The Jewish Ritual of Baptism

Immersion in a ritual bath (Mikvah)is required for Ger tzedek (converts to Judaism) as
part of their conversion. Other rituals for conversion to Judaism include circumcision and
an understanding and observance of all the relevant laws.
In the Tanakh, and other Jewish texts, bathing for ritual purification was established for
specified circumstances; in order to be restored to a condition of 'ritual purity'. For
example, Jews who become ritually 'defiled' by contact with a corpse (according to the
Law of Moses), had to use the mikvah before being allowed to participate in the Holy
Temple. Through practices such as these, immersion in the mikveh represent purification
and restoration, and qualification for full religious participation in the life of the
community. (See Book of Numbers Chapter 19)
In modern times, the adherence and observance of the laws, rituals, and customs
regarding the mikvah differ greatly among the Jewish denominations. The only modern
exception is that after menses, women need to immerse in a mikvah in order to be
permitted to her husband.
The Matthew 28:19 Issue:
Their are many Biblical historians and theologians who believe that Matthew 28:19 did
not read originally as it reads today. Why do they believe this? Firstly, because it is
clearly in "trinitarian language." Trinitarian language did not even begin to remotely
appear until well into the third century AD. Secondly, this phrase is worded in such a way
as it appears nowhere else in all of New Testament writings. Thus, we are inclined to
believe that this phrase was changed in the early history of the church in an effort to give
the trinitarian doctrine, and it's subsequent change in baptismal formula, some sort of
validity and Biblical basis.
Britannica Encyclopedia, 11th Edition, Volume 3, page 365 – Baptism was changed from
the name of Jesus to words Father, Son & Holy Ghost in 2nd Century.
Canney Encyclopedia of Religion, page 53 – The early church baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus until the second century.
Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion, Volume 2 – Christian baptism was administered
using the words, "in the name of Jesus." page 377. Baptism was always in the name of
Jesus until time of Justin Martyr, page 389.
Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 2, page 263 – Here the authors acknowledged that the
baptismal formula was changed by their church.
Schaff – Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, Volume 1, page 435 – The New Testament
knows only the baptism in the name of Jesus.
Hastings Dictionary of Bible, page 88 – It must be acknowledged that the three fold name
of Matthew 28:19 does not appear to have been used by the primitive church, but rather
in the name of Jesus, Jesus Christ or Lord Jesus.
Encyclopedia Britannica Everywhere in the oldest sources it states that baptism took
place in the name of Jesus Christ. (Vol. 3, Pg. 82) The baptismal formula was changed
from the name of Jesus Christ to the words Father, Son, and Holy Ghost by the Catholic
Church in the Second Century. (Vol. 3, Pg 365 – 366]
Hastings Encyclopedia of Religion Name was an ancient synonym for “person”. Payment
was always made in the name of some person referring to ownership. Therefore one
being baptized in Jesus’ name became personal property...The early church always
baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ until the development of the Trinity
Doctrine in second century...Christian Baptism was administered using the words, “In the
name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Vol.2, Pg. 377) Baptism was always in the name of
“Lord Jesus” until Justin Martyr when triune formula was used. (Vol. 2 Pg. 389)

Baptism in the Trinitarian Formula is not Biblical, and was added by men whose words
are not included in the Holy Scriptures. Jesus said that the worship of the Pharisees was
in vain because they were teaching for commandments the doctrines of men. The same
can be said about anyone who baptises in the Trinitarian Formula.

John the Baptist

John the Baptist, a preacher who preached before Jesus started teaching, foretold the soon
coming of the Messiah. John was called the Baptist, as he and his disciples would baptise
(immerse in water) those who believed his message of repentance for the remission of
sins. Jesus himself was baptised by John.
Historical evidence of baptism in the Early Christian Churches
All the histories agree that the Early Church baptised by immersion in the Name of the
Lord Jesus Christ. This means that the Apostle Paul, and even Mary (Jesus' mother) were
baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ after the day of Pentecost.
A short analysis of Catholic, Orthodox, and Infant Baptism
Catholic Baptism: Orthodox Baptism Infant Baptism
The papacy says a sacrament must contain three elements to be valid:
1.the correct form;
2.the correct matter; and
3.the correct intention.
The Catholic Church also says, with regards to baptism, that the correct intention is to do
what the Church does as a matter of tradition. The tradition of the Catholic church is to
baptise by aspersion (sprinkling water over the head) or effusion (pouring water over the
head) in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Orthodox
Church teaches sprinkling or pouring in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit. The Orthodox church also teaches that baptism should be preceded by
fasting, and that, if cool running water is not available, the baptism should be done three
times rather than once. (Didache, Chaper 7). The Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican
Churches each perform paedobaptism (the baptism of infants).
The Bible states that:
1.Baptism is a burial, and therefore the correct form (supported by histories) is
immersion.
2.Baptism must be performed in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3.The correct intention is with repentance
Furthermore, the Greek word for baptize (βάπτειν) means "to plunge, dip, or immerse in
a liquid." It can never be interpreted to mean "sprinkle."
Regarding Infant baptism, consider the scripture Repent and be baptised (Acts 2:38): If
an infant is too young to repent (or understand repentance), how can they then be
baptized? The Bible also says that Baptism is an act of good conscience towards God.
Infant baptism is an act of good conscience by the parents of the infant on behalf of the
infant, rather than a conscious act of the infant.
This is a simple matter of Tradition vs. Scripture. You have the choice of believing the
Scriptures, or believing man-made tradition.
The views of mainstream Christianity to Jesus' Name baptism is varied. The Roman
Catholic Church states that only baptisms performed using the Trinitarian formula are
valid. However it does accept that theologians of the past considered baptism in the name
of Jesus only to be an acceptable form. St. Thomas, St. Bonaventure, and Albertus
Magnus held the view that the Apostles baptized in this way by special dispensation.
Pope Nicholas I wrote to the Bulgarians that a person is not to be rebaptized who has
already been baptized "in the name of the Holy Trinity or in the name of Christ only".
Martin Luther in his Prelude on the Babylonian Captivity of the Church describes
disagreements over the wording of the baptism as "pedantry" and argues for acceptance
of baptisms in the name of Jesus if carried out with proper intent. In circa 254, Pope
Stephen I in the midst of the baptismal controversies with Cyprian declared that all
baptisms in the name of Jesus are valid. St. Gennadius in his work Lives of Illustrious
Men states that in the 3rd century, one Ursinus the monk, during the Cyprian
controversies, argued that "those who were baptized in the name of Christ [alone], even if
by heretics, did not need to be re-baptized." St. John Chrysostom argues for a literal
interpretation of the Luke's records of baptisms in the name of Jesus, as accounted in
Acts. St. Basil states that, "the naming of Christ is the confession of the whole." St.
Ambrose, mentor to Augustine, argued for the validity of baptisms "in the name of
Jesus." St. Augustine states that "those baptized into other names need to be rebaptized
into Christ." Elsewhere, he states knowledge of those who had been baptized into the
name of Christ alone [outside the apostolic era] and likewise argues for a literal
interpretation of Acts 2:38 "in the name of Jesus". St. Thomas Aquinas (while arguing for
Trinitarian baptism), states that the apostles (Peter, James, John, etc.) baptized in the
name of Christ alone by "special dispensation." (Whereas many modern scholars, by
contrast, interpret the saying "in the name of Jesus" figuratively instead of literally in an
attempt to reconcile the two conflicting passages [Acts 2:38 and Matthew 28:19]). The
Baptist Standard Confession of 1660 declares baptisms in the name of Jesus to be valid.
The church is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ
himself being the chief corner stone" (Ephesians 2:20). The apostles not only preached
baptism in Jesus' name, but they practiced it. Nowhere can we find that they baptized
using the words "in the name of Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Instead,
we find them baptizing in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. In baptizing in Jesus' name,
they fulfilled the command of the Lord in Matthew 28:19. Rome and her Protestant
daughters are not happy with those who use the older form of Christian water baptism in
the name of Jesus only. So both the papacy and the sons of the papacy in other Protestant
denominations come against the Jesus Name people who hold strictly to the Bible in
water baptism. The New Testament only talks about people being baptized "in the name
of Jesus." There are at least five such direct passages (Acts 2:38, 8:16, 10:48, 19:5 and
22:16); and not one time into the trinity.
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus”
(Colossians 3:17)
“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned.” (Mark 16:15-16)
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For
the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as
the Lord our God shall call.” (Acts 2:38-39)
“But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself
believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at
Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter
and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the
Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus.)” (Acts 8:12-17)
“And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said,
See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest
with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is
the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both
into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were
come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw
him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.” (Acts 8:36-39)
“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him
said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou
camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy
Ghost. And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received
sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.” (Acts 9:17-18)
“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the
word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can
any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy
Ghost as well as we? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”
(Acts 10:44-48)
“And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which
worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the
things which were spoken of Paul. And when she was baptized, and her household, she
besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house,
and abide there. And she constrained us.” (Acts 16:14-15)
“Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul
and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they
said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. And they
spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. And he took them
the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his,
straightway.” (Acts 16:29-33)
“And Crispus, the chief ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his house;
and many of the Corinthians hearing believed, and were baptized.” (Acts 18:8)
“And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the
upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye
received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so
much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then
were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily
baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe
on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they
were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ” (Acts 19:1-5)
“And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on
the name of the Lord.” (Acts 22:16)
“The like figure where unto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of
the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the
resurrection of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 3:21)
“Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into
his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was
raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in
newness of life.... Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of
sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.... Let not sin therefore
reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (Romans 6:3-
4,6,12)
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the
life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)
“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given
among men, whereby we must be saved" (Acts 4:12).
Every account of baptism in the Bible was by immersion:
"And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water . . ." (Matthew
3:16).
"And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water
there . . . " (John 3:23).
"And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water,
both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him" (Acts 8:38).
Notice that baptism is referred to in the Bible as a burial: Romans 6:3-4; Colossians 2:12.
History also states that baptism by immersion is the correct way:
"Baptism was always a burial. The command to baptize was always a command to
immerse." Schaff-Herzog Religious Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Page 451
"Immersion was the oldest method employed. 'Buried in him by baptism.'" Catholic
Biblical Encyclopedia, Page 61, Paragraph 1
"It is evident that the action performed in baptizing was immersion." Encyclopedia
Dictionary of the Bible, Page 202
"The early church practiced immersion or submerging under the water." World Book of
Encyclopedia, Volume 2, Page 70
"Martin Luther preferred immersion as more true to original practice." Encyclopedia of
the Lutheran Church, Volume 1, Page 188
Peter, John and Paul left us all these words and deeds of admonishment:
"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of
men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.For in him dwelleth all the
fullness of the Godhead bodily. And ye are complete in him" Colossians 2:9-10).
“And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of
Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of
God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye." (Acts 4: 18-19)
The following is a true record of a Baptism which took place in Rome A.D. 100 and was
reproduced in Time magazine, December 5, 1955.
"The deacon raised his hand, and Publius Decius stepped through the baptistry door.
Standing waist-deep in the pool was Marcus Vasca the woodseller. He was smiling as
Publius waded into the pool beside him. ‘Credis?’ he asked. ‘Credo,’ responded Publius.
‘I believe that my salvation comes from Jesus the Christ, Who was crucified under
Pontius Pilate. With Him I died that with Him I may have Eternal Life.’ Then he felt
strong arms supporting him as he let himself fall backward into the pool, and heard
Marcus’ voice in his ear ---- ‘I baptize you in the Name of the Lord Jesus’ ---- as the cold
water closed over him."