Water Baptisms In The First Century

In order to follow Yeshua’s (Hebrew for Jesus) perfect example, every detail is important, including “how” a commandment like water baptism (immersion) was performed.  In this article, we want to examine how Yeshua and His first century followers, including those from the nations, would have physically carried out a water baptism, and how it aligns with the methodology that Christianity and Judaism use today.

Water baptisms are mentioned throughout the Bible but we are not provided with step-by-step instructions in the New Covenant on how to enter the water and how to immerse.  If Dr. Merrill Tenney, editor of the Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, is correct, then Christianity’s method is a mixture:

“Baptism as a rite of immersion was not begun by Christians but was taken by them from Jewish and pagan forms....’”

IN THE BEGINNING

We are told by the Jewish Sages that the roots of water baptism or immersion go back to the garden of Eden. They tell us that upon repenting of their original sin, Adam and Eve immersed themselves in the river that flowed from the garden in order to purify themselves after breaking God’s command. This would make perfect sense as baptism has always been part of the repentance process for purification and restoration back to God. In Mark 1:4, we read:

“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

The concept of baptisms did not originate with John.  His background included a heritage within the Levitical priesthood. Many believe he was also a part of the Essene community that lived “in the wilderness.”  The main doctrine of the Essenes was “water purification.”  They immersed several times a day for various reasons. This also included for the “sake of righteousness,” which was why Yeshua said He desired to be immersed.

As recorded in Mark 1:5, John is found overseeing water immersions at the Jordan River. This body of water qualified as a “Mikvah,” which means a “pool or gathering of waters,” and where water immersions could occur. The Jewish sages defined a Mikvah as a river, an ocean, or any flowing body of water. This was based on the usage of the Hebrew word Mikvah in the Hebrew Bible (Hebrew Tanach). It appears three times:

• Genesis 1:10 – speaking of the third day of creation, “...to the gathering (mikveh) of waters, He called seas.”

  
  

• Leviticus 11:36 – second time, “…a collection (mikvah) of water…”

  
  

• Jeremiah 17:12-13 – third time, “…the hope (mikvah) of Israel…”

The Hebrew word “Tevilah” describes the process of immersing oneself in a Mikvah. This includes the whole-body immersion, as well as, other times when a partial-water purification is needed. Some examples are:

• Washing of the hands (Deuteronomy 21:6-9; Matthew 27:24; Mark 7:3);

  
  

• Washing of hands and feet (Exodus 30:17-21; John 13:4); and

  
  

• Sprinkling (Exodus 14:51 - for items that could not be immersed, e.g., house)

YESHUA’S WATER IMMERSION

How was Yeshua immersed? Let’s look at the language and examples in Scripture.

The Greek word “baptizo,” used by the Jewish Sages in the Greek translation of the first five books of the Bible, called the Septuagint, is translated from the Hebrew word “tabal.” This word, based on its usage, means “to dip.”  In Nate Wilson’s article, The Bible and Baptism, he states:

“But whether or not the entire body was immersed, two-thirds of the Old Testament Greek references to baptism are translated from the Hebrew word “tabal” and clearly mean “to dip.” This meaning would surely have been in the minds of the writers of the New Testament when they wrote the word “baptize,” because they were familiar with the Septuagint Greek Old Testament. Thus, immersion is a Biblical way to baptize.”

There is another Hebrew word, “rakhatz,” translated as “wash,” that is used in 2 Kings 5 to describe Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, immersing himself seven times in the Jordan river, as instructed by Elisha the prophet, for cleansing and healing. We believe this Hebrew word is synonymous with the above Hebrew word “tabal.”  Therefore, Naaman would have waded into the river, immersed (dipped) himself completely seven times, and then come “straightway” out of the water after each dipping.

Historically, Naaman’s actions correlates with the description we have of Yeshua’s immersion.

The Greek word, “Baptizo,” is used to describe Yeshua’s water immersion. It is defined by King James Version (KJV) New Testament Greek Lexicon as:

“to dip repeatedly, to immerse, to submerge (of vessels sunk); to cleanse by dipping or submerging, to wash, to make clean with water, to wash one's self, bathe; to overwhelm."

The King James Version of the Bible describes Yeshua’s immersion (baptizo) as coming “straightway” out of the water after immersing Himself in the Jordan River. In Matthew 3:16 it states:

“And Yeshua, when he was baptized (baptizo), went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him:”

Yeshua would have waded out to at least chest-deep water, spread his feet apart, held His hands in front, dipped in the water, then stood straight up after fully immersing Himself.  In support of this method, Dr. Ron Moseley in his article, “The Jewish Background of Christian Baptism” states:

 “Ancient sages teach that the word mikvah has the same letters as Ko(v)Meh, the Hebrew word for ‘rising or standing tall’...idea of being baptized ‘straightway.’”

During a Hebraic water immersion, the emphasis is on the “whole body” coming in contact with the water. This would not occur if someone placed their hands on the person during immersion. In addition, if a person laid hands on the one being immersed, he could defile that individual and defeat the very reason for their purification. In God’s Law (Hebrew Torah), defilement could come from: contact with the dead; unclean emissions; issue of blood; contact with unclean (sick) people, etc. So, no person would be touching the other during this water immersion process.

With this understanding, we know John the Immerser would not have been in the water with Yeshua. John would have stood on the river bank witnessing the immersion.  Jewish law required at least three witnesses made up of qualified leaders to be present for certain immersions (Yebam 47b).  Dr. Ron Mosely tells is in his article, The Jewish Background of Christian Baptism:

“The earliest drawing of Christian baptism was found on the wall of a Roman catacomb in the second century showing John standing on the bank of the Jordan helping Jesus back to shore after self-immersion.”

It would have been the same for the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:41, on Pentecost (Hebrew Shavuot), after Yeshua’s resurrection, where it states:

“Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about 3,000 souls were added.”

On the Temple mount, where Peter was speaking, and where this took place, there were numerous pools of water, called “Mikvahs,” as described above. This is where those entering the Temple could immerse themselves in water and not defile the Temple.  People would enter the Mikvah on one side, the defiled side; immerse; then exit the other side, the clean side.  Peter would have stood by the pool of water and led the purification process, witnessing that they completely immersed. There were also separate Mikvah pools for the priest’s purification, as well as, for their required immersion on the Mount of Olives after the red heifer offering.

There is one situation in the Book of Acts where we are told that the witness entered the water with the person being immersed. In Acts 8:38, the Apostle Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch went into the water together. The reason for both entering the water was most likely due to the shallowness of the water. It is possible they had to wade out a considerable distance to find adequate depth of water. Philip would need to be close enough to witness the eunuch’s complete immersion.

According to Dr. William LaSor, Biblical Archaeology Review, the phrase "in the name of" was the individual who led the immersion process and was the required witness. In the above situations, this would have applied to John, Peter, and Philip as witnesses. Paul also uses this phrase in 1 Corinthians 1:13 in this context.

WATER IMMERSION – “A CHANGE OF STATUS”

In a Hebraic society, entering the Mikvah multiple times was a common occurrence. This included every entrance into the Temple area. Yeshua and His followers would have participated in many other water immersions in their lifetime. An entry into the Mikvah occurred when there was an elevation to a higher degree of holiness - resulting in a change of status. Examples include: birth, entering adulthood, marriage, entering the priesthood, service at the Temple, making an offering in the Temple, prior to each Shabbat and High Holy Days, etc.

In the past, we encountered various people who felt lead to be “re-baptized” but were confused since they were taught that there is only one water immersion. They did not know that their desire was part of the normal process of holiness that God established at the beginning. We all have more than one important spiritual milestone in our lives that resulted in a change of status, and should be set apart by entering the Mikvah.

We want to put away any mixture that comes from the traditions of men that prevent us from experiencing the blessings that come from walking as Yeshua walked.  As followers of Yeshua from the nations, our desire is to restore a fuller understanding of Yeshua’s Mikvah and His last instruction to His taught ones in Matthew 28: 19-20:

“Therefore, go and make people from all nations into talmidim (disciples), immersing them into the reality of the Father, the Son and the Ruach HaKodesh (the Holy Spirit), and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember! I will be with you always, yes, even until the end of the age."” (The Complete Jewish Bible)