READ:
Matthew 3
This passage on baptism portrays a few interesting points. Up until this
point, the Jewish faith didn’t practice baptism, per se. They practiced
ceremonial washing. Whenever they were considered unclean for any reason, a
time of cleansing had to pass which ended in a very specific kind of bath. This
bath was a symbol that they were again considered clean. The Hebrew word for
the cleansing bath is ‘mikveh’ and means ‘a gathering of water’. The water had
to be deep enough to completely immerse the whole body. Over time, mikveh had
come to be understood as ‘immersion bath’ because of both the meaning and
requirement. Mikveh was carried out during times of cleansing, but also was
considered necessary when someone wanted to join the Jewish religion.
When John the Baptist came along, this idea of immersion, or cleansing
bath, was not unusual for the Jews of the day. When John was baptizing though
it wasn’t for physical cleansing, as the Jews were used to. This time it was a spiritual mikveh: they came confessing
their sins and they were baptized. John’s baptism was symbolic of the cleansing
that could happen on the inside.
The baptism John offered was very specifically for those who had
repented. John told the Sadducees and Pharisees that they couldn’t be baptized.
This must have been so offensive to them! They were the religious leaders, yet
they couldn’t participate in the spiritual cleansing? No. John said it was
because this baptism is a sign of the spiritual cleansing that comes from
repentance. It is not the baptism itself that cleanses – unlike a mikveh bath. They
couldn’t fake it on the outside and still be clean on the inside. The baptism
is a sign of the cleansing that has already taken place. Someone who goes into
the water for baptism must have already confessed their sins and repented.
John goes on to talk about another baptism that was still to come in the
future: The baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. When the Holy Spirit came
initially, He came with tongues of fire and filled those who had already
committed to following Jesus. Water baptism was a public declaration of
repentance and also a sign of conversion. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is
also a sign of conversion, but this is a sign given by God, not by man. In the
end of days there will be another baptism of fire. This baptism will also be a
cleansing fire and a judging fire.
JOURNALING
AND PRAYER
1.
Think for a few moments about your own baptism or the baptism of others
you know if you haven’t been baptized. How did that symbol of confession and repentance
impact you?
2.
According to Jewish religion (and now Christianity as we follow in the
steps of Jesus) baptism is a sign of conversion to the faith. If you have not
been baptized, ask the Lord to speak to you about whether or not you have confessed
and repented and are ready to make that commitment of obedience to publicly
choose Christ as your God. If you have been baptized, ask the Lord to speak to
you about continuing to live a life of genuine confession and repentance.
3.
First came the baptism of external cleansing (mikveh). Then came the
baptism symbolizing internal cleansing (water baptism by man). Then came the
baptism of the Holy Spirit (the filling of the Holy Spirit by God). Ask God –
are you walking in the power of the Spirit? Ask Him – where are you grieving
the Spirit?
