Baptism
From “Tota Scriptura”, Joey Day’s personal Scripture topic index wiki
Contents
Institution, commandment of
Baptism instituted and commanded
Mt 28:19–20; Mk 16:15–16; Ac 2:38; 10:48
Rejecting or neglecting baptism is sin
Ex 4:24–26; Lk 7:30
All New Testament accounts of
| Recipient(s) | Reference(s) |
|---|---|
| John’s disciples * | Mt 3:5–6 (cf. Mk 1:5); Lk 3:7, 12, 21; Jn 3:23 |
| Jesus * | Mt 3:13–17 (cf. Mk 1:9–11; Lk 3:21–22) |
| Jesus’ disciples ** | Jn 3:22, 26; 4:1–2 |
| About 3,000 Jewish men at Pentecost | Ac 2:5, 41 |
| Crowd of Samaritan men and women | Ac 8:5–6, 12 |
| Simon the sorcerer | Ac 8:9, 13 |
| The Ethiopian eunuch (no household) | Ac 8:27, 36–39 |
| Paul the apostle (no household—see 1Co 7:8) | Ac 9:17–18 |
| Cornelius and his household | Ac 10:1–2, 24, 44, 47–48 |
| Lydia and her household | Ac 16:14–15 |
| The Philippian jailer and his household | Ac 16:27, 31–34 |
| Crispus (and probably his household) and many Corinthians | Ac 18:8; 1Co 1:14 |
| About twelve men of John’s disciples | Ac 19:1, 3–5, 7 |
| Gaius (and his household?) | 1Co 1:14 |
| Stephanus and his household | 1Co 1:16 |
* John’s baptism
** Christian baptism before the church age
Purpose of
Circumcision was initiatory rite of old covenant
Gen 17:10–14, 23–27; 21:4; Ex 12:48; Lev 12:3; Jos 5:2–9; Ac 7:8
Shedding of blood was integral to old covenant
Ex 4:25–26; Lev 17:11; Heb 9:18, 22
Old and new covenants are essentially identical, continuous
Main topic: Covenant theology Ro 4:13–18; Gal 3; Heb 6:13–18
Shedding of blood now done away with
1Co 5:7; Eph 5:2; Heb 7:27; 9:12–14, 25–26; 10:8–10, 11–14; 1Pe 1:18–19
Circumcision can no longer serve as sign of covenant
Ac 15:1–2; 21:20–21; Gal 2:3–5; 5:2–3, 6; 6:12–13, 15; 1Co 7:18–19
Baptism replaces circumcision as new covenant initiatory rite
Mt 28:19–20; Mk 16:15–16; Ac 2:38; 8:12; 10:47-48; Php 3:3; Col 2:11–12
Signifies admission to covenant community, visible church, ingrafting into Christ
Ac 2:41; Ro 6:3–5; 1Co 12:13; Gal 3:27–29
Meaning, symbolism of
Circumcision referred to cutting away of sin and change of heart
Lev 26:41; Dt 10:16; 30:6; Isa 52:1; Jer 4:4, 14; 9:25–26; Eze 44:7, 9; Ac 7:51; 15:1–11; Ro 2:26–29; 4:11; Php 3:3; Col 2:11 — see also Ex 6:12, 30; Jer 6:10
Baptism refers to washing away of sin and spiritual renewal
Mt 3:11; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:16; Jn 1:33; 3:5; Ac 2:3, 38; 11:16; 22:16; Ro 6:3–4; Eph 5:26; Col 2:11–12; 1Co 6:11; Tit 3:5–7; Heb 9:14; 10:22; 1Pe 3:21
Baptism corresponds to characteristic graces of new covenant
Mt 26:28; 2Co 3:6; Heb 8:6–13; 10:15–18
Christ’s atonement is the real cutting off of sin signified by circumcision and baptism
Mk 10:38; Lk 12:50; Col 2:11
Administration of
Should be performed by an ordained minister
1Co 4:1; 14:40; Heb 5:4
Mode of
Water is clearly and obviously required
Jn 3:23; Ac 8:36; 10:47
Passages cited for immersion
Mt 3:16 (cf. Mk 1:9–10); Mk 1:5; Jn 3:23; Ac 8:38–39; Ro 6:4–5; Col 2:12
Passages cited for aspersion (sprinkling)
Num 8:7; 19:13, 18–20; Ps 51:7; Eze 36:25; Heb 9:10, 13–14, 19, 21; 10:22
Passages cited for affusion (pouring)
Joel 2:28–29; Ac 2:4, 33; 10:45–48; 11:16
Baptism signifies death and resurrection (implying immersion is a necessary symbol)
Mk 10:38–39; Lk 12:50; Ro 6:3–14; Col 2:11–13; 1Pe 3:21–22
Baptism signifies spiritual washing (implying water is only necessary symbol)
Ps 51:7; Eze 36:25; Jn 3:25–26; Ac 2:38; 22:16; 1Co 6:11; Eph 5:26; Tit 3:5; Heb 9:14; 10:22; 1Pe 3:21; Rev 1:5 KJV
Notable Old Testament (LXX) uses of baptizō
Nu 19:13, 18–19, 20; Ps 51:7; Eze 36:25
Places where baptizō and baptismos are not typically translated “baptism”
Mk 7:4; Lk 11:38; Heb 6:2; 9:10
Examples of baptisms where immersion would have been inconvenient
Ac 2:41; 9:18; 10:47–48; 16:22–33
“...in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”
Mt 28:19
“...in the name of the Lord Jesus”
Ac 2:38; 8:16; 10:48; 19:5
Subjects of
Main topic: Subjects of baptism
Adults should be baptized only upon profession of faith
Mk 16:16; Ac 2:37–38, 41; 8:12–13; Ac 8:37 KJV (not in earliest MSS); Ac 10:44–48; 16:14–15, 31–34
Infants and children of believers should also be baptized
Ge 17:7, 12, 23; Mt 19:13; Mk 10:13–16; Lk 18:15–17; Ac 2:38–39; 16:31; Ro 4:11–12; 1Co 7:14; Gal 3:9, 14; Col 2:11–12
Household baptisms
Ac 10:24, 44, 47–48; 16:14–15, 31–34; 18:8; 1Co 1:16 — see also: Ge 17:23–27; Ex 12; 20:5–6; Josh 2:13, 18; 6:23–25; 24:15; Mt 10:12–14; Lk 19:9; Jn 4:53; 2Ti 1:16; Heb 11:7–9
Children included in visible church, new covenant community
Mt 19:14 (cf. Mk 10:14; Lk 18:16); Ac 2:39; 1Co 7:14; Eph 6:1–4 (cf. Eph 1:1); Col 3:20 (cf. Col 1:2)
Prototypes of
Types and symbols of
Ex 13:21; 14:21, 26–28, 30–31; Nu 9:15; 1Co 10:2
Ceremonial washings in the old covenant
Ex 30:17–21; Lev 14; Lev 15; Nu 8:5–7; 19:8; 2Ch 4:6; Ps 51:7; Eze 36:25; Heb 9:10
Not necessary for salvation
Examples of salvation before or without circumcision/baptism
Lk 23:39–43 (see also Jn 19:32–33; Heb 9:17); Ac 10:44–48; Ro 2:26–29; 4:11
Examples of circumcision/baptism before or without salvation
Ac 8:13, 21–23; 8:14–17; 19:2–7; Ro 4:12
“Born of water” in Jn 3:5 indicates inward washing and renewal
Isa 44:3–5; Eze 36:25–27; Jn 4:10, 14; 7:37–39; 1Co 12:13; Eph 5:25–27; Tit 3:5; Heb 10:22
Salvation is not of works
Main topic: Gospel Isa 64:6; Lk 17:10; Ro 3:20–21, 27–28; 6:23; 9:31–32; 10:3–13; 11:6; Gal 2:16, 21; 3:10–12, 18; 5:4–6; Eph 2:8–9; Php 3:8–9; 2Ti 1:8–9; Tit 3:5
Comparison of John’s and Jesus’
Both instituted by God
Mt 21:25; Jn 1:33
Both connected with radical change of life
Lk 1:13–17; Jn 1:24–27, 29–31
Both stand in sacramental relation to forgiveness of sin
Mt 3:7–8; Mk 1:4; Lk 3:3; Ac 2:38
Yet they are distinct
Mt 3:11 (cf. Lk 3:16; Jn 1:32–33); Ac 19:1–6
External links
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