βαπτίζω
baptízō; fut.
baptísō, from
báptō (G911), to dip. Immerse, submerge for a religious purpose, to overwhelm, saturate, baptize (Joh 1:25).
(I) Washing or ablution was frequently by immersion, indicated by either baptízō or níptō (G3538), to wash. In Mar 7:3, the phrase "wash their hands" is the translation of níptō (G3538), to wash part of the body such as the hands. In Mar 7:4 the verb wash in "except they wash" is baptízomai, to immerse. This indicates that the washing of the hands was done by immersing them in collected water. See Luk 11:38 which refers to washing one's hands before the meal, with the use of baptízomai, to have the hands baptized. In the Sept.: 2Ki 5:13-14 we have loúō (G3068), to bathe and baptízomai. See also Lev 11:25, Lev 11:28, Lev 11:40, where plúnō (G4150), to wash clothes by dipping, and loúō (G3068), to bathe are used. In Num 19:18-19, báphō, to dip, and plúnō, to wash by dipping are used.
(II) To baptize or immerse in or wash with water in token of purification from sin and spiritual pollution (Mat 3:6, Mat 3:11; Mar 1:4-5, Mar 1:8-9; Luk 3:7, Luk 3:12, Luk 3:16, Luk 3:21; Luk 7:30; Joh 1:25, Joh 1:28; Joh 3:22-23, Joh 3:26; Joh 4:1-2; Joh 10:40; Act 2:38, Act 2:41; Act 8:12-13, Act 8:36, Act 8:38; Act 9:18; Act 10:47; Act 16:15, Act 16:33; Act 18:8; Act 22:16; 1Co 1:14, 1Co 1:16-17). In Mar 6:14, "John the baptizing one [ho baptízōn]" (a.t.). In Luke's writings with a dat. of the instrument or material employed, húdati, the dat. of húdōr (G5204), water, means with water (Luk 3:16; Act 1:5; Act 11:16). Elsewhere, however, the prep. en (G1722), in, is used, en húdati, in water (Mat 3:11; Mar 1:8; Joh 1:26, Joh 1:31, Joh 1:33 (cf. "in the Jordan" [a.t. {Mat 3:6}]). In Mar 1:9, eis (G1519), into, "into the Jordan" (a.t.).
(III) The adjuncts mark the object and effect of baptism: especially eis (G1519), into, unto, with the acc., to baptize or to be baptized into anything means into the belief, profession or observance of anything (Mat 3:11, "unto repentance"; Act 2:38, "unto remission of sins" [a.t.]; Act 19:3, "Unto John's baptism," meaning the repentance unto which John baptized or the baptism related to John's preaching; Rom 6:3, "unto death" [a.t.] means that those who are baptized do so in relation to Jesus Christ's bearing their sins through His sacrifice and atonement on the cross; 1Co 12:13, "unto one body" [a.t.] that we may become parts of the body of Christ and parts of each other). With eis followed by the acc. of person, it means to baptize or be baptized into a profession of faith or into anyone, in sincere obedience to him. Also in 1Co 10:2, "unto Moses"; Gal 3:27, "unto Christ" (a.t.); also "into the name of someone"(a.t.) means to be identified with what the name of that one stands for (Mat 28:19; Act 8:16; Act 19:5; 1Co 1:13, 1Co 1:15). The same sense is understood when the prep. epí (G1909), upon, or en (G1722), in, followed by the dat., onómati (G3686), upon the name of, is used (Act 2:38, epí; Act 10:48, en). With hupér (G5228), on behalf of or for (1Co 15:29, those being "baptized for [or on account of] the dead," i.e., on a belief of the resurrection of the dead).
(IV) Metaphorically and in direct allusion to the practice of water baptism (Mat 3:11; Luk 3:16), to baptize in or with the Holy Spirit and in or with fire, the baptism in the Holy Spirit being the spiritual counterpart of the water baptism. This Spirit baptism is referred to in 1Co 12:13 as an act performed by God in joining all true believers to the body of the Lord Jesus. To be baptized in fire (Mat 3:11 [TR]; Luk 3:16) stands in contrast to the baptism in the Spirit. Those who refuse to be joined into the body of Christ through the energy of the Holy Spirit will suffer the consequent punishment (Mat 3:12; Luk 3:17). In regard to the Spirit baptism, see also Mar 1:8; Joh 1:33; Act 1:5; Act 11:16, where the baptism in the Holy Spirit occurs as a specific phrase indicating what happened at Pentecost in joining the Jews who believed to the body of Christ (Acts 2). This is explained by Peter in Act 11:15-16 indicating that the Gentiles of Caesarea were also baptized in the Holy Spirit. A third group was the disciples of John in Act 19:6. This Spirit baptism was characterized by the phenomenon of speaking in languages never learned by those who were baptized in or with the Spirit (see Act 2:4 [language], Act 2:6, Act 2:8 [dialect], Act 2:11 [languages]; Act 10:46 [languages]; Act 19:6 [languages]). Thus the baptism in the Holy Spirit is Christ's attachment of those who genuinely believe as members of His body. In 1Co 12:13 the verb ebaptísthēmen refers to all believers of all times. It is something that God did in forming the spiritual body of Jesus Christ or the body of all believers, the Church. It fulfills the promise of Christ to send into the world in a special way the Holy Spirit or the Paráklētos (G3875), the Paraclete, Comforter, Intercessor, Consoler (Joh 16:7-14).
(V) Metaphorically, the verb baptízō, to baptize, and the noun báptisma, baptism, are used in connection with calamities as in Mat 20:22-23; Mar 10:38-39, meaning to be overwhelmed with sufferings as the life of Jesus Christ was characterized. A similar expression is in Isa 21:4 in the Sept., "lawlessness baptizes me" (a.t.) or "overwhelms me" (a.t.). In 1Co 15:29, "What shall those being baptized for the dead do?" (a.t.); "Why therefore are they baptized on their behalf?" (a.t.) means if the dead do not rise, why expose ourselves to so much danger and suffering in the hope of a resurrection? This is an argument which Paul presents in order to prove the reality of the resurrection (cf. 1Co 15:30-31 where the verbs kinduneúō [G2793], to undergo danger, and apothnḗskō [G599], to die, used instead of baptízomai, to be baptized).
(VI) In contrast to the verb baptízō, to dip, immerse, is the verb rhantízō (G4472), to sprinkle, which must not be taken as equivalent to baptízō. Rhantízō is used in Mar 7:4 in the WH instead of baptísōntai. Baptísōntai, however, of the TR and the UBS texts, is to be preferred in agreement with baptismoús (pl. [G909]) occurring in the same verse referring to the ceremonial washings of utensils. Baptismós, the ceremonial washing, should never be confused with báptisma which is a distinct practice related to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptismós as mere cleansing of instruments was equated with rhantismós (G4473), sprinkling (found only in Heb 12:24; 1Pe 1:2), because this word was used to indicate the cleansing in symbolism done by the priest of the OT. Such ceremonial cleansing symbolized by sprinkling (Heb 9:19, Heb 9:21; Heb 10:22; Heb 12:24; 1Pe 1:2) had no permanent value nor did it actually cleanse the consciences of individual people. The verb rhantízō, to sprinkle, is found in Heb 9:13 where the contrast between the sprinkling is symbolic of the cleansing of the flesh. However, in Heb 9:14, the blood of Jesus Christ will katharieí (the same as katharísei), cleanse (from the verb katharízō [G2511], purify or cleanse) the conscience of man or his inner being. The high priest never baptized anyone in the way that Christian believers are baptized. He merely sprinkled the blood of animals. Therefore, the sprinkling has nothing to do with baptism but simply with ceremonial cleansing (Heb 9:21). Since, according to Heb 9:22, there can be no remission of sins without the "shedding of blood," Jesus Christ did indeed shed His blood (i.e., lay His life down as a sacrifice for sin). Thus it is not through some magical sprinkling of that blood upon our bodies or souls that we are saved, but when through faith we have our hearts "sprinkled" (the application of the benefits of Christ's death) from an evil conscience and our bodies washed (lelouménoi, the perf. pass. part. of loúō [G3068], to bathe) with clean water (Heb 10:22). The verb loúō, bathe, must be definitely differentiated from the verb níptō (G3538), to wash part of the body, usually feet, hands, or face, which can be used syn. with baptízō, as the verb of baptismós, ceremonial ablution (Luk 11:38), but never equivalent to the NT technical term of baptízō. The two great cleansing ceremonies of the OT, sprinkling and washing, typified the true work of salvation in Jesus Christ. The former perhaps signifying forgiveness (the cleansing of sin's guilt) and the latter probably betokening regeneration (the washing away of sin's defilement). Because believers have received the antitypical reality of these ceremonies in Christ, the writer can say that we have indeed had our consciences sprinkled and our bodies washed.
Deriv.: báptisma (G908), baptism, the result of baptizing; baptismós (G909), the ceremonial washing of articles; baptistḗs (G910), baptist, used of John to qualify him as one baptizing.
Syn.: buthízō (G1036), to sink, but not necessarily to drown; katapontízō (G2670), to plunge down, submerge; embáptō (G1686), to dip.
Ant.: pléō (G4126), to sail upon the water.
