Bismi Yasu’ al-Masiha, Rabbina wa Mukhalisina’.
Concerning Sacrament of Baptism, we recognize three methods of baptism:
- Immersion/Submersion – Participant is drowned in water and is risen up again.
- Affusion – Water is poured on participant’s head, thus soaking him/her with water.
- Aspersion – Water is sprinkled on participant’s head.
Immersion is mostly practiced as the early practice in Judaism and early Christianity, currently in Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches, also in Orthodox Churches. While Aspersion is mostly practiced in Roman Catholic, Reformed and Methodist Churches,
And we recognize several baptistmal formula as such:
- “I baptize you in the name of…”
- – … the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit (reading of Matthew 28:19)
- – … the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- … the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit: Jesus Christ.
- – … the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, that is, Lord Jesus Christ. (the most complete sentence majorly used in my Church, GPdI (Gereja Pantekosta di Indonesia) and its overseas churches (IPRF, IPFC, Maranatha Ministry)
- – … Jesus (such is usually done by Jesus’ Name or Jesus-Only Movement, like Oneness Pentecostal churches)
- – et cetera.
Before we discuss more about this, we should know the meaning of the word “baptize”.
Baptize comes from Greek word “βαπτίζω baptizô”, that means “to make fully wet, to wash, “. Baptizó comes from the word “βαπτω baptô” which means “to whelm, to drown, to dip”. From this very meaning we recognize the first method of baptism, the immersion.
Mark 1:8
KJV (King James Version 1769) : I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
ASV (American Standard Version): I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
ORTHJBC (Orthodox Jewish Brit Chadasha) : I give you a tevilah in a mikveh mayim, but he will give you a tevilah in the Ruach Hakodesh.
TR (Scrivener’s Textus Receptus 1894): εγω μεν εβαπτισα υμας εν υδατι αυτος δε βαπτισει υμας εν πνευματι αγιω
Transliteration: egô {I} men {indeed} ebaptisa {baptize} humas {ye} en {in} hudati {water} autos {He} de {but} baptisei {will baptize} humas {ye} en {in} pneumati {spirit} hagiô {holy}
Note that the original Greek text uses “en”, a preposition that means “in”. In KJV it was translated “with”. But the translators of the Jewish Brit who understand the Jewish tradition more than the King James translating comitee translated them as “in”.
Orthodox Jewish Brit Chadasha is a translation work of the whole Bible, using mainly English but they uses many Jewish terms like as in the verse above, TEVILAH and MIKVEH MAYIM.
Tevilah (טבילה) is a noun from the verb TEVEL (טבל) that means “to dip, to plunge”. Jewish usually take bath by dipping themselves, not by showering. Religious meaning is to wash the body from all uncleanness. It is used as a rite for people before entering the Jewish religion. 2 examples from :
Joshua 3:15
KJV: And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,)
LXX (Septuagint): ως δε εισεπορευοντο οι ιερεις οι αιροντες την κιβωτον της διαθηκης επι τον ιορδανην και οι ποδες των ιερεων των αιροντων την κιβωτον της διαθηκης κυριου εβαφησαν εις μερος του υδατος του ιορδανου ο δε ιορδανης επληρου καθ’ ολην την κρηπιδα αυτου ωσει ημεραι θερισμου πυρων
Transliteration: hôs de eiseporeuonto hoi hiereis hoi airontes tên kibôton tês diathêkês epi ton iordanên kai hoi podes tôn hiereôn tôn airontôn tên kibôton tês diathêkês kuriou ebaphêsan eis meros tou hudatos tou iordanou ho de iordanês eplêrou kath holên tên krêpida autou hôsei hêmerai therismou purôn
HOT (Westminster Leningrad Codex): וּכְבֹוא נֹשְׂאֵי הָֽאָרֹון עַד־הַיַּרְדֵּן וְרַגְלֵי הַכֹּֽהֲנִים נֹשְׂאֵי הָֽאָרֹון נִטְבְּלוּ בִּקְצֵה הַמָּיִם וְהַיַּרְדֵּן מָלֵא עַל־כָּל־גְּדֹותָיו כֹּל יְמֵי קָצִֽיר׃
Transliteration: ûkhevô’ nose’êy hâ’ârôn ‘ad-hayardên veraglêy hakohanîm nose’êy hâ’ârôn nitbelû biqtsêh hamâyim vehayardên mâlê’ ‘al-kâl-gedôtâv kol yemêy qâtsîr
2 Kings 5:14
KJV: Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.
HOT: וַיֵּרֶד וַיִּטְבֹּל בַּיַּרְדֵּן שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים כִּדְבַר אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים וַיָּשָׁב בְּשָׂרֹו כִּבְשַׂר נַעַר קָטֹן וַיִּטְהָר׃
Transliteration: vayered vayitbol bayarden syeva’ pe’amim kidvar ‘isy ha’elohim vayasyav besaro kivsar na’ar qaton vayithar
Septuaginta – LXX , και κατεβη ναιμαν και εβαπτισατο εν τω ιορδανη επτακι κατα το ρημα ελισαιε και επεστρεψεν η σαρξ αυτου ως σαρξ παιδαριου μικρου και εκαθαρισθη
Translit interlinear, kai katebê naiman kai ebaptisato en tô iordanê heptaki kata to rhêma elisaie kai epestrepsen hê sarx autou hôs sarx paidariou mikrou kai ekatharisthê
What is Mikveh Mayim (מקוה־מים)? Early Judaism practice Tevilah like John the Baptist in living/running water, i.e. river. But then they use a special pool for the cermonial tevilah.
Then this practice of Tevilah continues on in Christianity:
Matthew 28:19
KJV: Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
OrthJBC: Go, therefore, make talmidim for Rebbe, Melech HaMoshiach of all the nations, giving them a tevilahin a mikveh mayim in Hashem, the Name of HaAv, HaBen, and HaRuach haKodesh,
TR: πορευθεντες ουν μαθητευσατε παντα τα εθνη βαπτιζοντες αυτους εις το ονομα του πατρος και του υιου και του αγιου πνευματος
Transliteration: poreuthentes oun mathêteusate panta ta ethnê baptizontes autous eis to onoma tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos
So far we’re still talking about baptism by immersion/dipping. Now we’re about to read about affusion.
Beside the Holy Bible, theology teachers also uses the Didakhe book (shortened term for “didakhê kuriou dia ton dodeka apostolon”, Teachings of God through the Twelve Apostles) as one of the earliest and reliable source for the truth. This may be the earliest Cathechism ever made. Concerning baptism methods:
Didachê VII,
Now concerning baptism, baptize as follows: after you have reviewed all these things [i.e., The Way of Life and The Way of Death], baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in running water. But if you have no running water, then baptize in some other water; and if you are not able to baptize on cold water, then do so in warm. But if you have neither, then pour water on the head three times in the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit. And before the baptism let the one baptizing and the one who is to be baptized fast, as well as any others who are able. Also, you must instruct the one who is to be baptized to fast for one to two days beforehand.
We’ve discussed about baptism in running water, “some other water” most likely means the Mikveh Mayim. But then it mentioned the other method of baptism: “pour water on the head three times”, also in the name of Father and Son and Holy Spirit.
I forgot to state about the purpose of baptism. We all know that baptism symbolically means that we accept Lord Jesus as our Savior, and willing to leave our previous sinful life and to live in the guidance of the Holy Spirit, by symbolically washing it in water, and we must be fully wet. Imagine a dirty plate being washed by dipping it into water our pouring water over it. Then affusion is also acceptable, in terms of the religious meaning.
Now, if we want to talk about aspersion, we have to get back to the middle of the 3rd century, when St. Thascius Caesilius Cyprianus, a Catholic Bishop from Carthage, Africa, first introduced “the baptism of the sick”. Here in his “Epistle” the method introduced:
Chapter 75 Number 12
You have asked also, dearest son, what I thought of those who obtain God’s grace in sickness and weakness, whether they are to be accounted legitimate Christians, for that they are not to be washed, but sprinkled, with the saving water. In this point, my diffidence and modesty prejudges none, so as to prevent any from feeling what he thinks right, and from doing what he feels to be right. As far as my poor understanding conceives it, I think that the divine benefits can in no respect be mutilated and weakened; nor can anything less occur in that case, where, with full and entire faith both of the giver and receiver, is accepted what is drawn from the divine gifts. For in the sacrament of salvation the contagion of sins is not in such wise washed away, as the filth of the skin and of the body is washed away in the carnal and ordinary washing, as that there should be need ofsaltpetre and other appliances also, and a bath and a basin wherewith this vile body must be washed and purified. Otherwise is the breast of the believer washed; otherwise is the mind of man purified by the merit of faith.
In the sacraments of salvation, when necessity compels, and God bestows His mercy, the divine methods confer the whole benefit on believers; nor ought it to trouble any one that sick people seem to be sprinkled or affused, when they obtain the Lord’s grace, when Holy Scripture speaks by the mouth of the prophet Ezekiel, and says, Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean: from all your filthiness and from all your idols will I cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you. (Ezekiel 36:25-26) Also in Numbers: And the man that shall be unclean until the evening shall be purified on the third day, and on the seventh day shall be clean: but if he shall not be purified on the third day, on the seventh day he shall not be clean. And that soul shall be cut off from Israel: because the water of sprinkling has not been sprinkled upon him. (Numbers 19:12-13) And again: And the Lordspoke unto Moses saying, Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them. And thus shall you do unto them, to cleanse them: you shall sprinkle them with the water of purification. (Numbers 8:5-7) And again: The water of sprinkling is a purification. Numbers 19:9 Whence it appears that the sprinkling also of water prevails equally with the washing of salvation; and that when this is done in the Church, where the faith both of receiver and giver is sound, all things hold and may be consummated and perfected by the majesty of the Lord and by the truth of faith.
I underline all St. Cyprian’s basis of approving aspersion. If we first scan those verses, there’s no problem about aspersion. But if you read the whole context, it’s not valid. In Ezekiel 36:25-26, this may be his strongest basis, but read that it was the Lord God who sprinkled the water. Who baptize you in church? The Lord God Himself? I think not. Number 8:5-7 talks about ordaining priests from the Levites. The purifying water was made with ashes of heifer from Numbers 19:9. And Numbers 19:12-13 talks about people who have touched corpse.
Those verses from Numbers are not talking about leaving your previous sinful life. And baptism isn’t the thing that cleanses somebody, but only by the blood of Jesus!
And St. Cyprian forgot something, that Baptism is also a symbolic act of being buried and risen again with Christ, leaving the previous sinful life, the dirts of our lives, in where we are buried.
3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
Is it possible to bury a person just by a handful of earth?
(in a cemetary, burial)
Priest: Let us bury this man…
(threw some dirt, then left, leaving the coffin still exposed)
*very funny*
Still talking about aspersion, now let’s put those verses from Romans, let’s get back to the essential meaning of baptism, “washing”.
(at the kitchen)
Mom: Danny, please wash the dishes for me, would you?
Danny: OK mom!
*drip drip drip drip drip drip*
Danny: Done!
Mom: *stares*
Aspersion doesn’t meet the biblical meaning, nor the lexical meaning, and in terms of real world sanity. What’s wrong with pouring water 3 times over the sick? My grandmother’s sister (who died several months ago) was baptized by affusion, on her bed! Of course, it was done carefully, and with warm water. But if you really can’t conduct baptism, then do not force it like it is mandatory. A person is saved when he/she accepts Jesus as his/her Savior, not when he/she is baptized!
About Aspersion, this is my opinion, according to my church’s view (actually, may be not only my church’s, or some church’s). Our view is that aspersion is invalid and aspersed person hasn’t been baptized. If you still hold strong to your church’s view about aspersion, it’s up to you. This is our view.
But let us not worship the method of baptism, for the most important thing is the wonderful work of salvation displayed on the cross, His blood that had cleansed all of our sins. Hallelujah!
What can wash away my sins
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
What can make me whole again
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Oh, precious is the flowThat makes me white as snow
No other fount I know
Nothing but the blood of Jesus
Blessings in Christ,
Calvin Limuel
May 31, 2011
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God bless!
Calvin Limuel