Steven R. Cook
The subject on baptism has interested me for
several years. One day after class, my
Classical Greek professor was talking to me about the Bible and asked if I was
a Christian. I nodded, and then we
started talking about the Bible. After
about five minutes, he turned the discussion to the topic of baptism, and asked
me what I thought about it. I told him
that I thought it was a ritual that pointed to the reality of Christ’s death,
burial, and resurrection. He then asked
if I believed water baptism “was necessary for salvation?” I told him “no.” I then told him that I understand salvation
to be by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. He smiled and then began to ask me about
verses like Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Acts
A Definition of Baptism
The word baptize (from baptizo) is transliterated from Greek straight into English. Often, a transliteration offers little understanding regarding the meaning of a word. Various definitions include:
·
“To put or go under water in a variety of senses” (Walter Bauer, A
Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature,
3rd ed., rev. and ed. Fredrick William Danker, Chicago: University
of Chicago Press, 2000, s.v. “baptivzw,” p. 164)
·
“To immerse for a religious purpose” (E. W. Bullinger, A
Critical Lexicon and Concordance,
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing, 1975, p. 80).
·
“To dip in or under water” (Liddell & Scott, Greek English Lexicon,
Oxford, Great Britain: Oxford university press, 1999, p. 146).
·
“To dip in or under…to immerse” (Gerhard Kittel and Gerhard
Friedrich (eds), Theological
Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. 1, Grand rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1964-1976, p. 529-530).
·
“Consisting of the process of immersion, submersion
and emergence” (W. E. Vine, An
Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words, Lynchburg, Virginia: Publisher
Unknown, Year Unknown, p. 88).
·
“The application of water as a rite of purification or
initiation; a Christian sacrament”
(Merrill F. Unger, The New Unger’s Bible
Dictionary, Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1988, p. 142).
These
basic definitions work in some New Testament passages where water baptism is
mentioned (Matthew 26:23; Mark
Ultimately, it is the usage of a
word in its context that determines meaning.
For example, if I said “that’s the biggest trunk I’ve ever seen.” The
question arises, what kind of trunk am I talking about? There are several kinds of trunks in the
world such as tree trunks, car trunks, elephant trunks, storage trunks, and
perhaps several others. Now, if I made
another statement such as “I sure am enjoying my time at the zoo today,” it is
probable that you can know I am talking about an elephant’s trunk. You see, how a word is used in the context of
a sentence determines its meaning. Regarding the general use of a word in its
context Gordon Fee states:
In any piece of literature, words are the basic building blocks for conveying meaning. In exegesis it is especially important to remember that words function in a context. Therefore, although any given word may have a broad or narrow range of meaning, the aim of word study in exegesis is to try to understand as precisely as possible what the author was trying to convey by his use of this word in this context (Gordon D. Fee, New Testament Exegesis, 3rd ed., Louisville: Westminster, John Knox Press, 2002, 79).
From a study of baptism in the Bible, I believe a good definition of the word means “to place into, or identify with.” That is, in baptism, one thing or person is placed into, or identified with another thing or person; sometimes the identification is real, at other times symbolic. Though I have given you my definition up front, I hope you will see from the rest of this study that this definition best fits the uses of baptism in the Bible. However, before I get ahead of myself, let’s consider the various modes of Baptism practiced through church history.
Modes of Baptism
In regard to baptism with water in the New
Testament, there is no clear description regarding how it was practiced. John the Baptist was baptizing “in the
In
the first century most of the converts were from Judaism and baptism
immediately followed profession of faith. By the third and fourth centuries
most converts were pagans and a period of instruction was set up between
profession and baptism, generally of three years duration but sometimes less.
By the third century several symbols and much ritual had been added to the
simple baptismal service as described by Justin Martyr, and this order of
service will be presented below. Some of these symbols were the sign of the
cross; giving of milk, honey, and salt; unction of the head; and the white
robe. Schools were set up to handle the large numbers and grades of
advancement. In the fourth century for these schools baptism was a sort of
elaborate graduation exercise. The Coptic Constitutions of the fourth and fifth
centuries called for the three years of instruction, an examination, exorcism,
an anointing with oil, an oral profession, and a baptism of triune immersion
before the convert was allowed into the church and to partake of the Lord’s
Supper (William A. BeVier, “Water Baptism in the Ancient Church” Bibliotheca Sacra 116, (1959): 138).
Dr. Bevier goes on to state “[from] all indications, baptism took place in the nude in the early centuries” (William A. BeVier, 138). Obviously the church has not continued the same procedures universally throughout the current dispensation. Three modes of baptism have come through the ages and these are as follows:
1. Baptism by dipping into water. This is the commonly accepted position held by most Protestants and involves a complete immersion into water.
2.
Baptism
by sprinkling with water.
The identification is the same as dipping, but the method involves
sprinkling water on another rather than immersion.
3.
Baptism
by pouring water.
Again, the identification is the same, but the method involves pouring
water on another.
One of the
earliest writings on the modes of baptism comes from the Didache, a Syrian text written to Christians shortly after the
first century.
Now concerning baptism, baptize in this way: after you have said all these things, baptize in running water, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If you have no running water close by, however, dip in other water. If you cannot do it in cold water, do it in warm water. If you have neither close by, pour water on the head three times, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/didache-roberts.html).
It is quite obvious from this early church document that mode was not an issue. Identification with Christ through the symbolic use of water was the important stress, not how it was administered. The Bible commands baptism; however it does not specify execution by dipping, sprinkling, or pouring. I practice believer’s water baptism by immersion because I think it best fits the biblical model as well as the spiritual truth which it ritually represents; that is, complete union with Christ at the moment of salvation. However, if we make more out of the mode of baptism rather than what it symbolizes, I think we have missed the point.
A Dispensational
View of Baptism
Baptisms in the Bible can be classified in the following way:
1. Wet or dry baptisms. Baptisms that are wet or dry simply refer to whether water is involved in the identification. As best I can tell, the wet baptisms are symbolic, whereas the dry baptisms are real,
2. Real or Symbolic baptisms. Baptisms that are real (i.e. baptism of Moses, baptism of the cup, the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, the baptism of fire) involve an actual identification of one thing
or person with another thing or person, whereas a symbolic baptism (i.e. baptism of John, baptism of Jesus, baptism
of the church age believer) is where one thing or person is representative of
another thing or person. For John the water used was symbolic of the
3. Unique or common baptisms. Baptisms that are unique are so because of the unique person or event taking place (i.e. the baptism of the cross, the baptism of Jesus). The unique baptisms of Jesus are special because Jesus Himself is special. Baptisms that are common are so because they involve many persons without reference to a special person, setting, or requirement.
A screening of the New Testament yields seven different baptisms in all. These baptisms are as follows:
1. The baptism of Moses (1 Corinthians. 10:1, 2). (Dry, real, common).
2. The
baptism of the cross (Mark
3. The
baptism of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians.
4. The
baptism of fire (Matthew.
5. The baptism of John (Matthew. 3:4-11). (Wet, symbolic, common).
6. The
baptism of Jesus (Matthew.
7. The baptism of the believer (Matthew. 28:16-20). (Wet, symbolic, common).
The three dispensational separations are:
1. Baptisms according to the dispensation of the Law.
2. Baptisms according to the dispensation of the Grace.
3. Baptism according to the dispensation of the Tribulation.
Dispensational View of Baptisms
|
BAPTISMS |
DISPENSATIONS |
SCRIPTURE |
|
BAPTISM
OF MOSES |
LAW DRY,
REAL, COMMON |
1
Cor. 10:1-2; Ex.
14:21-22 |
|
BAPTISM
OF JOHN |
LAW WET,
SYMBOLIC, COMMON |
Matt.
3:4-11; Acts
19:1-4 |
|
BAPTISM
OF JESUS |
LAW WET,
SYMBOLIC, UNIQUE |
Matt.
3:13-17; Luke
3:21 |
|
BAPTISM
OF CROSS |
LAW DRY,
REAL, UNIQUE |
Mark
10:38-39; Luke
12:50 |
|
BELIEVER'S
BAPTISM |
GRACE WET,
SYMBOLIC, COMMON |
Matt.
28:19; Acts
|
|
BAPTISM
OF HOLY SPIRIT |
GRACE DRY,
REAL, COMMON |
Matt.
3:11; 1
Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27 |
|
BAPTISM
OF FIRE |
TRIBULATION DRY,
REAL, COMMON |
Matt.
3:11-12; 2
Thess. 1:7-9 |
Baptisms During to the Dispensation of the Mosaic Law:
The Baptism of Moses
The baptism of Moses finds its setting in Exodus
The Apostle Paul, while writing to the Corinthians, wanted to make a point about avoiding Israel’s past mistakes about idolatry (1 Cor. 10:7); so he reached back into biblical history and recalled the story of Moses leading the people of God away from Egypt into a new life; “For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). Obviously Paul was thinking of baptism in the sense of identification when he referred to the Israelites as being “baptized into Moses.” None of the Jews got wet as they passed through on dry ground. Their baptism (identification) was with Moses, not water. As a matter of fact, the only ones who got wet were the Egyptians and they were neither saved nor benefited from the water that came in around them. Some interesting points about Paul’s use of the word baptism are as follows:
1. Paul
uses the word “baptism” as a dry
identification when he connects the Israelites with Moses as they passed
through the
2. If Paul used the word “baptism” to identify the Israelites with Moses, then according to Paul’s liberal usage, the word “baptism” could be used to identify any person with another person (i.e. the Israelites could be identified with Joshua as they entered the promised land, the disciples could identified with Jesus as the One who sent them out, the human race as a whole could be identified with Adam in the fall as they experience a real separation from God as a result. etc…).
3. Paul’s use of “baptism” with reference to Old Testament characters is without precedent (I think) anywhere else in the Bible.
4. Paul was willing to use the word “baptism” in a way that his audience would have clearly understood.
The baptism of John was a ritual
baptism and was used to teach others to repent by turning to God (Matthew 3:6;
3:11; Mark 1:4-5, 8-9; 11:30; Luke 3:3, 7, 12, 16, 21; 7:29-30; 20:4; John
1:25-26, 28, 31, 33; 3:22-23, 26: 4:1-2; 10:40; Acts 1:5; 11:6; 19:3-5). John
was placing those who came to him into water so they could understand the
concept of cleansing in preparation for coming offer of the
The prepositional phrase “in water” is used a number of times with reference to John’s baptism because it clarifies into what his constituents were being placed. If baptism by itself means “to place into water,” then to use the preposition “in” would be redundant.
And they were being baptized
by him in the
“As for me, I baptize you with water for
repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit
to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Matthew.
Here John is baptizing “in water” and “with water” which demonstrates that baptism is not a wet word until it becomes connected with the use of water. Again, if baptism by itself is always a wet word, then it would not make any sense in this verse, for John talks about how Jesus will baptize some “wife fire.”
This verse also shows several baptisms that are entirely different from each other. The baptism in water is different from the baptism in the Spirit, which is different from the baptism in fire. What is very interesting is that all three baptisms mentioned in this verse occur in three different dispensations! The baptism of John took place during the dispensation of the Mosaic Law. The baptism of the Spirit takes place during the dispensation of the church age. And finally, the baptism of Fire takes place during the dispensation of the Tribulation.
So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Luke 3:7
But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected God’s purpose for themselves, not having been baptized by John. Luke 7:30
It is obvious that there were some who rejected “God’s
purpose” when they rejected John’s baptism in water. Here, ritual water baptism
reflects obedience to God’s will for those living during the dispensation of
the Mosaic Law. This verse also shows that John’s baptism was from God. Once the plan of God for
These things took place in
John
I did not recognize Him, but so
that He might be manifested to
John states that he “came baptizing
in water” for the purpose that Christ “might be manifested to
“I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. John 1:33
In this verse John clearly refers to God as the one who sent him to baptize in water. This was for the very purpose of being able to identify Jesus once the Spirit descended and remained upon Him. John’s baptism was God ordained for that time.
For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” Acts 1:5
There is a stark contrast between Acts 1:5 and Acts 11:14-17. In Acts 1:5 Jesus tells the disciples that they “will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” This is clearly FUTURE tense, indicating that the baptism of the Holy Spirit had not yet come. Again, dispensational distinctions are clearly set forth in Scripture with regard to the different baptisms. The following passage of Acts 11:14-17 reveals that the baptism of the Holy Spirit had already come, and was continuing to come upon others who believed in Jesus as Savior.
And
he will speak words to you by which you will be saved, you and all your
household.’ “And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as He
did upon us at the beginning. “And I remembered the word of the Lord, how
He used to say, ‘John baptized with
water, but you will be baptized with
the Holy Spirit.’ “Therefore if God gave to them the same gift as He gave to
us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand
in God’s way?” Acts11:14-17
Again, Peter makes clear that there is a distinction between baptisms, in that John “baptized with water,” but they had been “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” John’s baptism was clearly wet, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit was dry. John baptism was past, while the baptism of the holy Spirit was present.
And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” And they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 19:3-5
When John was baptizing people in water and telling them to repent, he was actually telling them to believe in Jesus who was coming after him. Baptism had no value apart from a proper understanding of Christ. That was true then, and it is true today. “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” This verse explains so much of John’s baptism and how believing in Christ was the real issue.
I once talked with a gentleman who believed water baptism was necessary for salvation, though he was not clear as to which wet baptism was needed. His argument was that if a person was not baptized with the view of salvation in mind, then any baptism undergone was not to be counted as Christian. I pointed him to John the Baptist’s statement in Matthew 3:14 where John said to Jesus “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” After mentioning this verse, I then explained the following points:
1. John was trying to deny Jesus his baptism because John knew that Jesus had no “need” of it as did all the other sinful people who were coming to him. Those who came to John’s baptism were “confessing their sins,” and there was nothing for Jesus to confess.
2. John was a saved person at this point and yet he still saw a “need” for another baptism which only Jesus could offer. However, the baptism John thought he needed from Jesus would not have made him any more saved than he already was.
3. John clearly viewed Jesus baptism with the Spirit as more important than his own.
4. John saw the clear benefit of Jesus’ baptism over against his own baptism. Spirit baptism is more beneficial than water baptism.
5. John never received the baptism in the Spirit from Jesus and yet John is saved and is in heaven now.
6. If
John had lived past the day of Pentecost, he would have received the baptism of
the Spirit. As it was, Jesus had not offered the baptism of the Spirit at that
time because the dispensation of
God called John to baptize in order to prepare the way of the King who was coming. John identified the King and then John phased out of the picture in order to let the Lord begin His ministry.
The Baptism of Jesus
Then Jesus arrived from
After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him. Matthew 3:16
Here is the verse that identifies
Jesus as the Christ. This is what John was looking for the whole time he
was baptizing people in the
In
those days Jesus came from
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened. Luke 3:21
“I did not recognize Him,
but He who sent me to baptize in water
said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him,
this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’
“I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:33-34
Now, it is interesting to note that
when Jesus came to John for baptism, that John was hesitant, not wanting to
perform what the Lord had requested.
Matthew tells us that John the Baptist “tried
to prevent Him,” but Jesus responded to him saying “Permit it at
this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”
(Matthew
When Jesus went to be baptized by John in the River Jordan, it was to “fulfill all righteousness” according to the words of Jesus. Apart from this text we have no other reason given for our Lord’s baptism other than the one He gave. Several points of observation should be made here:
1. Because Jesus was unique His baptism was unique.
2. Because Jesus was perfect and had no sins to repent of, His baptism was unique.
3.
Jesus was baptized to “fulfill all righteousness,” or
complete the will of the Father for Him (Matthew
4. Since Jesus’ baptism was unique, the believer can never be said, “to follow the Lord in baptism”.
5. Water baptism did not bring Jesus any closer to God; since He is God He cannot be any closer than He already is.
When Jesus went under the water he was saying in effect “I will give My life to satisfy My Father’s righteousness and die for the sins of the world,” and when He came up He was saying in effect “I will conquer sin and death for others that they might have life in Me” (Romans 6:3-4). For any believer to say that he is “following the Lord in baptism” would seem to be wrong; for that believer either elevates himself to the place of Christ, or demotes Christ to the place of a sinner. Why Christ was baptized and why the believer is baptized is completely different. Regarding this point Dr. S. Lewis Johnson writes:
To most Christians the baptism of Jesus Christ is as much an enigma as it proved to John the Baptist. This is reflected in the almost absurd statement about it. For example, in urging believers to be baptized in testimony to salvation it is common to hear the expression, “follow the Lord in baptism,” as if our baptism is a carbon copy of His. It is doubtful if there is a single passage in the New Testament in which a Biblical writer connects the baptism of Christ with Christian baptism (S. Lewis Johnson, “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” Bibliotheca Sacra 123 (1966): 228).
This section would be incomplete if the descending of the Holy Spirit and the declaration of God the Father were not addressed in relation to Jesus baptism. Dr. Johnson states:
The vision of the Spirit descending as a dove upon Him is
the fulfillment of the words regarding the Servant of the Lord, “I have put my
Spirit upon him” (Isa. 42:1). It is His anointing, as our Lord realized
and the apostles preached. He could hardly make it plainer that this signified
His inauguration into the office of Messiah than when He stood and read Isaiah
61:1 with its, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me,”
and then added, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:18,
21). The Spirit’s coming was His anointing, and His anointing is His induction
into the office of Messiah. Peter confirms this when he says in Acts
And regarding the Father’s response Dr. Johnson offers these excellent words:
The voice from heaven, the confirmation of the vision, is
a kind of coronation formula for the Suffering Servant. The voice is a
combination of Psalm 2:7, the psalm of the messianic king, and Isaiah 42:1, a
reference to the Suffering Servant. The force of the words is to inform Him that
He is “born to suffer, born a king”; they become a preview of His destiny, a
synthesis of ruling and suffering of incomparable value. It is sometimes
claimed that Jesus had revealed to Him at the baptism His Messiahship. This is
an intolerable view of the event, because if this were so, it would imply that
He went to the baptism just as any other Israelite, to confess His sins and
give evidence of repentance. The Messiahship is not revealed to Him here; His
view of Himself is only confirmed. If this were not so, He could never have
overruled John’s objection as He did. But, having had His Messianic dignity
confirmed by the voice from heaven and the vision of the dove, He is the more
able to affirm confidently shortly: “The time is fulfilled, and the
So, it should be observed that Jesus’ baptism was
unique. For there is no account of any
man in the Bible when after his baptism the Holy Spirit descended like a dove,
and was followed by the a thundering voice from Heaven declaring “this is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased”
(Matthew 3:17).
The Baptism of the Cross
But 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?”
They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink
you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.
Mark
But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!
Luke 12:50
Jesus Christ was identified with our sins as God
the Father poured them on Him while on the cross (2 Corinthians
It is striking that Jesus would declare to the disciples that they would share in His baptism. What did He mean? When Jesus told the disciples “you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized” it is possible He was referring to one of two things:
1. The disciples would be identified with Christ on the cross through positional sanctification. That is, they themselves would not go to the cross to pay for the sins of others as Christ was doing, but that their life would be identified with His as He hung on the cross (Romans 6:3-4).
2. Just as Christ was to suffer by the hands of sinners for righteousness sake, so to the disciples would suffer at the hands of others innocently. Thus their identification with Christ’s suffering would be experiential, though not identical.
The disciples that Jesus spoke to were not sent to a cross to bear the sins of the world. Yet, they are clearly said to be baptized with the same baptism that Jesus underwent. Obviously Jesus’ water baptism is not in view since that is long removed from the present events. The first answer appears to be the most plausible.