Mat 3:7 when he saw that… the Sadducees were coming to his b
Matt 20:22; Mar 10:38 baptized with the b with what
Mat 21:25; Tue 11:30; Luk 20:4 the b of John, was
Luk 3:3 preaching the b of repentance to
Luk 7:29 to God, being baptized with the b of John
Luk 12:50 from a b I must be baptized; Y
Act 18:25 although he only knew the b of John
Rom 6:4 we are buried .. unto death by the b
Eph 4:5 one Lord, one faith, one b
Heb 6:2 of the doctrine of b, of the imposition of
1Pe 3:21 the b which corresponds to this we now
Baptism (Gr. báptisma; baptismós, “purification ceremony”, “baptism”, “ablution (washing)”). Religious rite originated in pre-Christian times. The Jews practiced it as a ceremony to receive proselytes into Judaism (this is demonstrated by several of their writings). When they were baptized, the rite probably had the function of cleansing them of the impurity contracted as pagans, because the same term miqwêh is used for other purification baths. It was also seen as a review of one of the events that made Israel a nation: the crossing of the Red Sea. Together with the circumcision and the sacrifices, they made the proselyte a member of the same covenant in which the Israelites by birth participated. The legal status of this proselyte was that of a newborn (cf Joh 3:3-10). It is significant that the Jewish leaders did not question the validity of John’s baptism, but only his authority to administer it (John 1:19-28). The Essenes also practiced baptism in connection with their religious rites. At Khirbet Qumrân, his probable religious center, several pools with steps leading down into them were discovered 146 (fig 504). They would have been used for baptismal rites, apparently involving immersion, as was the case with the baptism of Jewish proselytes. Almost all Christian denominations practice baptism, although the way of administering it varies: sprinkling, pouring water on the head or total immersion of the catechumen. The method used in NT times was immersion (it is deduced from the meaning of the Greek term), according to the biblical descriptions of the performance of the ceremony and the spiritual applications that the Bible makes of the rite. The term baptízí‡ was used in ancient times to describe the immersion of cloth to dye it, and of a vessel to fill it with water; when applied to Christian baptism its most obvious meaning is “to immerse” (biblical references to baptisms clearly show that immersion was used). John the Baptist baptized “in Aenon, near Salim, because there was much water there” (John 3:23). There would be no reason to look for a place where there was “many waters” if pouring or sprinkling a little water was the way to baptize. The account of the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch states that Philip and the eunuch “both went down into the water” and then “came up out of the water” (Acts 8:38, 39), acts that most certainly indicate more than a sprinkling or pouring of water. The apostle Paul made a spiritual application of the baptismal rite, which is only clear if he refers to that of immersion. Discussing the meaning of baptism, Paul points out that: 1. Just as Christ died for sin, the Christian must die to sins. 2. Just as Christ, after he died, was buried, the Christian is to be symbolically “buried” with him in the watery sepulcher of baptism. 3. Just as Christ was raised from the grave, the Christian must be raised to a new spiritual life (Rom 6:3-5; cf Col 2:12). Obviously, the figures of burial and resurrection would not make sense if we did not think of a total immersion. It is worth noting that the presence of baptisteries in the oldest churches shows that for centuries the Christian church practiced baptism by immersion. It is clear that baptism was required of Christians: Christ commanded his disciples to baptize (Matt 28:18, 19; Mar 16:15, 16) and teach new converts to observe all things commanded by him (Matt 28:20); the apostles taught the necessity of baptism (Acts 2:38; 10:48; 22:16), and practiced the rite (8:12; 16:14, 15, 33; 19:5; etc.). Among the scriptural prerequisites for baptism are acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Son of God (8:36, 37; cf v 12; 18:8) and repentance (2:37, 38). The term “baptize” is also used figuratively. John the Baptist declared that Christ would baptize with “the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matt 3:11; Luk 3:16), which meant the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost under the symbol of fire (Acts 2:3, 4). ) or perhaps the final destruction of the wicked (Mat 3:11, 12). Jesus spoke symbolically of his death as a baptism (Matt 0:20-23: Mar 10:37-39; cf Luk 12:50), and Paul figuratively spoke of Israel’s experience leaving Egypt: “In Moses were baptized in the cloud and in the sea” (1Co 10:1, 2). In addition, 2 interesting incidents regarding the rite are recorded in the Bible: certain believers in Ephesus, after receiving new and important truths and the “baptism of John”, were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-5 ); and in a difficult passage (1Co 15:29) Paul refers to baptism for the dead (many explanations have been suggested, but none seem conclusive). See Ablution; Bath. Bib.: Talmud, ‘Erubin 4b; Yebamoth 47a. 47b; CBA 6:801, 802.
Source: Evangelical Bible Dictionary
Greek baptein, to immerse, to wash with water. Since ancient times, religions have had water as a symbol of purification, which is why some water sources were considered sacred, such as the Nile River among the Egyptians, the Euphrates in Babylon, where ritual purification baths were carried out; Even today, these practices persist, in the Ganges River in India, for example.
In the OT we find a series of prescriptions of the law on ritual baths and ablutions. For the priestly consecration of Aaron and his children, Yahweh commands Moses to bathe them with water at the entrance of the Tent of Meeting, Ex 29, 4; 40, 12; Lv 8, 6. To cleanse oneself of certain impurities, in which one has incurred voluntarily or involuntarily, and that prevent being in the presence of God in the Temple, in the assembly, in the holy war, one should wash one’s clothes, bathe, Lev 11, 25-40; fifteen; 16, 26-28; 17, 15; 22, 4-6; Numbers 19, 8. With the prophets, purification is no longer just an external rite, since impurity is in the heart of man, and they speak of ablutions and baths with water in a figurative sense, Is 1, 18; Jr 31, 33-34; Ez 36, 25-27; Ze 13, 1. Gentiles who wanted to enter Judaism were required to bathe, that is, the baptism of proselytes, as a sign of acceptance of the covenant. Among the Essenes, this rite was also practiced, as known by historians, such as Philo of Alexandria, Pliny the Elder and Flavius Josephus, also by the pools found by archaeologists in Qumran, on the shores of the Red Sea; Members of this community were required to have strict cleanliness and baths with cold water, in addition to wearing white dresses.
Within the prophetic tradition that called for interior conversion, John the Baptist appears, who invites the Jews to interior renewal, penance, confession of sins, with an external symbolic rite, baptism in the Jordan River, for the forgiveness of sins, Mk 1, 4. However, John, as the prophecy says, is the messenger sent to prepare the way of the Lord, the forerunner of the Messiah, Is 40, 3; Mt 3, 3; Mark 1, 2-3; Lk 3, 4-6; Jn 1, 23; and the same Baptist says, indicating that his is a transitory phase, that the definitive one will come, that he baptizes with water, but the one who will come, the Messiah, will do so with the Holy Spirit; “and fire”, adds the evangelist Matthew, alluding with this figure to the purifying action of b., Mt 3, 11; Mark 1, 8; Lk 3, 16; Jn 1, 26. Jesus, despite not having any sin, submits to God’s plan of salvation and is baptized by John the Baptist, Mt 3, 13-15; Mark 1, 9-11; Lk 3, 21-22.
The risen and glorified Christ has the power given by the Father, which he exercises both in heaven and on earth, and commands the disciples to exercise it also, in his name, for the b. and evangelization to all nations, Mt 28, 19; Mark 16, 15-16.
the b. in the NT since the beginning of Christianity, it is the rite of entry into the Christian community, the ceremony of the Christian’s birth. Peter, after his speech on the events of Pentecost, is questioned by those present about what to do to be saved. And the apostle answers that it is necessary to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, Acts 2, 37-38. Here the b. it presupposes faith in Christ proclaimed by the apostles, or initiation into it, and communion with the whole community, as well as the commitment to live it before others. That day about three thousand people joined the Church and were baptized, Acts 2, 41. In the same way, in Samaria, the first believers, men and women, were baptized after hearing Philip’s message and seeing the signs that performed; even the magician Simon, who astonished the Samaritan people, was baptized Acts 8, 5-13. This same Philip, a deacon, baptizes the Ethiopian eunuch, Queen Candace’s high official, at a water fountain he finds along the way, after explaining to him the passage from the prophet, Is 53, 7-8, which the eunuch was reading, without understand who the oracle was referring to, Acts 8, 36-38. Peter baptized the Roman centurion Cornelius and those of his house, with which it is implied that those called to the Kingdom of God are all the peoples, Gentiles, uncircumcised, Acts 10, 47-48; as Saint Paul says in Ga 3, 27-29, the b. it makes those who receive it one in Christ. “There is no longer Jew or Greek; neither slave nor free; neither woman nor man† . Paul is also baptized in Damascus, after having been knocked down by Jesus, from his horse, on his way to this city, in persecution of the Christians, Acts 9, 19; and the Apostle, in turn, baptized many in his intense apostolic activity, in the missionary journeys that he undertook. In Philippi, in the first district of Macedonia and a Roman colony, he baptized Lydia, a seller of purple, a native of Thyatira, after which all of the house of the woman were converted and baptized, Acts 16, 14-15. In the same city of Philippi, Paul was imprisoned with Silas, and the prodigy of an earthquake took place that opened the doors of the prison and the prisoners were freed from their chains. The jailer, after announcing the Word to him, converted and was baptized with his household Acts 16, 32-33. In Corinth, having heard the Word through the mouth of the Apostle, Crispus, head of the synagogue, his followers and many Corinthians believed and were baptized, Acts 18, 8. In Ephesus, Paul gave with some disciples, about twelve men, who had received the baptism of John, who upon hearing it were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus; The Apostle laid his hands on them and descended upon them the…