Very early on in the Gospels, we read that John the Baptist appeared and baptized many people in the Jordan River. We also read he baptized our Lord Jesus Christ even though it should have been the other way around. Then, we read in the Book of Acts about people being baptized after the church was established. Here we are in the 21st century, we continue to see individuals being baptized when they come to know Christ, and follow him. Earlier this month, two individuals came forward to be baptized at our church.
But did you know that even though we read about many baptisms, and many people who were baptized, in the New Testament, that all baptisms were not the same thing? It is true. Whenever we read about baptisms in the Bible, we may not always be talking about the same baptism. They may be the same. But they may not be the same, depending on the context. Let me explain.
When you began to read the Gospels, did it seem to you that people already knew what was a baptism? None of the Gospel writers seemed to want to take the time to explain what was baptism, and by the 1st century, it seemed as if baptism was already a “thing”. Indeed, historians record that Jews during that time had been baptizing proselytes as a symbol of the converts’ purified nature. This was written into the Jewish rabbinic law, and by the time of the Mishnah, it was practiced everywhere.
The Soncino Talmud states:
As your forefathers entered into the Covenant only by circumcision, immersion and the sprinkling of the blood, so shall they [the proselytes] enter the Covenant only by circumcision, immersion and the sprinkling of the blood. (Keritot 9a).
The Bible never explicitly mentioned about this baptism of proselytes into the Jewish faith in the New Testament, but I shall call this the “first” kind of baptism in the Bible.
The ”second” kind of baptism was the baptism of John the Baptist in the Jordan River. We are more familiar with this baptism because if you recall, John the Baptist baptized Jesus this way in the Jordan River. The baptism of John the Baptist was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. How do I know this? Because it says so in Mark 1.4
Mark 1.4
John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
John the Baptist’s baptism was no longer a baptism for Gentiles converting to the Jewish faith. The essence of the baptism had changed. Much time had passed, and many people saw that the Messiah hadn’t come as he promised, year after year, so they lived as if he would never come. But after God revealed to John the Baptist that the Messiah was here, that he was right outside the door, John the Baptist called the people to repent the way they had been living their lives, and be baptized them in preparation for the way of the Lord. Where the baptism of proselytes into the Jewish faith was for Gentiles only, the baptism of John the Baptist was for both Gentiles and Jews. The Jews were not exempt, obviously.