Lesson 658

(Lesson 658)(06-06-13) The first of seventy two times a variation of the term "baptize" appears in the New Testament is in Matthew 3:1-6, "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins."

This quote references the water baptisms that were administered by John the Baptist under Jewish law and commandment. These water immersions, administered by John, were done in preparation for the coming of the Lord, just as was said above, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." The only purpose for John's water "baptisms" was to ceremonially, "cleanse", and prepare the willing Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah.

The following is the quote John refers to in verse 3, Isaiah 40:1-5, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD's hand double for all her sins. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it."

John the Baptist was ordained by God for one mission and one mission only, just as he and Isaiah stated, that was to "prepare the way of the Lord". He was to accomplish this by, first preaching the coming of the Messiah, and then by baptizing (immersing) the willing in water, ceremonially cleansing and preparing them for the presence of the Lord.

The above usage of the term baptize, clearly, by context, indicates that water is the medium into which these Jews were immersed.~