John’s Baptism and its Significance.
The symbolic rite of baptism was such an essential part of the work of John that it not only gave him his distinctive title of “the Baptist” (ho baptistes), but also caused his message to be styled as “preaching the baptism of repentance.” The fact that a special virtue was ascribed to this rite, and it was regarded as a necessary part of the preparation for the coming of the Messiah, are shown by its important place in John’s preaching, and through the eagerness with which it was sought by the multitudes. Its significance may best be understood by giving attention to its historical antecedents because although John gave the rite a new significance, it certainly appealed to ideas that were already familiar to the Jews.
A Purging Required by the Levitical Law.
The divers washings required by the law (Leviticus 11-15) have, without doubt, religious significance. This is shown by the requirement of sacrifices in connection with the cleansing, especially the sin offering (Leviticus 14:8,9,19,20; compare Mark 1:44; Luke 2:22). The designation of John’s baptism by the word “baptizein”, which by New Testament times was used of ceremonial purification, also indicates some historical connection. (compare Sirach 34:25).
An Anticipation of Messianic Purging Foretold by the Prophets.
John understood that his baptism was a preparation for the Messianic baptism anticipated by the prophets, who saw that for a true cleansing the nation must wait until God should open in Israel a fountain for cleansing (Zechariah 13:1), and should sprinkle His people with clean water and give them a new heart and a new spirit (Ezekiel 36:25,26; Jeremiah 33:8). His baptism was at once a preparation and a promise of the spiritual cleansing which the Messiah would bestow. “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me …. shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Matthew 3:11margin).
A Baptism of Conversion.
According to the teaching of later Judaism, a stranger who desired to be adopted into the family of Israel was required, along with circumcision, to receive the rite of baptism as a means of cleansing from the ceremonial uncleanness attributed to him as a Gentile. While it is not possible to prove the priority of this practice of proselyte baptism to the baptism of John, there can be no doubt of the fact, for it is inconceivable, in view of Jewish prejudice, that it would be borrowed from John or after this time.
While it seems clear that in the use of the rite of baptism John was influenced by the Jewish customs of ceremonial washings and proselyte baptism, his baptism differed very essentially from these. The Levitical washings restored an unclean person to his former condition, but baptism was a preparation for a new condition. On the other hand, proselyte baptism was administered only to Gentiles, while John required baptism of all Jews. At the same time, his baptism was very different from Christian baptism, as he himself declared (Luke 3:16). His was a baptism of water only; a preparation for the baptism “in the Spirit” which was to follow. It is also to be observed that it was a rite complete in itself and that it was offered to the nation as a preparation for a specific event, the advent of the Messiah.
We may say, then, that as a “baptism of repentance” it meant a renunciation of the past life; as a cleansing, it symbolized the forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4), and as preparation, it implied a promise of loyalty to the kingdom of the Messiah. We have no reason to believe that Jesus experienced any sense of sin or felt any need for repentance or forgiveness, but as a Divinely appointed preparation for the Messianic kingdom, His submission to it was appropriate.