SECTION II Chapter 3- Baptism by John the Baptist/Meaning of Baptism Rite Bathing/Baptism Rituals among the ancient Jews The ancient hebrews stressed bathing and cleanliness in their religious observations. In Leviticus 16:2-4, Aaron is ordered to bathe his body, before donning his priestly garments and approaching God's presence before the ark. Likewise, ancient Jews performed ablutions before entering the Temple, and the Pharisees bathed themselves before engaging in prayer. Bathing was considered necessary if one became "defiled" through contact with dead bodies, lepers, and unclean animals. During the times of Jesus, a number of Jewish bathing or baptizing sects had appeared on the scene. The River Jordan (scene of the crossing of the Israelites into Canaan) was the site of some of these baptismal sects. Much speculation has centered on the exact role that baptism played among these Jewish groups. It is known, for example, that the Greek mystery religions engaged in baptisms to symbolize the washing away of the believer's sins, and to purify and thus prepare the individual for a more holy state. For Jews, baptism was probably NOT considered a rite that would "forgive" one's sins. Instead (inner) purification depended on repentance and righteous living. For example, the Essene sect (which engaged in frequent bathings) nevertheless warned in one of the Qumran texts (1QS 5:13-4) that "... men cannot be purified unless they repent their evil." John the Baptist Some scholars believe that John the Baptist was influenced by the Essenes. John reportedly lived an ascetic life--living in the open, and refusing to eat either wine or meat. Like the Essenes, John the Baptist believed that the coming of God was imminent. In the gospels, John is introduced by calling the people to repent for their sins, saying "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! (Matthew 3:2) That is, John believed that the hour of Israel's restoration as a great nation was near. This is essentially the same message that Jesus preached in his early ministry. Some scholars have suggested that John the Baptist was possibly imitating the prophet Elijah by adopting his style of wearing a camel-hair tunic and a leather belt. It was on a spot on the east bank of the Jordan, just opposite Jericho, where according to tradition, Elijah had reportedly ascended into heaven in a "chariot of fire". According to the synoptic gospels, Jesus began his ministry upon being baptized by John the Baptist. Thus, Jesus would have been fully aware of the Essene doctrines--whether he approved of them all or not. Josephus' Account on John the Baptist The Jewish historian Josephus wrote a more detailed account on the life of John the Baptist, than on Jesus. Josephus' section on John the Baptist appears just prior to his section on Jesus. Because of this, some scholars believe that Josephus may have linked the two together in his mind. Although once again we have to be aware of translation/editing changes, still clearly these passages have a ring of authenticity to them. A major portion Josephus' account is quoted below: " John the Forerunner At that time a man was going about Judea remarkably dressed: he wore animal hair on those parts of his body not covered by his own. His face was like a savage's. He called on the Jews to claim their freedom, crying: 'God sent me to show you the way of the Law, so that you can shake off any human yoke: no man shall rule you, but only the Most High who sent me'. His message was eagerly welcomed, and he was followed by all Judea and the district round Jerusalem. All he did was to baptize them in the Jordan and dismiss them with an earnest exhortation to abandon their evil ways: if they did so they would be given a king who would liberate them and master the unruly, while himself acknowledging no master. This promise was derided by some but believed by others. The man was brought before Archelaus and an assemblage of lawyers, who asked who he was and where he had been. He replied: 'I am a man called by the Spirit of god, and I live on stems, roots, and fruit.' When he was threatened with torture if he did not stop behaving and talking like this, he retorted: 'It would be more to the point if you stopped acting so disgracefully and submitted to the God you profess to worship.' Simon, a scribe of Essene origin, sprang up and exclaimed angrily: 'We study Holy Writ every day; you have just come out of the forest like a wild animal; and do you dare put us right and mislead the people with your damnable nonsense?' Simon then rushed at him to tear him to pieces. But the man replied with a warning: 'I will not reveal to you the secret that is in your midst, as you have refused to listen and so have brought immeasurable disaster upon your own heads.' Then off he went to the other side of Jordan, where he resumed his work unmolested. [Josephus goes on to describe how John stands up to King Herod, Herod's son in Galilee]: ... [John] faced Herod and fiercely assailed him. 'You have married your brother's wife in defiance of the Law, and just as he died a cruel death, so will divine vengeance bring your life to an end ...' This attack infuriated Herod, who ordered [John] to be flogged and kicked out. But he constantly waylaid [Herod] and reiterated his accusations, till Herod lost control altogether and ordered him to be killed. He was a strange creature, not like a man at all. He lived like a disembodied spirit. He never touched bread; ... Wine and other strong drink he would not allow to be brought anywhere near him, and animal food he absolutely refused--fruit was all that he needed. The whole object of his life was to show evil in its true colours." The Treatment of John the Baptist By the Gospel Writers Because the first event heralding Jesus' ministry in both the gospels of Mark and John begins with his baptism by John the Baptist--some scholars have speculated that the historical Jesus began his career as a disciple of John the Baptist. Regarding the nature of the personage of John the Baptist, the gospels portray him as a reincarnated Elijah. Mark introduces him as such: "In the prophet Isaiah it stands written: "Here is my herald whom I send on ahead of you, and he will prepare your way. A voice crying aloud int he wilderness, 'Prepare a way for the Lord; clear a straight path for him," Either Mark (or a later copyist) made a mistake by attributing the first part of the passage "Here is my herald whom I send on ahead of you, and he will prepare your way" also to Isaiah. Instead, this passage is a reference to the writings of the Old Testament prophet, Malachi: "Look, I will send you the prophet Elijah before the great and terrible day of the LORD comes." (Mal. 4:5-6) Both Matthew and Luke corrected this error in their gospels. For example, Matthew's version EXCLUDES this reference to Malachi. "It is of him that the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 'A voice crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare a way for the Lord; clear a straight path for him'" (Matthew 3:3; see also Luke 3:2-6) "Adoptionist" View of Jewish Christian Groups There was a furious controversy among the early Christians regarding the significance of Jesus' baptism. Those early Christian groups who were more closely tied geographically and religiously to the Jews, believed that Jesus had been BORN a man--And that it was upon the EVENT of Jesus' baptism, that he became the divine messiah. This is often referred to as the "adoptionist" view of Jesus.--That is, where Jesus was believed to have been a "man" who was adopted as son by God. In the Gospel of the Hebrews, which was referred to by such early Christian writers as Clement and Origen, this adoptionist view is clearly seen: "When the Lord ascended from the water, the whole fount of the Holy Spirit descended and rested upon him and said to him: "My son, in all the prophets I was waiting for you, that you might come, and that I might rest in you. for you are my rest; and you are my firstborn son, who reigns forever." (As quoted from the GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE HEBREWS by Jerome in his COMMENTARY ON ISAIAH 11:2; quoted in Randel Helms GOSPEL FICTIONS (PROMETHEUS Books) p 30.) Jewish Christian sects, (such as the Ebionites), also held this "adoptionist" view. Their account of Jesus' baptism is very similar to Mark's, except that they make it clear Jesus was "begotten" of God ON The Day of the Baptism: "And as he came up from the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove and entering into him. And a voice from heaven said, "Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased...Today I have begotten thee." (Epiphanius, AGAINST HERESIES XXX.13.7-8, quoted by Randel Helms GOSPEL FICTIONS P 30) These Jewish Christian references were tracing Jesus' baptism back to traditions in the Old Testament. For example, * In II Samuel 7:14, God says to Soloman (through the prophet Nathan): "I will be his father, and he shall be my son." * Psalms 2:7 tells of the Lord declaring to "his anointed" (ie king of Israel): "You are my son, today I have begotten you." * And in the Jewish book of Judah 24:3: "And the heavens shall be opened to him to pour out the spirit, the blessing of the Holy Father" The gospel of Mark appears to have been influenced by this adoptionist view. Unlike the gospel writers Matthew and Luke (who clearly present a divine birth on earth), Mark begins his gospel immediately with the scene of John the Baptist's baptism of Jesus. Although similar in account to that of the Ebionites, notice how Mark has clearly removed the "today" references from his account, making it more vague in time, whether Jesus has NOW been chosen as the messiah, or had always been designated as such: " At the moment when he came up out of the water he saw the heavens torn open and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon him, and a voice from heaven:"Thou are my only son, my Beloved; on thee my favor rests." (Mark 1:10-11) Mattthew was clearly unhappy with Mark's implication that Jesus was a repentant sinner needing baptizing by John the Baptist. Therefore, he added the following scene to his gospel so that John recognizes that Jesus should NOT need to be baptized: '"Do you come to me?' he said; 'I need rather to be baptized by you.' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so for the present; it is suitable to conform in the way with all that god requires.' John than allowed him to come." (Matthew 3:13-15)" Luke does not appear to have been so embarrassed by Jesus' baptism as did Matthew. The writer of the gospel of John uses the scene of the baptism as a sign whereby he recognizes Jesus' messiahship. (The "adoptionist" view of Jesus was declared heretical at the Council of Nicene in the fourth century C.E.. See Section V, Chapter 2). Death of John the Baptist Josephus' account above stated that John the Baptist preached against Herod for marrying his "brother's wife in defiance of the Law" and for warning Herod that he would suffer "divine vengeance" for this sin. After warning John the Baptist to stop his attacks, Herod's patience wore thin, and he had John killed. According to Matthew, John the Baptist had criticized Herod's marriage-- but it was NOT King Herod who arranged for John the Baptist's death. His brother's wife, Herodias (whose dancing pleased Herod) had been promised that she could have anything she wanted. She demanded John's head on a platter. Herod was later sorry, but could not go back on his oath. (See Matthew 14:3-11) After his death, John's disciples took his dead body and buried it. They then went and told Jesus. Upon hearing the news of John's death, Jesus withdrew from the area "in a boat to a lonely place apart"--apparently to reflect on the great man's death. (see Matthew 14:12-13) Some critics have questioned whether Jesus was truly omniscient in his human form, since he apparently did not know of John's death BEFORE being told the news by John's disciples. Some have also questioned why Jesus CHOSE not to raise John the Baptist from the dead--as the gospel of John would later report Jesus raising Lazarus. Perhaps John's death was to symbolize the passing of the leadership from a great prophet to Jesus (ie, the forerunner to the messiah). Another explanation is perhaps given in Matthew 13, when after the transfiguration, Jesus explains to his disciples that John the Baptist was the "Elijah"-- who is to come and "restore all things" before the messiah comes. Here the reference indicates that John's death was to be a foreshadow of Jesus' death, at the hands of crowds that would do "whatever they pleased". Was the Purpose of John the Baptist Solely as Forerunner of Jesus? Paul, who emphasizes the importance of baptism, NEVER mentioned John the Baptist in any of his letters! In fact, John the Baptist is never mentioned in any the New Testament epistles. (WHO WAS JESUS, Open Court, 1989, p 87) Luke does not mention the Baptist's role as Elijah. Since Luke is believed to have used the gospel of Mark as one of his textual references, this means he would have purposely bypassed Mark 1:6 which stated that John is dressed as Elijah and Mark 9:9-13, where Elijah himself is stated to have come. (Ibid,p 95) Indeed, there are two scenes in the gospels (that taken collectively) would appear to disprove the view of John the Baptist existing SOLELY as a forerunner of Jesus: * According to the gospel of Matthew, after John is arrested, he sends a message to his disciples to inquire of Jesus, "Are you the one who is to come or are we to expect some other?" (Matthew 11:3) This passage clearly is not consistent with the account in Luke that states that John and Jesus were first cousins whose mothers were both told of the divine birth of Jesus. *Acts 18:24 tells how Priscilla and Aquila converted a pious Jew named Apollos who "knew only the baptism of John" to Christianity. This means that John's disciples did not preach about Jesus to everyone they baptized. Some scholars have interpreted the above to mean that John the Baptist and his disciples were an independent movement from the one of Jesus (possibly even an early rival group) that was later reabsorbed back into either Judaism or Christianity.