Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 7
May 12, 1955
NUMBER 2, PAGE 12,14b

Bible Baptism

M. C. Kurfees

I. How Christ Was Baptized.

(1) "In the river Jordan" (Mark 1:9).

"And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan."

(2) Following the act, He "came up out of the water' (Mark 1:10).

II. What It Requires And Its Importance.

(1) 'Water" (Acts 10:47).

"Can any man forbid the water, that these should not be baptized, who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we?"

(2) "Much water" (John 3:23).

"And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized."

(3) Going "unto" the water (Acts 8:36).

"And as they went on the way, they came unto a certain water; and the eunuch saith, Behold, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"

(4) Going "down into the water" (Acts 8:38).

"And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him."

(5) "Both" the administrator and the one to be baptized go "down into the water." See again Acts 8:38 above.

(6) Coming "up out of the water" (Acts 8:39):

"And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip; and the eunuch saw him no more, for he went on his way rejoicing."

(7) Being "buried." Rom. 6:4.

"We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life."

Col. 2:12: "Having been buried with him in baptism, wherein ye were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead."

(8) Being "raised." See again Col. 2:12 above.

(9) The whole "body washed" (Heb. 10:22).

"Let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water."

(10 Puts men "into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. 28:19).

(11) It 'saves" men (1 Pet. 3:21).

"Which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ."

(12) Men "rejected for themselves the counsel of God" in "being not baptized" (Luke 7:30).

"But the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God, being not baptized of him."

III. The World's Great Reformers.

(1) Martin Luther — "Baptism is a Greek word. It may be rendered into Latin by mersio, when we immerse anything in water, that it may be entirely covered with water."

(2) John Calvin — "It is evident that the term baptize means to immerse, and that this was the form used by the primitive church?'

(3) John Wesley — "We are buried with him. Alluding to the ancient manner of baptizing by immersion." Notes on Rom. 6:4.

IV. The World's Great Commentators.

(1) Adam Clarke — "It is probable that the apostle here alludes to the mode of administering baptism by immersion, the whole body being put under the water." Corn. on Rom. 6:4.

(2) Dean Henry Alford — "The baptism was administered in the day time by immersion of the whole person." Greek Testament on Matt. 3:6.

(3) John B. Lightfoot — "Baptism is the grave of the old man and the birth of the new. As he sinks beneath the baptismal waters, the believer buries there all his corrupt affections and past sins; as he emerges thence, he rises regenerate, quickened to new hopes and a new life." Com. on Col. 2:12.

(4) Theodore Beza — "To be baptized in water signifies no other than to be immersed in water." Annotat. in Acts 19:3, p. 488.

(5) Lyman Coleman — "The primary signification of the original is to dip, plunge, immerse; the obvious import of the noun is immersion." Christian Antiquities, Chap. 14, Section 1, page 115.

(6) M. B. Riddle — "The passage shows that immersion was in the apostle's mind" Com. on Col. 2:12.

V Encyclopedias.

(1) Americana — "Baptism (that is, dipping, immersing, from the Greek baptizo)."

(2) Brande's — "Baptism was originally administered by immersion."

(3) Edinburgh — "Baptism, in the apostolic age, was performed by immersion."

(4) London — "Baptism, derived from the greek bap-to and baptizo. The primary meaning is to dip, to plunge, to immerge."

(5) Metropolitana — "The word baptism is derived from the Greek baptizo, and means literally dipping or immersion."

(6) Zell's — "In the time of the apostles, the form of baptism was very simple. The person to be baptized was dipped in a river or vessel."

VI. Lexicographers.

(1) Bagster — "Baptizo, to dip, immerse; to cleanse or purify by washing."

(2) Bloomfield — "Baptizo; to immerse or sink anything in water or other liquid."

(3) Greenfield — "Baptizo: to immerse, submerge, sink."

(4) Liddell and Scott — "Baptizo: to dip in or under water."

(5) Robinson — "Baptizo; to immerse, to sink." 6. Sophocles — "Baptizo: to dip, to immerse, to sink."

(7) Thayer — "Baptizo: to dip repeatedly, to immerge, to submerge."

VII. Significant Passages.

(1) "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Mark. 16:16.

(2) "Except one be born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God." (John 3:5.

(3) "Repent ye, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of your sins." Acts 2:38.

(4) "One Lord, one faith, one baptism." Eph. 4:5.

(5) "Which also after a true likeness doth now save you, even baptism, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the interrogation of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.

(6) "In one Spirit were we all baptized into one body." 1 Corinthians 12:13.

(7) "To him shall ye hearken in all things whatsoever he shall speak unto you." Acts 3:22.