Was Baptism originally a Jewish tradition?

[i_have_no_names]

Was it?

The reason I ask is that a couple weeks back the readings were about the baptism of Jesus, and it struck me as odd that John the Baptist would be baptizing people if baptism is a Christian tradition, seeing as Christianity didn’t exist at the time.

Thanks,

 

[Br.Rich_SFO]

Was it?

The reason I ask is that a couple weeks back the readings were about the baptism of Jesus, and it struck me as odd that John the Baptist would be baptizing people if baptism is a Christian tradition, seeing as Christianity didn’t exist at the time.

Thanks,

Yes, Ritual washings are a Jewish tradition.

 

[i_have_no_names]

Yes, Ritual washings are a Jewish tradition.

Ah, ok. Thanks

 

[1ke]

Keep in mind, however, that Christ elevated baptism to a sacrament.

This means that it changed from a symbolic washing and forgiveness of sin-- to a real washing and forgiving of sin. Baptism conveys sanctifying grace to the soul.

 

[bpbasilphx]

The Rite of Mikveh (to give its Jewish name) is part of receiving a convert into Judaism, even a gentile infant adopted by Jewish parents.

So now you see the Jewish precedent for infant baptism!

 

[benedictgal]

From what I understand, the Essenes were into ritual purification involving something akin to the kind of baptism that St. John the Baptist was doing. Although I don’t necessarily agree with all of Simka Jacobovic’s theories (his “Naked Archeologist” TV show is funny and somewhat helpful), he did show a cave where there was evidence of Essene ritual purification, right down to an underground “bath” and a foot bath-like hole for ritual purification. So, it might have been an Essene thing.

I didn’t quite understand who the Essenes were until Pope Benedict XVI offered some observations into this particular movement in his 2007 Holy Thursday homily.