Treasure in Earthen Vessels

And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one. 1^st.john 5:8

As such, water baptism is not a teaching originated within the doctrine of Jesus. As we have pointed out, it arose as an extension of the rite of purification contained in the Mosaic law, and presented by John the Baptist as a baptism of repentance.

Already integrated into the body of preaching, it ceased to be seen as a modification of the rite of purification, isolated, and it was associated with doctrines of the restoration of the Kingdom, eternal judgment, and eternal life.[1]

John the Baptist was not a permanent prophetic ministry, although in his time they identified him as such. John the Baptist was a temporary ministry, called to open the way and identify the Messiah:

I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.” ³² And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” John 1:31-34

John the Baptist was more than a prophet, or a ministry activated by the Holy Spirit. He was a Word fulfilled in the time that God had established to manifest to the world in the condition of man.[2] He is a dispenser of the mystery of the Kingdom of God,[3] with the mission to establish and activate on the earth an operation Of the Spirit.

Isaiah the prophet spoke of John the Baptist, and characterized him as the voice of the one who cries in the desert:^[4]

“Comfort, yes, comfort My people! “Says your God.² “Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord’s hand Double for all her sins.” ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord; Make straight in the desert. A highway for our God.⁴ Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; ⁵ The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, And all flesh shall see it together; For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” Isaias 40:1-5

The prophet Malachi defined him as the messenger of his face:[5]

“Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Mean the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Malachi 3:1

The angel Gabriel who announced to Zechariah his father about his birth warned him that he came with the spirit of Elijah:

He (John) will also go before Him (Jesus) in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” Luke 1:17

Jesus bore witness that John was a fulfillment of time and a Word to Israel:

As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, Who will prepare Your way before You.’ ¹¹ “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. Matthew 11:7-14

The same scribes and Pharisees gave testimony of one who would establish beforehand the mystery of the manifestation of the Messiah.

And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?” Matthew 17:10

All this leads us to understand that the baptism of John, or baptism of repentance, although extending the rite of purification, was a spiritual establishment, so that those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah could enter the Kingdom Of the heavens, as well Jesus instructed Nicodemus.[6]

That is why the water baptism established by John was constituted in the doctrine of Christ in the requirement to receive the promise of the Father.

Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, ¹⁵ who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. ¹⁶ For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Acts 8:14-16

We see it most clearly in the case of Cornelius before the preaching of Peter:

“Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” Acts 10:47

The forceful case is the case treated by the apostle Paul before the disciples of Ephesus, who, because they had not been baptized in the baptism of Jesus correctly, had not been able to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” ⁴ Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:2-6

For the church, baptism had a spiritual value of Kingdom establishment. More than a purification process, baptism was the eschatological declaration that death was sucked with victory.[7] That Jesus on the cross destroyed the one who had the power of death, is to know the devil.[8]

The apostle Peter speaking of baptism emphasized that baptism is a demand for a pure conscience toward God:

There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 1^st. Peter 3:21

Baptism in the doctrine of Christ is part of the Good News of Salvation. We see it in the instruction of Jesus to Nicodemus: in order to enter the Kingdom, it is imperative to be born of water and the Spirit.[9] In the final instruction to his disciples Jesus emphasizes the salvific value:

He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. Mark 16:16

As preached by the apostle Peter on the day of the solemn celebration of Shavuot (Pentecost):

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38

The disciples all executed it in the same way:

But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Acts 8:12

The apostle Paul also emphasizes his spiritual value, and his unique character:

one Lord, one faith, one baptism; … Ephesians 4:5

We understand why among the faithful who invoked the grace of Jesus was baptized as soon as they thought. It was part of the Gospel of the Kingdom; to postpone baptism is to deny the efficacy of faith in Jesus.

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[1] Matthew 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. also read Mark 1:7; John 1:15,30; Acts 13:25

[2] Philippians 2:7

[3] 1^st. Corinthians 4:1

^[4] John 1:23

[5] Acts 13:24

[6] John 3:5

[7] 1^st. Corinthians 15:54 so when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

[8] Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,

[9] John 3:5