore]

Well, no one alive today are apostles, either; we cannot read precedent into every detail of John 13.

That being said, I think it is wise that only males participate in the ceremony. Male priests should not avoid touching women–especially an exposed foot, which can carry a sexual fetish for some men. In the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which practices footwashing four times a year, one can only wash the feet of another individual of the same sex. Men and women observe the rite in separate rooms, for the sake of modesty/chastity.

I think this is a safer solution, but I know some women may read this the wrong way (and believe they are being “excluded” from the rite). I believe the pastor himself must prayerfully arrive at an appropriate decision, and articulate his reasons for avoiding contact with the opposite sex, if so inclined.

 

[jkarp]

Well, no one alive today are apostles, either;

What about the Bishops?

 

[bpbasilphx]

In the Byzantine tradititon, it’s a liturgical drama done by the Bishop and 12 priests (or an abbot and 12 monks). The Senior priest/monk says the words of St. Peter (“Lord, You shall never wash my feet…”) and the Bishop/Abbot says the words of the Lord.

 

[FaithofAbraham]

Matthew 10:14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

Washing each other’s feet is really helping each other to restore faith after you have been out preaching in the world and the doubt of unbelievers is clinging to you and making you discouraged.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

So it’s not really about washing feet.

 

[love4mary]

Faithof Abraham, I always thought the Washing of Feet was to teach humility and being a servant. Jesus demonstrated thats its more important to serve then to Be served, and to do so with humility.

And as for my opinion, as Jesus taught and did, so should we. It should be 12 adult males,no women or children as is the case in my parish.

 

[FaithofAbraham]

Faithof Abraham, I always thought the Washing of Feet was to teach humility and being a servant. Jesus demonstrated thats its more important to serve then to Be served, and to do so with humility.

And as for my opinion, as Jesus taught and did, so should we. It should be 12 adult males,no women or children as is the case in my parish.

No, that’s a fable. It’s to teach that believers – men, women, children, whatever – need to stick together and fight the enemy of unbelief.

John 13:10-11 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. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.

Judas doubted Jesus, he still had leaven and dust of the world on his feet.

John 13:12-15 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? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

“Start learning how to keep sin and doubt out from among you, starting with Judas there.”

John 13:16-18 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. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. I speak not of you all: I know whom I have chosen: but that the scripture may be fulfilled, He that eateth bread with me hath lifted up his heel against me.

Judas with the dirty heel.

 

[Claire_from_DE]

My opinion is, when done as it is done in my parish, it can be done reverently and I like it. My pastor asks 12 men, women, and children who were new to the parish during the past year to take part. However, since the GIRM calls for it to be done to men, we should do as directed.

This is a visual representation of what Jesus did at the last supper to show the apostles that they were to serve others as Jesus was serving them. It had nothing to do with washing dust of unbelieving towns off their feet.

 

[Cathlacostal]

Christ wasn’t the only footwasher in scripture. Seems I remember a woman washing the feet of Christ with her tears and drying them with her hair. Why do we hold this grudge with Eve? In Christ, there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female. I hold to this only in recieving however. But that’s merely my thoughts as I submit to the Church.
It’s true that many Protestant Churches wash feet but as an earlier writer said, it’s to teach humility.I have no beef with that. This is thought of as much more to the Catholic. When the catholic sees that Christ did this only to the apostles, they take note of it. When Christ did something to the people, they also take note of it.
The Protestant doesn’t seem to be willing to do this as in many cases, they have taken what was given to the apostles only as being for all. Some things require authority to be valid. But used as a teaching tool for humility, it’s fine.
This is actually much more than a lesson in humility and servitude. It cleanses us of the things of this world. Christ told his own that when they taught of Him and were rejected, to shake the very dust from their feet of that place. As that dust is actually inanimate, perhaps we should look to the spiritual aspect of it. But that’s not easy when we’re taught that the Bread and Cup are merely symbolic.
Christ wasn’t washing mere dirt from His apostles feet.

 

[b_justb]

Christ washed the Apostles feet as a sign of forgiveness and servant leadership. The Apostles are to carry that forward to the Church made up of both genders. Woman are allowed to be forgiven too for they, just as we mighty men, are heirs to the promises of God.

Galatians 3:28-29 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.

 

[Thing]

Just came across this by coincidence:

ΛΕΝΤΙΟΝ
Yet another word associated with “linen” – λεντιον (lention) – occurs in the New Testament. This is the cloth Jesus wrapped around himself when he
washed his disciples feet at the Last Supper (John 13:4, f.) and which he also

ἐγείρεται ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου καὶ τίθησιν τὰ ἱµάτια, καὶ λαβὼν λέντιον διέζωσεν ἑαυτόν. εἶτα βάλλει ὕδωρ εἰς τὸν νιπτῆρα καὶ ἤρξατο νίπτειν τοὺς πόδας τῶν µαθητῶν καὶ ἐκµάσσειν τῷ λεντίῳ ᾧ ἦν διεζωσµένος.

[Jesus] rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was wrapped… (John 13:4,5)

used to dry their feet.
This common cloth could be made of cotton or linen. In other texts of the Hellenistic period, λεντιον refers to the cloth covering a person about to undergo crucifixion. It also refers to an “apron” worn by servants.26 Λεντιον, like λινον, would have been a rough, coarse cloth, not at all like σινδων.

 

[lukewarm]

I always thought it seemed inaapropriate for the male Priest to be washing women or young girls feet too. Womens feet are a very common sexual fetish for men and there’s no doubt more than one Priest has thoroughly enjoyed washing some girl feet.

 

[b_justb]

… there’s no doubt more than one Priest has thoroughly enjoyed washing some girl feet.

… sigh

projection?

 

[Righteousone]

I always thought it seemed inaapropriate for the male Priest to be washing women or young girls feet too. Womens feet are a very common sexual fetish for men and there’s no doubt more than one Priest has thoroughly enjoyed washing some girl feet.

 

[FaithofAbraham]

It had nothing to do with washing dust of unbelieving towns off their feet.

Sure it did, that’s why Jesus said not all of them were clean, Judas had the leaven of Pharisees stuck to the heel he raised against Jesus. And he said you just need to keep your feet clean, you don’t need to wash your hands or your head. That’s what he was talking about.

This is what happens when Church tradition > Bible study, you miss the real message.

 

[lizaanne]

It is simply not appropriate for a priest to wash the bare feet of a woman. Sorry - you can read all the wonderfully symbolic and nice warm and fuzzy thoughts into the practice you want - it is still not appropriate for a woman to sit in the sanctuary, remove part of her clothing, and be washed by a priest. I don’t care if it’s her elbow.



~Liza

 

[lukewarm]

Why was my post deleted? All I said was women’s feet are a very common sexual fetish for men, so common according to psychologists that it shouldn’t even be considered a fetish. The second part may have been taken the wrong way, if you take the amount of men in the priesthood there is a very good change that hundreds if not thousands share this “fetish”. There’s nothing antagonizing about that it’s simple statistics. Therefore men… priest or not probably shouldn’t be handling womens feet at all. This isn’t meant to be dirty or scandalous, just to contribute to the topic and I don’t see how it is against the TOS…

 

[Righteousone]

Why was my post deleted? All I said was women’s feet are a very common sexual fetish for men, so common according to psychologists that it shouldn’t even be considered a fetish. The second part may have been taken the wrong way, if you take the amount of men in the priesthood there is a very good change that hundreds if not thousands share this “fetish”. There’s nothing antagonizing about that it’s simple statistics. Therefore men… priest or not probably shouldn’t be handling womens feet at all. This isn’t meant to be dirty or scandalous, just to contribute to the topic and I don’t see how it is against the TOS…

It was a little inappropriate maybe…kind of sickened me. Perhaps you are the one with the fetish eh??:yup:

 

[lukewarm]

It was a little inappropriate maybe…kind of sickened me. Perhaps you are the one with the fetish eh??:yup:

Now that’s innappropriate and downright creepy…

Seriously my post is on topic and a general statement, yours is intrusive and frankly weird and wildly innappropriate accusations to say to someone on a religious message board.

 

[Righteousone]

Now that’s innappropriate and downright creepy…

Seriously my post is on topic and a general statement, yours is intrusive and frankly weird and wildly innappropriate accusations to say to someone on a religious message board.

Yea, and what you said was normal…