| Transcriber's Note: | A number of typographical errors found in theoriginal text have been corrected in this version. A list of theseerrors is found at the end of this book. |
TABLE OF CONTENTS
"THE COMMISSION."
PAUL'S "COMMISSION."
WATER BAPTISM IN HISTORY AS A PAGAN AND JEWISH RITE.
JOHN'S BAPTISM.
WATER BAPTISM AND CHRISTIAN BAPTISM
BAPTISMAL GRACE
WATER BAPTISM AND CIRCUMCISION
WATER BAPTISM AFTER CHRIST IN APOSTOLIC TIMES
WATER BAPTISM AFTER THE APOSTLES' TIME
CONCLUSION
Did Christ command his disciples to baptize with water?
Let us search the New Testament and see what it says.
We find the four evangelists and Peter each render Christ's command tohis apostles in very different language.
Matthew's version[1] is generally adduced to support water baptism.
We cannot assume that in Matthew, our Saviour's words are quotedverbatim, while Mark, Luke, John and Peter are all in error or lessreliable, particularly as this part of Matthew claims for itself to havebeen written a long time after, as appears by the statement that "Thissaying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day."[2]
Seven different accounts of the "apostolic commission" are given in theNew Testament.[3]
Did not each of these writers express in his own language what heunderstood to be Christ's command to his disciples and will not theseseven different records all agree in substance if genuine?
Let us seek that interpretation which harmonizes them all and not pinour faith to the popular conception of one version alone.
We will turn first to the one only recorded allusion which our Saviourever made to water baptism.[4]
We here find that he commanded his apostles not to depart fromJerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father which, said he, yehave heard of me; for John truly baptised with water, but ye shall bebaptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence.
Ye shall receive power when the Holy Spirit is com