Luke 3:1-22 Introduction: THE RElATION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO THE PERSON AND

WORK OF JESUS , THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE

BIRTH AND MINISTRY OF JOHN THE FORERUNNER LUKE 1:5-38; 1:80;

2: 5 7-66 (See my notes on those sections.) THE WITNESS OF

JOHN THE BAPTIST

TO JESUS CHRIST "johntheBaptist

emerges as a figure of considerable proportions and importance, " (Stonehouse), in Luke'snarrative. In fact, "whtle all the Gospels give promi-nencetoJohn,Luke contains a number of distincti.ve features which place the role ofjohn in even sharper focus."- Stonehouse. (1). Luke emphasizes the striking parallelism in the births of john and of Jesus. "Although only the origin of jesus is set forth as distinctly miraculous, in virtue of the conception by the Holy Ghost and birth of the Virgin, John's birth is shown to have been no ordinary event. -- ... the child was conceived only as the result of an intervention of divine favor."- Stonehouse. (2). In summarizing the career of john the Baptist, Luke reports more fully the message of his preaching than any other synoptic Gospel. 0). Luke introduces the public career of john the Baptist with "elaborate synchronism" in 3: 1,2. Luke links the beginning of John's ministry with

several historical personages and events. "He reflects indeed the consciousness that the events he narrates concern a movement which found expression, not in some remote comer of the world, but in the midst of the Roman empire in the full light of day. In his grandly conceived work Luke tells us how this movement had its beginnings in the vassal kingdom of Herod, inJudaea, 1:5, in the province of Syria, while Caesar Augustus was emperor, 2: 1. He reflects further how Christianity became a public

movement during the reign ofTiberius Caesar, when sons of Herod, as tetrarchs rather than kings, ruled over the northern regions of Palestine while in Judaea proper a Roman procurator had stepped in the place of another son who had been deposed, 3: 1. And he proceeds to tell how, after the ascension of Christ, His message and church made their way under other Herods and many governors from Jerusalem to Rome, in a world which everywhere recognized the sovereignty of Roman emperors. For Luke, therefore, Christianitywasa movement spedfically within the framework of world history. n - Stonehouse, pg. 59.

THE RELATION OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE PUBLIC CAREER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

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WITH WHAT HAS PROCEEDED IN THE LUKAN BIRTH-NARRATIVES "This narration .. of the

commencement of John's public mission isnot the reader's introduction to John nor does it stand in isolation from what has gone before. Its integration with the testimony ofJohn within the birth narratives appears in sharpest focus in Luke 1:80," (Stonehouse)---"And the child Oohn) continued to grow, and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts Wltil the day of hls public appearance to

IsraeL" Luke has led

his readers to expect the dawn of a great day when John would emerge from obscurity to herald the appearance of the Messiah. As J. Gresham Machen wrote of Luke 1:80: "Does that verse not lead the reader to look for the great day that is there held in

prospect; the day when John would emerge from his obscurity and appear publicly as the foreruhner of the messianic salvation? Whenever that day should come, surely it would be heralded by the writer who included 1:80inhis book, with all the solemnity that he could command. And just exactly that is done in Luke 3:1. The period of obSCUrity and waiting in which the reader was left in the former passage is over; the forerunneremerges from the deserts and the day of the messiatlicsaivation has dawned. What wonder that the concomitant political conditions are marked with all the precision that the wrttercan comrnand; what wonder that rulers and high priests are marshaled to do honor to the great event that signalized their

reign?" - The Virgin Birdl oj Glnst, pg. 47ff.

THE RELATION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST TO JESUS CHRIST

"The prominence assigned to the Baptist is therefore not gained at the expense of] esus; on the contrary, the greater the significance attached to John's mission, the greaterthe glory of the One Whom he has sent to herald. And Luke's very readiness to allow the spotlight to rest upon john at the beginning of his minisuy is another proof that Luke was not writing a secular biography with jesus as his hero. Rather he is occupied here with his task of pUblishing the gospel of jesus Christ which came to public expression in history with John's wiUless to, and baptism of, jesus."-Stonehouse

To highUght the greater glory of jesus, Luke does two unexpected things: (1). In the baptism of jesus, where we might expect him to have some share in the "limelight," since he baptized jesus,] olin is not mentioned atall! (2). In contrast with all the other Gospels, Luke is the only Wliter who does not mention the death of] ohn the Baptist. This deliberate silence "provides eloquent testimony that john is not introduced for his own sake. .. John the Baptist ... owes his place in the early chapters of Luke to the light that his testimony casts upon the significance of jesus Christ. The contacts of these two men with the origin and early history of]esus provide occasions for disclosures which interpret authOritatively the meaning of the. stupendous event represented by the birth of Christ and His presence in the world." - Stonehouse

THE SUMMARY OF THE liFE, MISSION AND FAITH OF

JOHN THE BAPTIST

THE MISSION OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Two words define the

divinely-appointed mission of john:

(1). He was sent to bea witness of the Light, jn. 1:6-8; 19-2B. His mission was not of human, but of divine origin, jn. 1:33;3:2B. He came to bear witness to jesus, and nothing else he did was as important as this. A wiUlessisaserious thing. It commits a person, so that he is no longer neutral. Its purpose is to establish the truth (Light) about the One of whom he bears witness. Therefore, a false witness is a pervener of the truth. A wiUless brings people to decision. He calls upon them to make a definite act of repentance and faith. (2). john was called by God to be a way-preparer for the coming of the Lord incarnate, LK. 1:57f; Mk. l:lf; Mal. 3: Iff, by calling upon his hearers to repent of.their hardness of heart and to soften their hearts by grieving over their sins and turning from it to faith in jesus Christ. THE GOSPEL OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

The message of John's preaching contained an indicative and an imperative element. The indicative, (statements of fact). included: (1). the present reality of covenantal salvation, affecting human experience comprehensively, Lk. 1:57f, 76; 3:6; (2). the ltingly self-assertion of God in the coming of the Kingdom of Christ, Mat. 3 :1-12; (3). the imminent judgment of God about to fall on apostatejudaism, Lk. 3:1-20; (4).jesus Christ is the incomparable Son of God, jn. 1:19f; (5). jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world,]n. 1:29-34; (6).jesus Christ is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and with fire,]n . 1:29-34. The imperative, (commands), included: (1). Repent, confess sins and believe in]esus, Mk. 1:I-B; Mat. 3:1-12; Lk. 3:1-20. Repentance is ~ radical change of mind and heart leading to a complete tuID-about oflife. (2). Be baptized,]n. 3:33,36. This command to be baptized implies faith in jesus Christ, signified in baptism, and an affirmation of]esus as one's covenant Lord and Savior.

THE LIFE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Several things distinguish the life

of John the Baptist: (1). He lived in stark contrast to his times, Mat. 3: H. (2). He allowed the Word of God to define the direction and boundaries of his entire life,]n. 3:25-36. (3). He was fearless and uncompromising in his wiUless to Christ, Mat. 14: 1; LK. 3: 7f. (4). He was totally and selflessly committedtojesusChrist,jn.3:25-36. He was always pointing away from himself to Christ, and always exalting Christ and seeking to honor him. The desire of his life, according to john 3:30 was that Christ would advance his reign and control over his life more and more; that Christ would be more and more preeminent as he recedes out of the picture, so that people will see more and more of Christ and less and less of john.

THE FAITH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST HIS KNOWLEDGEABLE FAITH

John's faith was profound and knowledgeable, jn. 3:25-36. He understood that Jesus is the Bridegroom and the Church is the Bride, 3:29; that being uniquely from Heaven,Jesusisincomparablysupelior to all, 3:31; that Christ speaks what He knows omnisciently to be true, 3:32; that to receive Christ's witness is to receive God's witness, 3:33; that He is . sent from God, speaks the words of God, and is given the Spirit without measure, 3:34; that Christ is loved uniquely as a Son by the Father, and that everything has been placed in His hands, 3:35; that faith in Christ is a prerequisite to eternal life, 3:36.

HIS IMPERFECT FAITH As knowledgeable as John's faith

was, it was also imperfect, doubting on occasion, Lk. 7: IBf. There are two kinds of doubt: (1). the skeptical doubt ofunbelief(diakrinesthai), Mat. 21:21; Mk. 11:23. Wherever this critical attitude toward divine things is found, there faith is absent. This is not the

JanuarylFebmary 1994 t THE COUNSEL of Cha1cedon $ 5

kind of doubting John experienced. "The critical self-d~bating habit of the typical skeptic, which casts him upon life like a derelict ship upon the sea," (B.B. Warfield), is the doubt of unbelief. This habit of mind is the extreme contradiction qf faith and cannot coexist with it, therefore it is treated in the Bible with condemnation. (2). The second kind of doubt is the doubt of imperfect and distracted faith (edistasen and meteorizesthai), Lk. 12:29; Mat. 14:31; Lk. 24:38. This doubt is a witness to the presence of faith, for only those who have faith can be distracted or can waver from it. At the same time it is an incomplete and imperfect faith, for only an imperfect faith can be distracted from its firm persuasion. A kindred product of a weak faith is a questioning hesitation (dialogismos), Lk. 24:38. This is John's doubting. It is caused by a failute to trust and rest in what God has spoken, regardless of what one sees around him. Itistowalk by sight rather than by faith. And it is inexcusable, forthereisno good reason to doubt the word of God, Lk. 7:2l.

If our doubts are to be healed, we must, as did John, bring those doubts toJesus. The doubts ofimperfect faith will drive that troubled believer closer to Christ. The doubts of unbelief and skepticism will drive the unbeliever away from Christ, hardening his heart, and making him cynical and proud. Jesus Christ heals our confessed doubts, (and forgives us), by focusing our faith upon His divinely-attested Word and Gospel. This is what He did to John, Lk. 7:22. In this verse Jesus reminds John ofIsa. 35:5-6; 61:1. In focusing John upon the Word, He is ultimately focusing John's attention uponHimself as He is revealed in that

Word. NOtice also that included in Christ's healing of John's doubt is a mildrebuke,Lk. 7:23. WhenJohnthe Baptist became dissatisfied with the Savior's methods of doing things,] esus did not change his methods but continued in the same way, and in addition He expressly informed John that this and this alone was Hismethod of work. He is saying, in effect, to John: "Do not forget who is the Messiah and who is the Forerunner!"

HIS FAITH WAS HONORED BY CHRIST IDMSELF

Jesus' statement to John in Luke 7:28 was not degrading to John but honoring of him ---"I say to you, among those born oj women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom oj God is greater than he." Geldenhuys explains: "Although he, as the last envoy of the old covenant, is nearest to Christ and thus the most important of all, he takes a lower place than even the most insignificant member of the new covenant. He belonged to the period of preparation and had not yet learned to know Jesus as the Crucified One, as the Risen Redeemer, and as the One who through His Spirit makes His habitation in the believer'sheartandlife. Hewillindeed, in common with all other saints of the times before Christ's sacrificial death,

6 'I' THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon 'I' JanuarylFebmary 1994

share fully in the. redemption and blessings achieved by Him, but as regards his place in the unfolding of the divine revelation which culminated in Christ, he still belongs to the preparatory stage and is therefore in this respect less than the most insignificant believer of the new dispensation. "

Findencouragementhere, believing brother or sister. Our faith does not have to be perfect before it is accepted

by Christ. However, real faith, although weak, is not satisfied with weakness, but endeavors to go on to strength. Therefore, it keepscomingto Christwith the prayer, "I believe, help me in my unbelief."

EXPOSITION (3:1-2) THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF JOHN THE

FORERUNNER THE REASONS FOR

MENTIONING THESE SIX CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS

llymeans of this concise historical introduction, Luke's readers can learn: (1). the timeJohn began his public ministry, A.D. 26; (1). the historical and cultural context in which his preaching took place; (3). the identities of the historical personages who would playa part in the d1

the critics questions, see: William Hendriksen, The Gospel of Lulu, pages 194"200; R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of Luke's Gospel, pages 172"175; Geldenhuys, Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, pages 134"136.

For example, critics have charged Luke with error in saying that Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene at this time. They say that Luke is confusing this man with another Lysanias who was king overthis territory priorto B. C. 36 and who was murdered that year. But Lenski points out: "The fact that the one was a king and the other, of whom Luke speaks, a tettarch, seems to escape the critics, as does also an inscription that has been known for a century, a new and improved copy of which was found on the site of Abila. It refers to the dedication of a temple and has the words, 'on behalf of the salvation of the Lords Imperial and theirwhole household' by 'Nymphaios, a freedman ofLysanias, the tetrarch.' 'The Lords Imperial' can be only the emperor Tiberius and Julia, his mother. The latter died between A.D. 14 (or 12) and 29. Lukeisnotin error. He (Luke) lived close to this time and in all his writings shows himself so exact, 1:3, and so thoroughly informed on all points."

THE SIX CHRONOLOGICAL ITEMS MENTIONED IN 3:1-2

All these chronological data, taken together, reveal that John the Baptist began his public career as the Forerunner ofJesus the Christ in A.D. 26 or 27.

THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR Tiberius was emperor from the

death of Caesar Augustus, August 19, A.D. 14 until A.D. 37. However his "fifteenth year" is counted from the time when he was appointed co-ruler of the provinces by his step-father Augustus in A.D. 11-12. (See Lenski for proof, pg. 173). Since Augustus

died on August 19,A.D.14;counting from the time of the joint-reign, which began at the end of A.D. 11 or the beginning of A.D. 12,]ohn's ministry began in the year A.D. 26.

If Tiberius' "fifteenth year" is not counted from his appOintment as co-ruler in A.D. 11-12, the early date can be established another way. "According to the Roman reckoning, this would make his fifteenth year A.D. 28-29. But in Syria the reigns of monarchs were reckoned according to a method retained from the days of the Seleucid dynasty, by which a new regnal year started in September-October. Tiberius'ssecond year would by this computation have started in September-October of A.D. 14, although in fact he had donned the purple only a month earlier; and his fifteenth year would be deemed to start in September-October of A.D. 27."- Geldenhuys

THE GOVERNORSHIP OF PILATE IN JUDEA

Pontius Pilate was procurator of ]udaea from A.D. 26-36.

THE TETRARCHY OF HEROD IN GALILEE

Herod Antipas, son of Herod the Great, ruled as teu'arch over Galilee and Perea from 4, B.C. until A.D. 39, when he was removed from office by Caligula for trying to change his title from tetrarch to the higher one of king. ("Tetrarch" refers to an office which ruled over a fourth pan of the land.) (When Herod the Great died in 4, B.C., his domain was divided among his sons.)

HIE TETRARCH OF HEROD'S BROTHER, PHILIP, IN THE REGION

OF lTURAEA AND TRACHONITIS Philip, the son of Herod the Great

and Cleopatra, was the tetrarch over Ituraea and Trachonitis, (as well as otherregions), from4,B.C. to A.D. 34.

THE TETRARCHY OF LYSANIAS IN ABILENE

Lysanias ruled over Abilene, to the nonh of Philip's domain. Lysanias the tetrarch was a younger and less famous ruler than Lysanias the king, who may have been the younger's father. Lysanias the teu'arch's reign must come between A.D. 14 (or 12) and A.D. 29.

THE HIGH PRIESTHOOD OF ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS

After listing the civil rulers of the area, Luke now mentions "the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas." Annas was high priest from A.D. 6-15, when he was removed from office by Valerius Gratus, the Roman governor. "In practice, however, he still retained and exercised a considerable share of the high-priestly power, especially during the high-priesthood of Caiaphas, his son-in-law, and of a number of his own sons. Luke's uncommon expression, "epi archiereos Hanna kae Kaiapha," "Annas and Caiaphas being high priest' (singular and not plural), thus indicates the real state of affairs: although the Romans had deposed Annas, and Caiaphas was the official high priest, Annas nevertheless in reality still exercised some high-priestly authority."-Geldenhuys

Some have criticized Luke for speaking of Annas and Caiaphas as sharing the high-priesthood, since there was only one high priest at a time. However, "itishastytoconc!ude that Luke, who informed himself with such exactness, did not know the official relation of Annas and Caiaphas. -- Annas was in office from 18 to 20 years, longer than any high priest during the Herodian period. Deposed in A.D. 15 or 16, he was followed in quick succession by Ismael, son of Phabi, by Eleazar, his own son, by Simon, son of Camithes, and either in A.D. 18 or 19 or in 25 or 26 (the date is unceltain) by his son-in-law] oseph,

JanuarylFebruary 1994 t TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t 7

with the added name Caiaphas, who was deposed early in A.D. 36. The high priesthood no longer continued until the death of the incumbent but was manipulated by the Romans according to their politics." - Lenski THE PICTIJRE THESE SIX CHRONO-LOGICAL ITEMS GIVE OF THE TIME

IN WtIlCH JOHN THE BAPTIST BEGAN HIS PREACHING MINISTRY This information depicts the

political and religious situation in Palestine at the beginning of John's public ministry. "the milieu in which the ministry of John and Jesus took place."- Geldenhuys. The situation was dark. (1). The administration of Tiberius Caesar was characterized by severe cruelty and tyranny. Tiberius reigned during a time of moral degeneration and political chaos in the Roman Empire, which eventually led to its fall. (2). The Holy Land was dominated by the tyranny of a pagan power, (Rome), that arbitrarily divided the country up and placed it under different rulers, who themselves were degenerates and tyrants. (3). Israel itselfwas marked with religiOUS chaos, "as a resultof the pagan domination by which high priests were arbitrarily deposed and supplanted by others."-Geldenhuys

THE PROPHETIC OFFICE OF JOHN THE FORERUNNER

During this dark and desperate time in the world and in Palestine, God cOmmissionedJohn to come fonh as a great prophet, who would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

"THE WORD OF GOD CAME TO JOHN"

John did not begin his preaching ministry on his own initiative or at his own discretion. "The Word of God carne to John," just as it did to the O.T. prophets, such as Jeremiah, Jer. 1: 1, and in that Word God commissioned him in a clear and personal manner to

the office and ministry of PROPHET. This phrase, "the Word (RHEMA in Greek) of God came" is an b.T. expression used of the prophets, indicating divine inspiration and divine authority. This phrase, which occurs nowhere eIsein the N.T., placedJohn in true prophetic succession. "The RHEMA of God is the Greek Sepruagint'sequivalent to "the DEBAR YAHWEH," in the Hebrew O.T. "God said something to John, and the result is . described in what follows, from which we can also gather what was said. Thus, as being under God's own direction and instruction, John proceeds with the fullest assurance as did the old prophets."~ Lenski

"'It was the glory oUohn the Baptist to have revived the function of the prophet,' (Bengal, ECCE HOMO, pg. 2); and it is difficult for us to realize what that meant. A nation, which from Samuel to Malachi had scarcely ever been without a living oracle of God, had for three or four centuries never heard the voice of a Prophet. It seemed as if Jehovah had withdrawn from His people. The breaking of this oppressive silence by the voice of the Baptist caused a thrill through the whole Jewish population throughout the world." - Plumer

"THE SON OF ZACHARIAS" Only Luke describes John the

Baptist as "the son of Zacharias," to remind us again of the definition of John's mission inUfe given by the Angel to Zacharias before John was born, Luke l:llf.

"IN THE WILDERNESS" While John was in the wilderness,

where Luke 1:80 left him, the Word of God came to him calling him to awaken the people to theirneed of conversion and to introduce the Messiah to them. The wilderness, identified geographically in the next verse, was "a desolation, a vast undulating expanse of barren chalky soil covered with

8 ~ THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ~ JanuarylFebruary 1994

pebbles, broken stones and rocks."-Hendriksen. John was in the wilderness to remind the Jewish people of their wilderness experience under Moses, and to symbolize to them the act that theywere presently in the wilderness ofjudgmemandapostasy, because of the wilderness in their heans.

(3:3-6) THE MISSION OF JOHN THE FORERUNNER (3:3a) THE LOCALE OF

JOHN'S PREACHING MINISTRY John preached in the desen regions

in "the district around theJordan:i.e. , the deep depression through which theJordan River nows toward the Dead Sea, beginning at 600 feet below sea level and ending at 1300 feet below sea leveL It was an arid, Uninhabited, wild region, separate from any sign of civilization. Why did God send J ohn the Baptist to preach and to fulfill his ministry in this forsaken, wild region, where nobody lived? This region was chosen byGod for two reasons: (1). ''to draw people away from all their ordinary occupations and interestsand thus the more to fix their minds and heans on their spiritual condition and the saving message of God's great herald" (Lenski); and (2). to remind the Jewish people of the first century of Israel's fony years of Wanderings in the Wilderness, which they experienced because of their unbelief and rebellion against God, which kept them out of the Land of Promise for so long. The Jewish people ofjesus' day were in the "wilderness" again for similar reasons.

(3:3b) "THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS"

John's mission is SUCCinctly described by Luke as "preaching a baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins." Each word must be carefully studied along with the exact relation of these words to each other.

THE MEANING OF "PREACHING"

The Greek word for preaching here is KERUSSO, which means to act as a KERUX or herald, i.e., someone who announces with a loud voice what his superior has ordered him to announce. "Preaching in the Biblical sense is merely announcing clearly and distinctly what God orders us to announce in His Word. No herald dare change his message by alteration, by omission, or by addition. The preacher is not to utter his own eloquent wisdom but to

In II Kings 5: 14 it is used in reference to N aaman's baptizing of himself seven times in the] ordan River to cure his leprosy. Ittranslates the Hebrewword, TABAL, meaning to be moistened with. What N aaman is doing at this point is applying the cleansing ritual for lepers to himself explained in Lev. 14:6, 16, 5l. Leviticus 14:6 says, "He shall then SPRINKLE seven times the one who is to be cleansed from the leprosy .... "

The point is this: BAPTO in the Septuagint and BAPTIZO in the O. T.

instance where dipping but not immersion is the reasonable and natural supposition, Ruth 2: 14; finally, in the case of! Sam. 14:27 immersion is not unreasonable, but it is not by any means necessary to the action denoted. Hence we have no reason to suppose that in a great many other instances immersion is the action denoted by BAPTO. In other words, we have no ground upon which to insist that in Exodus 12:22; Lev. 4:6,17; 9:9; Num .. 19:18; Deut. 33:24; II Kings 8:15

confine himself to the foolishness and theskandalon, (offense), of the gospel."-Lenski

"lmmersionist:s :should take note that the

immersion is the mode of action referred to in the respective cases. There is nothing in the Hebrew word used nor in the

context of the passages THE MEANING AND

METHOD OF "BAPTISM"

THE DEFINlTION AND O.T. ROOTS OF "BAPTISM"

Several ceremonial ablutions, (symbolic cleansings), were practiced in the Old Testament. Hebrews 9: 10 speaks of "various washings," (BAPTISMOIS in Greek) as in some way pointing to Christ and His redemptive work, Lev. 14:4-7, 16, 49-53; 16:19; Num. 8:5-7; 19:18,191 In the rest of the chapter the author of Hebrews specifically refers to three of these O.T. "BAPTISMS": (1). [9:13] the SPRINKLING of blood on those who have been defiled, Num. 19:9, 17f; (2). [9:19] the SPRINKLING of the book of the Law and all the people with blood and water, Lev. 14:4,7; Num. 19:6, 18; (3). [9:21] the SPRINKLING of the tabernacle and its vessels with blood, Exod. 24:8; Lev. 5: llf; 17: 1l. Immersionists should take note that the O. T. baptisms were performed by sprinkling!2

In the Greek O.T. (Septuagint), the word BAPTIZO occurs very infrequently, II Kings 5: 14; Isaiah 21 :4. In Isaiah 21:4 it is used in a figurative sense to translate the Hebrew word meaning to tentfy, startle, or fall upon.

Old Testament baptisms were periormed by

sprinkling!" and N.T. do not and cannot mean immersion.' Consider Leviticus 14:6, 51 where a ritual is prescribed for the cleansing of a leper and of a house in which leprosy has appeared. It is obvious that a living bird cannot be immersed in the bloodofanother bird. Consider also Leviticus 14: 16 where immersion is not required. "All that is prescribed is dipping of the right finger in the oil which is in the palm of the left hand, and it is quite unreasonable to suppose that immersion of that right finger was required."- Murray, pg. 12. See also Ruth 2:14 and I Sam. 14:27. "What we have found is this: thete is one case where BAPTO and even BAPTO EIS does not mean and cannot mean immersion, Lev. 14:6,51; there is the other case where it is unreasonable to suppose that immersion was required ortook place, Lev. 14:16; there is still another

concerned which reqUires immersion."-].Murray, pg.13.

THE NEW TESTAMENT USE OF BAPTIZO

In the New Testament BAPTO recedes into the background and

BAPTIZO comes to the foreground. BAPTO occurs only four times, Lk. 16:24; ]n.. 13:26(two times); Rev. 19:13, whereas BAPTIZO occurs around eighty times. And a study of this word shows that "the Baptist contention that BAPTIZO and its cognates mean immersion isnot borne out by the evidence and that BAPTIZO can be used to denote an action which neither indicates nor implies immersion."-]. Murray, pg. 15. (Por Murray's defense of this claim see pgs. 15ffin his book 01lisLianBapLism) The claim can be defended not only by: (1). Hebrews 9:10-23 as we have seen; (2). Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; Acts 1:5; 11:16; (3). Hebrews 9:13,14,22; 10:22; 12:24; I Pet. 1:2; (4). I Cor. 10:2; and (5). Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:2-5; Luke 11:38. "BAPTIZO .. .is one of those words which indicate a certain effect without itself expressing or prescribing the particular mode by which this effect is secured."- Murray, pg. 33.

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John the Baptist contrasted his baptism with that of Christ when he said: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance ... He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire: Luke 3:16; Mat. 3:11; Mk. 1:8. John is prophesying the Day of Pentecost, as Acts 1:5 and 11: 16 prove. Thecoming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the day of Pentecost recorded in Acts 2 is undoubtedly the baptism with the Holy Spirit. "If baptism means

fallen upon the persons concerned, and the ,verb is EPIPIPTO.

"It is surely significant that the terms in each case are those of affusion, (Le., pouring or sprinkling), and not of immersion, Yet it is precisely this affusion that is called the baptism of the Holy Spirit. --- It is not without relevance in this same connection that in the O.T, the giving of the Spirit, in some cases explicitly referring to Pentecost, is promised in terms of

The last three texts mentioned in the previous paragraph, Matthew 15:2; Mark 7:2-5 and Luke 11:38, ate concerned with the extra-biblital religious practices of the Pharisees: (1). they would not eat until they had "washed their hands: Mt. 15:2. The Jewish custom of washing at the time was in pouring water over the hands, according to the Talmud. (2). Luke 11:38 says that the Pharisees were shocked that Jesus "had not first baptized himself before dinner." There is no reason at

"lfbaptl5m mean51mmer510nthen the 5tate-ment of John that Je5u5 would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire must mean 5trlctly 'He 5hallimmer5e In the Holy Spirit and fire,' and any language u5ed with the referenae to the baptl5m of the Spirit, howeverflgumtlve it may be, aannotdepart from or violate thl5 ba5ia meaning. -- But what we actually find 15 that the baptism of the Spirit 15 referred to In terms that are quite aontmry to the Idea of immersion and In fact prea/ude It."

all to believe that Luke is referring to anything other than the practice described in Matthew 15:2, of pouring water over the hands up to the wrists. In Luke 11:38 the word, EBAPTISTHE, is used showing that washing the hands by dipping them in water, or more probably, by pouring water upon them can be called baptism. The significant thing is that such washing is referred to as baptizing oneself. (3). In Mark 7:4we are told that whenever the Pharisees returned home from the market they would not eat until they had washed themselves . In this verse some manuscripts use the word BAPTIZO, and others HRANTIZO, meaning "sprinkle." Verse 4 also speaks of the "baptism of cups and pots and brazen vessels," which statement some use to prove immersion. However, some manuscripts of Mark 7:4 include "And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing (BAPTIZING) of cups, and pots, and l>razen, vessels and TABLES." Did the Pharisees immerse their tables and other furniture every time they returned from the market? No! But they could have sprinkled them in a symbolic cleansing.

pouring out, shedding forth, and sprinkling, lsa. 32:15; Joel 2:28; Provo 1:23; Ezek. 36:25-27 .... The language of theO.T. provides the imagery of the N. T. and is quite foreign to the notion ofimmersion."-J MU,rray, pg. 23-24. THE PRACTICE OF BAPTISM

BY JOHN THE BAPTIST The baptizing work of

John is said to have been in the Jordan River, ("EN TO JORDANE POTAMO", Mat.

TIlE USE OF BAPTIZO BY JOHN TIlE BAPTIST

L-______________ ---l 3:6; Mk. 1:5; and "EIS TON

immersion then the statement oOohn thatJesuswould baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire must mean strictly 'He shall immerse in the . Holy Spirit and fire: and any language used with the reference to the baptism of the Spitit, however figurative it may be, cannot depart from or violate this basic meaning. --- But what we actually find is that the baptism of the Spirit is referred to in terms that are quite contrary to . the idea 0 f immersion and in fact preclude it. In Acts 1:8 the Holy Spirit is represented as COMlNG UPON the disciples: "Yousha11 receive power whel1 the Holy Spirit has come upon you." The verb is EPERCHOMAl and conveys the notion of 'COMING DOWN UPON'. In Acts 2: 17,33 the Holy Spirit is represented as having been poured out, and the verb is EKCHEO. In Acts 10:44; 11:15 the Holy Spirit is represented as having

JORDANAN:Mark 1:9; andinAinon near Salim because there was "much water" there, "HUDATA paLlA EN EKEI: In. 3 :23, None of these phrases require immersion. "In the Jordan River" is nothing more than a designation oflocation, as is "baptizing inAinon." Neither"intotheJordan" or "going clown into the water" imply immersion, as far as the meaning of the Greek verbs are concerned. Standing in the water or on the edge of the river would satisfy completely the idea expressed. The phrase, "because there was much waterthere,"ismoreliterally translated, as the NASV points out, "many waters: or many springs, Consider the need for "much water" and "many springs" in connection with John's ministry. Besides the need of water for baptizing, there would be the need for abundant sources of water for the familtes .and animals of those

10 f TIlE COUNSEL of Chalcedon f January/February 1994

multitudes of people who came out in the hot, dry wilderness to hear John's preaching and be baptized by him.

Furthermore,John himself said, "I baptize you WITH WATER ... ," and thatJesus Himself would "baptize you WIlli lliE HOLY SPIRIT and fire," Lk. 3: 16. The first phrase is a dative of means, expressing instrumentality, Le., John used water with which to baptize people. The second phrase is "EN, meaning with, the HolySpirit." Neither Jesus nor John would baptize people into the water or into the Spirit, denoting immersion; instead they would baptize people with, by means of, the application of water and of the Holy Spilit.

THE "NEWNESS" OF JOHN'S BAPTISM

John called for all the members of the covenant people to undergo baptism to prepare themselves for the Messiah's coming, which was something new and unheard of in Israel. "That true-bornJews should be urged to undergo this initiatory rite implied that hereditalY membership in the nation of Israel was in itself useless, or at least insufficient. Which, as verse 8 makes plain, was exactly what John desired to convey. The strildng language of Zechariah 13:1 and Ezekiel 36:25f is specially appropriate to John's ministry."-Geldenhuys

The Jews of John's day required proselyte baptism of all Gentile converts to Judaism. They regarded all non-Jews as unclean in need of the cleansing of baptism. "The sting in John's practice was that he applied to the Jews the ceremony regarded as suitable for unclean Gentiles. Many Jews expected that in the judgment God would deal hardly with Gentile sinners, but that the Jews, the descendants of Abraham, the friend of God, would be safe. John denounces this attitude and removes the fancied security."- Mortis

THE MEANING OF "REPENTANCE"

Repentance is METANOIA in Greek, representing the Hebrew word, SHU)3H, which refers to turning away from sin and turning back to God in faith and obedience. It denotes an inner change of heart and mind which turns away from sin and guilt to cleansing, forgiveness and spiritual renewal by God's grace, and which manifests itself in a real change of life and behavior, a constant turning from disobedience to obedience to God. "The 'change of mind' (METANOlA) has reference both to past deeds and to future purposes, and is the result of a realization of their true moral significance."- Plumer

METANOIA, (repentance, conversion) in the O.T. prophets involved "a new relation to God that embraces all spheres oflife and claims the will in a way that no external rites can replace." - Wurthwein, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament. This turning from sin and turning to God with all one's being has three mcets in the prophets: (1). "It means obedience to the will of God, Le., unconditional recognition of God in conduct corresponding to His will," (TWOT) Hos. 6:lf; Jer. 34:15; (2). "It means trust in God in rejection of all human help and all false gods" (TWOT), Hos. 14:4; Jer. 3:22-23; (3). "It means turning aside from everything that is ungodly," (TWOT), Jer. 26:3; Ezek. 18:26. And in John's preaching, repentance included the faith thatJ esus is the Divine-human Savior, the long-awaited Messiah, Lk. 1:17, 76f; John 1:18.

THE MEANING OF "FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS"

The Greek word for forgiveness, APHIEMI means "sending away." The sins of the believing sinner are taken away and sent far from him in such a way that God will never bring them up against him again, Psa. 103: 12; lsa.

43:25; Micah 7:19. "What is sent away are the sins, HAMARTION, objective genitive. The plural spreads them out in their number, heaps them up in their mountainous mass. -- "Sins" or HAMARTlA means 'a missing of the mark,' namely the mark set by the divine law, a mark which God must hold us to meet fully and perfectly. Sin thus entails guilt, and whereas we may speak of the two separately, they are actually never separated. The instant we sin we have guilt, and guilt cannot exist where sin is absent. Sin and guilt entail punishment, and this follows guilt as surely as the guilt follows the sin. When the sins are thus sent away, all their guilt and punishment leave likewise." - Lenski (For more on forgiveness see my notes on Luke 1: 77.)

THE RELATION OF BAPTISM, REPENTANCE AND TI-IE FORGIVENESS OF SINS

THE RELATION DEFINED

John preached repentance-baptism for the forgiveness of sins. He called the people to faith and repentance; and then baptized those who did so, assuring them that God forgives all those who repent and believe in Jesus the Messiah. Therefore,]ohn's baptism is the outward sign and seal of the forgiveness of sins by God in Christ. This forgiveness was not given by John, nor by the water of baptism, but by God Himself through the preaching of liis word and the administration of baptism to those who receive that word and submit to that baptism in faith. That baptism was the outward symbol and conveyer of the washing away of sin through forgiveness in preparation forthe appearance ofJesusthe Messiah.

THE BAPTISM OF JOHN AS A TRUE MEANS OF GRACE.

John Calvin is helpful here: "A sacrament, then, is not a dumb ceremony, exhibiting some unmeaning pomp without doctrine; but the Word

]anuary/February 1994 ~ THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon ~ 11

of God is joined to it. and gives life to the outward ceremony. -- For we are not simply told. that John baptized unto repentance. as if the grace of God were contained in a visible sign; but that he explained. in his preaching. the advantage of baptism. that the sign. through the word preached. might produce its effect. This is the peculiarity of baptism. that it is said to be an outward representation of

THE RELATION OF JOHN'S BAPTISM TO CHRISTIAN BAPTiSM

THE VIEW OF JOHN MURRAY Although John Calvin disagrees.

John Murray does not equate John's baptism with Christian baptism instituted with the Great Commission of Matthew 28:19f. For Calvin's view see hislnstitutes oj the ChristianReligion, IV. xv. 7 and 18; IV, xvi, 27. Murray

John's baptism from Christian baptism in this manner: "W eshall have to say that John's baptism, together with all the O.T. rites, had real grace connected with it, but only the O.T. measure and qUality of grace. What it had not was the Spirit in the spedfic Christian conception; for the bestowal of that. and its connection with baptism. are dependent on the Pentecostal outpouring of the Spirit. Acts 2.

repentance Jor the Jorgiveness oj stns." Every such baptism administered to the truly repentant actually bestowed. (conveyed). forgiveness of sins upon the person baptized. "Not that BAPllSMA is the objective

'John'e baptlem ie not to be identified with the ordinance

in6titutf]d by Chri6t on the eve of Hi6 a6cen6ion. The character of

Consequently the baptism administered in the time between by the disciples of Jesus must be classified with the baptism oUohn." -Biblteal Theology

THE VIEW OF ROBERT L.

sacrament administered John'6 bapti6m wae analogou6 to upon the person. and R.L. Dabney points out

DABNEY

METANOIAthesubjective the character of hie mini6try. John that whereas the Reformers. condition that is necessary prepared the way of the Lord and like Calvin. identifiedJohn's in the person to receive the baptism with Christian gift (REMISSION OF SINS) hi6 mini6try wae preparatory, baptism. on the basis of the offered in the sacrament. tran6itional and lntroductive. So fact that John's mission was "Speaking Scripturally. it the dawn of the new is impossibie to conceive wae hie baptiem." dispensation. that his that any repentant sinner . John Murray baptism was a baptism of the was baptized by John '--------------'----------' evangelical grace of withoutreleasefromhissins."-Lenski. makes his point clear: "John'sbaptism repentance. and that it was fot the Moreover. by means of baptism God is not to be identified with the forgiveness of sins. later Calvinists powerfully stimulates true conversion ordinance instituted by Christ on the differ with the Reformers. and with the in the hearts and lives ofhis people. As eve of his ascension. The character of Immersionists. holding that John's Vos points out in the designation of John's baptism was analogous to the baptism was for a different purpose. John's baptism as a "baptism of character of his ministry. John andthereforeofadifferentnaturethan repentance ..... OFREPENTANCE .. may prepared the way of the Lord and his Christian baptism. Dabneysharesthe be taken as a genitive of purpose. ministry was preparatory. transitional view of the latet Calvinists for the indicating that the baptism. as a means and introductive. So was his baptism. following reasons: (I). John's baptism of grace. was intended to produce We may; no more identify the baptism was not administered in the name of repentance. whiCh view agrees with ofjohh with the ordinance instituted the Trinity; (2). It was not the initiatory Matthew 3: 11. "If repentance was the by Christ than we may identify the rite into the Christian Church; (3). expected result of"the act. it is clear ministry and mission ofjohn with the Paul seems clearly to have repeated that the rite cannot have been a mere ministry and mission ofjesus. Hence Christian baptism on those who had piece of symbolism. 'but must have we cannot derive from the nature of already hadJohn's baptism. Acts 19:5. constituted a true sacrament. intended John's baptism the precise import of Dabneyconcludesthat"John'sbaptism to convey some form of grace. And the ordinance of Christian baptism... was therefore not the sacrament of the with this also agreesJohn's urging the (Christian Baptism. pg.5) new dispensation. but one of those people 'to bring forth fruit worthy of purifications. preparing the way of the repentance .... (Biblical Theology. pgs THE VIEW OF GEERHARDUS VOS Messiah about to come ...... Systematic 316-317. Geerhardus Vos distinguishes Theology. pg. 763.

12 ~ THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t JanuarylFebruary 1994

j

1

TIlE VIEW OF LOUIS BERKHOF In his typically concise and clear

way, Louis Berkhof compares and contrastsJohn's baptism with Christian baptism: "It would seem to be conect to say that the two are essentially identical, though differing in some points. The baptism oOohn, like the Christian baptism, (a). was instituted by God Himself, Mat. 21:25; John 1:33; (b). was connected with a radical change of life, Lk. 1:1-17; John 1:20-30; (c). stood in sacramental relation to the forgiveness of sins, Mat. 3:7,8; Mk. 1:4; Lk. 3:3; Acts 2:28 and (d). employed the same material element, namely, water. At the same time there were several points . of difference: (a). the baptism of John still belonged to the old dispensation,

and as such pointed forward to Christ; (b). in halmony with the dispensation of the law in general, it stressed the necessity of repentance, though not entirely to the exclusion of faith; (c). it was intended for the Jews only, and therefore represented the O.T. particularism rather than the N .T. universalism; and (d). since the Holy Spirit had not yet been poured out in pentecostal fullness, it was not yet accompanied with as great a measure of spiritual gifts as the later Christian baptism." - Systematic Theology, pg. 623-24.

THE VIEW OF R.C.H. LENSKI The Lutherancommentator, R.C.H.

Lenski com pares the two baptisms from a different perspective, based upon his observations on Luke 3:3

he First 350 Years

and Acts 2:38: ':Jesus himself took up and continued John's baptism, In. 4: 1,2, and eventually instituted this baptism for all nations. John's and Christ's baptisms are the same in essentials. The Baptist's was administered on the basis of the revelation made at that time; that of Jesus on the level of his completed work. The Baptist's made followers of the Christ to come; that of Jesus followers of the Christ already come. Thus the baptism of John was preparatory for Israel alone, Christ's pelmanent for all nations. Only in this way was the onemerged into the other. The remission that was bestowed by them was identical." This section on The Ministry ofJohn the Baptist will be concluded in the next issue. n

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January/February 1994 'F THE COUNSEL of Chalcedon t- 13