Subject: Age for baptism? |
Bible Note: Dear Kepha, I agree with what you are saying. We've had the question before on the forum "Was John's baptism a Christian baptism?" The question is a bit non sequitur, as you have pointed out. However, I have always thought of John's baptism as the "proselyte baptism." In Jewish thought this form of baptism was a renunciation of one's former way of life and associations, in order to embrace the covenant. It marked the beginning of a new life for the proselyte. Now, this is my own thinking. I may be way off beam here. But after talking to the Rabbi at my local Aish Hatorah, I began to reason as follows: John was preaching something to the effect, "Israel has so abandoned the covenant of God that you who call yourselves Jews are no longer His people. Messiah is coming! Renounce your evil lives, prepare for His arrival. You must become a proselyte, for the way you have been living is like the goyim." This is one reason that the Pharisees were so offended, they knew exactly what he was saying to them and about them! Consequently, anyone submitting to John's baptism was affirming his repentance and commitment to submit to the commands of God. I offer the following Talmudic quote as evidence that John's baptism was the Rabbinic Baptism for the Proselyte. I'd appreciate any comments or corrections. I don't think this is a matter of dogma. I'm open to being shown a better interpretation. (By the way, most Reformed Baptist theologians see John's baptism as a Christian baptism. However, considering Apollos of Alexandria (Acts 18:25), and other comments of Luke, I just can't quite buy it.) In Him, Doc "He who wants to be a proselyte is not received right away. They say to him: 'Why do you want to be a proselyte? Have you not seen that this people is poorer and more oppressed and humiliated than all peoples? Troubles and trials come upon them, and they bury their sons and their sons' sons. They are killed on account of circumcision and immersion and all the rest of the commandments. And they do not behave in public like all the rest of the nations.' "If he says, 'I am not up to this!,' they dismiss him and he goes his own way. "If he takes this on himself, they lead him down to the place of immersion (beth tebilah). "They cover him with water around the place of his nakedness, and they tell him some of the details of the commandments... And they say good and comforting words to him: 'Happy are you! Who have you joined? Him who spoke and the world was! The world was created only for the sake of Israel. Only Israel is called 'sons of God' , and there is none beloved before God except Israel. All the words that we spoke to you we told you only to increase your reward!'" --Babylonian Talmud, Gerim 1:1-5 |