What does it MEAN, to be Baptised....

by LittleToe 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Narkissos

  Baptism for me, is an act of obedience, it is symbolic of the gospel and has nothing (literally) to do with washing away of sins. If it did, why was Jesus baptized?

  Obviously Mark's narrative which simply had Jesus baptised by John (implying, from v. 4, "baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins") was quite embarrassing to others:

  (1) Matthew adds an awkward explanation:

  Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.

  (2) Luke avoids the direct connection between Jesus' baptism and John by having the latter put into prison before mentioning Jesus baptism, incidentally, with "all the people".

  (3) John suppresses any mention of Jesus' baptism.
• 

  LittleToe

  Didier:Just as a sidebar, I find your phraseology amusing:

  (2) Luke avoids
  (3) John suppresses

  Is that truly their motives, and what they did?

  Further, which model of gospel chronology are you going for?
  I take it from this post that you would place Mark first (??).
• 

  Narkissos

  Ross,

  It is what they did, from the perspective of the priority of (an early version of) Mark.

  My phraseology was intended to make this interpretive pattern clear. You're not meant to agree, but at least you got it.
• 

  LittleToe

  LOL
  I got it. I hope it's incubation period is short, and it's not violently communicable.
  
• 

  LittleToe

  Q:
  How do you adjudge someone as being "authorised" to baptise?

  On another note, why do you say that they "have" to be totally immersed?
• 

  kittyeatzjdubs

  it means changing out of u'r pantyhoses, dress, and other things in a 1x1 foot changing room (i.e. 4 curtains). having about 2000 people stare at u'r fat booty, getting u'r boob squished by some fat elders elbow, and nasty gross water up u'r nose. i hated my baptism.

  luv, kitty