The Life of Jesus in Harmony | Index
Jesus Washing Feet Picture
The last supper was really reclining at a table rather than sitting on chairs
as we do today. It was an eastern custom of the times to have dinner beds (Mk
7:4) for reclining or lying down for a meal. The Romans had 3 beds with room for
3 on each bed (9 in all). The Jews went beyond this number. The front of the
bed was higher than the table with the feet declining toward the floor. They
probably ate while leaning their breasts upon cushions and also turned upon the
left side, leaning upon the elbow as with John, who leaned upon the bosom of Jesus at supper (Jn 13:23). The job of the servant was to wash the feet of
those who would enter from the dusty road of travel. Jesus seized upon this
example in Jn 13 to illustrate what true greatness was by washing His disciples'
feet.
The last supper was really reclining at a table rather than sitting on chairs
as we do today. It was an eastern custom of the times to have dinner beds (Mk
7:4) for reclining or lying down for a meal. The Romans had 3 beds with room for
3 on each bed (9 in all). The Jews went beyond this number. The front of the
bed was higher than the table with the feet declining toward the floor. They
probably ate while leaning their breasts upon cushions and also turned upon the
left side, leaning upon the elbow as with John, who leaned upon the bosom of Jesus at supper (Jn 13:23). The job of the servant was to wash the feet of
those who would enter from the dusty road of travel. Jesus seized upon this
example in Jn 13 to illustrate what true greatness was by washing His disciples'
feet.