1. Usage of word "baptism" prior to the Koine (common) Greek (pre. 350 BC).
a) The English word "baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek verb BAPTIZO meaning to identify. This word was used by Greek poets, dramatists and historians to portray identification of one object with a second so that the nature or characteristic of the first object is changed.
b) For example Xenphon (fourth century BC) tells of Spartan soldiers dipping their spears into pigs' blood before going into battle. By identifying the spears with blood, the nature of the spears was supposed to have been changed from a hunting to a warrior spear.
c) Euripedes (fifth century BC) used the word to describe a sinking ship. As it sinks, the character or nature of the ship is changed. It is so identified or "baptised" with the water that it no longer floats - it becomes a wreck.
2. Meanings of the Koine Greek:
a) Verb - BAPTO - to dip (John 13:26, Luke 16:24), to dye (Revelation 19:13).
b) Verb - BAPTIZO - to dip, to immerse, to cleanse by washing.
c) Noun - BAPTISMOS - washing of dishes (Mark 7:4), doctrine of baptisms (Hebrews 6:2).
d) Noun - BAPTISMA - ritual baptism (Matthew 3:7, 21:25), spiritual baptism (Romans 6:4), figure of martyrdom (Mark 10:38, Luke 12:50).
e) Noun - BAPTISTES - one who baptises like John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1, 11:11, Mark 6:25).
3. Real baptisms: an actual identification - a person identified with something real. These are dry baptisms, and do not involve water. There are four real baptisms:
a) Baptism of Moses - a double identification of the children of Israel at Red Sea (1Corinthians 10:2).
i) With Moses - the people were identified with Moses in his faith, leadership and deliverance. They had victory "in Moses".
ii) With cloud - the people were indentified with God (the cloud) as He delivered them through the dry seabed and destroyed their enemies behind them. They had victory "in God".
b) Baptism of Fire - unbelievers are identified with judgment (Matthew 3:11, 13:24-30, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
c) Baptism of the Cup - identifies the Church Age believer with the victory of Christ after the cross - Christ identified himself with our sins (Matthew 26:39, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
d) Baptism of the Holy Spirit - enters Church Age believers into the Body of Christ, and therefore identifies them with everything that Christ is (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6, Ephesians 1:3)
4. Ritual Baptisms: involve literal water, which represents something else:
a) Baptism of Jesus - unique (Matthew 3:13-17). Water represented Father's Plan. Christ identified himself with the Father's will in going to the cross.
b) Baptism of John (Matthew 3:1-11, John 1:25-33, Acts 18:25). Water represented the kingdom. Identification of John's converts with Jesus and His Kingdom.
c) Believer's (Christian) baptism (Acts 2:38,41, 8:36-38, 9:18, 10:47-48, 16:33).
i) Water represents the work of Christ.
ii) Identification of Church Age believer, with Christ in his death (going into the water), burial (under the water) and resurrection to "newness of life" (coming up out of the water).
iii) Water baptism is a testimony to personal faith in Christ.
d) Two ordinances for the Church:
i) Water baptism - once; represents salvation.
ii) Communion - repeated; represents fellowship.
a) The English word "baptism" is a transliteration of the Greek verb BAPTIZO meaning to identify. This word was used by Greek poets, dramatists and historians to portray identification of one object with a second so that the nature or characteristic of the first object is changed.
b) For example Xenphon (fourth century BC) tells of Spartan soldiers dipping their spears into pigs' blood before going into battle. By identifying the spears with blood, the nature of the spears was supposed to have been changed from a hunting to a warrior spear.
c) Euripedes (fifth century BC) used the word to describe a sinking ship. As it sinks, the character or nature of the ship is changed. It is so identified or "baptised" with the water that it no longer floats - it becomes a wreck.
2. Meanings of the Koine Greek:
a) Verb - BAPTO - to dip (John 13:26, Luke 16:24), to dye (Revelation 19:13).
b) Verb - BAPTIZO - to dip, to immerse, to cleanse by washing.
c) Noun - BAPTISMOS - washing of dishes (Mark 7:4), doctrine of baptisms (Hebrews 6:2).
d) Noun - BAPTISMA - ritual baptism (Matthew 3:7, 21:25), spiritual baptism (Romans 6:4), figure of martyrdom (Mark 10:38, Luke 12:50).
e) Noun - BAPTISTES - one who baptises like John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1, 11:11, Mark 6:25).
3. Real baptisms: an actual identification - a person identified with something real. These are dry baptisms, and do not involve water. There are four real baptisms:
a) Baptism of Moses - a double identification of the children of Israel at Red Sea (1Corinthians 10:2).
i) With Moses - the people were identified with Moses in his faith, leadership and deliverance. They had victory "in Moses".
ii) With cloud - the people were indentified with God (the cloud) as He delivered them through the dry seabed and destroyed their enemies behind them. They had victory "in God".
b) Baptism of Fire - unbelievers are identified with judgment (Matthew 3:11, 13:24-30, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9).
c) Baptism of the Cup - identifies the Church Age believer with the victory of Christ after the cross - Christ identified himself with our sins (Matthew 26:39, 2 Corinthians 5:21)
d) Baptism of the Holy Spirit - enters Church Age believers into the Body of Christ, and therefore identifies them with everything that Christ is (1 Corinthians 12:13, Romans 6, Ephesians 1:3)
4. Ritual Baptisms: involve literal water, which represents something else:
a) Baptism of Jesus - unique (Matthew 3:13-17). Water represented Father's Plan. Christ identified himself with the Father's will in going to the cross.
b) Baptism of John (Matthew 3:1-11, John 1:25-33, Acts 18:25). Water represented the kingdom. Identification of John's converts with Jesus and His Kingdom.
c) Believer's (Christian) baptism (Acts 2:38,41, 8:36-38, 9:18, 10:47-48, 16:33).
i) Water represents the work of Christ.
ii) Identification of Church Age believer, with Christ in his death (going into the water), burial (under the water) and resurrection to "newness of life" (coming up out of the water).
iii) Water baptism is a testimony to personal faith in Christ.
d) Two ordinances for the Church:
i) Water baptism - once; represents salvation.
ii) Communion - repeated; represents fellowship.
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