A Question About The Manner In Which One Is Baptised (Aspersion, Affusion or Immersion)?

Question

I would like some serious answers here, so if you're an atheist, I don't want to read any insults or other jabs at those who have faith. I get it, you don't believe in God. Whatever. Other people do. Ok? Answer if you want, but I respectfully request that you keep it to the context of the question and be respectful of the fact that others will think differently than you may.

My question is, in what way were early Christians baptised?

Many argue that a person must be fully immersed in water for it to be valid, choosing a literal interpretation of the Greek word "baptismo" rather than focus on what is happening.

Ancient art depicts people only being knee deep in water while the baptiser pours a shell full of water onto their head. Still, other focus on the literal interpretation of the word.

This passage from Acts caught my eye ;

Acts 16:33 "And he, taking them the same hour of the night, washed their stripes, and himself was baptised, and all his house immediately."

This passage is often cited as evidence of baptism for those of all ages (which is another topic for another day), but it also begs the question. What were they baptised in? They were in an enclosed area, in the middle of the night. What river or bath ran through there? Or did Paul baptise with by pouring water?

When Peter baptised 3000 people in the river, which likely was only a foot or so deep, do you think the people would have contaminated their water supply by letting 3000 people bath in it? Or simply allow Peter to pour or sprinkle water on them?

carl · Accepted Answer

"When Peter baptised 3000 people in the river, which likely was only a foot or so deep, do you think the people would have contaminated their water supply by letting 3000 people bath in it? Or simply allow Peter to pour or sprinkle water on them?"

You are right.  There simply wasn't always the ability to do a full immersion baptism.  The ancient text called the Didache gives us a description of baptism by early Christians.

"After the foregoing instructions, baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, in living [running] water. If you have no living water, then baptize in other water, and if you are not able in cold, then in warm. If you have neither, pour water three times on the head, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Before baptism, let the one baptizing and the one to be baptized fast, as also any others who are able. Command the one who is to be baptized to fast beforehand for one or two days" (Didache 7:1 [A.D. 70]).

Immersion is not the only meaning of baptizo. Sometimes it just means washing up. Thus Luke 11:38 reports that, when Jesus ate at a Pharisee’s house, "[t]he Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash [baptizo] before dinner." They did not practice immersion before dinner, but, according to Mark, the Pharisees "do not eat unless they wash [nipto] their hands, observing the tradition of the elders; and when they come from the market place, they do not eat unless they wash themselves [baptizo]" (Mark 7:3–4a, emphasis added). So baptizo can mean cleansing or ritual washing as well as immersion.

Archaeological evidence confirms the same thing. An early Christian baptistery was found in a church in Jesus’ hometown of Nazareth, yet this baptistery, which dates from the second century, was too small and narrow in which to immerse a person.

To those who believe in immersion only, how would you baptize an Eskimo or someone in the Sahara desert?

Abernathy the Dull · Answer

Easy:

1) To be 'baptized' in Greek meant to be 'immersed.' The Greek word in the first century meant 'plunging, dipping, washing,' never pouring or sprinkling.*

2) There is no first century depictions of baptism that has survived. All images of pouring or sprinkling are from hundreds of years after the NT was written.

3) There is no indication in the context of baptism in the NT that pouring or sprinkling was involved. However, the Bible does show us that baptism meant immersion: "Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John. And immediately on coming up out of the water . . . " Mark 1:10, 11. Jesus came "up out of the water."

Elijah · Answer

The Greek ba´pti·sma refers to the process of immersion, including submersion and emergence; it is derived from the verb ba´pto, meaning “dip.” (John 13:26) In the Bible, “to baptize” is the same as “to immerse.”
http://www.biblestudytools.com/search/?q=baptize&rc=LEX&rc2=LEX+GRK&ps=10&s=References

http://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/greek/nas/bapto.html

The fact that baptism was also used to symbolize a burial indicates complete submersion. (See Rom. 6:4-6 and Col 2:12.) When one is immersed in water, one is temporarily “buried” out of sight and then lifted out. 

“It is evident that Baptism in the early Church was by immersion.” - New Catholic Encyclopedia (1967, Vol. II, p. 56)

“The first Christians received baptism by immersion everywhere where water was found.” - Larousse du XXe Siècle, Paris, 1928 

From the definition of baptism as stated above along with historical sources showing that the early Christians were baptized by immersion, it is clear that baptism is complete immersion or submersion in water, not a mere pouring or sprinkling. 

Jesus was also a notable example. He was baptized in a sizable river, the Jordan, and after being baptized he came “up out of the water.” (Mr 1:10; Mt 3:13, 16) John selected a location in the Jordan Valley near Salim to baptize, “because there was a GREAT QUANTITY OF WATER there.” (John 3:23)

Knowledge + Application = Wisdom · Answer

Good question. We must remember that the perfect example of a correct baptism was with Jesus. He was not baptised as a child but as an adult. He got baptised when he showed that he was to comence his ministry and that he would beggin a new way of life. No longer a Jew's way of life but a Christian's.

Christian water baptism—is it by sprinkling or by complete immersion?

Mark 1:9, 10: “Jesus . . . was baptized [“immersed,” ED, Ro] in the Jordan [River] by John. And immediately on coming up out of the water he saw the heavens being parted.”

Acts 8:38: “They both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized [“immersed,” ED, Ro] him.”

Was infant baptism practiced by first-century Christians?

Matt. 28:19: “Go therefore and make disciples . . . baptizing them.”

Acts 8:12: “When they believed Philip . . . they proceeded to be baptized, both men and women.”

Origen (185-254 C.E.) wrote: “It is the custom of the church that baptism be administered even to infants.” (Selections From the Commentaries and Homilies of Origen, Madras, India; 1929, p. 211) The practice was confirmed by the Third Council of Carthage (253 C.E.).

Religious historian Augustus Neander wrote: “Faith and baptism were always connected with one another; and thus it is in the highest degree probable . . . that the practice of infant baptism was unknown at this period [in the first century]. . . . That it first became recognised as an apostolic tradition in the course of the third century, is evidence rather against than for the admission of its apostolic origin.”—History of the Planting and Training of the Christian Church by the Apostles (New York, 1864), p. 162.

In view of the fact that ‘hearing the word,’ ‘embracing the word heartily,’ and ‘repenting’ precede water baptism (Ac 2:14, 22, 38, 41) and that baptism requires the individual to make a solemn decision, it is apparent that one must at least be of age to hear, to believe, and to make this decision.

An argument is made by some in favor of infant baptism. They refer to the instances where ‘households’ were baptized, such as the households of Cornelius, Lydia, the Philippian jailer, Crispus, and Stephanas. (Ac 10:48; 11:14; 16:15, 32-34; 18:8; 1Co 1:16) They believe that this implies that small babies in those families were also baptized. But, in the case of Cornelius, those who were baptized were those who had heard the word and received the holy spirit, and they spoke in tongues and glorified God; these things could not apply to infants. (Ac 10:44-46) Lydia was “a worshiper of God, . . . and Jehovah opened her heart wide to pay attention to the things being spoken by Paul.” (Ac 16:14) The Philippian jailer had to “believe on the Lord Jesus,” and this implies that the others in his family also had to believe in order to be baptized. (Ac 16:31-34) “Crispus the presiding officer of the synagogue became a believer in the Lord, and so did all his household.” (Ac 18:8) All of this demonstrates that associated with baptism were such things as hearing, believing, and glorifying God, things infants cannot do. At Samaria when they heard and believed “the good news of the kingdom of God and of the name of Jesus Christ, they proceeded to be baptized.” Here the Scriptural record specifies that the ones baptized were, not infants, but “men and women.”—Ac 8:12.

The statement made by the apostle Paul to the Corinthians that children were “holy” by reason of a believing parent is no proof that infants were baptized; rather, it implies the opposite. Minor children too young to have the ability to make such a decision would come under a form of merit because of the believing parent, not because of any so-called sacramental baptism, imparting independent merit. If infants could properly be baptized, they would not need to have the merit of the believing parent extended to them.—1Co 7:14.

There is so much more to consider in this regards.

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If you would like to know more about this and other themes, next time Jehovah's Witness come to your door, ask them for a free Bible study at your convenience. You will never regret all the knowledge you will acquire and remember that what you do with that knowledge is your choice. 

Knowledge + Application = Wisdom

Gregory · Answer

complete immersion in water

john the baptist submerged them in water over their head

the greek for baptize is

baptizō
bap-tid'-zo
From a derivative of G911; to make whelmed (that is, fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism: - baptist, baptize, wash.

whelmed means
1 : to turn (as a dish or vessel) upside down usually to cover something : cover or engulf completely with usually disastrous effect


they were covered or engulfed completely with water
dunked under water completely


a river is not a river if it is only a foot deep
that would be called a stream

the words used are important not what a person tries to guess what is happening.

Act 16:33  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. 
Act 16:34  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house. 


the term washed in the greek is
louō
loo'-o
A primary verb; to bathe (the whole person; whereas G3538 means to wet a part only, and G4150 to wash, cleanse garments exclusively): - wash.


so the whole body was put in water not just a small part as you suggest or just washing the garments clean.
they were put in water completely with their clothes on.

the greek for stripes is
plēgē
play-gay'
From G4141; a stroke; by implication a wound; figuratively a calamity: - plague, stripe, wound (-ed).


they were wholly cleansed of their stripes which this verse means their sins

baptized is to be whelmed with water

the river in your example with peter was not the water supply
they had many wells that was the water supply

it was custom to wash your self completely before eating a meal in jesus time and not just your hands as we do.

if you labored all the day in the field you did not come home filthy and dirty and eat. 

you took a bath and washed your whole body and changed your clothes. thus being whelmed with water covering your whole body with water not just taking a wash cloth and wiping certain areas which was the greek word

niptō
nip'-to
To cleanse (especially the hands or the feet or the face); ceremonially to perform ablution: - wash. Compare G3068.

Susanna LIVES · Answer

well the Holy Bible tells us all that Jesus showed as example by being Baptized By MUCH (Immersion)water Baptizmo: to submerge/dip NOT by sprinkling, infant baptism is NOT supported by the Word of God, an infant has no idea of what the committment is or what it means and is NOT accountable.Mary & Joseph took young Jesus to the Temple for "dedication" Luke 2:22 there are pre reqiuistite to Baptism Acts 2:38 / Acts 19:4 / Matthew 28:18-20 where Jesus instructed His desciples to teach all nations, and then baptize them., in Mark 16:16 "He that believeth and is BAPTIZED shall be saved, he that believeth not, shall be damned". It is our public declaration that we have surrendered our life to Christ-a public confession Matthew 10:32 "Whoseoever therefore shall confess me before men, him I will confess before my Father which is in Heaven."  Baptism IS a requirement. Peace/Love God Bless You

? · Answer

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Christy B · Answer

the christians are I was baptized when I was 6 now I am 12 and I believe u can be baptized anywhere with a preacher!!! by ur side!!!!!!

Anonymous · Answer

in the river...some also baptizing babies now which isnt wrong cuz my mom had that done for me and I was saved later on....doesnt matter about the amt of water....we should still repent regardless

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A Question About The Manner In Which One Is Baptised (Aspersion, Affusion or Immersion)?

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