This article is not a discussion of the whole subject, but is merely a presentation of the Baptist interpretation of the ordinance. The origin and history of the ordinance, as a whole, do not come within the range of the present treatment.
The verb used in the New Testament is (βαπτίζω, baptízō). The substantives báptisma and baptismós occur, though the latter is not used in the New Testament of the ordinance of baptism except by implication (Hebrews 6:2, “the teaching of baptisms”) where the reference is to the distinction between the Christian ordinance and the Jewish ceremonial ablutions. Some documents have it also in Colossians 2:12 (compare Hebrews 9:10, “divers washings”) for a reference purely to the Jewish purifications (compare the dispute about purifying in John 3:25). The verb baptizō appears in this sense in Luke 11:38 (margin) where the Pharisee marveled that Jesus “had not first bathed himself before breakfast” (noon-day meal). The Mosaic regulations required the bath of the whole body (Leviticus 15:16) for certain uncleannesses. Tertullian (de Baptismo, XV) says that the Jew required almost daily washing. Herodotus (ii.47) says that if an Egyptian “touches a swine in passing with his clothes, he goes to the river and dips himself (báptō) from it” (quoted by Broadus in Commentary on Matthew, 333). See also the Jewish scrupulosity illustrated in Sirach/Ecclesiasticus 34:25 and Judith 12:7 where baptizō occurs. The same thing appears in the correct text in Mark 7:4, “And when they come from the market-place, except they bathe themselves, they eat not.” Here baptizō is the true text. The use of rhantízō (“sprinkle”) is due to the difficulty felt by copyists not familiar with Jewish customs. See also the omission of “couches” in the same verse. The couches were “pallets” and could easily be dipped into water. It is noteworthy that here rhantizō is used in contrast with baptizō, showing that baptizō did not mean sprinkle. The term baptismós occurs in Josephus (Ant., XVIII, v, 2) in connection with John’s baptism (compare also Irenaeus 686 B about Christ’s baptism). In general, however, baptisma is the substantive found for the ordinance. The verb baptizō is in reality a frequentative or intensive of baptō (“dip”). Examples occur where that idea is still appropriate, as in 2 Kings 5:14 (Septuagint) where Naaman is said to have “dipped himself seven times in the Jordan” (ebaptísato). The notion of repetition may occur also in Josephus (Ant., XV, iii, 3) in connection with the death of Aristobulus, brother of Mariamne, for Herod’s friends “dipped him as he was swimming, and plunged him under water, in the dark of the evening.” But in general the term baptizō, as is common with such forms in the late Greek, is simply equivalent to baptō (compare Luke 16:24) and means “dip,” “immerse,” just as rhantizó, like rhainō, means simply “sprinkle.”
If baptizō never occurred in connection with a disputed ordinance, there would be no controversy on the meaning of the word. There are, indeed, figurative or metaphorical uses of the word as of other words, but the figurative is that of immersion, like our “immersed in cares,” “plunged in grief,” etc. It remains to consider whether the use of the word for a ceremony or ordinance has changed its significance in the New Testament as compared with ancient Greek.
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Author: International Std. Bible Encyclopedia
Keywords: Baptism The Baptist Interpretation, Baptize, Baptise, Baptist, Water baptism, Sprinking, Baptism necessary, Baptism necessary for salvation, Baptism saves, Baptism salvation, Water immersion, Immersion, Immersion water, Affusion, pedo baptism, paedo baptism, pedobaptism, paedobaptism, Baptism by pouring, Baptize by pouring, Pouring water, Baptism immersion, Baptize immersion, Adult baptism, credobaptism, Infant baptism, Child baptism, Baptize children, Baptize infants, Sprinkling water, Sprinkle baptism, John the Baptist, John the baptizer, Water submersion, Submersion, Submersion baptism, Baptize submersion
Source: James Orr (editor), The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 5 volume set.
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