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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that Aaron and his sons may wash both their hands and their feet thereout, when they go into the tabernacle of witness, or when they go unto the altar to minister and to burn the LORD's offering, lest they die. read more. And it shall be an ordinance forever unto him and his seed among your children after you."
And all the elders of the city that is next to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the plain,
But Jehoshaphat said, "Is there here no prophet of the LORD's, that we may enquire of the LORD by him?" And one of the king of Israel's servants answered and said, "Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat which poured water on the hands of Elijah."
Moab is my washpot; over Edom will I stretch out my shoe; Philistia shall be glad of me.
"Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they wash not their hands, when they eat bread."
When Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but that more business was made, he took water and washed his hands before the people saying, "I am innocent of the blood of this righteous person: see ye thereto."
And when they saw certain of his disciples eat bread with common hands, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they complained. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, eat not; observing the traditions of the elders. read more. And when they come from the market, except they wash themselves they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have taken upon them to observe, as the washing of cups and cruses, and of brazen vessels, and of tables.
When the Pharisee saw that, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.
not of the deeds of righteousness which we wrought, but of his mercy, he saved us, by the fountain of the new birth, and with the renewing of the holy ghost,
with meats only and drinks, and divers washings, and justifyings of the flesh, which were ordained until the time of reformation.
and from Jesus Christ which is a faithful witness, and first begotten of the dead: and Lord over the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own 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 came together unto him, and divers of the scribes which came from Jerusalem. And when they saw certain of his disciples eat bread with common hands, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they complained. read more. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, eat not; observing the traditions of the elders. And when they come from the market, except they wash themselves they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have taken upon them to observe, as the washing of cups and cruses, and of brazen vessels, and of tables. Then asked him the Pharisees and scribes, "Why walk not thy disciples according to the traditions of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?" He answered and said unto them, "Well prophesied hath Isaiah of you hypocrites as it is written, 'This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.' In vain they worship me, teaching doctrines which are nothing but the commandments of men, for ye lay the commandment of God apart, and ye observe the traditions of men as the washing of cruses and of cups, and many other such like things ye do." And he said unto them, "Well, ye cast aside the commandment of God, to maintain your own traditions.
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 a little water be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree:
And bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of witness, and wash them with water,
"Thou shalt make a laver of brass and his foot also of brass to wash withal, and shalt put it between the tabernacle of witness and the altar and put water therein: that Aaron and his sons may wash both their hands and their feet thereout, read more. when they go into the tabernacle of witness, or when they go unto the altar to minister and to burn the LORD's offering, lest they die.
And he shall put the holy linen alb upon him, and shall have a linen breech upon his flesh, and shall gird him with a linen girdle, and put the linen mitre upon his head: for they are holy raiments. And he shall wash his flesh with water, and put them on.
And let him that carried forth the scapegoat wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and then come into the host again.
And let the priest wash his clothes and bathe his flesh in water, and then come into the host, and the priest shall be unclean unto the evening.
And she arose and bowed herself on her face to the earth, and said, "Behold thy handmaid, to be a servant to wash the feet of the servants of my lord."
I have put off my coat: how can I do it on again? I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them again?
"Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they wash not their hands, when they eat bread."
And when they saw certain of his disciples eat bread with common hands, that is to say, with unwashen hands, they complained. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands often, eat not; observing the traditions of the elders. read more. And when they come from the market, except they wash themselves they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have taken upon them to observe, as the washing of cups and cruses, and of brazen vessels, and of tables.
And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, "Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house, and thou gavest me no water to my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
When the Pharisee saw that, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.
Jesus said to him, "He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet, and is clean every whit. And ye are clean: but not all."
Seeing that we have such promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and grow up to full holiness in the fear of God.
to sanctify it, and cleansed it in the fountain of water through the word,
let us draw nigh with a true heart in a full faith sprinkled in our hearts, from an evil conscience, and washed in our bodies with pure water, and let us keep the profession of our hope, without wavering - for he is faithful that promised -
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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"Then bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of witness, and wash them with water.
And he set the laver between the tabernacle of witness and the altar, and poured water therein to wash with all. And both Moses, Aaron, and his sons washed their hands and their feet thereat: read more. both when they went into the tabernacle of witness, or when they went to the altar, as the LORD commanded Moses.
After that, poured he water into a basin, and began to wash his disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was gird. Then came he to Simon Peter. And Peter said to him, "Lord shalt thou wash my feet?" read more. Jesus answered and said unto him, "What I do, thou knowest not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." Peter said unto him, "Thou shalt not wash my feet while the world standeth." Jesus answered him, "If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me." Simon Peter said unto him, "Lord not my feet only: but also my hands and my head." Jesus said to him, "He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet, and is clean every whit. And ye are clean: but not all."
Jesus said to him, "He that is washed needeth not, save to wash his feet, and is clean every whit. And ye are clean: but not all." For he knew his betrayer. Therefore said he, "Ye are not all clean." read more. After he had washed their feet, and received his clothes, 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 am I. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet: ye also ought to wash one another's feet.