The Theology of Baptism1

John Heron

doi:10.1017/S0036930600013727

The Theology of Baptism1

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 02 February 2009

John Heron

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In the Bible we find Baptism suddenly appearing for the first time in that action of John the Baptist which, according to one way of reading Mark I.I, was ‘the beginning of the Gospel’. The Evangelists speak of Baptism not as a strange rite invented by John, but as something so familiar that it requires neither detailed description nor careful explanation.

To readers of the present day, however, the sudden appearance of Baptism at the beginning of the New Testament is a source of bewilderment which can easily lead to the kind of false interpretation of Scripture that underlies the Baptist movement et hoc genus omne.

It is therefore necessary to try to discover all we can as to the origin and significance of this strange rite.

The New Testament uses two cognate nouns: βάπτισμα and βαπτισμóς. βάπτισμα is found only in the New Testament and in Christian writers, and in the New Testament is used only of Baptism, whether it be John's Baptism or Christian Baptism. βαπτισμóς is used in the New Testament meaning a special form of ‘washing’. It occurs only at Mark 7.4, Heb. 6.2 and 9.10. In all these cases the reference is to ritual washings either of persons or of things. It is never used of Baptism in the New Testament, though Josephus, the only profane author to use the word, applies it to John's Baptism (Ant. xvii.v.2).

Type: Research Article
Information: Scottish Journal of Theology , Volume 8 , Issue 1 , March 1955 , pp. 36 - 52

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0036930600013727 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Scottish Journal of Theology Ltd 1955

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^{page 37 note 1} Judith 12.7 is most naturally translated ‘she dipped herself in the spring of water within the perimeter’. That the verb signifies ‘dipping’ rather than ‘washing’ is borne out by the following verse: , 'and as she came up (out of the water) she prayed to the Lord’. Sirach 31 (34).30 is rather different, but very significant. It refers, not to ordinary Levitical lustrations, but to the special ritual for purification of one who has been defiled by contact with a dead body. (Num. 19): In this ritual the defiled person or thing was sprinkled with water that had been mixed with some of the ashes of the burnt sin offering, and the sprinkling was done by dipping hyssop in the water and then shaking it over, or towards, the person or thing to be cleansed. Numbers 19.18: καί λήψεται νσσωπoν καὶ βἀψει εἰς τò ὐδωρ, κ.τ.λ.(Heb.: ) Sirach 31 (34).30 therefore uses the verb βαπτίζω in a technical sense which merits the translation: ‘He that is baptised from the dead:’

^{page 38 note 1} For this point, and for suggestions worked out in the above lexicographical discussion, I am indebted to the Rev. Professor T. F. Torrance.

^{page 38 note 2} The text of Rev. 19.13 is doubtful.

^{page 38 note 3} Moffatt Commentary in loc.

^{page 38 note 4} It should, however, be mentioned that in post-biblical Hebrew there is a tendency to use where the OT would use and thus to blur the difference in meaning between these two verbs.

^{page 39 note 1} Oepke, A.: Zur Frage nach dem Ursprung der Kindertaufe (Festschrift für Ihmels, 1928)Google Scholar; Article in Kittel: Theologisches Wörterbuch zum N.T., Vol. I; Urchristentum und Kindertaufe (Zeitschrifl für N.T. Wissenschaft, 1930, pp. 81–111). Jeremias, J., Hat die älteste Christenheit die Kindertaufe geübt? (1938), 2nd edition 1949Google Scholar; Der Ursprung der Johannestaufe (Zeitschrift für N.T. Wissenschaft.18 (1929). PP.312–320).

^{page 40 note 1} For the substance of this paragraph I am indebted to the Very Rev. Principal Matthew Black.

^{page 40 note 2} Maimonides, Isure Biah, 13, 14.

^{page 40 note 3} Sin (Bible Key Words from Gerhard Kittel's Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament translated and edited by J. R. Coates), p. 70.

^{page 40 note 4} Cf; Brandt, , ‘Baptism’ (Jewish), E.R.E., ii, p. 408 fGoogle Scholar; Moore, G. F., Judaism, Vol. i, p. 333.Google Scholar

^{page 41 note 1} Cf. Jeremias, : Der Ursprung der Johannestaufe, ZNTW, 1929, pp. 312–320Google Scholar. I Cor. 10 is not a piece of private speculation on the part of Paul. The association of Baptism with the Cloud and the Sea was accepted Rabbinic teaching before Paul's day.

^{page 41 note 2} Plummer, Alfred in H.D.B., Vol. i, p. 240b.Google Scholar

^{page 41 note 3} Gottlob Schrenk, art. ‘Righteousness’ in Kittel (T.W.N.T.). Ehg. tr. by J. R. Coates, p. 35.

^{page 42 note 1} Cf. Cullmann, Oscar, Baptism in the New Testament, p. 18.Google Scholar

^{page 42 note 2} Manson, T. W., The Teaching of Jesus, p. 103Google Scholar. ‘The Marcan account makes it clear that it was Jesus Himself, and He alone, who saw the vision and heard the voice: and if that be so, it will follow that this account derives ultimately from the Master Himself.’

^{page 42 note 3} Robinson, J. A. T., ‘The One Baptism as a Category of New Testament Soteriology’ (Scottish Journal of Theology, Vol. 6, pp. 257 ff).CrossRef Google Scholar

^{page 42 note 4} Cf. Wotherspoon, H. J., Religious Values in the Sacraments, p. 164Google Scholar: ‘the appeal of those who set aside the Baptism of infants and rebaptise—the appeal to “follow Christ into Jordan”—gains much of its force with not a few devout persons from a mistaken identification of the Baptism which our Lord in His own person accepted with the Baptism which He bestows upon us.’

^{page 43 note 1} Cf. Wallace, R. S., Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament, p. 145.Google Scholar

^{page 43 note 2} Aulen, Gustav in The Universal Church in God's Design, p. 24.Google Scholar

^{page 43 note 3} Robinson, J. A. T., op. cit., S.J.T., Vol, 6. p. 267.Google Scholar

^{page 43 note 4} Cf. Robertson, F. W., Sermons (2nd Series), 1886 ed., p. 56Google Scholar: ‘Herein lies the error, in basis identical, of the Romanist and of the Calvinist. Faith is to one what baptism is to the other, the creator of a fact; whereas they both rest upon a fact, which is a fact whether they exist or not—before they exist; nay, without whose previous existence both of them are unmeaning and false.’ This criticism does not apply to Calvin himself, but it does apply to some modern Calvinists, and certainly to Karl Barth.

^{page 44 note 1} Cf. Campbell, J. C., Review of Jeremias’ work in S.J.T., Vol. 4, pp. 2O3 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 45 note 1} J. J. von Allmen considers Jeremias' arguments to be decisive, vide ‘L’Eglise primitive et le baptême des enfants’ (Verbum Caro, No. 13, pp. 43–7).

^{page 45 note 2} Cf. Benoît, A., ‘Le Problème du pédobaptisme’ (Revue d'Histoire et de Philosophie religieuses, 1948–1949, No. 2, p. 135).Google Scholar

^{page 45 note 3} F.-J. Leenhardt, ‘Le Baptême des enfants et le N.T.’ (Foi et Vie, Jan. 1949, p. 90). When a man is driven to such a monstrous position, we are not very surprised to find him denying the honesty of his opponents. (Barth also is guilty of this!) One does not need to be a Freudian to understand!

^{page 45 note 4} Vernon Bartlet, J., ‘Baptism’ (NT), E.R.E., ii, p. 379.Google Scholar

^{page 46 note 1} Authorised Daily Prayer Book of the United Hebrew Congregations of the British Empire, 15th edition, p. 309a.

^{page 46 note 2} Pierre Ch. Marcel, The Biblical Doctrine of Infant Baptism, p. 16.

^{page 46 note 3} W. Eichrodt has found it possible and helpful to make Covenant the key to the exposition of OT theology: vide his Theologie des Alten Testaments, Vol. I. Professor Vasady of Lancaster, U.S.A., when asked some years ago about Barth's views on Baptism, which were then recent news, said that if the Church were to follow Barth's advice it would be necessary for it to invent something to express the fact that the children of believers are within the Covenant. The growing practice of Infant Dedication among the Baptists is further confirmation of this need, though as an act of the parents only it cannot really supply what is lacking.

^{page 47 note 1} Cf. Oscar Cullmann, Baptism in the New Testament, chap. 4, and G. W. H. Lampe, The Seal of the Spirit, p. 84: ‘Baptism is the real fulfilment of circumcision. … In Col. 2.11 St. Paul plainly contrasts circumcision with the spiritual circumcision in Christ effected through Baptism.’

^{page 47 note 2} ‘Baptism in the Church’ (Scottish Journal of Theology, vol. 2, p. 398)Google Scholar, see also J. A. T. Robinson, The Body, on the impossibility of understanding the NT teaching about the Church or Baptisms in terms of modern individualistic thinking.

^{page 48 note 1} T. W. Manson, ibid., p. 400.

^{page 48 note 2} Wallace, R. S., Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament, p. 42.Google Scholar

^{page 48 note 3} Nygren, Anders, Commentary on Romans, p. 274.Google Scholar

^{page 49 note 1} G. W. H. Lampe, The Seal of the Spirit, p. 53.

^{page 49 note 2} Cf. the Rabbinic saying that a proselyte on emerging from the water of baptism is ‘an Israelite one day old’, i.e. he is reborn or regenerate into Israel.

^{page 49 note 3} Stephens, W. R. W., The Life and Letters of W. F. Hook (1878), I, p. 267Google Scholar. q. A. R. Vidler, The Theology of F. D. Maurice, p. 113.

^{page 49 note 4} Religious Values in the Sacraments, p. 170. See also Oscar Cullmann, Baptism in the New Testament, p. 48.

^{page 50 note 1} Wallace, R. S., Calvin's Doctrine of the Word and Sacrament, pp. 184 f.Google Scholar

^{page 51 note 1} See The Doctrine of the Church in Scottish Theology, by Macpherson, John (Edinburgh, 1903), pp. 82 ff.Google Scholar

^{page 51 note 2} Wotherspoon, H. J. and Kirkpatrick, J. M., A Manual of Church Doctrine, p. 50.Google Scholar

^{page 51 note 3} Bavinck, H., Gereformeerde Dogmatiek, IV, p. 221Google Scholar; cf. Pierre Ch. Marcel, The Biblical Doctrine of Infant Baptism, p. 17.

^{page 51 note 4} Calvin recognised in the relation between the sign and the matter or substance grace in the sacraments a parallel to the relation between the human and the divine natures in the person of Christ. Cf. R. S. Wallace, op. cit., pp. 167 ff. The principle was adumbrated in Augustine and even as early as Irenaeus.

^{page 52 note 1} Skydsgaard, K. E., ‘Kingdom of God and Church’ (Scottish Journal of Theology, Vol. 4, pp. 394f).Google Scholar

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