Baptism: History

Introduction

Baptism

Biblical/Historical look at the use of water for religious activities.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Etymology)

The term baptism derives from the Greek for “to baptize” (βαπτίζω, baptizō), which can refer to either the forgiveness of sins or mundane purification before eating meals (Luke 11:38). The related word “washing” or “baptizing” (βαπτισμός, baptismos) refers to the act of dipping or immersing an object in water as part of a purification ritual.

Baptism is seen as an important part of our Christian life.

Idea about Baptism

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Baptism)

The act of washing in water as part of a purification ritual. The rite of formal initiation into the Christian church through water.

Cleansing or Purification

United with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection

Mosaic Law

OT Cleansing

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Pentateuch)

The use of water as an instrument for religious and physical cleansing is prevalent throughout the Pentateuch.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Pentateuch)

Those who had committed certain defiling offenses were required to immerse themselves in water in order to ritually purify the body.

Washing with water was a sign of cleansing to enter into the sacred place. God always does the cleansing, but People humbled themselves before God through obedience.

OT Example

Numbers 19:11–13 (ESV)

11 “Whoever touches the dead body of any person shall be unclean seven days. 12 He shall cleanse himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day, and so be clean. But if he does not cleanse himself on the third day and on the seventh day, he will not become clean. 13 Whoever touches a dead person, the body of anyone who has died, and does not cleanse himself, defiles the tabernacle of the Lord, and that person shall be cut off from Israel; because the water for impurity was not thrown on him, he shall be unclean. His uncleanness is still on him.

Unclean - Touching or coming in contact with dead, diseases, or bodily fluids.

Water cleansing - seen as ritualistic cleansing/purification.

God declaring cleansing

Ezekiel 36:25–29 (ESV)

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you.

God promises to cleans them from all their uncleanness.

Second Temple Judaism

Second Temple Judaism - Return from Exile (539 – 432 BC), Intertestamental Period (400 – 1 BC)

Commitment to God by Gentiles.

Gentiles would have to wash to become a part of the Jewish community.

They were seen as being cleansed and purified through the waters of washing.

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Second Temple Judaism)

Gentiles who converted to Judaism from paganism partook of baptism as entry into the Jewish community, and Jews sometimes used immersions as acts of repentance. The purpose of this entry requirement, known as proselyte baptism, was to remove any hint of ceremonial uncleanness from the Gentile (b. Yebam 46a–48b; b. Gerim 60a–61b). Gentiles were considered spiritually and ritually unclean and needed purification in order to enter Israel and the temple.

Immersion in baptism for Gentiles for cleansing and entry into Judaism.

immersion in baptism for Jews as an act of repentance.

Personal Commitment

Caves of Qumran

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Second Temple Judaism)

Apart from proselyte baptism, Jews used immersions as acts of repentance (T. Levi 2:3 B1–2). The Qumran sect participated frequently in water purification rituals. They considered immersions spiritually ineffective if not accompanied by sincere repentance and “humble submission … to all the precepts of God” (1QS 3:3–9).

Sign of repentance, Purification, and humble submission.

John the Baptist

John the Baptist preached a message of repentance and baptism. He has an eschatological focus to his message.

Mark 1:1–8 (ESV)

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, 3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,’ ” 4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 Now John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey. 7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. 8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

John knew he was sent by God to prepare the way for the Messiah. (vs. 2-3)

John used Baptism as a sign of repentance. (vs. 4)

John was pointing the people to the coming Messiah. (vs. 7-8)

You can see how John stayed with the understanding of Baptism for repentance and forgiveness of Sins. The one thing he did different was to baptize others. Cleansing was often done by the individual. John was administering the baptism.

Paul’s understanding of John’s Baptism

Acts 19:4–7 (ESV)

4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying. 7 There were about twelve men in all.

Jesus

Jesus was Baptized

Matthew 3:13–15 (ESV)

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Three: The King’s Credentials (Matthew 3–4))

His obedience (vv. 13–15). Jesus was not baptized because He was a repentant sinner. Even John tried to stop Jesus, but the Lord knew it was His Father’s will. Why was Jesus baptized? First, His baptism gave approval to John’s ministry. Second, He identified Himself with publicans and sinners, the very people He came to save. But mainly, His baptism pictured His future baptism on the cross (Matt. 20:22; Luke 12:50) when all the “waves and billows” of God’s judgment would go over Him (Ps. 42:7; Jonah 2:3).

When Jesus talks about His baptism later in His ministry, it is talked about as a future event not past.

Jesus’ Baptism was His death, burial and resurrection

Mark 10:37–40 (ESV)

37 And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” 38 Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” 39 And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, 40 but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

Jesus just got done talking about His death and resurrection. (Mark 10:33-34)

John and James ask to be seated on Jesus right and left.

The Bible Exposition Commentary (Chapter Eight: The Servant’s Paradoxes (Mark 10))

Jesus compared His approaching suffering and death to the drinking of a cup (Mark 14:32–36) and the experiencing of a baptism (Luke 12:50; also see Pss. 41:7; 69:2, 15).

Luke 12:50 (ESV)

50 I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!

Similar to the cry of the Psalmist

Psalm 69:1–3 (ESV)

1 Save me, O God! For the waters have come up to my neck. 2 I sink in deep mire, where there is no foothold; I have come into deep waters, and the flood sweeps over me. 3 I am weary with my crying out; my throat is parched. My eyes grow dim with waiting for my God.

Jesus was to go to the Cross to pay the penalty for our Sins and suffer greatly.

Paul

Baptism as union with Jesus in his death, burial, and resurrection.

Romans 6:3–4 (ESV)

3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Our Baptism happens when we submit to Jesus as our Lord and Savior through faith in Him. God is the one that Baptizes us into Christ and are united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection.

Galatians 3:27 (ESV)

27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

One Baptism

Ephesians 4:4–7 (ESV)

4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift.

One Baptism - to employ water in a religious ceremony designed to symbolize purification and initiation on the basis of repentance—‘to baptize, baptism.’ (Louw, Johannes P., and Eugene Albert Nida. Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament: based on semantic domains 1996: 536. Print.)

Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary (Comment)

A picture of what is included in the product of that faith is the rite of baptism, symbolizing the washing his work brought. They are baptized in him (Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27). The church is connected to the one truth that in Christ the restoration to real life takes place (Eph. 2:1–10).

Unity in the Church because we are all brought in through the same means of God’s grace, through Christ, and filled with the Holy spirit.

Summary

I believe that Scripture is teaching that we are baptized the moment we put our faith in Jesus Christ and are cleansed, purified, forgiven, made a part of the Church (God’s People), and united with Jesus Christ in His death, burial, and Resurrection. The physical act of Baptism is not required for salvation because we are already saved by God’s grace through Jesus and filled with the Holy Spirit, but is a public declaration and Symbol of what God has already did in our hearts and lives.

Christian Theology, 3rd ed. (Baptism as a Token of Salvation)

Christ commanded the act of baptism (Matt. 28:19–20). Since it was ordained by him, it is properly understood as an ordinance rather than a sacrament. It does not produce any spiritual change in the one baptized. We continue to practice baptism simply because Christ commanded it and because it serves as a form of proclamation. It confirms the fact of one’s salvation to oneself and affirms it to others.The act of baptism conveys no direct spiritual benefit or blessing. In particular, we are not regenerated through baptism, for baptism presupposes faith and the salvation to which faith leads. It is, then, a testimony that one has already been regenerated. If there is a spiritual benefit, it is the fact that baptism brings us into membership or participation in the local church.

Are you baptized in Christ? Have you repented of your sins and trust in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.

Do you want to make a public declaration of God’s goodness in your life through Christ?