Water Baptism | Page 6

way before him.[68]
John was a prophet of dispensation previous to Christ.[69] He was in the desert until the time of his showing unto Israel.[70] In the vision he was with Moses on the Mount and they talked with Jesus.[71] He with Moses vanished and left Jesus alone.[72]
John said: That he (Jesus) should be manifest unto Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.[73] John defines his commission as only to Israel (the Jews). His baptism was adapted to Jews only and not to us, who according to Jewish classification are Gentiles. Evidently John baptised Jews only and no Gentiles.
It was unlawful for Jews to keep company or come unto Gentiles and there is no intimation that John ignored this Jewish law.[74]
The woman of Samaria wondered that Jesus (a Jew) asked water of her, a Samaritan, for Jews had no dealings with Samaritans.[75]
Even in apostolic times we have no record that any full Gentile was baptized with water; nor that any one born of Christian parents was so baptized.
Cruden says: Naaman, Cornelius and the Eunuch were all proselytes of the gate and not full Gentiles.[76]
The Samaritans were a mixed race who observed the law of Moses. They also were Jewish proselytes and not full Gentiles.[77] When the Jews numbered the people they did not count the Gentiles. So all Jerusalem and Judea whom John baptized would not include the few Gentiles who lived among the Jews.[78]
The freedom with which the Jews followed John to the Jordan indicates that they were previously familiar with water baptism.[79]
But few of that great multitude whom John baptized appear to have become the disciples of Christ.
John said: "There cometh one after me mightier than I, whose shoe latchets I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit." And again: "He must increase but I must decrease."[80]
Christ said: "John truly baptized with water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Peter quoted this saying of our Lord and recognized this Holy Spirit baptism to be the same as that which the prophet Joel foretold should be poured out upon all flesh, upon sons and daughters, servants and handmaidens.[81]
Two baptisms are here contrasted by John, Christ and Peter. Baptism of water must decrease with John and Judaism. Baptism of Spirit must increase with Christ and Christianity.
To whom can we turn with more confidence for knowledge about all baptisms ordained or intended for us than unto John the Baptist whom we are told was sent to administer one baptism, and unto Christ who was the author of another baptism?[82]
Three times in eight verses John says his baptism is of water, thus distinguishing it from Christ's baptism without water.[83]
They are both quoted as testifying to two dissimilar and distinct baptisms administered at different times, one with water and the other without.
Neither of them intimates that these two baptisms shall ever be united, but they do both plainly intimate that they shall not be united, and that the first shall pass away and the second remain, and no other be introduced.[84]
John says: He (Christ) shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit; but John never says that he nor anyone else shall ever baptize you with water.[85]
Christ says: Ye shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit,[86] but he nowhere even intimates that we shall ever be baptized with water, nor does he ever mention water baptism but once, and this was with his last words when he introduced his own baptism of the Holy Spirit as its immediate successor.[87]
As Peter interprets the Prophet Joel: All flesh, sons and daughters shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit; but Joel never prophesied that they should be baptized with water.[88]
If in these gospel days we were to have been baptized with water, would not Joel have prophesied of water as well as of Spirit? [89] Would not our Saviour at some time have intimated that water baptism should be continued and have given some instructions about it? And would he not have baptized his apostles in this way? Would John when teaching that great multitude of Jews on the banks of the Jordan have impressed upon them that water baptism was only transient and that they would all need to be baptized again with the Holy Spirit?[90]
John baptized his disciples with water.[91] Christ called to his disciples, "Follow Me."[92] Christ did not baptize with water.[93] He is calling to-day, "Follow Me."[94] The apostle John says: Jesus tarried with his disciples in Judea and baptized; tho' Jesus baptized not but his disciples.[95]
Jesus here sanctioned water baptism by his presence for a short time and then departed,[96] but he never baptized with water himself, nor directed others to do so, nor gave any instructions about it.
He likewise sanctioned circumcision,