John the Baptist's Public Ministry (3): The Baptism of John (Mark 1:4-5) by Rev. Angus Stewart
I. The Meaning of the Word Baptism
II. The Real Baptism John Preached
III. The Ritual Baptism John Administered
Does baptism mean immersion, pouring, sprinkling or something else?
What was the baptism that John preached? Ritual or water or external baptism or real, spiritual, inner baptism?
James W. Dale: "It is a moral impossibility that the ministry of the Forerunner heralding the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ should consist in the proclamation of a mere ritual ordinance ... Under Judaism rite and ceremonial had a prime importance. It was by and through them that truth was reached. Under Christianity truth is brought into the foreground and directly taught; while the observance of rite, as such, is not taught at all by Christianity" (Johannic Baptism, p. 248).
(1) Baptism cannot mean immersion if immersion does not make sense grammatically.
Matthew 20:22-23: "But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able. And he saith unto them, Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father."
Matthew 28:19: "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in [i.e., into] the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost."
I Corinthians 1:13: "Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in [i.e., into] the name of Paul?"
I Corinthians 10:1-2: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea."
I Corinthians 12:13: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit."
(2) Baptism cannot mean immersion if the object to be baptized is too large to be immersed.
Mark 7:4: "And when they come from the market, except they wash, they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing [baptismos] of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables."
(3) Baptism cannot mean immersion if there are too many people to be immersed.
Acts 2:41: "Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls."
(4) Baptism cannot mean immersion if the one baptized is in a position unsuitable for immersion.
Acts 22:16: "And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord."
Acts 9:18: "And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized."
(5) Baptism cannot mean immersion if one party is described as baptized, while another party is immersed.
I Corinthians 10:1-2: "Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea."
I Peter 3:20-21: "... in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ."
(6) Baptism cannot mean immersion if a baptism is effected by pouring.
Acts 1:5: "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
Acts 2:17-18, 33: "... I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: ... I will pour out in those days of my Spirit ... he hath shed forth this ..."
Acts 8:16: "(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord.)"
Acts 10:44-45, 47: "... the Holy Ghost fell ... on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost ... Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
Acts 11:15-16: "... the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning ... John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost."
(7) Baptism cannot mean immersion if a baptism is effected by sprinkling.
Hebrews 9:10, 13, 19-21: "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings [baptismos] ... sprinkling ... sprinkled ... sprinkled."
For all the 7 arguments and Scriptures on the meaning of baptism referred to during the sermon, see http://www.cprf.co.uk/audio/bulletin/jan0613.html
For "The Meaning of Baptism," see http://www.cprf.co.uk/articles/meaningofbaptism.htm