12. THE BAPTISM OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Here comes a prophet after a few hundred years of a silent heaven. This prophet would be the forerunner of Messiah. He has no direct message for the Gentiles. He does not speak about a 'church'. He is sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, just as the one who would come after him. (Matt. 15:24, Rom. 15:8) Now look at John chapter one.

He had answers to give!!! The Jews sent priests and Levites out of Jerusalem to find this man and ask him : Who are you ? Jn. 1:19 John confesses and denies not that : I am not the Christ. They continued to probe this man. If you are not Christ, Are you Elijah ? John tells them, No, I'm not Elijah. Are you that prophet ? Nope, I'm not that prophet !

These Jews then asked John who he really was, since they must give an account to those who sent them. John responds that he is a voice crying in the wilderness. 1:23 They continued their questioning with this new question : If you are not one of the big three : Christ, Elijah or that prophet, why are you baptizing?

John was not just preaching about a person, the coming one. He was also preaching and practicing a ritual called baptism. This baptism did not come through Moses. John states that God sent him to baptize. Jn. 1:33 "… he that sent me to baptize with water……."

The Lord supported this claim when he asked the chief priests and elders, " The baptism of John, whence was it ? from heaven, or of men ? Matt. 21:23-27

John also preached baptism. The reader is urged to check these four references :Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3 ; Acts 10:37 and Acts 13:24. There are many today who may say, I preach the Gospel and only practice baptism. John and Peter were sent to preach and sent to baptize.

Matt. 28:19-20, Jn. 1:34 Here we find a distinct difference in Paul's ministry. He claims that, "…Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel…." I Cor. 1:17 Of the many practices of Paul, which included speaking in tongues, healings, including Temple practices and Jewish feast days, he also practiced water baptism.

In all of these activities, the Lord sent him not to do or observe these things. BUT, Paul was given liberty to become the servant of all men that Paul might gain more men to Christ, that he might by all means save some. I Cor. 9:19, 22. He became as a Jew, to gain the Jew. To those under the Law as under the Law ( with all the feasts and water Rituals, tongues and healings), to gain them that are under the Law.

If Paul was to preach the Gospel and ALSO practice baptism because he was commanded to, as John and Peter, how could he ever then say, under any circumstances, I thank God that I baptized none of you, [ even though God commanded me to baptize ] Could Paul thank God for not doing something he was commanded by that same God to do ?If Paul was to preach the Gospel and ALSO baptize by reason of a command to do so, what would it matter if any one should say that Paul had baptized in his own name ? Who would Paul really be interested in pleasing ? If Paul was obeying a command to baptize, can consideration be given to anything that others may, might, could say , that could cause Paul to fail to fulfill a command to baptize, if indeed, as some claim - he was commanded to baptize

If Paul was to preach the Gospel and ALSO baptize by reason of a command to do so, how could Paul be so sloppy, irresponsible, slack and unaccountable as to say, I know not whether I baptized any other. How could he be so crude and ignorant, as to know not whether he had carried out the commands of the Lord ? He almost sounds like the Corinthians in their immaturity in stating that he did not know if he had baptized any other. If baptism was as important as some claim today, how could Paul seem so thoughtless of such a sacred trust. [ If in deed, this was a sacred trust to Paul. ] These modern day preachers and practitioners of their water rituals have all their data in little black books, with dates, times and peoples. These are carried around as proof texts, that yes indeed, they were following the Lord in every area of the commission that they are following. Now, let us see the significance of John' baptism.

John mentions that he baptized with water, and there was one standing among them whom they know not. This one is to be preferred before John. He was not worthy to unloose this one's shoe latchet.

John identified this one as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Jn. 1:29 John states, this is the one of whom he said, After me comes a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.1:30

Then John makes a very important confession. Although John told those questioning him that they did not know the one coming after him, John also joins them when he states, :

And I knew him not: Jn 1:31 He says it again in 1:33 – And I knew him not:

This confession is the key to understanding the reason that John came baptizing. There are three major reasons that John gives as to why he was baptizing. We have mentioned the first, namely, because God had sent him to baptize. Jn 1:33 Another reason is that He, Jesus, the coming one, the one who would baptize with the Spirit, would be made manifest to Israel through this ritual of baptism. Jn 1:31 And, finally, this coming one would also be manifest to John. John 1:31 & 33. Remember, that John said that neither the Jews or John, himself, knew who this coming one might be.

God had told John that when the Spirit descends and remains upon a certain him , that certain him would be the one who baptizes with the Spirit. Jn. 1:33 This is how John would know him. It was also the preparation of the people who came to John, when they would confess their sins, repent and submit to the ritual of water baptism. The people of Israel who came to this spiritual time of cleansing would be truly prepared to recognize and receive this Christ.

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