CONTRASTING BAPTISMS

 

  Scenes in a Life: Panel D (mixed media, 2006)

Two different forms of baptism appear in the New Testament: one taught and practiced by John the Baptist and Christian baptism. There is certainly a continuity between the two, and Jesus even ratified John's baptism by submitting to it himself. But at the same time, there is a marked contrast between the two which is first expressed by John himself and years later continues to be an issue in the early church.

The pertinent NT passages to consider are Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:4-5,8; Luke 3:3,16; John 1:26,31,33; and Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:1-7. By just looking at these passages we can see how each of the two baptisms are respectively characterized. John's baptism was with water, for repentance for the forgiveness of sins, and accompanied by a revelation of the one who was to come, i.e. Jesus. However, the type of baptism instituted by Jesus was said to be with the Holy Spirit and fire.

But from those contrasting descriptions we would be very wrong in deducing that water and repentance were not part of Christian baptism. Several additional passages the Book of Acts definitely rule that idea out. For example, see Acts 2:38; 8:35-37; and 22:16.

And then in the Epistles, we learn more about the effect of Christian baptism that is not stated for John's baptism. For one thing, immersion in water not only symbolizes a cleansing, but also is a type of Christ's death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-5; Colossians 2:12-13).

It is instructive that two of the passages in Acts contrasting the two baptisms appear in significant locations from a literary and rhetorical perspective: the introductions to Part 1 (1:5) and Part 2 (11:16), respectively.

The Structure of the Acts of the Apostles

Introduction (1:1-26)

First Part: Peter/Jerusalem (2:1-9:31)

1. “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses...” (2:1-2:44)

2. “...in Jerusalem...” (2:45-5:42)

3. “...and in all Judea and Samaria...” (6:1-9:31)

4. Transition (9:32-12:25)

Second Part: Paul/ “...and to the end of the earth.” (13:1-28:31)

5. Paul's First Trip and Jerusalem Council (13:1-16:5)

6. Paul's Second and Third Trips (16:6-19:20)

7. To Rome (19:21-28:31)

Below are some additional comments gleaned from recent commentaries concerning the nature of John's baptism.

Matthew 3:11

“Messianic baptism – unlike that of John – is not a preparation, not even for the Spirit; but itself will give the Spirit. The expectation of a 'baptism' with the Spirit appears at Jl 2.28 ('I will pour out my spirit on all flesh'), and at Ezek. 36.25-7; 39.29...Although it is likely that the text we have was interpreted in the light of the Pentecost understanding of 'spirit' as gracious endowment, there is no strong objection to taking the words as a accurate expression or summary of the Baptist's teaching, for neither 'spirit' nor 'fire' need be the agents of destroying judgment: both may refer to redemptive judgment, to refining, and to cleansing...” (D. Hill)

Mark 1:4-5

Marcus explains, “The object of John's initial proclamation is his baptism. Various kinds of ritual washings were practiced in the ancient world, but the most direct connection of John's rite was with the Old Testament via later Judaism. In the Old Testament period, priests washed themselves before taking part in sacrifices, and ordinary people did likewise if they had contacted some sorts of ritual impurity...This ritual washing was eventually extended to Gentile proselytes to Judaism, who thereby purged themselves of the uncleanness of their pagan life; immersion in a ritual bath therefore became a requirement for conversion...The Dead Sea sect at Qumran laid great stress on ritual bathing, and here, as in John's baptism, the bath was linked with the end-time cleansings and renewal to be accomplished by God's Spirit...His baptism, however, departed from the Qumran pattern by being a onetime rite performed by a second party, not a continually repeated self-immersion.”

Mark 1:8

Lane says, “The reference to the bestowal of the Spirit is appropriate to the wilderness context of John's proclamation. Isaiah describes Israel's trek in the wilderness as a march under the guidance of the Spirit of God (Isa. 63:11); it was the Spirit who gave the people rest in the wilderness (Ch. 63:14). As the first exodus had been going forth into the wilderness under the leadership of God's Spirit; the prophet announces the second exodus as a time when there will be a fresh outpouring of the Spirit (Chs. 32:15; 44:3)...It is this note of anticipation which Mark emphasizes by reducing John's message to two statements, both of which point forward to something to come. They affirm that John is the forerunner of the Messiah (Ch. 1:7) and that his baptism is a preparation for the messianic baptism to come (Ch. 1:8).”

Luke 3:3

“Proselytes had to submit to baptism on entering the Jewish fold, but that true-born Jews should be urged to undergo this initiatory rite implied that hereditary membership of the nation of Israel was in itself useless, or at least insufficient. Which (as verse 9 makes plain) was exactly what John desired to convey.” (Geldenhuys)

Luke 3:16-17

Ellis states, “This is one of several passages in which Luke couples the present and the future manifestations of the kingdom (see...17:20-37). Both are eschatological and both are judgments. The first purges and redeems, the last judgment will destroy.”

John 1:26,31,33

“Water as a means of washing or external cleansing points to the inner cleansing which occurs when one accepts John's witness. But it is a temporary or secondary status by the promise of cleansing by the Spirit. The changing of water to wine in the next chapter symbolizes the fulfillment of John's prophetic announcement,” according to Culpepper.

Acts 1:5

Neil states: “John the Baptist's mission had included baptism by immersion in the Jordan as an outward sign of the inward cleansing power of God's forgiveness for the penitent sinner. Some, at any rate, of the Apostles had been baptized by John (John 1:35), but full rebirth in the Christian sense involved baptism both by water and by the Spirit (John 3:5). This complementary gift of the Spirit could not be given to the Apostles until after Christ's Ascension. The Lord would send from heaven the power they needed to renew their own lives and to launch the Church on its mission.”

Acts 11:16

Stott explains, “He [Peter] remembered what the risen Jesus had said after his resurrection (1:5), namely 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit,' In other words, this was the Gentile Pentecost in Caesarea, corresponding to the Jewish Pentecost in Jerusalem...Water-baptism could not be for forbidden to these Gentile converts, because God could not be forbidden to do what he had done, namely, give them Spirit-baptism.”

Acts 19:1-7

“Paul...inquired about their baptism, and learned that it was the pre-Pentecostal baptism as proclaimed and administered by John the Baptist – a baptism of expectation rather than one of fulfillment, as Christian baptism now was...But now that Jesus had come and accomplished His mission on earth, now that He was raised from the dead and exalted at God's right hand, whence He has sent the promised gift of the Holy Spirit, an anticipatory baptism was inappropriate and inadequate.” (Bruce)