Prior Book | Prior Chapter | Prior Verse | Next Verse | Next Chapter | Next Book | Viewing NASB and Amplified 2015 | |
NASB | Acts 16:33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 16:33 And he took them that very hour of the night and washed their bloody wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household. |
Subject: Acts 16:33 and infant baptism. |
Bible Note: Hi, Huron! Part 1 of 3 I understand your views. It would be wonderful to find in Bible the answers to every single question that we may pose in a language that would be both concise and explicit and that would conform to our particular ideologies! This is hardly the case, though... I think the purpose of this seeming deficiency in the Biblical text and language is to force us to depend on God, instead of relying on our own finite wisdom. Let's take the name "Christian" as an example of this dependency on God: Acts introduces the idea in one single verse: 11:26 . There is no augmentation on this event. It is simply expressed and dropped. Every single Apostle and every single disciple accepts "Christian" as their identifying name: Christ-ian. They do not question the fact that Jesus never referred to them as Christians; neither do they question the introduction of such Name! They are simply lead by the Holy Spirit to accept this innovative Name that brings Christ’s words into effect: Let anyone who can hear, listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches: to those who prove victorious I will give some hidden manna and a white stone, with a new name written on it, known only to the person who receives it.” (Revelation 2:17) Anyone who proves victorious I will make into a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, and it will stay there for ever; I will inscribe on it the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which is coming down from my God in heaven, and my own name as well. (Revelation 3:12) Was there any hint by Christ Jesus that His disciples would one day be called “Christians?” The closest we can come to the disciples’ name being changed is when Jesus addressed Simon Bar-Jona and changed his name to Cephas. Yet, without the slightest notion that they would be known as Christians, there is no Biblical account that the Apostles and disciples had lengthy debates nor constant communication before adopting “Christians” as their official Name. Could you imagine the Holy Spirit revealing to us today that we are to be known as Christians? Could you imagine the myriads of zealots that would come creeping out of the woodworks demanding that their “choice” (just look at the hundreds of “Christian” denominations) be the official name for those who follow Christ? If we were to speculate on the incident at Antioch, I am sure that today's Christian could write many books on how and why! Yet, not a single book, unless there’s direct Divine intervention, would reveal the facts of what truly transpired during Paul and Barnabas mission at Antioch, and what the disciples (Apostles included) thought about it and how quickly they accepted the Holy Spirit‘s revelation on this particular matter! I personally believe that the Apostles and disciples simply allowed Jesus’ Word to guide them; they were able to understand that it was the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit who was sent to guide and instruct the Church (John 16:12-13), who revealed this new Name! He, the Holy Spirit, has the ability to use both Apostles and disciples, both the initiated and the nonbelievers, to bring forth the various designs and policies that are to govern the Church (John 11:47-52). The Word of God is transcendent: what was true then is true now! I choose to accept the Scripture for what it says instead of what I or others want it to say. I believe that the Holy Spirit did not need to have the Apostles write down every single thought and idea several times over in order to give it significance. |