When considering the origins of baptism, many Christian followers would believe that the ritual was introduced with John the Baptist from the New Testament of the Bible. However, like many traditions in the Christian faith, baptism finds its roots from early Jewish society. The washing or immersion of anything in water was considered purification or a cleansing process to rid of sins and this was practiced before the birth of Jesus (Blank, 1998). In the Old Testament, ceremonial washing was often mentioned; and this is the earliest form of baptism that can be traced.
Baptism is the foundational sacrament and must precede all other sacraments in the Catholic Church. Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation and it is the gateway to the church and the beginning of a lasting communion with God (YOUCAT, 2010). The original practice of baptism in the New Testament was full body immersion into water three times. Bausch (1983) discusses the origins of baptism to the days when the Gentile’s converted to Judaism and were baptised by John in the Jordan River to symbolise their crossing into the Promised Land. John the Baptist baptised anyone who desired to be; including Jesus himself.
Jesus and Baptism
The baptism of Jesus is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22). Jesus never performed a baptismal ceremony himself; but, like so many people before and after Him, he was baptised by John. After Jesus’ baptism, a Spirit descended from Heaven and proclaimed, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you” (Singer-Towns). Upon his death, Jesus instructed all of his disciples to go forth and baptise all of his people. Matthew (28:18-20) reads:
"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age".
This was the turning point for the change and in the 1st and 2nd century; baptism became a full sacramental ceremony.
Old Israel had its beginnings with water through the parting of the Red Sea and ritualistically, the new Israel would also have water as a symbol through the crossing of the river Jordan (Bausch, 1998). Christian practices and teachings have changed dramatically over time and various Christian-house churches developed their own ways of performing sacraments and rituals. The precise origins of baptism will always be unclear; however, water can be seen as life giving or death dealing
Baptism is the foundational sacrament and must precede all other sacraments in the Catholic Church. Baptism is one of the three sacraments of initiation and it is the gateway to the church and the beginning of a lasting communion with God (YOUCAT, 2010). The original practice of baptism in the New Testament was full body immersion into water three times. Bausch (1983) discusses the origins of baptism to the days when the Gentile’s converted to Judaism and were baptised by John in the Jordan River to symbolise their crossing into the Promised Land. John the Baptist baptised anyone who desired to be; including Jesus himself.
Jesus and Baptism
The baptism of Jesus is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-22). Jesus never performed a baptismal ceremony himself; but, like so many people before and after Him, he was baptised by John. After Jesus’ baptism, a Spirit descended from Heaven and proclaimed, “You are my own dear Son. I am pleased with you” (Singer-Towns). Upon his death, Jesus instructed all of his disciples to go forth and baptise all of his people. Matthew (28:18-20) reads:
"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age".
This was the turning point for the change and in the 1st and 2nd century; baptism became a full sacramental ceremony.
Old Israel had its beginnings with water through the parting of the Red Sea and ritualistically, the new Israel would also have water as a symbol through the crossing of the river Jordan (Bausch, 1998). Christian practices and teachings have changed dramatically over time and various Christian-house churches developed their own ways of performing sacraments and rituals. The precise origins of baptism will always be unclear; however, water can be seen as life giving or death dealing