Hi,
I have a few questions on Baptism that I really need answering:
a) What exactly was the baptism of John the Baptist?
If the Church baptism is one of purification and Justification, what was John baptising for?
b) Why did Christ need to be baptised for?
If John the Baptist's baptism was for repentance, why did Christ need this? Although there is the explanation: "we should be complete in all righteous deeds"; but why should He have been complete in this?
c) Baptism was not a jewish a feast. How is it then that the jews accepted or respected someone baptising them?? How was this seen by the jews??
d) John the Baptist said that "... one will come before me who will baptise you by the Holy Spirit & Fire". What does this mean??
(i) How can we be baptised by fire? What is this fire for us??? What does this mean??
(ii) When did Christ actually baptise anyone?? We are baptised in the Church, but Christ Himself did not really baptise one person. If this is the case, then how is it our priests baptise?
Please excuse my english, if ANY of my questions were not clear, please let me know, and I'll try & rephrase them.
THank you,
Comments
I have a few questions on Baptism that I really need answering:
a) What exactly was the baptism of John the Baptist?
If the Church baptism is one of purification and Justification, what was John baptising for?
John's baptism was for repntance as you said below and to prepare the way for Christ.
our Church baptism is not only for purification but also for salvation, forgivness of sins, and also to unite with Christ; to be part of His BODY
this is the same as everything else He did concerning the the Law and our new covennet today. He sets and example for all of us. Also Epiphany wasn't only about baptism. The origin of the feast of more towards the "Theophany", the appearence of the holy Trinity. i wonder what's an answer....:D
Fire is also the sign of the Holy Spirit. Think about the way He came on Pentecost, tongues of fire. Alos think about how do we make the Orbana. the yeast is our sins, the whole Orbana is Christ's body, the yeast takes it's time to flourish before it's but in the oven, but with fire, in the oven, it is than stopped and becomes a bread....kind of burning the yeast, ubrniong our sins.....do you see the connection here?? Well i think this is the same as why didn't He and His apostles never fasted. But i'll take it as He said that if the Bridgroom was still there, why would you fast. I guess His presence with in the world and other believing in Him at the time was in itslef a biptism. Also the commandment of Baptism only came when He was ascendng to heaven.
a) What exactly was the baptism of John the Baptist?
It was a symbol, prefiguring the true baptism of Christ. When we are baptised, we are sanctified by the water. When Christ was baptised He sanctified the water. He did not need to be baptised, but we needed Him to be baptised. The Law of Moses has many rites of purification, which would involve immersing yourself in water. So baptism was not a foreign concept to the Jews. John's baptism was just a symbol. It had no effect on the person's salvation. The baptism of Christ is not just a water baptism, but the Holy Spirit descends on us and renews us. The fire symbolises many things: regeneration, purification, etc. Christ instituted this sacrament and gave His grace to the Apostles and the Holy Priesthood in order for them to perform this mystery.
Good responses, guys. Please permit me to add that St. John's baptism is NOT the Sacrament of Baptism! In Matthew 3:11 it says:
" 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire."
"Fire" means the Uncreated Grace of the Holy Spirit descending upon believers. The Apsoltes were the first to experience this at Pentecost (Acts 2:3).
And again: (John 1:33)
"33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’"
St. John's ministry of baptism was one of repentance and ritual purification. Many Orthodox Jews (Hasidics and Conservatives) today perform a ritual bath of purification: "A ritual purification bath taken by Jews on certain occasions, as before the Sabbath or after menstruation or ejaculation." http://education.yahoo.com/reference/dictionary/entry/mikvah
The Holy Sacrament went into effect AFTERthe Lord Jesus rose frrm the dead:
(Matthew 28:19)
"19 Go therefore[a] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit..."
The Son had to rise to give Life to all (pun intended). Amen.