Reference: Washing
American
Various ceremonial washings were enjoined in the Mosaic law, both upon priests, Ex 30:19-21, and upon others, Le 12-15; Heb 9:10. These were significant of spiritual purification through the Savior's blood, Tit 3:5; Re 1:5, as well as of that holiness without which none can see God. To these the Jews added other traditional ablutions, Mr 7:2-4; and regarded it as an act of impiety to neglect them, as Christ frequently did, Lu 11:38. The washing of the hands before and after meals,
Mt 15:2, called for by their custom of feeding themselves with their fingers, is still practiced in Syria. See cut in BED. Where there is a servant in attendance, he pours water from a pitcher over his master's hands, holding also a broad vessel underneath them, 2Ki 3:11; Ps 60:8. See FOOT and SANDALS. "Washing the hands" was a protestation of innocence, De 21:6; Mt 27:24; and has given rise to the proverbial saying common among us, "I wash my hands of that."
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And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there. When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die, or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to LORD. read more. So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they not die. And it shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.
And all the elders of that city, who are nearest to the slain man, shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley,
But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of LORD, that we may inquire of LORD by him? And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, Elisha the son of Shaphat is here, who poured water on the hands of Elijah.
Moab is my wash pot. Upon Edom I will cast my shoe. Philistia, shout thou because of me.
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather an uproar was developing, after taking water, he washed his hands in front of the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. See ye to it.
And having seen some of his disciples eating their loaves with profane hands, that is, unwashed, they accused them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. read more. And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.)
And when the Pharisee saw, he marveled that he did not first wash before dinner.
he saved us, not of works in righteousness that we did, but according to his mercy through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,
only in foods and drinks and various washings: carnal ordinances imposed until a time of reformation.
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and washed us from our sins by his blood
Easton
(Mr 7:1-9). The Jews, like other Orientals, used their fingers when taking food, and therefore washed their hands before doing so, for the sake of cleanliness. Here the reference is to the ablutions prescribed by tradition, according to which "the disciples ought to have gone down to the side of the lake, washed their hands thoroughly, 'rubbing the fist of one hand in the hollow of the other, then placed the ten finger-tips together, holding the hands up, so that any surplus water might flow down to the elbow, and thence to the ground.'" To neglect to do this had come to be regarded as a great sin, a sin equal to the breach of any of the ten commandments. Moses had commanded washings oft, but always for some definite cause; but the Jews multiplied the legal observance till they formed a large body of precepts. To such precepts about ceremonial washing Mark here refers. (See Ablution.)
Illustration: Washing the Hands
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And the Pharisees, and some of the scholars, having come from Jerusalem, gathered in to him. And having seen some of his disciples eating their loaves with profane hands, that is, unwashed, they accused them. read more. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.) Then the Pharisees and the scholars demand of him, Why do thy disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat their bread with unwashed hands? And having answered, he said to them, Well did Isaiah prophesy about you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far distant from me. But in vain they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men. For having set aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men: washings of pots and cups and many other such like things ye do. And he said to them, Well do ye reject the commandment of God, so that ye may keep your tradition.
Fausets
The high priest's whole body was washed at his consecration (Ex 29:4; Le 16:4); also on the day of atonement. The priests' hands and feet alone were washed in the daily tabernacle ministrations (Ex 30:18-20). So Christians are once for all wholly "bathed" (leloumenoi) in regeneration which is their consecration; and daily wash away their soils of hand and foot contracted in walking through this defiling world (Joh 13:10, Greek "he that has been bathed needs not save to wash (nipsasthai) his feet, but is clean all over": 2Co 7:1; Heb 10:22-23; Eph 5:26). The clothes of him who led away the scape-goat, and of the priest who offered the red heifer, were washed (Le 16:26; Nu 19:7).
The Pharisaic washings of hands before eating, and of the whole body after being in the market (Mr 7:2-4), turned attention off from the spirit of the law, which aimed at teaching inward purity, to a mere outward purification. In the sultry and dusty East water for the feet was provided for the guests (Lu 7:44; Ge 18:4). The Lord Jesus by washing His disciples' feet taught our need of His cleansing, and His great humility whereby that cleansing was effected (compare 1Sa 25:41; 1Ti 5:10). The sandals, without stockings, could not keep out dust from the feet; hence washing them was usual before either dining or sleeping (Song 5:3). Again, the usage of thrusting the hand into a common dish rendered cleansing of the hand indispensable before eating. It was only when perverted into a self righteous ritual that our Lord protested against it (Mt 15:2; Lu 11:38).
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Let now a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.
And Aaron and his sons thou shall bring to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water.
Thou shall also make a laver of brass, and the base of it of brass for washing. And thou shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and thou shall put water in it. And Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet there. read more. When they go into the tent of meeting, they shall wash with water, that they not die, or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn an offering made by fire to LORD.
He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with the linen sash, and he shall be attired with the linen miter. They are the holy garments, and he shall bathe his fle
And he who lets the goat go for the scapegoat shall wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in water, and afterward he shall come into the camp.
Then the priest shall wash his clothes, and he shall bathe his flesh in water. And afterward he shall come into the camp, and the priest shall be unclean until the evening.
And she arose, and bowed herself with her face to the earth, and said, Behold, thy handmaid is a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord.
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.
And having seen some of his disciples eating their loaves with profane hands, that is, unwashed, they accused them. (For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, unless they wash their hands carefully, do not eat, holding the tradition of the elders. read more. And coming from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they bathe. And there are many other things that they have taken in to retain: washings of cups, and pots, and brazen vessels, and beds.)
And having turned to the woman, he said to Simon, See thou this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gave no water for my feet. But this woman has wet my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
And when the Pharisee saw, he marveled that he did not first wash before dinner.
Jesus says to him, He who is bathed has no need to wash the feet either, but is entirely clean. And ye are clean, but not all.
Having therefore these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in fear of God.
so that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it with the washing of water by the word,
let us approach with a TRUE heart in full assurance of faith, our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our body washed in pure water. Let us hold firm the affirmation of the hope unwavering, for he who promised is faithful.
Morish
A requirement of frequent literal recurrence under the law, but in the N.T. a term bearing commonly a moral force and application. Important truth may be learned from the different significations of the Greek words used for 'washing' in John 13. The word in Joh 13:10 is ????, 'to cleanse, wash thoroughly.' One who is cleansed in this sense never needs to be thus washed again; he is, as the Lord said, 'clean every whit,' yet in order to have 'part with' Christ, he needs, because of the defilement of the way, that his feet should be washed (here the word is ?????), Joh 13:5-14, an action which is applied to parts of the body only. The same difference was typified in the cleansing of Aaron and his sons. They were at their consecration once 'washed' by Moses, but were thenceforward required continually, when executing their service, to wash only their hands and feet in the laver. Ex 40:12,30-32.
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And thou shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and shall wash them with water.
And he set the laver between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it, with which to wash. And Moses and Aaron and his sons washed their hands and their feet there. read more. They washed when they went into the tent of meeting, and when they came near to the altar, as LORD commanded Moses.
Then he pours water into the wash-basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. So he comes to Simon Peter, and that man says to him, Lord, do thou wash my feet? read more. Jesus answered and said to him, What I do thou do not know now, but thou will understand after these things. Peter says to him, Thou may, no, not wash my feet into the age. Jesus answered him, If I may not wash thee, thou have no part with me. Simon Peter says to him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and head. Jesus says to him, He who is bathed has no need to wash the feet either, but is entirely clean. And ye are clean, but not all.
Jesus says to him, He who is bathed has no need to wash the feet either, but is entirely clean. And ye are clean, but not all. For he knew the man betraying him. Because of this he said, Ye are not all clean. read more. When therefore he washed their feet, and took his garments, having sat down again, he said to them, Do ye understand what I have done to you? Ye call me, Teacher, and, Lord. And ye say well, for I am. If I then, the Lord and the teacher, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash each other's feet.