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1. When the Lord was washing the disciples' feet, "He cometh to
Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto Him, Lord, dost Thou wash my
feet?" For who would not be filled with fear at having his feet
washed by the Son of God? Although, therefore, it was a piece of
the greatest audacity for the servant to contradict his Lord, the
creature his God; yet Peter preferred doing this to the suffering of
his feet to be washed by his Lord and God. Nor ought we to think
that Peter was one amongst others who so expressed their fear and
refusal, seeing that others before him had suffered it to be done to
themselves with cheerfulness and equanimity. For it is easier so to
understand the words of the Gospel, because that, after saying,
"He began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the
towel wherewith He was girded," it is then added, "Then cometh He
to Simon Peter," as if He had already washed the feet of some, and
after them had now come to the first of them all. For who can fail to
know that the most blessed Peter was the first of the apostles? But
we are not so to understand it, that it was after some others that He
came to him; but that He began with him. When, therefore, He
began to wash the disciples' feet, He came to him with whom He
began, namely, to Peter; and then Peter took fright at what any one
of them might have been frightened, and said, "Lord, dost Thou
wash my feet?" What is implied in this" Thou"? and what in
"my"? These are subjects for thought rather than for speech; lest
perchance any adequate conception the soul may have formed of such words
may fail of explanation in the utterance.
2. But "Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest
not now, but thou shalt know hereafter." And not even yet,
terrified as he was by the sublimity of the Lord's action, does he
allow it to be done, while ignorant of its purpose; but is unwilling
to see, unable to endure, that Christ should thus humble Himself to
his very feet. "Thou shalt never," he says, "wash my feet."
What is this "never" [in oeternum]? I will never endure, never
suffer, never permit it: that is, a thing is not done "in oeternum"
which is never done. Then the Saviour, to terrify His reluctant
patient with the danger of his own salvation, says, "If I wash thee
not, thou shalt have no part with me." He speaks in this way, "If
I wash thee not," when He was referring only to his feet; just as
it is customary to say, You are trampling on me, when it is only the
foot that is trampled on. And now the other, in a perturbation of
love and fear, and more frightened at the thought that Christ should
be withheld from him, than even to see Him humbled at his feet,
exclaims, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my
head." Since this, indeed, is Thy threat, that my bodily members
must be washed by Thee, not only do I no longer withhold the lowest,
but I lay the foremost also at Thy disposal. Deny me not having a
part with Thee, and I deny Thee not any part of my body to be
washed.
3. "Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash
his feet, but is clean every whit." Some one perhaps may be aroused
at this, and say: Nay, but if he is every whit clean, what need has
He even to wash his feet? But the Lord knew what He was saying,
even though our weakness reach not into His secret purposes.
Nevertheless, so far as He is pleased to instruct and teach us out of
His law, up to the little measure of my apprehension, I would also,
with His help, make some answer bearing on the depths of this
question: and, first of all, I shall have no difficulty in showing
that there is no self-contradiction in the manner of expression. For
who may not say, as here, with the greatest propriety, He is all
clean, except his feet? although he would speak with greater elegance
were he to say, He is all clean, save his feet; which is equivalent
in meaning. Thus, then, doth the Lord say, "He needeth not save
to wash his feet, but is all clean." All, that is, except, or
save his feet, which he still needs to wash.
4. But what is this? what does it mean? and what is there in it we
need to examine? The Lord says, The Truth declares that even he
who has been washed has need still to wash his feet. What, my
brethren, what think you of it? save that in holy baptism a man has
all of him washed, not all save his feet, but every whit; and yet,
while thereafter living in this human state, he cannot fail to tread on
the ground with his feet. And thus our human feelings themselves,
which are inseparable from our mortal life on earth, are like feet
wherewith we are brought into sensible contact with human affairs; and
are so in such a way, that if we say we have no sin, we deceive
ourselves, and the truth is not in us. And every day, therefore, is
He who intercedeth for us s washing our feet: and that we,too have
daily need to be washing our feet, that is ordering aright the path of
our spiritual foot. steps, we acknowledge even in the Lord':
prayer, when we say, "Forgive us our debts as we also forgive our
debtors." For "if,' as it is written, "we confess our sins,"
then verily is He, who washed His disciples' feet, "faithful and
just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness," that is, even to our feet wherewith we walk on the
earth.
5. Accordingly the Church, which Christ cleanseth with the washing
of water in the word, is without spot and wrinkle, not only in the
case of those who are taken away immediately after the washing of
regeneration from the contagious influence of this life, and tread not
the earth so as to make necessary the washing of their feet, but in
those also who have experienced such mercy from the Lord as to be
enabled to quit this present life even with feet that have been washed.
But although the Church be also clean in respect of those who tarry on
earth, because they live righteously; yet have they need to be washing
their feet, because they assuredly are not without sin. For this
cause is it said in the Song of Songs, "I have washed my feet; how
shall I defile them?" For one so speaks when he is constrained to
come to Christ, and in coming has to bring his feet into contact with
the ground. But again, there is another question that arises. Is
not Christ above? Hath He not ascended into heaven, and sitteth He
not at the Father's right hand? Does not the apostle expressly
declare, "If ye, then, be risen with Christ, set your thoughts on
those things which are above, where Christ is sitting on the right
hand of God. Seek the things which are above, not things which are
on earth?" How is it, then, that to get to Christ we are compelled
to tread the earth, since rather our hearts ought to be turned upwards
toward the Lord, that we may be enabled to dwell in His presence?
You see, brethren, the shortness of the time today curtails our
consideration of this question. And if you perhaps fail in some
measure to do so, yet I for my part see how much clearing up it
requires. And therefore I beg of you to suffer it rather to be
adjourned, than to be treated now in too negligent and restricted a
manner; and your expectations will not be defrauded, but only
deferred. For the Lord who thus makes us your debtors, will be
present to enable us also to pay our debts.
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