If you actually read this blog you will be reading the Bible- which is unpleasant and the reason people really honestly don't read it. Or don't read it honestly. Coming Clean About Jesus
I never expected that the practice of occasionally reading the Gospels would draw me to the topic of Jesus cleanliness as it has done. The man seems to have had a particular aversion to washing his hands before meals or cleaning cooking wares. With so little that can be known of Jesus each tiny speck of information about him is of such critical importance to the Christian enterprise I quite lament just how much time is taken up with his lack of hygiene. It is quite defensible as there could be no knowledge of germs during his lifetime, but a connection had been made to a benefit from washing before meals, and Jesus certainly tuned that out. I expect if I had lived in connection with him I would have been somewhat put off by his lack of cleanliness.
We begin to learn about this in the Gospel of Mark. Chapter 7 of that Gospel starts right off with this issue.
7:1. Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and certain of the scribes, which came from Jerusalem.
7:2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault.
7:3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders.
7:4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.
7:5. Then the Pharisees and scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the traditions of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?
7:6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.
7:7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
7:8. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such things ye do.
Please note this is the all too brief communication between the Son of God and humanity, every second a precious needful miracle, and minutes are being stolen away by opposition to hand washing. We are only at verse 8 of 23 verses in Mark on this dreadful topic, and Mark is NOT the only Gospel to come up against and take up time with this issue.
7:9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
7:10. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death;
7:11. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.
7:12. And ye suffer him no more to do aught for his father or his mother;
7:13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.
7:14. And when he had called all the people unto him, he said unto them, Hearken unto me every one of you, and understand:
7:15. There is nothing from without a man, that entering into him can defile him: but the things which come out of him, those are they that defile the man.
7:16. If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
7:17. And when he was entered into the house from the people, his disciples asked him concerning the parable.
7:18. And he saith unto them, Are ye so without understanding also? Do ye not perceive, that whatsoever thing from without entereth into the man, it cannot defile him:
7:19. Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all meats?
7:20. And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man.
7:21. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
7:22. Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
7:23. All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.
As someone whose Christian roots drive me to seek all I can learn about Jesus it is just sad that so much time and so many verses are devoted to this topic where Jesus is obviously a victim of the limitations present on knowledge in the time period in which he lived. He could not possibly have understood the primary importance of hand washing. He could not have understood the physical science of germs which cause things to enter a man from outside, and defile him in the worst of ways. Nor could he have understood the psychological knowledge we have today as to judgmental thoughts which can be given from outside by bullies or even well-meaning parents which can hijack a person’s wellbeing and defile them deeply.
In Matthew’s Gospel, alas, the first 20 verses of Chapter 15 are simply a copy of Mark’s references on the topic. It ends with verse 15:20. These are the things which defile a man, but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.
Mercifully in the Gospel of Luke we do not get yet another version of this story taking up our time. But there is another reference to Jesus regarding hand washing.
Luke 11:37. And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.
11:38. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner.
11:39. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.
11:40. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?
40:41. But rather give alms for such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto you.
It is important to understand Mark and Matthew are just about one instance of refusing to wash hands before a meal. So Luke is a second reference, but it is still more scripture time taken up by Jesus failure to wash his hands and I feel embarrassed like one does when a close friend or family member commits a faux pas- and you just feel embarrassed for them.
So one could have some fear and trepidation taking a look at John’s Gospel. Can we please stop mentioning this topic?
Almost!
John 13:4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself.
13:5. After that he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciple’s feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
13:6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord dost thou wash my feet?
13:7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
13:8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
13:9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
13:10. Jesus saith unto him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
13:11. For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean.
So, while I would have preferred that hands which touched lepers be washed once in a while, and I would have insisted on breaking my own bread, I chalk it all up to all this happening prior to the advent of germ theory, and Jesus is certainly willing and able to wash body parts when he sees just cause.
Who could ask for more?
