We have all been encouraged lately to wash our hands thoroughly for 20 seconds, and to do it periodically throughout the day. It’s good advice, as washing will be one of the first and easiest steps that we can do to keep ourselves from being infected and to help stop the spread of the virus. Interestingly, the Bible also talks about “washing,” and it’s not just about washing our hands.

When it came to the common practice of fasting, Jesus felt that personal appearance and cleanliness were important. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talked about the prideful Pharisees who, when they fasted, deliberately neglected their appearance so that others would see their devotion to God and receive praise for it. On the contrary, Jesus told His disciples to do something else when they fasted, 

“Whenever you fast, do not put on a gloomy face as the hypocrites do, for they neglect their appearance in order to be seen fasting by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you may not be seen fasting by men, but by your Father who is in secret… (Mt. 6:16-18).   

Jesus wanted all His followers to avoid any attempt to solicit praise from others because they were fasting. He told them to “wash up” and look clean so that others will never know you are fasting. Only God will know. And so, Jesus used “face-washing” as a demonstration of genuine humility. 

But washing was important to Jesus on another occasion. With no house servant available when Jesus joined His disciples in the Upper Room on His last night with them, it wasn’t their faces that needed washing, but their feet. John records the incident this way,

“Jesus got up from supper and laid aside His garments and put a towel around Himself. He then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel which He had” (Jn. 13:4-5).

Jesus did this not only because the feet of the disciples’ needed washing, but He also wanted to show them what it means to serve one another,

“You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, the Lord and Teacher washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I gave you an example that you also should do as I did to you” (Jn. 13:13-15).

Some might be tempted to think that washing another’s feet is “beneath them,” being undignified and humiliating. And so, Jesus used “foot-washing” as a symbol of both humility and servanthood, as He wanted His disciples to follow His example of serving others. A great lesson for all of us to learn.

But there was someone else who washed his hands, but this time it wasn’t to get rid of dirt and germs, but to symbolically get rid of responsibility, and in the end, to attempt to get rid of guilt over condemning Jesus to death. His name was Pontius Pilate, and Matthew records the incident,

“And when Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather a riot was breaking out, he took water and washed his hands in front of the multitude saying, ‘I am innocent of this Man’s blood; see to that yourselves’” (Mt.27:24).

We are all aware of the fact that although Pilate could wash his hands it could not purify his heart or cleanse his conscience for unjustly condemning Jesus to death. And so, washing one’s hands may also be a symbol of “removing responsibility” for our actions. Unfortunately, that’s what many of us do, maybe unwittingly, whenever we know we have disobeyed God. We either attempt to play the “blame game” and pass the responsibility on to others, or we blame our difficult and adverse circumstances for our actions.

The Prophet Isaiah realized that another kind of “washing” was needed by the nation, and by us as well. We need to “wash out the dirt from our actions.” Here is how Isaiah put it, 

“Wash yourselves and make yourselves clean; Remove the evil from your deeds…” (Is. 1:16).

Furthermore, it’s not just about our evil deeds, but it’s also our hearts that need to be washed. When David confessed His sins before God, he said,

“Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me” (Ps. 51:2-3).

And finally, one of my favorite verses in all of Scripture is found in Paul’s letter to the young pastor Titus, where he reminds him of God’s mercy and the most important “washing” of all. Here is what Paul said,

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5).

Paul is speaking of having our sins “washed” away the moment we are born again (“regenerated”) and our hearts made clean (“renewed”) by the Holy Spirit. The Bible is consistently clear that there is no “washing” away of our sins without repentance and faith in Christ. Although the soap we use to wash our hands is important, the most important washing is that which cleanses our hearts from sin, and that washing comes through the regeneration of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle John reminds us that it is only,

“…the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, that cleanses us from all sin… and if we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1:7, 9)

So, I’d like to make a suggestion: Every time we wash our hands, let’s make a point to remind ourselves of the most important washing of all, and that is to be “washed” from all unrighteousness by the blood of Jesus Christ. If you need that kind of washing, just ask Him. He is faithful to do the washing for you!