[Greek] νίπτω (niptō), [Latin] lavare, [German] waschen: to wash, to wash the extremities (hands or feet), to wash oneself; Mt.6:17, Mt.15:2, Mk.7:3, Jn.9:7,11,15, Jn.13:5-6,8 Jn.13:10,12,14, 1Tim. 5;10
Jesus washing Peter’s feet: (painting by Ford Madox Brown 1852-1856). This painting effectively captures Peter’s discomfort and the other disciples’ puzzlement and astonishment at Jesus’ actions. We all can imagine the disciples saying, “Seriously, Master? Why are you doing this?”
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term refers to ordinary washing, washing (for cultic cleanliness), and partial washing of living persons. Ritual washing is connected with the ancient religious idea that defilement must be removed.
Homer’s Odyssey 6.224: “But with water from the river the goodly Odysseus washed from his skin the brine which clothed his back and broad shoulders, and from his head wiped the scurf of the unresting sea.”
Homer’s Illiad 6.266: “Moreover with hands unwashen I have awe to pour libation of flaming wine to Zeus; nor may it in any wise be that a man should make prayer, all befouled with blood and filth.”
Hesiod’s Work and Days 724: “Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn with unwashed hands, nor to the other of the deathless gods, otherwise they do not hear your prayers but spit them back.”
Old Testament: Washings continue to be important for providing cultic purity. Later, Judaism extends the priestly practice of washing (before and after meals) to the general public. The Old Testament culture further develops cultic and purification rituals. A laver, a large water basin in the court of the tabernacle (and temple), was used for priest ablutions (washing purification) and sacrificial washings.
New Testament: This term refers to Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, washing one’s hands before a meal, washing one’s face, and washing in a pool.
Scripture:
“But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face.” Mt.6:17
The Pharisees, in their fasting, often made a spectacle of themselves. Jesus calls His followers not to do the same.
“Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They do not wash their hands when they eat a meal.” Mt. 15:2
Jewish tradition was overly concerned with washing and purification rituals. Jesus states that what defiles (evil thoughts and deeds) comes from within the person. Washing and purification rituals are not that important for Jesus and His disciples.
“Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around His waist…Jesus answered and said to him, ‘What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.’” Jn.13:5,7
The disciples clearly did not understand what Jesus was doing for them. Jesus was illustrating to the disciples of the importance of serving others. The disciples must therefore follow His example.
Lavatorium: The lavatorium was the communal washing area in the medieval abbeys and cathedral cloisters. Monks were required to wash before meals. Thus the lavatorium is typically adjacent to the refectory (dining room). The refectory is the “place where one goes to be restored.” Hence, the later term restaurant coined in 1821.
Etymology: The Latin refectorium is the past participle of the Latin verb reficere (to make or to restore). Interestingly, the related French verb is restaurer. The French restaurant originally meant “food that restores”. The Greek verb waschen means to wash.
Conclusion:
Lavatory, laver, wash
In the Greek Hellenistic era, it is not surprising that washing was needed to remove defilement before entering into the gods’ presence. To do otherwise would provoke the gods’ wrath.
In the Old Testament era, it was interesting to discover that the priestly practice of washing one’s hands (before and after a meal) was applied to the general public. This culture would later have extensive purification rituals for food and utensils.
In the New Testament, it is significant to note that this cultic sense of washing eventually disappears. These actions essentially become mere washings. Jesus undermines and minimizes the importance of Jewish purity practices. Jesus instructs His disciples to wash their faces, so that they might not appear to be fasting.
The lavatory, a place where one can wash his hands or face, is essentially the more traditional name for a washroom and bathroom. The sense of washroom was first attested in the 1650’s. This term was first euphemistically used for toilet in 1864.
Jesus, by His very actions, ‘washes’ away the notion that faith can be separated from works.