Bible Question:
Hello Doc, Is there Biblical reference to 12 and 13 for Bar Mitzvah? My question is in regard to Baptism. Christ was baptized at the age of 27, but many Christian children are getting baptized at 8, 9, or 10. Would 12 or 13 be a good mark to say that a child who has not reached this age would not be baptized? God Bless, SBoone |
Bible Answer: Jesus was baptized as the church understands the act, by John and at the age mentioned, yes....however we must remember that He was living and in full agreement with the Mosaiic Covenant and all that it taught. He also lived as a Hebrew, in a Hebraiic culture, so what we see happening at that time is not 'baptism' per se, rather a 'Mikvah', which is the root for our word baptism. Jesus was 'Mikvahed' many times, as were all observant Hebrew people. This is an act that is a status change, and done so often because of the frequent desire for people to experience a change of status before YHVH, and it's symbolized in the act of the baptism as we see it. We must not transfer church-age doctrine and theology onto the 1st. century culture, as that will totally confuse many people because much of what the church does today doesn't have it's roots in the Hebraiic roots of our faith. The age that you mentioned, 12 or 13, are traditionally the ages of the Bar (male) or Bat (female) Mitvah, because this is the age at which Ishmael was circumcised, together with his father Abraham. It's a very signficant time in a young person's life, in that they are considered to be entering into being a son or daughter of the Torah, or Scriptures. |