In Ex. 30:19-21 and 40:30-32 we learn that God instituted an ordinance or ceremony of washing feet. This was not the mere custom of washing feet, but was a Jewish rite and served among other rites and ceremonies to distinguish them as God's own peculiar people. When the Son of God set up the kingdom of grace, this priestly ceremony was blotted out and a new ordinance of feet-washing was instituted. See John 13. This was not the ancient universal custom of washing feet. That still continues the same as eating and bathing. It is not the Jewish ordinance, because they were all nailed to the cross; but it is a humble ordinance the Savior instituted for his people saved from sin in this blessed gospel day. The Lord's people love this precious ordinance. Jesus set the example and intends his own to do as he did. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I [pg 173] have done to you.” John 13:14, 15. Jesus set the example in baptism and intends for us to follow. Mat. 3:15, 16. He set the example in partaking of his newly instituted supper and intends for us to walk in his steps. 1 Cor. 11:25.
Since the word ought is used some appear to rejoice in the thought that it is not obligatory. I, for one, ever since the Lord made me a Christian, have always been willing and glad to do just what I ought to do. We scarcely think a man loves God when he refuses to do what he knows he ought to do. “Ye ought to support the weak.” Acts 20:35. “Men ought always to pray.” Luke 18:1. “We ought also to love one another.” 1 John 4:11. “Ye also ought to wash one another's feet.” John 13:14. Let us as professed followers of Jesus live and do what we ought to do. Happy are ye if you do, but what shall be the result if you refuse? “Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.” Heb. 2:1. Will you do as you ought? Because the widow did what she ought she was recommended to the care of the church. 1 Tim. 5:9, 10.
Chapter IX. Divine Healing.
The thirty-fifth chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy beautifully extolling the glories and virtues of Christ's redemptive works. “The desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.” “It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and the excellency of our God.... Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing.”
In Isaiah sixty-one, is another prophecy of the Savior: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” Isa. 61:1, 2. Where this text is quoted in the New Testament, there is added, “and recovering of sight to the blind.” Luke 4:18. This addition is found in the LXX.
Again the prophet speaking of Christ said, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isa. [pg 175] 53:5. The evangelist in speaking of the prophecy of Isa. 53:4, 5, says, “When the even was come they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses.” Mat. 8:16, 17. In verse thirteen is recorded the healing of the centurion's servant: “Go thy way, and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.” When Jesus saw the mother of Peter's wife lying sick of a fever, he touched her hand and the fever left her, and she arose and ministered unto them. Ver. 14, 15.
In the ninth chapter of Matthew is recorded the instance of the healing of the man sick of the palsy, and of a woman who had been diseased for twelve years, and of the raising to life of the daughter of a certain ruler; also the restoring of the sight of two blind men. Jesus saith unto them, “Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened.” “And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.” Ver. 35.
John, when in prison, hearing of the works of Jesus, sent two of his disciples who asked the Savior, “Art [pg 176] thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Now John was acquainted with the prophecy of Isaiah concerning the Christ, so Jesus said to the disciples, “Go and show John again those things which ye do hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached unto them.” Jesus told them that he was doing just what was prophesied that Christ should do when he came, then this must certainly be he and we need not look for another. Throughout his ministry the Savior continued to cast out devils and to heal the sick. He gave his twelve disciples power “against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.” Mat. 10:1. Not only did he give the twelve such power over Satan and sickness, but in sending out the seventy he said: “And into whatsoever city ye enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you: and heal the sick that are therein, and say unto them, The kingdom of God is come nigh unto you.” Luke 10:8, 9.
Before Jesus ascended to the Father he commissioned his disciples to preach the gospel, saying, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new [pg 177] tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:15-18. Jesus was the “light of the world,” because he had power over sin and disease. The church becomes a light in the world in proportion to her power and purity, and when she reaches the zenith of her power the same power is exercised by her as by the Lord himself. After commissioning the disciples to preach, Jesus was “received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following.” Mark 16:19, 20. Although Jesus had ascended to heaven, yet it is said that he was working with them as they preached the word. Here was the secret of their power, “workers together with God.”