And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness [was] upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.Genesis 1:2

Water was a symbol of the power and Spirit of God. From the beginning of the Bible to the end water has been a symbol of the power of the spirit and life.

And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:6

Washing with water was a symbol of life and preparation for blessings and change that were a part of the traditions of man from the beginning of time.

Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: Genesis 18:4

We are born from the water of our mother's womb as the brother of Miriam. When he was adopted by the daughter of Pharaoh she drew him from the water and for this cause she called him Moses.

And the LORD said unto Moses, Go unto the people, and sanctify them to day and to morrow, and let them wash their clothes, Exodus 19:10

Through the rituals and traditions of Moses God continued the practice of washing as a sign of preparation, passage and renewal. God spoke of washing the clothes of man. Clothes are the covering for man when he became naked and lost the covering of God through what has been called sin.

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water. Exodus 29:4

Bathing or washing was a part of the traditions of sanctification from the earliest days of God's Kingdom on earth. The first called out in the ekklesia or Church established by Jesus as the Levites should have more than their garmants clean for they must put on the covering of God.

Thou shalt also make a laver [of] brass, and his foot [also of] brass, to wash [withal]: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein. Exodus 30:18

Not just for the priestly class but also all those who would congregate in the presence of God. It was a symbolic ritual speaking to the people in a tradition that was to teach and prophecy the true nature of things that must come.

And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. 1 John 5:8

There is no greater sacrifice than Jesus for there has been no purer blood than his. Yet Jesus washed the feet of his disciples to prepare them for the path of service in the Church of His making.

When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD: Exodus 30:20

Aaron and the Levites sons were the administrative government of the tabernacle of the congregation and their baptism was repeated over and over in preparation of entering into the sanctuary of God. This sanctuary was represented by the symbol of the Tabernacle or the Tent of the sanctuary. Every man is like a tent with the frame covered with his own skin and covering.

And thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and wash them with water. Exodus 40:12

These ritual washings were prophetic of the nature of the coming of the LORD and had no magical powers in them except to impart the importance of a clean presence in coming before the LORD, God. Jesus mocked those who had only cleaned the outside of the cup but left the inside filled with corruption.

And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there. And he shall wash his flesh with water in the holy place, and put on his garments, and come forth, and offer his burnt offering, and the burnt offering of the people, and make an atonement for himself, and for the people. And the fat of the sin offering shall he burn upon the altar. Leviticus 16:23, 25

Taking off your garments is taking off your positions of rank and power. Like Jesus who stripped down to wash the feet of the disciple. Humility, sacrifice and service are the calling cards of His elect. So he showed the nature of the true authority in God's Kingdom is by humble service. Service calls for a mastery over our own desire to control and usurp God by exercising authority over our fellow man.