Caesarius of Arles : Moreover he adds, as though speaking to the men, "I will bring water, that you may wash your feet." Learn from blessed Abraham, brothers, to receive strangers gladly and to wash their feet with humility and piety. Wash, I repeat, the feet of pious strangers, lest there remain in them some dust that they will be able to shake off of their feet to your judgment. In the Gospel we read, "Whoever does not receive you—go forth and shake off the dust from your feet. Amen, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that town." Abraham foresaw this in spirit and for this reason wanted to anticipate it by washing their feet, lest perchance any dust remain that might be kept and shaken off on judgment day as an evidence of unbelief. Therefore the wise Abraham says, "I will bring water, that you may wash your feet." Carefully listen to this, brothers, if you are unwilling to exercise hospitality and to receive even your enemy as a guest. Behold, while blessed Abraham welcomed those men warmly, he merited to receive God in consideration of his hospitality. Christ further confirmed this in the Gospel when he said, "I was a stranger, and you took me in." Therefore do not despise strangers, lest perhaps he himself be the one you have rejected. — SERMON 83.4 Origen of Alexandria : But how does he add again, as though speaking to men: "Let water be taken," he says, "and let your feet be washed"? Through these things indeed Abraham, the father and teacher of the nations, teaches you how you ought to receive guests and that you should wash the feet of guests; yet this too is said in a mystery. For he knew that the dominical sacraments are not to be consummated except in the washing of feet. But neither did the weight of that precept escape him, in which it is said by the Savior: "If any will not receive you, shake off even the dust which has clung to your feet, as a testimony against them. Amen I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for that city." He wished therefore to anticipate and to wash their feet, lest perhaps any dust should remain which, shaken off as a testimony of unbelief, could be reserved "for the day of judgment." Therefore the wise Abraham says: "Let water be taken and let your feet be washed." — HOMILIES ON Genesis 4.2 Augustine of Hippo : ON THE MEAL SERVED TO THE ANGELS BY ABRAHAM. — Let water now be brought, and let them wash your feet, and do refresh under the tree . And I will bring bread . If Abraham took them for angels, how could he invite them to this hospitality? For food is a need for our mortal flesh, but not for the immortal nature of the angels. [ — QUESTIONS ON GENESIS, Q. 33 (tr. J. Litteral, draft)