What Is Baptism’s Mode

11. June 2009 by Ernie.

Sorry this has taken me so long. When I started this line of thinking I was focusing primarily on sprinkling/pouring versus immersion. This I will continue to do at this time

Vines tells us that the words translated baptism and its forms mean the following:

BAPTISM
1. baptisma (NT:908), “baptism,” consisting of the processes of immersion, submersion and emergence (from bapto, “to dip”), is used (a) of John’s “baptism,” (b) of Christian “baptism,” see B. below; (c) of the overwhelming afflictions and judgments to which the Lord voluntarily submitted on the cross, e. g., Lk 12:50; (d) of the sufferings His followers would experience, not of a vicarious character, but in fellowship with the sufferings of their Master. Some mss. have the word in Mt 20:22-23; it is used in Mk 10:38-39, with this meaning.

2. baptismos NT:909), as distinct from baptisma (the ordinance), is used of the “ceremonial washing of articles,” Mk 7:4,8, in some texts; Heb 9:10; once in a general sense, Heb 6:2. See WASHING.

3. baptistes (NT:910), “a baptist,” is used only of John the Baptist, and only in the Synoptists, 14 times.

(from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, Copyright © 1985, Thomas Nelson Publishers.)

It is clear that the authors of the New Testament used words that meant to be immersed i.e. to be completely covered by the water not sprinkled on or poured over.  The Bible also uses the term baptism in such away that show this concept also.

Note the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts chapter 8:

Ac 8:36-39
36 As they went along the road they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look! Water! What prevents me from being baptized?”37 [And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”]38 And he ordered the chariot to stop; and they both went down into the water, Philip as well as the eunuch, and he baptized him. (emp. added) 39 When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; and the eunuch no longer saw him, but went on his way rejoicing. NASU

So to baptize the eunuch both he and Philip had to go down into the water. Clearly the eunuch was immersed as the word itself indicates.

But another thought is that baptism is a burial.

Col 2:12
12 having been buried with Him in baptism, (emp. added) in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. NASU

Again we clearly see what the author’s of the N.T. intended. When one is buried they are completely covered by the dirt. Completely immersed in whatever container they are in. Many in the days of the N.T. were buried in tombs but still completely immersed in their tomb.

Clearly the New Testament teaches that Baptism by mode and form is to be completely immersed in the water not just to have a little sprinkled or poured on us. Sprinkling and pouring were added by men and never meant to be modes by which men or women were baptized.

Ernie

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