FOOTNOTES:
[48] Bancroft's Native Races; Vol. 2, P. 260; Vol. 2, P. 269; Vol. 2, P. 282
[49] Vol. 3, P. 370
[50] Under Baptism
[51] Mat. 15.2, 3; Mark 7.5, 9
[52] Mat. 3.5, 6
[53] The Jewish People in the time of Christ Vol. 2, P. 320
[54] Christian Institutions P. 6
[55] Primitive Culture by Tylor Vol. 2, P. 440; Vol. 2, P. 441
[56] Heb. 9.10; Gal. 4.9
[57] Jon. 13.4, 17
[58] Acts 1.5; Acts 11.16
[59] Epistle of Jon. 4.8, 16; Mat. 18.2, 4; Mark 10.13, 16; Luke 18.16
[60] Britanica
[61] Mark 10.13, 16; Luke 18.16
[62] Ante-Nicene Fathers Vol. 1, P. 219
[63] Jon. 13.1, 15
[64] Exodus 29.4, 40.12
[65] Leviticus 8.4, 6; Jon. 1.31, 33
[66] Jon. 1.33, 34; Acts 2.17, 18; Acts 10.45; Acts 11.15, 16
[67] Joel 2.28
JOHN'S BAPTISM.
John the Baptist was sent before Christ to prepare the way before him.[68]
John was a prophet of dispensation previous to Christ.[69] He was in the desert until the time of his showing unto Israel.[70] In the vision he was with Moses on the Mount and they talked with Jesus.[71] He with Moses vanished and left Jesus alone.[72]
John said: That he (Jesus) should be manifest unto Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.[73] John defines his commission as only to Israel (the Jews). His baptism was adapted to Jews only and not to us, who according to Jewish classification are Gentiles. Evidently John baptised Jews only and no Gentiles.
It was unlawful for Jews to keep company or come unto Gentiles and there is no intimation that John ignored this Jewish law.[74]
The woman of Samaria wondered that Jesus (a Jew) asked water of her, a Samaritan, for Jews had no dealings with Samaritans.[75]
Even in apostolic times we have no record that any full Gentile was baptized with water; nor that any one born of Christian parents was so baptized.
Cruden says: Naaman, Cornelius and the Eunuch were all proselytes of the gate and not full Gentiles.[76]
The Samaritans were a mixed race who observed the law of Moses. They also were Jewish proselytes and not full Gentiles.[77] When the Jews numbered the people they did not count the Gentiles. So all Jerusalem and Judea whom John baptized would not include the few Gentiles who lived among the Jews.[78]
The freedom with which the Jews followed John to the Jordan indicates that they were previously familiar with water baptism.[79]
But few of that great multitude whom John baptized appear to have become the disciples of Christ.
John said: "There cometh one after me mightier than I, whose shoe latchets I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And again: "He must increase but I must decrease."[80]
Christ said: "John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Peter quoted this saying of our Lord and recognized this Holy Spirit baptism to be the same as that which the prophet Joel foretold should be poured out upon all flesh, upon sons and daughters, servants and handmaidens.[81]
Two baptisms are here contrasted by John, Christ and Peter. Baptism of water must decrease with John and Judaism. Baptism of Spirit must increase with Christ and Christianity.
To whom can we turn with more confidence for knowledge about all baptisms ordained or intended for us than unto John the Baptist whom we are told was sent to administer one baptism, and unto Christ who was the author of another baptism?[82]
Three times in eight verses John says his baptism is of water, thus distinguishing it from Christ's baptism without water.[83]
They are both quoted as testifying to two dissimilar and distinct baptisms administered at different times, one with water and the other without.
Neither of them intimates that these two baptisms shall ever be united, but they do both plainly intimate that they shall not be united, and that the first shall pass away and the second remain, and no other be introduced.[84]
John says: He (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit; but John never says that he nor anyone else shall ever baptize you with water.[85]
Christ says: Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit,[86] but he nowhere even intimates that we shall ever be baptized with water, nor does he ever mention water baptism but once, and this was with his last words when he introduced his own baptism of the Holy Spirit as its immediate successor.[87]
As Peter interprets the Prophet Joel: All flesh, sons and daughters shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit; but Joel never prophesied that they should be baptized with water.[88]
If in these gospel days we were to have been baptized with water, would not Joel have prophesied of water as well as of Spirit? [89] Would not our Saviour at some time have intimated that water baptism should be continued and have given some instructions about it? And would he not have baptized his apostles in this way? Would John when teaching that great multitude of Jews on the banks of the Jordan have impressed upon them that water baptism was only transient and that they would all need to be baptized again with the Holy Spirit?[90]
John baptized his disciples with water.[91] Christ called to his disciples, "Follow Me."[92] Christ did not baptize with water.[93] He is calling to-day, "Follow Me."[94] The apostle John says: Jesus tarried with his disciples in Judea and baptized; tho' Jesus baptized not but his disciples.[95]
Jesus here sanctioned water baptism by his presence for a short time and then departed,[96] but he never baptized with water himself, nor directed others to do so, nor gave any instructions about it.
He likewise sanctioned circumcision, and the law of Moses generally.[97] It was observed all around him and he did not object. He sent the cleansed leper to the Jewish priest to offer for his cleansing as Moses commanded.[98]
This offering which Moses commanded was two birds and cedar wood and three lambs without blemish, &c.[99]
Shall all cleansed lepers of our day do as this one was commanded? Shall we keep the law of Moses, circumcise our children and baptize with water, because Jesus sanctioned it in Judea?
Jesus, his disciples and the Judeans were all Jews and this was under the law before Christian baptism had superceded water baptism at Pentecost. Of course they baptized with water, circumcised the flesh and kept the law of Moses; but this is no precedent for us whether Jews or Gentiles in these gospel days; since the Holy Spirit is poured out upon all flesh in all the fulness we are able to bear.
Jesus was baptized in the Jordan, saying "Suffer it to be so now," [100] thus indicating that it should not be so always.[101] He was also circumcised, and in after life confirmed his early circumcision by fulfilling and not destroying the law and the prophets,[102] and by sending the cleansed leper to offer as Moses commanded, and by sending his apostles before Pentecost to preach to Israel (the circumcised) but not to Gentiles (the uncircumcised) until the son of man be come.[103]
He here recognized the covenant of circumcision[104] which God gave to Abraham and that it was not yet fulfilled.[105] He virtually said of circumcision the same that he had previously said of water baptism, "Suffer it to be so now." But we find no manifestation of his will that we should continue to observe the covenants and customs of that dispensation of which water baptism was one; and he never made any distinction whatever in favor of it but with his last words introduced his own baptism of the Holy Spirit as its immediate successor.[106]
Jesus exclaimed upon the cross: "It is finished," and the law and the prophets were fulfilled.[107]
He opened to us a more excellent way under his own glorious gospel dispensation of which that of Moses was a shadow.[108] He took away the first covenant that he might establish the second.[109] He purchased our redemption by his blood shed on Calvary. He died and was buried, he arose and ascended. Angels said to his disciples: Why stand ye gazing up into Heaven?[110] This same Jesus shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven.
The disciples returned to Jerusalem and tarried there as Jesus had previously commanded them. Upon the day of Pentecost he came again as the angels had said and as he had often promised his apostles and disciples.[111]
He came as the comforter, the Holy Spirit to teach us all things and to abide with us forever.[112]
By this one spirit are we now all baptized into one body, Jews and Gentiles, Bond and Free, male and female, all one in Christ Jesus.[113] All flesh, sons and daughters, servants and handmaidens, old and young.
By no other baptism can we all be baptized into one body. Water baptism diverts from this, one baptism into one body.
Farrar says: "That this first Pentecost marked an eternal moment in the history of mankind no reader of history will surely deny. Undoubtedly in every age since then the sons of God have to an extent, unknown before, been taught by the Spirit of God; undoubtedly since then to an extent unrealized before we may know that the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in us. Undoubtedly we may enjoy a nearer sense of union with God in Christ than was accorded to the saints of the old dispensation and a thankful certainty that we see the days which kings and prophets desired to see and did not see them, and hear the truths which they desired to hear and did not hear them, and that this new dispensation began henceforth in all its fulness."[114]