baptism

[gretha]

I would like to know where John the Baptist got the practice of baptizing as I see it no-where else in the
bible.
Thank you

 

[gretha]

This is my first post I don’t know what I am doing

 

[Melchior]

gretha:

I would like to know where John the Baptist got the practice of baptizing as I see it no-where else in the
bible.
Thank you

It was actually a fairly common Jewish practice during the inter-testamental period, to conduct a ritual washing (baptism) of gentile converts to Judaism during this period that would have beeen very familiar to John. The idea was that the person was being symbolically cleansed from their old life and sins. The symbolism was very similar to Christian Baptism.

Interestingly when someone did convert their entire family also went through this ritual washing. A good point to make to those who deny infant/family baptism.

This is my first post I don’t know what I am doing

You did just fine.

Mel

 

[gretha]

thanks for your reply. would it be similar then to when the Prophet Isaiah told the official to wash three times in the Jordan to cleanse him of leprosy?
gretha

 

[Melchior]

gretha:

thanks for your reply. would it be similar then to when the Prophet Isaiah told the official to wash three times in the Jordan to cleanse him of leprosy?
gretha

Similar but not exactly the same. Water did have a very special place in Jewish life. It represented life and cleansing and purity etc. What happened with Isaiah beautifully prefigured Baptism and it’s effects. As did the parting of the Red Sea and the Ark that carried Noah and his family safely through to dry land.

Mel

 

[quasimodo]

Melchior:

It was actually a fairly common Jewish practice during the inter-testamental period, to conduct a ritual washing (baptism) of gentile converts to Judaism during this period that would have beeen very familiar to John. The idea was that the person was being symbolically cleansed from their old life and sins. The symbolism was very similar to Christian Baptism.

Interestingly when someone did convert their entire family also went through this ritual washing. A good point to make to those who deny infant/family baptism.

You did just fine.

Mel

It was also quite common within certain Jewish sects as well… the Essenes for instance. Independent of any conversion activities.

 

[Melchior]

quasimodo:

It was also quite common within certain Jewish sects as well… the Essenes for instance. Independent of any conversion activities.

Very true. I forgot that one. Which also reminds me of the ritual washings that all Jews took part of during Passover and Yom Kippur.

Dave

 

[Traditional_Ang]

Melchior:

Very true. I forgot that one. Which also reminds me of the ritual washings that all Jews took part of during Passover and Yom Kippur.

Dave

Dave:

Do you remember the giant “bath” that was part of the Temple complex that Solomon built?

The sea was then cast; it was made with a circular rim, and measured ten cubits across, five in height, and thirty in circumference. Under the brim, gourds encircled it, ten to the cubit all the way around; the gourds were in two rows and were cast in one mold with the sea. This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center, where the sea was set upon them. It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim resembled that of a cup, being lily-shaped. Its capacity was two thousand measures. I Kings 7:23-26 NAB

Note 2 [23-26] The sea . . . rested on twelve oxen: this was a large circular tank containing about twelve thousand gallons of water. I Kings 7 NAB

If you look at the amount of ritual washings people had to perform, they seem to have needed that water.

In Christ, Michael

 

[Melchior]

Traditional Ang:

Dave:

Do you remember the giant “bath” that was part of the Temple complex that Solomon built?

The sea was then cast; it was made with a circular rim, and measured ten cubits across, five in height, and thirty in circumference. Under the brim, gourds encircled it, ten to the cubit all the way around; the gourds were in two rows and were cast in one mold with the sea. This rested on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east, with their haunches all toward the center, where the sea was set upon them. It was a handbreadth thick, and its brim resembled that of a cup, being lily-shaped. Its capacity was two thousand measures. I Kings 7:23-26 NAB

Note 2 [23-26] The sea . . . rested on twelve oxen: this was a large circular tank containing about twelve thousand gallons of water. I Kings 7 NAB

If you look at the amount of ritual washings people had to perform, they seem to have needed that water.

In Christ, Michael

Very good point!

Mel

 

[BayCityRickL]

I was reading about the priesthood in Scott Hahn’s SCRIPTURE MATTERS and he mention something that I hadn’t noticed.

John the Baptist was the son of Zacharius and Elizabeth, as is mentioned in the opening chapters of St. Luke’s Gospel. Zacharius is plainly a temple priest, a Levite. So, John the Baptist is also a Levite.

The birth of John the Baptist gets a lot of attention in Luke, because he was the last of the Old Testament prophets, one who was preaching in the spirit of Elias (Elijah “My God is Yahweh”). And he was fill with the Holy Spirit from the moment of his conception.

John was six months older than Jesus. So, he had begun his ministry earlier than Jesus, as priests usually began their service at age 30.

John’s preaching, as I recall, was on the Bethany side of the Jordan River. So, people crossing over to John were reminded of the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River as they entered the Promised Land.

And, his preaching was filled with the Holy Spirit, preaching a baptism of repentence.

And, from various places, I’ve picked up that water was a sign of condemnation in the Old Testament – recall the flood of Noah’s time. And, baptism was performed by total immersion, recalling the death of mankind in the flood.

Jesus said He “had” to be baptized. But even so great a person as a temple priest considered himself “unworthy” to place that sign on Jesus. Jesus had to have the sign of condemnation placed on him. He is the “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.”

but, Jesus was sinless. He got up out of the water immediately. this was unlike the ordinary people who stayed in the water “washing” their sins as they recalled them.

Whereas the Jews would procede to the temple after their washing, Jesus was led into the desert by the Spirit. Jesus IS the Temple and He goes into the desert which reinforces His being in the world among mankind. In Temple practice, the “scapegoat” was imputed with the sins of the high priest and people, and led into the desert to be devoured by wild animals, in all likelihood. Jesus goes there and the devil attempts to devour Him. But, His obedience to go into the desert suggests to me His willingness to die in atonement for our sins, as He eventually will.

 

[mercygate]

gretha:

thanks for your reply. would it be similar then to when the Prophet Isaiah told the official to wash three times in the Jordan to cleanse him of leprosy?
gretha

I think you mean Elisha telling Naaman to wash seven times in the Jordan? 2 Kings 5.