The Ministry of Christ (Part 3)

Christ And Baptism----John 1:19-34

Whenever we read the Gospel record of our Lord's earthly ministry we are confronted with a number of activities involving Christ that are hard to understand and these have caused much confusion within the Christian community. One of these activities concerns the Baptism of Christ and the
place Baptism holds in God's prophetic program.

The subject of Baptism is introduced with the ministry of the last of the Old Testament Prophets - a man by the name of JOHN. John was sent by God to be a forerunner of Christ, calling the nation of Israel to "PREPARE YE THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT" (Mark 1:3). To prepare the way for the Lord, John called this nation to "REPENT" Repent means to change directions or to change the mind and Israel needed to change directions because she was going away from God do to their indifference and sin. Along with the call to "REPENT," John also offered them "BAPTISM." We read in Mark 1:4, "JOHN DID BAPTIZE IN THE WILDERNESS, AND PREACH THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS."

Because of Israel's indifference and sin, they needed "REPENTANCE" and "THE REMISSION OF SINS," but WHY did our Lord come to John and submit to this "BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS" (Mark 1:4)? To any thinking person, I'm sure this question has cone to their mind a number of times. Even John himself quest-ioned the need of Christ's being baptized with water, yet, we find the record of Christ's Baptism found in THREE of the four Gospels. One of these records is found in Matthew 3:13-15 where we read: "THEN COMETH JESUS ... UNTO JOHN, TO BE BAPTIZED OF HIM, BUT JOHN FORBADE HIM SAYING, I HAVE NEED TO BE BAPTIZED OF THEE ... AND JESUS ANSWERING SAID UNTO HIM, SUFFER (permit) IT TO BE SO NOW: FOR THUS IT BECOMETH US TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS."

The Word "Baptism"

Before we attempt to deal with the SUBJECT of Baptism, let us first deal with the WORD "Baptism," for the use of this Greek word has been responsible for much of the confusion about this subject. Many Bible students and teachers have insisted that the water ceremony practiced by John is a "New Testament" ordinance which started with John and is for all believers today. They argue
that you will not find the word "Baptize" mentioned in all of the "Old Testament" Scriptures and it is not until the ministry of John that this word is ever

used. It is true, you will search in vain to find this word in any of the "Old Testament" Scriptures. It is also true that you will find this word first used in the ministry of John. Yet, this is not a valid argument that "Baptism"; is a "New Testament"; ordinance and is to be practiced by believers today.

Let us remember that the Gospel record IS NOT "New Testament" ground. We saw in our earlier studies that Christ was "MADE UNDER THE LAW" (Galatians 4:4) and that His ministry was "TO REDEEM THEM THAT WERE UNDER THE LAW" (Galatians 4:5). All of the history of the Gospels (up to the Cross of Christ) is OLD TESTAMENT ground. Both John and Christ were "Old Testament" personalities. We have already established that Christ came to fulfill prophesy. Everything
Christ DID or SAID was in fulfillment of prophecy. Since this be true, then John's activities and ministry must, of necessity, also be in fulfillment of prophesy, for John's ministry involved Christ.

Another point is that just because we don't find the WORD "Baptize" in the Old Testament Scriptures does not mean the SUBJECT is not there. Remember, for the most part, the Old Testament Scriptures were written in HEBREW while the New Testament Scriptures were written in GREEK. "Baptism" is a GREEK WORD and you would not expect to find a Greek word in the Hebrew text.

Concerning "Baptism" being a "New Testament" ordinance and that it is to be practiced by all believers today, it doesn't take much study to see that the "New Testament" was made NOT with the Gentiles, but with the "HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND THE HOUSE OF JUDAH" (Jeremiah 31:31) and that the "New Covenant" has not, to this day, been established. It will not be established until Christ
returns to set up His Kingdom over the nation of Israel.

One of the problems connected with the word BAPTISM is that our translators did not know what this Greek word meant, so they did not TRANSLATE it (use an English word in its place), but rather they TRANSLITERATED it - they placed this Greek word into the English text, using English letters for the Greek letters, rather than giving it an English meaning. By not giving this Greek word an English meaning, the translators have left the meaning to the discretion of the reader. For most readers, they give this word the meaning of "Immersion in Water." A far better meaning for Baptism would be the English word, IDENTIFICATION. (Read Romans 6:3-4 using "Identified" in place
of "Baptized" and see what a difference this makes.)

We made the statement that just because the WORD "Baptize" is not found in the Old Testament Scriptures does not meant he SUBJECT of Baptism is not found there. In the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures, called the SEPTAGINT, the Hebrew word translated "WASH" in our English text is translated "BAPTIZE" in the G reek text. This translation (the Septuagint) was used by our Lord and thus He gives His approval to it's accuracy. From this we see that the many "WASHINGS" of the Old Testament were

"BAPTISMS"; We see further proof that the SUBJECT of John's Baptism WAS found in the Old Testament for the Priests and Levites who came to John DID NOT ask WHAT he was doing. Rather, they asked him, WHO ARE YOU to be offering this water ceremony to the nation of Israel? Note John 1:25, "THEY ASKED HIM ... WHY BAPTIZETH THOU ... IF THOU BE NOT THAT CHRIST, NOR ELIAS, NEITHER THAT PROPHET?"; These Priests and Levites KNEW EXACTLY what John was doing, for Israel had practiced this water ceremony since the days of Moses.

In Exodus 29:1-4, we have the ceremony Moses used to induct (identify) Aaron and his sons into their Priesthood. Part of that ceremony was a water washing. God told Moses, "AARON AND HIS SONS THOU SHALT BRING UNTO THE DOOR OF THE TABERNACLE OF THE CONGREGATION, AND SHALT WASH (This word "Wash" is translated "Baptize" in the Septuagint) THEM WITH WATER" (Exodus19:4).

In studying the different cleansing required by the Law of Moses, you will find that ONLY this induction into the priesthood was to be a public washing. All other washings were to be private and were for the cleansing of some personal sin.

In Exodus 19:5-6, God promised to make Israel a "PECULIAR TREASURE" and a "KINGDOM OF PRIESTS." Just as the tribe of Levi was to be a TRIBE OF PRIESTS, ministering to the rest of the tribes of Israel, so will the NATION OF ISRAEL be a nation of Priests ministering to the other nations of the earth during the millennium. Just as Levi's sons needed a water washing to induct them into their priesthood, so the average Israelite needed a water washing to induct him into his national priesthood.

This promise of national priesthood for Israel would come when they entered into their promised Kingdom, under the rule and reign of their Messiah - the promised seed who would sit on David's throne, ruling till the end of time.

Why Did John Offer A Public Baptism?

All during the history of Israel, from Moses till Christ, no one except a Levite who was entering the priesthood ever received this public washing with water and only by a Priest. But when Christ was ready to enter His earthly ministry, He began to proclaim the Kingdom was "AT HAND." With the Kingdom would come Israel's priesthood. This was what John was offering to this nation. The Priests and Levites who came to John's Baptism KNEW full well that John was offering PRIEST-HOOD to the nation of Israel. They only questioned him by what authority he was doing this (since he was not a
priest) if he was not the Christ, nor Elias nor "THAT PROPHET."

As we saw in our last study, Christ only (publicly) proclaimed the Kingdom as being "AT HAND" for a short time before the Pharisees took council against him, how they might destroy him (Matthew 12:14). It was at this time that Christ withdrew from a "public"

ministry and confined His teaching to the Twelve Disciples (Matthew 16:20). Historically, from Matthew 12:14 to Acts chapter two, there is NO OFFER of the approaching Kingdom and NO offer of Baptism. Baptism was ONLY OFFERED in connection with the millennial Kingdom being in view.

Why Did John Offer A Public Baptism?

When we ask the question, "Why was Christ Baptized?," we must first consider the question, "What was Christ's purpose in becoming a man?" We know Christ came to be IDENTIFIED with His creation and to redeem them that were under the Law. We know that Christ was God in the flesh and that He had no sin of His own, nor had He ever left the program of God, for which He needed to
"REPENT." When Christ came to John and submitted to his Baptism, He was being IDENTIFIED with the people of Israel. He was taking His place as one of them in as much as He was taking THEIR SIN upon Himself. We saw in Matthew 3:15 that Christ was Baptized "TO FULFILL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS." Every Israelite who had any sin in his life was required by God to "REPENT" and be Baptized for the remission of his sins. Thus, Christ was fulfilling all righteousness, AS AN ISRAELITE, by being Baptized by John ... not for His own sin, but for the sins of Israel that He had taken upon Himself. His Baptism was for induction into the Priesthood for Israel just as His death on the Cross was to pay the sin debt for Israel. Any Israelite who would believe on Christ, His Baptism, as well as His death, became theirs.

We hear much today about FOLLOWING CHRIST IN BAPTISM. No where will you find any such command in the Scriptures and furthermore, no one could be Baptized for the same reason Christ was baptized. We could never be baptized for another, as Christ was, for every man is a sinner and needs righteousness imputed unto him.

If the above requirement was true (that we should follow Christ in baptism), WHICH baptism should we choose to follow, for Christ was baptized TWICE? At the very beginning of Christ's earthly ministry, He was baptized with water by John. Some three years later, at the very end of His earthly ministry, Christ was baptized again, but this time it was not with water. Notice Luke 12:50, "BUT I HAVE A BAPTISM TO BE BAPTIZED WITH; AND HOW AM I STRAITENED TILL IT BE ACCOMPLISHED?"

This baptism was Christ's DEATH BAPTISM which He received at Calvary. (Notice again that if we used the English word, IDENTIFICATION, for the Greek word "Baptism,"; we will get a clearer picture of what the Scriptures are speaking about.) Just as no one could follow Christ in His WATER baptism, so it is true that no one could follow Christ in His DEATH baptism.

What About Baptism Today?

With water baptism being Israel's induction in to their national priesthood; with this offer of water baptism being made ONLY in connection with an offer of the Kingdom; and seeing that Israel's Kingdom and their Priesthood have been postponed until this Dispensation of God's Grace has been completed, what place, if any, does water baptism have today for members of the Body of Christ who have a HEAVENLY HOPE and a HEAVENLY CALLING?

The answer to this question is found in First Corinthians 1:17 where Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles (Romans 11:13), addresses this subject. In this seventeenth verse, Paul says, "FOR CHRIST SENT ME NOT TO BAPTIZE (with water), BUT TO PREACH THE GOSPEL (of the Grace of God)."; We will not find any Scripture instructing us (who live in this present dispensation of God's Grace) to follow Christ as our example, but we will find a number of Scriptures (inspired by the Holy Spirit) that instructs us to "FOLLOW PAUL"; (First Corinthians 11:1; First Corinthians 4:16 & First Timothy 1:16). If water Baptism was part of God's program for today, Paul would have been less than faithful when he thanks God that he DID NOT BAPTIZE but a few believers in Corinth (First Corinthians 1:14).

Water Baptism IS NOT to be practiced today in this dispensation of God's Grace. Water Baptism is the induction ceremony for the Priesthood and the believer today does not have a "Priesthood ". The believer today is a member of the Body of Christ, the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec.

Paul is very clear in Ephesians 4:4-6 that there is ONLY ONE BAPTISM required for the members of the Body of Christ, God's Church of this dispensation. That One Baptism is found in First Corinthians 12:13 which tells us, "FOR BY ONE SPIRIT ARE WE ALL BAPTIZED INTO ONE BODY..."; Today, it is the HOLY SPIRIT who IDENTIFIES the believer into the Body of Christ and it is this IDENTIFICATION that saves us and makes us members of God's family.

Pastor Marvin Duncan
Bible Treasures, 1820 Drollinger Street, Wichita, Kansas 67218

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