The following is a reaction to this post: https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2024/02/why-were-baptisms-required-for-israel.html
POST REACTION:
I don’t think you can connect the ministry of John the Baptist to the Old Testament priesthood. Only the priests needed to be washed, not every Israelite. And John the Baptist’s imagery had nothing to do whatsoever with priestly cleansing. Just read the accounts in the four Gospels. It was a sign of repentance. And Israelites before John were not baptized. It was a ritual that started with him. And Christian baptism has a totally different symbolic meaning and was done for both Jews and Gentiles alike. In your article, your thoughts on priestly rituals are interesting, but there’s no biblical evidence that John’s baptism has anything whatsoever to do with that.
ANSWER:
One cannot just isolate John’s ministry as something that just appeared out of the blue. In the Bible EVERYTHING has meaning and purpose. The entire bible interprets itself with repeating types and shadow events that foretell of Christ and of greater truth in the future. This is why events and characters in the Bible (typically in the Old Testament) so closely relate to fulfillment of events later in the New Testament. If one simply ignores the Old Testament and the origin of the priesthood and washings, then what was the purpose of John’s water baptism? Why would this ordinance even exist? Why would Jesus (who never sinned) also pass through the waters? None of this would have meaning and all explaining of these facts would vaporize. In this light, the washings pertaining to the Old Testament priesthood is perfect biblical evidence of the purpose and meaning of John’s baptism. If not, you dismiss the entire purpose of John’s ministry.
If you look at Ex.19:5–6 it is clearly said that all of Israel would be a royal priesthood and holy nation. This is the reason why all Jews who heard John’s preaching had to abide by the new ordinance and be water baptized. The kingdom of God was at hand and Jews were to heed the call and prepare to take up the mantle of priesthood. John’s baptism was that an important fulfillment at this time for those who heard the call. Yes, it was for repentance, but we cannot ignore that the need to repent was ultimately for preparation of priesthood, which is the primary purpose of Israel’s position amongst the nations.
As for Jews who lived before John’s ministry, they obviously could not be expected to be baptized if the message was still hidden. They formed part of the initial baptism of Israel when they [passed through the Red Sea. For those in John’s day and who heard the call of John had the extra duty of obedience to fulfil in going down to the Jordan river to be ‘washed’.
I’m not sure what you mean by “Christian baptism”? If you refer to water baptism practiced by denominational churches today, that is simply a ritual and meaningless ordinance brought down through the traditions of men and the lack of sound Bible doctrine. Water baptism is not part of the doctrine preached by the apostle Paul. He says himself that he was not sent to baptize but to preach the gospel. In addition, Paul taught of only ONE baptism in the Body of Christ, and that is not water, but an act performed by the Holy Spirit to immerse a believer into the Body of Christ and seal them for the day of salvation, Eph 4:5-6.
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