Day 2 - Doctrine (Teaching) on Baptisms

Tom Marxen The Elementary Principles 18 October 2023 Hits: 47

Baptism (in Hebrew) is a Greek translation of” tevila”, meaning Immersion.

What is Baptism? – Baptism can best be understood through the Hebrew mindset and culture.

Jewish immersion (tevila) is usually done in a Mikveh, which is a pool where water has gathered. A Mikveh is and was an essential element in any Synagogue, they were also part of the temple. Immersion is not for physical cleaning; physical washing would be done beforehand. Immersion is for Spiritual cleansing in a purification ceremony. The terms Purity and Impurity are inadequate translations from the Hebrew and give a physical rather than spiritual sound to the process.

Immersion is conducted for various occasions

.Women after childbirth or menstruation
A bride before her wedding
Priests (in the Temple) before divine service
Men on the eve of Yom Kippur (also optionally, before Shabbat)
For converts to Judaism
In preparation of a dead person for burial
For new kitchen utensils
There are separate Mikvot (baptismal pools) for men, women, the dead and for utensils

The Practice of Immersion (Baptism) in the Torah

The Torah, or Jewish Written Law, consists of the five books of the Hebrew Bible - known more commonly to non-Jews as the "Old Testament" – These books were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai. The word “Torah” can be best translated as “Instruction” but it is often called the “Law”

The Torah itself does not say much about immersion and the mikveh, but it became an essential part of Jewish religious life by Temple times. Leviticus 12:5 talks of washing for purification for women, and Leviticus 14: 8-9 of purification for leprosy. Exodus 29:4-5 gives instruction for consecrating the priests,

Naaman, who was not a Jew, was commanded to immerse himself seven times in the Jordan for his cleansing from leprosy. (2 Kings 5:14) The prophet, Elisha, was spelling out to this foreigner, what Jews all understood as normal religious practice. That is, transformation and deliverance through immersion.

This helps to reveal the ministry of John the Baptist, who was perhaps the last of the Old Testament immersers (baptizers) (Read Matthew 3, Mark 1, Luke 3 and John 1.)

In using the title “John the immerser”, Dwight Prior points out that John did not put people under the water in the same manner as most Christians today; John was the one who caused people to immerse themselves through his preaching. A Jewish person being immersed would wade into the water and then just crouch down below the surface. That way, no contact from the immerser (the baptizer) prevented the water from reaching their whole body

The immersion (baptism) of Jesus

The birth of John is recorded in Luke 1 and his father was a priest ministering in the Temple. This means that John was of the priestly line as well as being a child of special promise from God. He was the one who would prepare the way for Messiah after the manner of Elijah. It is believed that John should have been High Priest at the time when he commenced his ministry in the Jordan wilderness, but the priesthood had become corrupt and had been bought by men with wealth and influence.

Jesus submitted to the immersion by John, in spite of John's reservations Jesus said that it was to “to fulfil all righteousness". (Matthew 3:15) John was, as the legitimate high priest, initiating Jesus who he had identified as "the Lamb of God" into the priesthood. He was not immersing him for repentance for sin. After immersing Jesus, seeing the Spirit descend on him as a dove and hearing the voice from heaven, John was happy to recede into the background.

How did Baptism transfer across into the Christian practice?

Baptism (Immersion) was instituted or continued by Jesus himself in one of His last commands to His followers. This was for Jews and Gentiles who came to believe in the risen Jesus and join the early church. (See Matthew 28:18-20) "Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Remember, in all these verses, a full translation to English would have the word Immersing or immersed instead of the Greek, baptizing or baptized.

Old Testament Immersions (Baptisms) all point to New Covenant Realities

The fact that “Baptism" actually means immersion is very significant, and this comes out in the Complete Jewish Bible (by David Stern) translation of Matthew 28:19 and Mark 1.

Here the word talks of new believers being "immersed into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Ponder on that!

The Greek word transliterated into English as Baptism or Baptize is "Baptizo", meaning to immerse. But David Stern (JNTC p373, on Romans 6 v3-6) adds that the word refers to a process in which the thing that is immersed takes on the qualities of the substance into which it is immersed. He uses the example of cloth into a dye solution.

This is why being immersed into the Messiah is equated with being united with Him.

The New Testament mentions four different baptisms. These are:

-Christ's baptism of suffering

-The baptism of John

-Christian baptism

-Baptism in the Holy Spirit

John’s Baptism and Christian Baptism

Both John's baptism and Christian baptism occur by immersion in water, but there is a difference between the two. When Paul visited the city of Ephesus he found a group of people who were disciples of John the Baptist. They had heard John's message of repentance and been baptized, but had heard nothing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ: John's message prepared the hearts of the people of Israel for the revelation of their Messiah, Jesus Christ. By baptism they outwardly confessed repentance of their sins and their belief in the coming Messiah.

(Acts 19:1-5)

After the death and resurrection of Jesus, people were then baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. By doing so they outwardly demonstrated their acceptance of the Gospel message and the fact that it had changed their lives

Jesus commanded this baptism:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. (Matthew 28:19)

The difference between Christian baptism and the baptism of John is that Christian baptism is to be done in the full authority of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. John's baptism could not be done with this same authority. It was only a baptism of repentance and confession of belief in the coming Messiah. Christian baptism is a baptism confessing acceptance of the completed redemptive plan of God.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

After the resurrection and prior to His return to Heaven, Jesus gave important instructions to His followers:

And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

The promise to which Jesus referred was the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus had spoken of this previously to

His followers:

And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him; but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. (John 14:16-18)

PURPOSES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

One of the main purposes for the gift of the Holy Spirit is to comfort believers. But the Bible gives several other purposes for the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer.

The Holy Spirit is to:

-Fill and baptize him: Acts 2:4

-Dwell in him: I Corinthians 6:19

-Unite him in one spirit with God and other believers: I Corinthians 6:17

-Pray for him: Romans 8:26

-Guide him: John 16:13

-Show the love of Christ to him and through him: Romans 5:5

-Conform him to the image of Christ: II Corinthians 3:18

-Reveal Biblical truth to him: I Corinthians 2:10

-Teach him: John 14:26

-Inspire him to true worship: John 4:24

-Strengthen him: Ephesians 3:16

-Quicken him: Romans 8:11

-Sanctify him: II Thessalonians 2:13-14

-Change him: Titus 3:5

-Convict him when he does wrong: John 16:8-11

-Give assurance of salvation: Romans 8:16

-Give him liberty: Romans 8:2

-Speak through him: Mark 13:11

-Demonstrate God's power: I Corinthians 2:4

-Give him power to witness: Acts 1:8

-Inspire him to worship: John 4:24

THE EVIDENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit has many purposes in the lives of believers, but the main purpose and true evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit is to make the Christian a powerful witness for the

Gospel: But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me...to the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8)

The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit was present immediately in the life of the Apostle Peter. Before the Day of Pentecost he had fearfully denied that he knew Jesus. After his baptism in the Holy Spirit, Peter stood and gave a powerful witness to the Gospel that resulted in the salvation of 3,000 people. It was the power of the Holy Spirit in the early church that resulted in the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. The book of Acts is a record of this powerful witness which was evidence of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

There are seven passages in the New Testament where the word "baptize" is used in relation to the Holy Spirit. Four of these are the words of John the Baptist recorded in the Gospels:

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire. (Matthew 3:11)

I indeed have baptized you with water: but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. (Mark 1:8)

John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. (Luke 3:16)

And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. (John 1:33)

Jesus also spoke of the baptism of the Holy Ghost:

For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. (Acts 1:5)

Paul also used the word "baptize" in relation to the Holy Spirit:

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (I Corinthians 12:13)

Use of the phrase "to baptize into" the Holy Spirit is the same as when it is used to describe Christian baptism in water. In both cases baptism is an outward confirmation of an inward spiritual condition.

The Holy Spirit came down from Heaven on the disciples on the day of Pentecost and completely immersed [or baptized] them in the Holy Spirit. Peter said this experience was the fulfillment of

God's promise: "In the last days...I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." This promise was given in Joel 2:28.

In Acts 8 v14-16 we read,

"When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus."

Baptism/immersion was obviously normal practice, but not the final thing needed.

In Acts 22 v14-16 it is said to Paul,

"`The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth. You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard. And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.'"

Paul said, in Romans 6 v2-6

"We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.

And for the life connection read what Paul said in Galatians 3:26-27

"You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ."

Baptism by total immersion is practiced by Baptists and other evangelical denominations, but the connection to Jewish practice is not generally appreciated.

Paul spells out the deeper spiritual significance of immersion in Romans 6:3-11; how baptism is about death and burial.

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

Day 2 - Doctrine (Teaching) of Baptisms