A sermon on baptism (baptizo, baptisma, baptismos)
1. Each of the preceding words is related to baptism.
2. One of these words is a noun; the other is a verb.
3. The verb is baptizo.
4. The noun is baptisma. A related form of this noun is baptismos.
THESE WORDS ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER BUT THEY ARE ALSO DISTINCT. THIS EVENING WE WANT TO STUDY THESE TWO TERMS TO SEE WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM THEM.
A. In studying thee first word I am going to provide a little information from the LXX.
B. The LXX is the Greek translation of the Old Testament.
C. This version was made about 250 years before Jesus entered into the world.
D. The LXX gives us a foundation for understanding the verb (baptizo).
E. When the Old Testament was translated into Greek this word was used.
F. It was not used too often but it was used.
G. One of the places where this term is found is 2 Kgs. 5.
H. Many of us remember the story about Naaman the leper.
I. This man was told to “dip” seven times in the Jordan River.
J. This man finally “dipped” himself in the water (2 Kgs. 5:14).
K. The word “dip” in 2 Kgs. 5:14 is the word baptizo.
L. Naaman didn’t splash some water on his body.
M. He didn’t pour water on himself.
N. He dipped (immersed) himself in the Jordan River.
2. The verb baptizo is also used in the New Testament.
A. This word is used in three different ways.
B. In some places it describes baptism.
C. One source (Colin Brown) says that this word is “a technical term for baptism” (1:145).
D. Jesus used the word baptizo to describe His suffering (Mk. 10:38).
E. The Lord had a “baptism of suffering.”
F. This meant that Jesus would be “overwhelmed with calamities” (Thayer, p. 94).
G. The third definition is comes from the Jewish rituals.
H. The Jews “baptized” some of their dishes. More will be said about this a little later.
I. In the New Testament the word baptizo means to “dip, immerse, submerge.”
J. Let’s think about these definitions as we hear some of the passages where this verb is used.
3. The verb baptizo is used in Mt. 28:19.
4. If we read this passage it says “baptize people into the name…”.
5. Our translations could say, “dip people…immerse people…submerge people…”
6. The verb baptizo is used in Mk. 16:16 – He that believes and is dipped shall be saved.
A. We live in a time when some say that the mode of baptism does not matter.
B. The word that Jesus used in the great commission means to immerse, dip, submerge.
C. Thus, the command in Mk. 16:16 is for immersion and immersion only.
7. This verb is the one that is used in Acts 2:38.
8. Peter told those who believed to “repent and be immersed for the forgiveness of sins.”
A. The Emphasized New Testament uses the word “immersed.”
B. The Twentieth Century New Testament also has immersed.
C. These two translations are not the only two that say “immersed.”
9. Those who received his word were baptized (Acts 2:41.
10. That is, they were submerged (same verb).
11. In Acts 8:12 we learn that the Samaritans were dipped (baptizo, baptized).
12. READ Acts 8:12.
13. This verb is used in the story of the eunuch (Acts 8:36).
14. Here is what the eunuch said – READ.
15. We could render the text this way: “What hinders me from being plunged underneath the water?”
16. The household of Cornelius was “commanded” to be dipped” (baptizo, Acts 10:38).
17. This verb is even used in Gal. 3:27.
18. Paul said, “For as many of you as have been submerged into Christ have put on Christ.”
A. This reference is especially intriguing.
B. If Jesus is the way to salvation who wants to have a little part of Him?
C. If Christ is our only hope do we want to a little association with Him or be fully joined to Him?
D. Think of the matter in this way.
E. Suppose that were on the ocean and the ship we were on sank.
F. The nearest boat or source of help is several hours away.
G. We have a life raft that is fully intact and sitting on the sea.
H. What kind of relationship do we want to have with that raft?
I. Do we want to have one hand on the raft and the rest of our body in the ocean?
J. Or, do want our entire body to be in the boat? The answer is obvious.
K. We want our entire body be in the life raft.
L. We want our whole being to be protected.
M. The Bible teaches that Jesus is the means of salvation.
N. For this reason people need to be and should want to be fully connected to Him.
O. This is why the Bible says that we must be “in Christ.”
P. Safety is in Christ and we should have a desire to be fully attached to Him.
Q. Gal. 3:27 says that this is possible.
R. We are submerged into Christ by baptism.
S. What does this do?
T. One of the things that it does is fully connect us to the Lord.
U. Faith puts on the right road. Repentance and confession are important too.
V. We are joined with Christ when we are submerged into Him.
W. Our whole being is plunged (immersed) into Jesus.
X. The process is so complete that the Bible says we become part of the Lord’s body.
19.
A LOT
HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THE VERB BAPTIZO.
LET’S TURN OUR ATTENTION TO THE NOUNS BAPTISMA AND
BAPTISMOS. BAPTISMOS
DESCRIBED THE ACT OF BAPTISM.
BAPTISMA DESCRIBED THE “INSTITUTION” OF BAPTISM (KITTLE,
ABRIDGED, P. 94).
A. Neither of these nouns are used in the LXX.
B. Concerning the noun baptisma (the “institution” of baptism) this statement is made:
C. “No instance of its occurrence in pagan and Jewish literature has yet been found.”
D. Colin Brown, 1:149.
E. The Jews were familiar with the word baptismos.
F. This word is used in places like Mk. 7:4 to describe the “washing” of cups and pots.
G. The Jews “baptized” some of their dishes.
H. When I read about the Jews I am reminded that not everyone washes dishes in the same way.
I. Teresa doesn’t like the way that I sometimes wash dishes.
J. She does it the right way – get a sink full of hot, soapy water and submerge everything.
K. I have been caught using a different procedure.
L. We have a long handled brush that can hold a lot of soap.
M. While holding a dish under running hot water I sometimes wash some dishes that way.
N. Dishes can be cleaned this way but this is not exactly the prescribed method.
O. The Jews washed their dishes by dipping them.
P. They submerged their pots and pans for ceremonial purposes.
Q. Colin Brown (1:144) said “”vessels were normally cleansed by immersing them in water.”
R. Just as pots and pans went underneath the water, such is to be true for people.
A noun related to baptismos (a word used by the Jews) is baptisma.
S. The first appearance of the noun baptisma in Greek literature is New Testament.
T. Thus, what is described by this word has come from God, not man.
U. The New Testament uses the word baptisma in 22 places.
V. Baptisma describes the actual institution of New Testament baptism (practice, ritual, ceremony).
W. In Mt. 3:7 the noun baptisma is used to say that people watched some baptisms.
X. The Pharisees and Sadducees looked on as others were immersed.
Y. They saw the “institution” of baptism being conducted.
Z. Why were these men so interested in this?
AA. They were interested because only the New Testament uses the word baptisma.
BB. These men were seeing something that was new.
CC. This practice was different from everything that they were familiar with.
DD. Thus, they came out to watch.
EE. In several of the 22 places where this word is used it describes John’s baptism.
FF. This term is used to say that John actually conducted baptisms.
GG. This word is also applied to the baptism by Jesus.
HH. The noun baptisma is the word that Paul used in Rom. 6:4.
20. Paul said that we are “baptized” (baptisma) into Christ’s death.
21. That is, those who are Christians have gone through a procedure.
22. The practice (institution) of baptism is something that Christians have experienced.
23. Each one who is a Christian according to God’s plan has had an experience.
24. Romans 6:4 describes the fact of the experience.
25. What happens during this experience is described by the verb baptizo in Gal. 3:27.
26. We noted that Paul said Christians are “submerged” into the Lord.
27. The noun baptisma is also found in Eph. 4:5.
A. Paul said that there is only one baptisma.
B. In other words, there is only one baptismal procedure that God recognizes.
C. The institution of baptism can only be conducted only one way if it is done correctly.
D. In our world we find a variety of procedures for baptism.
E. In the religious world there are multiple ideas about baptism.
F. Eph. 4:5 says that there is only one way that has God’s approval.
G. This one way is a “dipping (the verb “baptizpo”) for the remission of sins, Acts 2:38.
28. The noun baptisma is also found in some other places.
29. Paul used it in Col. 2:12 to say that we are “buried in baptism.”
30. This passage is also fascinating.
31. The noun baptisma describes the institution of baptism.
32. Paul said that the baptism God has instituted is a “burial.”
33. If this is right sprinkling and pouring are unacceptable forms of baptism.
34. The most fascinating reference that uses baptisma comes from Peter’s writings.
35. In 1 Pet. 3:21 Peter spoke of baptism.
36. He said that baptism “saves us.”
37. Peter used the word “baptisma” (the institution of baptism).
38. Peter described the Christian baptism given by God and said that this saves us.
39. The very word that Peter used (baptisma) shows that baptism is necessary for salvation.
40. Whether we look at the verb or noun for “baptism” and “baptize” point is the same.
41. The word “baptize” meant to dip, submerge, plunge, or be overwhelmed by something.
42. The noun baptisma means that God and God alone has instituted the practice of baptism.
43. Eph. 4:5 assures us that He has instituted only one type of baptism.
44. The procedure for baptism is immersion for the forgiveness of sins.
45. Is this what we have done?