Mark's thoughts: Does baptism have to take place by immersion?

 

Christians in the Baptist/Evangelical tradition frequently claim that the Greek verb baptizw (βαπτίζω) always means immersion under water, and therefore baptism must take place in this manner. However, it is easy to demonstrate that such a claim is not accurate. Lexically the Greek verb baptizw means to wet with water. This can happen in a variety of ways that certainly includes immersion in water. At the same time, one can show in the Greek of the New Testament itself and outside of it as well that in no way is it true that baptizw always means immersion.

 

Luke 11:37-38 says, “While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner [literally, “he was not baptized before dinner”- ἐβαπτίσθη]. Note that in this verse, the action before dinner is described as “being baptized.” If Jesus had done the action in question, it would be literally, “he was baptized.”

 

Mark 7:1-4 says, “Now when the Pharisees gathered to him, with some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, they saw that some of his disciples ate with hands that were defiled, that is, unwashed. (For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash [different Greek verb than baptizw – νίψωνται] their hands properly, holding to the tradition of the elders, and when they come from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they wash [literally, “baptize themselves” -βαπτίσωνται ]. And there are many other traditions that they observe, such as the washing of cups and pots and copper vessels and dining couches.)”

 

We recognize that like Luke 11:38, Mark 7:4 uses the verb baptizw to describe the action expected by the Pharisees  (“baptize themselves”). Yet we learn that this baptism involves only the washing of hands. Here the action “to be baptized” or to “baptize oneself” explicitly does not involve immersion of the person’s entire body. It is only the application of water to the hands.  

 

The reference to “dining couches” is a textual question since it is not found in some manuscripts.  Even if the reading is not original, it shows that application of the verb baptizw to a dining couch did not seem strange to scribes who knew the Greek language. You aren’t going to a immerse a couch in water, but you can apply water to it. They knew that baptizw is an entirely appropriate verb to describe this.

 

It can also be shown from Greek outside the New Testament that baptizw does not always mean immerse. The following texts describe soldiers fording a body of water. They are not immersed, yet the word baptizw is used:

 

Strabo Geographica 14.3.9 (first century  B.C.) Alexander, meeting with a stormy season, and being a man who in general trusted to luck, set out before the waves receded; and the result was that all day long his soldiers marched in water submerged [baptized -  βαπτιζομένων ] to their navels.

 

Polybius Histories 3.72.4 (later third and early second centuries B.C.) The infantry had great difficulty in the crossing, as the water was [baptized -  βαπτιζόμενοι] breast-high.”

 

Finally, we see in the Didache – one of the earliest pieces of Christian literature that we have outside the New Testament – that baptizw can be used to describe the action of pouring water in the triune name:

 

Didache 7:1-3 (late first or early second century) As for baptism, baptize in this way; Having said all this beforehand, baptize in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit in running water. If you do not have running water, however, baptize in another kind of water; if you cannot do so in cold water, then do so in warm water. But if you have neither, pour water on the head three times in the name of the Father and Son and Holy Spirit.

 

Paul Bradshaw has emphasized the need to acknowledge that regional diversity existed in early Christian liturgical practice (Paul F. Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy; 2nd ed., 2002). There is little reason to doubt that baptism by immersion did take place in the early Church. However, this is not the practice reflected in early Christian artwork and archaeology. The earliest Christian artwork we have of baptism is of water being poured on the head. This is seen in the Catacomb of Callistus (third century A.D.) and its depiction of the baptism of Jesus.

The portrayal of Jesus' baptism reflects the manner in which Christians themselves were baptized. Christian art shows Jesus standing in water up to his waist, with water being poured on his head, such as at the Orthodox Baptistery in Ravenna (fifth century A.D.)

The earliest baptismal fonts that have been discovered are too small and shallow for the practice of immersion. This is seen, for example, in the baptismal font of Milan in which St. Augustine (fourth century A.D.) was baptized. The person stood in the water, and water was then poured on the head (Maxwell Johnson, The Rites of Christian Initiation: Their Evolution and Interpretation; Revised and Expanded 2007, 33-34).

Baptism has been performed in a variety of ways in the history of Church.. The previous paragraph describes baptismal practice through the fourth and fifth centuries as many adult converts were coming into the church from paganism. As the Christian church became established and Christian families were having children, the baptism of infants became the norm. The medieval practice became one of holding infant by the feet and dunking the child three times (immersion) into water of the font.  Medieval fonts are deep in order to enable this practice, such as seen in this font from Norman England (twelfth century AD).

It is clear that during the fourteenth century infusion (pouring water on the infant) began to overtake immersion in the western Church.  However, accounts of sixteenth century Lutheran baptismal practice vary, and most likely this reflects the reality that practice itself varied.  Graff indicates that Luther and Bugenhagen wanted immersion and that some Church Orders of the sixteenth  century followed them in this (Paul Graff, Geschichte der Auflösung der alten gottesdientstlichen Formen in der evangelischen Kirche Deutschlands 1:303).  He adds that many Church Orders only speak about “Baptism” and leave whether immersion or pouring is used up to the decision of the pastor baptizing (1:304). Strodach notes this diversity and adds that, in addition there was “superfusio, i.e., holding the naked child over the font and pouring water over him profusely” (LW 53:100).  Rietschel acknowledges Luther’s preference for immersion but adds that most often, as in Wittenberg, the superfusio over the naked child was customary, while in other places the water was poured over the head (Rietschel/Graff, Lehrbruch Der Liturgik, 564).  Rietschel goes on to point to the depiction of baptism in the Cranach Wittenberg altar piece as evidence for the practice of superfusio in Wittenberg.

Thus in an irony, the fourth question in the Small Catechism about Holy Baptism is based on the practice of immersion, even though today Lutherans not only don't baptize in this manner but would be hesitant to do so because of claims made by the Baptist/Evangelical tradition which insists that immersion is the only valid means of baptism.

Baptism is water included in God’s command, and combined with God’s Word. It does not matter how much water is used, or how it is applied. Where water is applied in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, baptism is taking place.