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  • The Meaning of John’s Baptism
    The Watchtower—1954 | March 1
    • fruits that befit repentance. And do not start saying within yourselves, ‘As a father we have Abraham.’ . . . Indeed, the ax is already in position at the root of the trees; every tree, therefore, not producing fine fruit is to be cut down and thrown into the fire.”—Mark 6:18; Luke 3:7-14, NW.

      SIGNIFICANCE OF JOHN’S BAPTISM

      With his preaching John also baptized. Why? Did it in either a literal or figurative way take away the sins of the Israelites who were baptized? This is the thought of Christendom in general, as most religions teach that baptism is for the purpose of washing away the sin inherited from Adam. The Scriptures, however, do not support any such conclusion.

      In the first place let it be noted that John was sent only to the nation of Israel, to prepare them for their Messiah. (Acts 13:24) Further note that John’s baptism was separate and distinct from that which was performed in the name of Jesus, or Paul would not have rebaptized certain disciples at Ephesus in the name of Christ Jesus but would have been content with their having been baptized with John’s baptism. (Acts 19:1-6) The purpose of John’s preaching being to bring about a change of heart, a repentance so as to prepare the Israelites for their Messiah, those who did thus repent and confess their sins were baptized by John in public acknowledgment of that fact. The repentance brought about the “remission of sins,” the baptism itself was because of their repentance, or conditioned on it, a token or a picture of it, the repentance.

      Particularly do the modern versions of the Christian Greek Scriptures make this clear. According to them John the Baptist stated, as recorded by Matthew at Mt 3:11, “I, on the one hand, baptize you with water because of your repentance.” (NW) “I am baptizing you in water in token of your repentance.” (AT) “I am baptizing you in water to picture your repentance.” (C. B. Williams) According to modern versions Luke tells, at Lu 3:3, that John the Baptist came or went all over “preaching baptism of those repenting for forgiveness of sins” (NW); “preaching a baptism conditioned on repentance” (Williams); “announcing a baptism whereby men repented, to have their sins forgiven.”—Knox.

      The same meaning is apparent from the way these render Paul’s words to the Ephesians regarding John’s baptism as recorded at Acts 19:4: “John baptized with the baptism of those repenting [mar., baptism of repentance].” (NW) “John’s baptism was a baptism in token of repentance.” (AT) “John baptized with a baptism that was an expression of repentance.” (Williams) Clearly the foregoing indicate that it was the sinner’s act of repentance, not God’s act of forgiveness, that was pictured by the baptism.

      That this was the understanding of the early Christians appears from a footnote in Williams’ translation in explanation of rendering Acts 2:38 as follows: “You must repent—and, as an expression of it, let everyone of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ—that you may have your sins forgiven.” The footnote states that the explanatory phrase, “as an expression of it,” is “implied from context and usage in the early church.”

      Since John baptized with the “baptism of repentance,” he could not understand why Jesus came to him to be baptized: “I am the one needing to be baptized by you, and are you coming to me?” Jesus did not take time to explain, but simply said: “Let it be, this time, for in that way it is suitable for us to carry out all that is righteous.”—Matt. 3:13-15, NW.

      Why did Jesus insist on being baptized although having no sins to repent of? What meaning do the Scriptures attach to his baptism? For answers to these and similar questions regarding baptism we refer the reader to the following article.

  • The Meaning of Baptism Today
    The Watchtower—1954 | March 1
    • The Meaning of Baptism Today

      WE HAVE noted that John’s baptism was only for Jews. We have also seen that it was part of his preparatory work to make ready the Jews for their Messiah. Further we have seen that it was a picture, not of what God did in forgiving their sins, but of what they themselves did in that they repented, and that it was separate and distinct from the baptism performed in the name of Christ Jesus.

      What is the meaning of baptism today? Since it is performed in obedience to Jesus’ command, it is reasonable to conclude that it would also be in imitation of the example he set. That being so, the meaning of his baptism would also be the meaning of baptism for his followers today. And what was that meaning? It was a symbol or picture, performed publicly, showing that he had dedicated himself to the doing of his Father’s will as that will was revealed to him in his Father’s Word.

      This is apparent from Psalm 40:7, 8, which Paul at Hebrews 10:5, 7 applies to Jesus Christ: “Hence when he comes into the world he says: ‘“You did not desire sacrifice and offering, but you prepared a body for me.” Then I said, “Look! I am come (in the roll of the book it is written about me) to do your will, O God.”’”

      Paul applies this prophecy to the time when Jesus came into the world. When was that? At the time of his birth in a manger in Bethlehem? Hardly, for as an infant he could not express any determination to do Jehovah’s will. Then was it at the age of twelve? Well, all we know about Jesus’ activities from the time he was twelve years old until he became thirty is that he learned the carpenter trade. Clearly, doing God’s will involved more than merely being a carpenter. Jesus came to earth to bear witness to the truth, to maintain integrity under pressure and so vindicate his Father’s name, and to give his life a ransom for many. (John 18:37; Heb. 5:8; Matt. 20:28) That being so, would Jesus say, ‘Look! I am come to do your will,’ and then wait eighteen years before commencing to do that will?

      In keeping with God’s law for the Levitical temple service, Jesus, at the age of thirty, shortly after he had been baptized, commenced to preach. (Num. 4:2, 3; Luke 3:23) So we cannot conclude other than that he came into the world to do God’s will at the time of his baptism and therefore it was a symbol or picture of his dedication. At the same time it was a public confession of that fact. The baptism he commanded as part of the work of making disciples of all nations would therefore

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