FOOL, FOOLISHNESS- A stupid person or a senseless act. In the Bible, the most foolish person of all is one who denies the reality of God the Father: “The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God” (Ps 14:1; 53:1). Like the Book of Proverbs, where “fool” denotes a person

who is morally and spiritually deficient, Jesus contrasted wise and foolish persons. Persons who keep His sayings are wise; those who do not are foolish (Matt 7:24-27). The use of word “fool” in Matthews 5:22 is a special case. Jesus warned against using the word fool as a form of abuse. This word expressed hatred in one’s heart toward others; therefore, Jesus condemned the use of the word in this way.

FOOT-WASHING- An expression of hospitality extended to guests in Bible times. People traveling dusty roads in Palestine needed to wash their feet for comfort and cleanliness. Foot-washing was generally performed by the lowliest servant in the household (Luke 7:44). Guests were often offered water and vessels for washing their own feet (Gen 18:4; Judg 19:21).

At the Last Supper, Jesus washed His disciple’s feet. He explained that this act was an example of the humble ministry that they must always be ready to perform for one anther (John 13:5-17). First Timothy 5:10 suggests that the early church followed Christ’s example in observing the ritual of foot-washing. But many churches reject this because the other duties mentioned in the verse are household tasks. Churches of some denominations continue to practice foot-washing today.