we talked about in my Matthew for Theology class about Matthew 3 and the theology behind it. I couldn't get passed the idea and question of why is baptism really needed and important. I know some would say because it is the way to salvation - which doesn't entirely make sense to me. Some might say because Jesus was baptized. But as Matthew records John the Baptist saying that He baptizes with water for repentance. Why would Jesus need to be baptized for repentance? So that doesn't make sense. Matthew talks more in depth about the baptism than any other Gospel, but every Gospel at least references it, ie....Mark and Luke talk about it only in a verse or two whereas John recounts the baptism, but not in present tense. So Jesus in Matthew 3 talks about needing to fulfill all righteousness. Is this to fulfill the prophecies? Is it to emphasize his humanity? I get that Jesus was recorded by Matthew in chapter 28 to go make disciples, baptizing them.......
But still the question remains WHY? John was baptizing people before Jesus was baptized, but who told John to baptize people and why?
Lastly where do we get the form of baptisms? As a lutheran it was sprinkling water on the baby's head at a very young age. In the BGC (Converge Worldwide) it is full submersion, but where does that come from? In Matthew 3 (v16) it talks about Jesus coming up out of the water.....does it mean walking out of the water or coming up from being submerged. I feel like the author could have easily made this more clear. Why was it not stated clearly?
I don't know. I feel like I should just say because "it takes away my sins and Jesus told me to do so" but I feel it's good to ask the question as to the significance and where it derives from.
Good questions. In my limited research and asking questions about baptism around a year ago, I had a pastor tell me about the Lutheran practice of sprinkling vs. immersion. While I have nothing historical to back this up, he said that the practice of sprinkling came out of necessity in Northern European climates where finding open water was impossible for many months out of the year. Hence the practice of sprinkling water. This of course grew out of a tradition that baptized infants and held to a salvific understanding of baptism. It would have been done very soon after birth, as higher infant mortality rates were commonplace then.
ReplyDeleteJust some thoughts - feel free to correct me if what I was taught is way off.
thanks derek. at frist read it makes complete sense. I spent 9 years at a Lutheran school and don't recall ever learning anything about it except for "This is the Right way" but i couldn't tell you where it derived from. So thanks.
ReplyDeleteDifferent denominations see it differently. In the catholic/Lutheran train of thought the infant baptism basically is that conversion experience, which I of course don't agree with. In the Baptist/Evangelical train, its more of a public declaration of your beliefs. A chance to make that choice you made privately to follow Jesus known to everyone. This to me makes more sense since this is basically what John did to Jesus. Jesus came to make a public proclamation.
ReplyDeleteBut what do i know, I didn't go to seminary....