Tweaking the particulars without confronting the core assumptions
A few weeks ago, Arthur at “The Voice of One Crying Out in Suburbia” wrote a post called “I think it is time” announcing that he and his family were “going fully into the organic/simple/house church thing.” Later, in a post called “Decompressing,” he wrote that his family has enjoyed not having the pressure of “going to church.” Of course, as you might expect, he’s gotten a little push back from some who claim he is “forsaking the assembly.”
Now, Arthur has written an excellent post called “Not searching for a ‘perfect church’.” While he writes many excellent things in that post, there is one paragraph in particular that I want to highlight:
Those of us who are part of this perfect church must nevertheless find ways to relate to one another because that is how we are strengthened and encouraged, that is how new believers are equipped and shown by example what to do, older believers are renewed and all of us are supposed to be stirred up to good works. Where the rubber hits the road is how this occurs and it certainly seems to be the case that the very reasons for the local gathering to happen, listed above, are not happening with any sort of regularity. The evidence for that is all around us and most of us get it to some extent but the “solution” is always to reshuffle the things we are already doing in the hopes that if we move them around we can make a tower out of marbles. I reject the notion that all we need to do is tweak the particulars without confronting the core assumptions.
In that last sentence I think that Arthur sums up the conclusion that many brothers and sisters in Christ are coming to: simply tweaking the particulars without confronting the core assumptions (about what it means to be the church and to gather together as the church) does not help.
Unfortunately, too many are still satisfied with “tweaking the particulars” and getting a rush out of the small changes without realizing the underlying problems. Because of that, many are taking the same steps that Arthur and his family are taking.
Should everyone take the same steps that Arthur is taking? Probably not. That is between you and God. But, whatever you decide to do, seek to maintain fellowship with your brothers and sisters in Christ, even if you must break your connections with various organizations and institutions.
2012 Church Olympics
I don’t know about you, but my family loves the Olympic Games. So far, we have enjoyed watching volleyball, swimming, and gymnastics competitions among others. I also enjoyed several aspects of the opening ceremonies in London last Friday (which was also my daughter’s 15th birthday), especially the appearance of Mr. Bean. (It was pretty cool that the queen had a cameo also.)
Recently, I was wondering what it would look like if we attempted to turn some of the things we do as the church of Jesus Christ into various “sports” activities. By the way, I’m talking about activities that we actually do, not activities that other people may or may not do. (So, I’m doing this to “poke fun” at myself and my friends, not to ridicule or even to correct others.)
For example, consider these “sports”:
Active Toddler Relay
In this activity, the relay team takes turn spending time with and playing with an active toddler so the parents can get a break. Adding play dough and coloring books is allowed.
Plastic Cup Hurdles
The point of this activity is to make from one side of the room to the bathroom and back without knocking over any of the solo cups (filled with drinks, of course) that are scattered around the floor.
Synchronized Discipleship
In this activity, the participate must actively discuss spiritual and personal matters while simultaneously taking part in another activity (such as washing dishes, painting walls, etc.). My favorite, of course, is discipleship synchronized with running.
Meal Balancing
The purpose of this “sport” is to create a balanced meal from a plethora of crock pots, dishes, platters, and plastic containers.
Plate Lifting
This game is often confused with “Meal Balancing,” but in this sport, the participant must carry a full plate of full across a room without tripping over books, cups, chairs, or the occasionally toddler who darts into the room.
Boxing
There are two version of this sport. In the first, the participants must box up the entire contents of a house and load the boxes and furniture into a moving truck as fast as possible. In the final round, the same participants must unload a different truck filled with boxes and furniture of people they have never met before.
Standing Long Discussion
Participants must carry on a conversation about a particular topic or personal problem, bringing in applicable Scripture passages and personal examples, without straying off of the topic.
So, what “sports” would you and/or your friends among the body of Christ participate in?
Just for missionaries or for all followers of Jesus?
I love reading the blog “God Directed Deviations” by Miguel. He asks great questions, and presents his posts in the context of the life of a servant of Jesus Christ who has traveled to another country in order to help others follow Jesus – both through proclaiming the gospel and through strengthening his brothers and sisters in Christ.
One of his latest posts is called “Short-Term Missions: It’s more than just Bug Repellent & Hand Sanitizer.” As a missionary, Miguel often hosts “short term” missions teams. In this post, he shares a list that was given to him by one of those short term missionaries.
Here’s the list:
1. I will give away all my rights, they belong to the Lord anyway.
2. I will not become bitter or discouraged if any of my rights, privileges, and responsibilities are taken away.
3. I will resist the temptation to have the answer for everything on any subject.
4. I will not play the role of the wealthy provider.
5. I will cheerfully adjust, change, or drop my planned program to meet the local needs and fit into the local context.
6. I will consult and support local leaders and believers.
7. I will seek to live and work in a way that reflects Christ living in me.
I know that some of my readers will bristle at one or two of the things on that list. But it’s not my point to step through and comment on or critique the lists.
Instead, I have a different question. Using the list above as a guide (and you can include other items if you want), is there a difference between the life of a missionary and the common, ordinary life of a follower of Jesus Christ (who is not a missionary)?
The verb Baptize in ambiguous contexts in the New Testament
This is the sixth and final post in a series on baptism. Primarily, my concern is to determine the various meanings of the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo), and how those meanings may be used in the New Testament. So far, by examining the usage of the verb in the LXX, in Philo, and in Josephus, we’ve seen that βαπτίζω (baptizo) is very similar to the English verbs “immerse” and “plunge.” They can be used to mean “to submerge under water,” but they can also have other meanings. Thus, context becomes very important in understanding the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo).
In this post, I want to examine several passages in the New Testament that do not mention water as the medium of baptism in the context. In some cases, there is no medium mentioned at all. In other cases, the medium mentioned is not what we might expect. Thus, these passages are ambiguous – at best – in terms of the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo).
Now, before I start listing some of the passages, please note that I am not making a particular claim about these passages. I am merely recognizing that Scripture itself does specify water as the medium for baptism in some passages. And, since we have seen that the authors of the New Testament use the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) with meanings other than “to immerse in water,” we must at least acknowledge that the meaning of the verb in these passages is ambiguous.
Also, some of these passages are very popular, and some are used in doctrinal positions for certain groups of Christians. Again, I am not making a statement about the meaning of these passages. I am only suggesting that “to immerse in water” may or may not be the best way to think about the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) in these passages.
First, consider the “Great Commission” from Matthew 28:19-20:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20 ESV)
When Jesus instructs his followers to “baptize”, does he mean “immerse in water”? Perhaps. This is the traditional interpretation. However, water is not mentioned in this context at all. As we’ve seen before, when the meaning of “baptize” is “immerse in water”, we usually find water in the context. If the phrase “in the name of the Father…” was changed to “in the water…”, then we would immediately know how to interpret the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo).
Could it be, then, that instead of “immersing in water”, Jesus has something else in mind? Could it be that in order to “make disciples” (the command), we need to “immerse” people in the “name” (character, authority, etc.) of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit? This seems to fit better into the context, especially when “teaching” is considered along with “baptizing”.
Again, I’m not making a definite claim at this point. I’m only demonstrating that this use of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is ambiguous – that is, unclear from the context.
Also, consider the following passage from the second chapter of Acts:
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. (Acts 2:37-41 ESV)
Again, the traditional interpretation of the two instances of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) in this passage is “immerse in water.” Thus, Peter was instructing the people to “repent and be immersed in water”, and three thousand people were “immersed in water”. However, again, notice that water is not indicated in this context either.
If we begin back at Acts 1:4, we read the following:
And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts 1:4-5 ESV)
Jesus told his followers that they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” soon, pointing to the day of Pentecost. Later, the Spirit did descend on his followers, just like Jesus promised. In fact, the purpose of Peter’s sermon in Acts 2 is to demonstrate that the coming of the Holy Spirit was predicted in Scripture, made possible because of Christ, and was available to everyone listening to his words. Re-read Acts 2:37-41 above. When people ask Peter, “What should we do?”, his response was to tell them that the Promise (the Holy Spirit) was available to them. Those who received his words were “baptized”… in water? … or in the Spirit?
These are only two passages where the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is ambiguous, that is, the medium of immersion is not clear from the context. If you would like to consider other “ambiguous” passages, look at Acts 16:15, Acts 16:33, Acts 19:1-5, Romans 6:3, 1 Corinthians 12:13, and Galatians 3:27. If some or all of these passages are not specifically about “immersing in water,” then we should consider other possible meanings and mediums for the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) in these contexts.
Again, I still believe that John the Baptist, Jesus, Paul, Philip, and others in the New Testament practiced water baptism by immersion. I still believe that baptism in water is an important method of testifying to the work of Christ in a person’s life. However, this does not mean that every instance of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) means “immerse in water.”
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Examining the Verb “Baptize” Series:
- The verb Baptize in the Old Testament (LXX)
- The verb Baptize in Philo’s writings
- The verb Baptize in Josephus’ writings
- The verb Baptize in a context with water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in a context WITHOUT water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in ambiguous contexts in the New Testament
Scripture… As We Live It #219
This is the 219th passage in “Scripture… As We Live It.”
And David said to Abigail, “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who sent you this day to meet me! Blessed be your discretion, and blessed be you, who have kept me this day from bloodguilt and from working salvation with my own hand! because I am David, a man after God’s own heart, anointed king by the prophet Samuel, warrior and defender of Israel, fore-runner and model of the Messiah. Why do you think that you – a common woman – have the right to tell me that I am wrong and assume that you can tell me about the ways of God?” (1 Samuel 25:32-33 re-mix)
(Please read the first post for an explanation of this series.)
Replay: Dialog during the meeting of the church
About five years ago, I wrote a post called “Dialog during the meeting of the church.” At that time, I was just beginning to study and explore what the New Testament authors wrote about the church as the believers gathered together. The more I studied, the more I recognized that what they described looks completely different than the way believers typically gather together today. For example, even their methods of teaching were different, relying primarily on dialog instead of monologue. This post begins to explore some of these descriptions and the questions raised by those passages.
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Dialog during the meeting of the church
Many times, when considering the concept of speaking or teaching within the context of the meeting of the church, believers focus on the exhortation of Paul to Timothy: “Preach the word!” We have our modern definitions of preaching – too many to mention here – and our modern methods of preaching – again, too many to mention. But, I’ve read very few studies from a scriptural perspective into how believers actually spoke to one another or taught one another when the church gathered together.
There are two Greek verbs that are usually translated “preach” in English translations of the New Testament: κηρύσσω (kerusso) which means “to announce or proclaim aloud” and εὐαγγελίζομαι (euangelizomai) which means “to bring or announce good news”. Interestingly, in spite of the fact that these verbs and the nouns associated with them are used many times in the New Testament, there are very few occurrences (if any) where the specified audience consists of believers.
So, what verbs are used in Scripture to indicate the type of speech that occurs when believers meet together? Well, primarily, the biblical authors simply use the verbs that mean “to speak” or “to say”: λέγω (lego), λαλέω (laleo), etc. These verbs indicate that verbal communication was happening, but they do not reveal much about the method of communication.
However, there is another very interesting verb that is also used often in the context of believers speaking to one another when the church meets, and that is the verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai). This verb means something like “to converse, discuss, argue, esp. of instructional discourse that frequently includes exchange of opinions”.
In Acts 19:8, Paul “reasoned” (ESV) (διαλέγομαι – dialegomai) with the Jews in the synagogues, but in Acts 19:9, after he left the synagogue, he continued “reasoning” (ESV) (διαλέγομαι – dialegomai) with the disciples who followed him to the hall of Tyrannus.
In Acts 20:7-10, Paul “talked” (ESV) (διαλέγομαι – dialegomai) with the believers in Troas on the first day of the week. This is the time when Paul continued speaking until midnight and the young man fell out of the window. But, what we don’t generally see from our English translation is that Paul’s “speech” could also be called a “discussion”.
There are other instances in the NT where the verb διαλέγομαι (dialegomai) is used to describe Paul or another believer “discussing” or “arguing” with nonbelievers. In these instances, the verb is almost always translated “reason”, “argue”, or “discuss”.
I wonder what would happen today if those who teach and speak to believers when the church meets used methods of discussion and dialog instead of the normal monologue method…
The verb Baptize in a context WITHOUT water in the New Testament
This is my fifth post in a series on baptism. Primarily, my concern is to determine the various meanings of the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo), and how those meanings may be used in the New Testament. So far, by examining the usage of the verb in the LXX, in Philo, and in Josephus, we’ve seen that βαπτίζω (baptizo) is very similar to the English verbs “immerse” and “plunge.” They can be used to mean “to submerge under water,” but they can also have other meanings when water is not in the context. Thus, context becomes very important in understanding the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo). In this post, I want to examine several passages in the New Testament that definitely indicate a medium besides water in the context.
Just as there are some uses of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) which clearly indicate “water baptism” or “washing” in the context, there are other uses which clearly do not indicate water in the context. In other words, in these passages βαπτίζω (baptizo) does not mean “to immerse in water,” but takes on other meanings which have nothing to do with water, much like the English verbs “immerse” and “plunge.”
For example, while considering contexts which include water in the previous post, we looked at Matthew 3 and parallel passages. These passages also include a use of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) which does not include water in its context:
I baptize you with water for 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 with fire. (Matthew 3:11; cf. Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, Acts 11:16)
You can see my post “Baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire” for further explanation of this passage. Clearly, there is a contrast between John’s baptism “with water” and Jesus’ baptism “with the Holy Spirit and with fire”. So, just as John “immersed” people in water, Jesus will “immerse” people in the Holy Spirit and in fire.
There are two other passage where the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is used but the context clearly does not indicate that “immersion in water” is the meaning:
Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” And they said to him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink, and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized, but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” (Mark 10:38-40 ESV)
I (Jesus) have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished! (Luke 12:50 ESV)
In these two passages, although the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is used, the context does not indicate water. Instead, the two passages indicate that people will be “immersed” in suffering, not water.
Now that I have examined passages in the New Testament where the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is used with clear indications of the meaning (either “water” or not) from the context, in the next post I will examine passages where the context leaves the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) unclear or ambiguous.
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Examining the Verb “Baptize” Series:
- The verb Baptize in the Old Testament (LXX)
- The verb Baptize in Philo’s writings
- The verb Baptize in Josephus’ writings
- The verb Baptize in a context with water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in a context WITHOUT water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in ambiguous contexts in the New Testament
The verb Baptize in a context with water in the New Testament
This is my fourth post in a series on baptism. Primarily, my concern is to determine the various meanings of the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo), and how those meanings may be used in the New Testament. So far, by examining the usage of the verb in the LXX, in Philo, and in Josephus, we’ve seen that βαπτίζω (baptizo) is very similar to the English verbs “immerse” and “plunge.” They can be used to mean “to submerge under water,” but they can also have other meanings. Thus, context becomes very important in understanding the meaning of the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo). In this post, I want to examine several passages in the New Testament that definitely indicate a medium of water in the context.
First, all four Gospels indicate that John “the Baptist” baptized in water. Either the Jordan River or water are specifically mentioned in several passages related to John’s baptism. For example:
Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:5-6 ESV)
Similarly, in John’s contrast between his baptism and Jesus’ baptism, John states that his baptism occurred in water (by the way, this statement occurs in all four Gospels, and twice in Acts) (see the post “Baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire” for further examination of this passage):
I [John] have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (Mark 1:8 ESV)
John baptized Jesus in water:
And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him… (Matthew 3:16 ESV)
The Gospel of John tells us that Jesus’ disciples baptized people in water:
After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized. (John 3:22-23 ESV)
Also, Philip baptized the Ethiopian eunuch in water:
And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?” (Acts 8:36 ESV)
There are also a few uses of the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) which are associated with water, but are not associated with “baptism,” but with washing:
[W]hen they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash (baptize). And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing (baptism) of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches. (Mark 7:4 ESV)
While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash (baptize) before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.” (Luke 11:37-39 ESV)
As far as I can tell, these (and any parallel passages) are all of the scriptural references to the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) that specifically indicate water in the context. This does not mean that these are the only instances where immersing or washing in water is meant. However, as we have seen from our previous study of the use of βαπτίζω (baptizo) in the LXX, in Philo, and in Josephus, we must consider the context very carefully before we decide if water is part of the meaning in each particular passage.
In the next post of the series, I will examine some passages of the New Testament in which the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) in not used in a context with water.
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Examining the Verb “Baptize” Series:
- The verb Baptize in the Old Testament (LXX)
- The verb Baptize in Philo’s writings
- The verb Baptize in Josephus’ writings
- The verb Baptize in a context with water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in a context WITHOUT water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in ambiguous contexts in the New Testament
Why did the NT authors not define/describe spiritual gifts in detail?
I’ve never published two separate blog series at the same time. But, that’s what seems to be happening this week… although by accident.
Yesterday, I asked if you would be willing to describe/define what you think the NT authors meant by the spiritual gifts / spiritually gifted persons that they called apostles, prophets, evangelists, etc. (See my post “http://www.alanknox.net/2012/07/apostle-prophet-evangelist-pastor-teacher-servant-helper-etc-wh-and-what-are-they/”) I once read a commentary on Ephesians in which the author of the commentary spent twelve pages (yes, 12 pages) defining each of the spiritual gifts listed in Ephesians 4:11. (That’s over 2 pages per word that Paul used to describe the spiritual gifted individuals.)
My good friend Art left several good comments on that post (that I link to above). But, I want to point out these statements in particular:
I still can’t find enough in scripture to distinguish too neatly between apostles, prophets, and evangelists. I once thought I did, and had pages in support of the differentiation. But it all hinges (as far as I’ve been able to piece together) on too small a thread in scripture.
Maybe God didn’t have in mind that we create neat definitions for each “gift” of the Spirit, administration of the Lord, and operation from God.
I’ve reached a similar conclusion in the past. The authors of Scripture used terms such as “apostle,” “prophet,” “evangelist,” etc. but they never defined those terms for their readers. They never told them exactly what those spiritually gifted people did or did not do as it related to those terms.
Why do you think the authors of the New Testament chose not to define what they meant by those terms as they related to spiritual gifts and spiritually gifted people?
The verb Baptize in Josephus’ writings
This is the third post in my series on baptism. Primarily, my concern is to determine the various meanings of the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo), and how those meanings may be used in the New Testament. In this post, I’ll examine the use of βαπτίζω (baptizo) in the writings of Titus Flavius Josephus.
Josephus (37 AD – sometime after 100 AD) was a Hebrew priest from Jerusalem. He fought the Romans in the war of 66-73 AD. However, he was taken prisoner early in the conflict. As with Philo, Josephus lived at about the same time as the New Testament authors, he was also a Jew, and he also wrote in Koine Greek.
Josephus used the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) about 13 times in his writings, and he used the term in many different contexts. One of these uses is similar to the verb “dip” in the LXX:
When, therefore, any persons were defiled by a dead body, they put a little of these ashes into spring water, with hyssop, and, dipping (baptizing) part of these ashes in it, they sprinkled them with it, both on the third day and on the seventh, and after that they were clean. (Antiquities 4:81)
Also, he uses the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) with regard to ships sinking:
[F]or as our ship sank (was baptized) in the Adriatic Sea, we that were in it, being about six hundred in number… (Autobiography 1:15; cf. Antiquities 9:212, War 2:556, War 3:368)
Furthermore, he uses the verb to mean “drown”:
And for such as were drowning (being baptized) in the sea, if they lifted their heads up above the water, they were either killed by arrows, or caught by the vessels (War 3:527; cf. Antiquities 15:55, War 1:437, War 3:423)
Interestingly, there is one passage where Josephus uses the verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) to mean both “sink” and “drown” simultaneously:
[W]hen they ventured to come near the Romans, they became sufferers themselves before they could do any harm to the other, and were drowned (baptized), they and their ships together. (War 3:525)
In each of the examples above, water – or some type of liquid – is specifically indicated as the medium of “baptism.” However, in the following examples, the word does not seem to carry the meaning of being immersed in liquid:
[W]hen Ishmael saw him in that case, and that he was drowned (baptized) in his cups to the degree of insensibility, and fallen asleep, he rose up suddenly, with his ten friends, and slew Gedaliah. (Antiquities 10:169)
[W]hen he had gone over all his family, he stood upon their bodies to be seen by all, and stretching out his right hand, that his action might be observed by all, he sheathed (baptized) his entire sword into his own bowels. (War 2:476)
[T]hese very men, besides the seditions they raised, were otherwise the direct cause of the city’s destruction (baptized the city) also. (War 4:137)
In the first of these last three examples, being baptized in his cups seems to be an idiom for being drunk – similar to Philo’s usage in Contempl. 1:46. Perhaps the last two usages of βαπτίζω (baptizo) are the most interesting. In War 2:476, the verb seems to mean “bury to the hilt”, while in War 4:137, the word conveys a similar meaning to the one found in the LXX of Isaiah 21:4: “overwhelm” or perhaps “cover.”
Thus, it seems that in the LXX, in Philo, and in Josephus, the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo) is very similar to the English verbs “immerse” or “plunge.” While they certainly can indicate being covered with water, they can also be used in other contexts. The context is very important to understand the “medium” into which someone is “immersed” or “plunged.”
A student can be “immersed” in a swimming pool, but the same student can also be “immersed” in her studies. A boy can be plunged into the sea, but he can also be plunged into despair. A person can immerse themselves in a tub of water, but that same person can also immerse themselves in the Spanish language.
As we begin to consider how the New Testament authors used the Greek verb βαπτίζω (baptizo), we must recognize the importance of context in understanding the meaning of the verb. The verb does not always mean “to submerge under water.”
In the next installment in the series, we’ll examine baptism in the New Testament passages where water is obviously in the context.
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Examining the Verb “Baptize” Series:
- The verb Baptize in the Old Testament (LXX)
- The verb Baptize in Philo’s writings
- The verb Baptize in Josephus’ writings
- The verb Baptize in a context with water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in a context WITHOUT water in the New Testament
- The verb Baptize in ambiguous contexts in the New Testament