Prefigurations of Baptism in the Old Testament

Mystagogy ^ | 01-04-2016 | John Sanidopoulos

[NRx]

Blessed Jerome says that "the Spirit of God above moved ... over the face of the waters [Gen. 1:2], and produced from them the infant world, a type of the Christian child that is drawn from the laver of Baptism."1 He also observes, "When the world falls into sin, nothing but a flood of waters can cleanse it again. But as soon as the foul bird of wickedness is driven away, the dove of the Holy Spirit comes to Noah [Gen. 8:8,11 ], as it came afterwards to Christ in the Jordan [Mt. 3:16], carrying in its beak a branch betokening restoration and light, and bringing tidings of peace to the whole world."2

According to St. Jacob of Serugh, when Patriarch Jacob reached the well where Rachel watered her flocks, a great weight lie across it, which could scarce be removed by many men. Yet Jacob, a type of Christ, opened the baptismal font for His betrothed, that she might bathe there. He (Christ) lifted up the weight of sins by His mighty strength. He revealed a spring that gave a sweet draught to all the world. The fair sight of her so multiplied his strength that he was able to roll away the stone that was too heavy for many men [Gen. 29:10]. The mystery of the Church lay on her face like a jewel. All the flocks drank there for Rachel's sake, who was the cause thereof by her grace, her love, her beauty."3

In the exodus, Saint Ambrose tells us, "Holy Baptism was prefigured in that passage of the Hebrews, wherein the Egyptian perished and the Hebrew escaped. For what else are we daily taught in this sacrament, but that guilt is swallowed up and error done away, but that virtue and innocence remain unharmed?"4

In the life of Prophet Elisha he healed the barren waters with salt [4 Kgs. 2:19-22], which prefigured the fruitfulness that the august font should bring forth mystically.5 And he sweetened the waters by means of salt, manifestly proclaiming the grace of Baptism.6 Saint Kosmas says, "Jordan received into its deep bosom a sharp axe, and then was forced by a stick of wood to give it back again [4 Kgs. 6:1-7], thus betokening the cutting of error by the Cross and Baptism."7 At the Prophet's behest, the Syrian leper Naaman washed seven times in the Jordan, and was cleansed [4 Kgs. 5:14].

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem, speaking of the true circumcision spoken of by Prophet Jeremiah, says "By the likeness of our faith ...we become the adopted sons of Abraham; and consequent upon our faith, like him we receive the spiritual seal, being circumcised by the Holy Spirit through the laver of Baptism, not in the foreskin of the body, but in the heart, according to the words of Jeremiah: 'Circumcise yourselves to God, and circumcise your hardness of heart' [Jer. 4:4], and according to the Apostle: 'In Whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God, Who hath raised Him from the dead' [Col. 2: 11,12]."8

Saint Basil the Great interprets the triple immersion of the baptismal rite by the three days of Christ's burial in accordance with the sign of Jonah.9 Saint John of Damascus regards the Prophet Jonah's three nights in the belly of the sea monster and his coming forth again as a manifestation beforehand to all of our regeneration by the washing [Titus 3:5] and our deliverance from the dragon that slays mankind."10

Saint Gregory of Nyssa remarks that "most manifestly does Zachariah prophesy of Jesus [Zach. 3:4], who was clothed with the filthy garment (to wit, the flesh of a servant, even ours), and stripping him of his ill-favored raiment adorns him with the clean and fair apparel. He teaches us by the figurative illustration that verily in the Baptism of Jesus all we, putting off our sins like some poor and patched garment, are clothed in the holy and most fair garment of regeneration."11

Notes:

1. Saint Jerome, "Letter LXIX," Vol. VI, Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, p. 145.

2. Ibid.

3. Mar Jacob, Bishop of Serugh, "A Homily on our Lord and Jacob, on the Church and Rachel, and on Leah and the Synagogue," The True Vine, vol. 4, no. 4 (1993), pp. 51-64.

4. "On the Mysteries," Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. X, 2nd Ser. Ch. III, p. 318. 5. January 5th, extract of Matins Canon, Ode Seven, Tone One.

6. June 14th, Matins Ikos.

7. September 14th, Exaltation of the Cross, Matins Canon, Ode Four, Tone Plagal Four.

8. "Catechesis V," Fathers of the Church, Vol. 61, pp. 142, 143.

9. "On the Spirit," Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. VIII, pp. 14, 32. 10. Theophany, Matins Canon, Ode Six, Tone Two.

11. "On the Baptism of Christ," Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers, Vol. V, Bk. VI, pp. 522-3.

[Bodleian_Girl]

Only those that believe may be baptized.

[Mrs. Don-o]

The believers and their children. It constitutes them members of the community of the saved-— similar to the way infant circumcision did under the Old Covenant.

[metmom]

But circumcision did not save.

And while some will try to tie the two together, baptism does not save any more than circumcision did.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Well then, there ya go!

[sasportas]

Only those that believe may be baptized.

>And repent...

“And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,” Luke 24:47

At Jerusalem, on the day of Pentecost, repentance and remissions of sins in his name preached:

“...and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?
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,” Acts 2:37,38

[Campion]

So, then, "... corresponding to that, baptism now saves you" (1 Pt 3:21, NASB) really means "baptism now doesn't save you" ... ???

[cloudmountain]

Good article.

[Bodleian_Girl]

Not possible that an unbelieving child or infant can receive a scriptural baptism.

Acts 8:34 And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

36 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?

37 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.

38 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.

39 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.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Bodleian, my girl:

That needs to be read in context with these Scriptures:

Acts 16:15
"When she and her household were baptized ..."

1 Corinthians 1:16
I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.

Whole household were baptized, which in the cultural context meant both kinfolk and servants resident there, and their families of both sexes and all ages.

We learn further that this was the understanding and practice of the early Church: their consideration was whether the adults were believers (you certainly would not baptize an adult nonbeliever), and whether they were committed to bringing up their children in the Faith. In other words, the minor children, including infants, were rightly regarded as very young, developing believers, just as they are rightly regarded as very young, developing human beings.

This conforms also to the profound theological meaning of the OT prefiguring events, e.g. Exodus, coming through "the water" (of the Red Sea); which meant leaving slavery (of Egypt, of sin) behind, and crossing over to freedom and nationhood.

On the "before" side of the Red Sea, they were Egyptian slaves. On the "after" side, they were the Jewish nation. Incipiently: they still needed decades before they were even "nationized" enough to enter into Canaan and, by the mighty works of God, make it their own.

The infant or minor child is a member of his parents' "nation of believers" because of their faith, and because he is being raised in a faithful household, in freedom and in the law of God.

When he reaches the age of reason he will, of course, choose more maturely. Baptism does not "save" absent even any scintilla of faith. Otherwise we should be justified in going into pediatric (and hospice) situations and baptizing all and sundry, up and down the wards, or baptizing bikini-clad beachgoers with surprise buckets of water!

:o)

An amusing thought: but no.

[Bodleian_Girl]

The use of the word household can not be understood to call God a liar.

A household MAY contain an infant, but as we know, MOST do not.

However, God’s Word is clear and definitive in saying that only BELIEVERS may be baptized.

Let God be true.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Claiming that using Scripture to interpret Scripture aounts to "calling God a liar" is un-called for.

Nowhere does Scripture say that whole households cannot be baptized. It says that they can.

Reading individual passages in the light of related passages is the first and indispensable rule, by the way, for correct interpretation. It is all too easy for any individual, even when well-intending, to do like the Adversary, who was so adept at playing out proof-texts only to bolster his "position." All too easy for any of us; I am preaching, as well, to myself for sure.

Thus Scripture is to be interpreted in the light of the the WHOLE BIBLE and according to the mind of the church, as she is guided by the Holy Spirit, Who Our Lord promised would lead us to all truth.

I don't mean this in any kind of exclusionary sense. You and me and all of us!

[Bodleian_Girl]

“Household” does not interpret “If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.”

[Mrs. Don-o]

In this instance, he was speaking to an adult --- in fact, an eunuch, who was not asking about baptism for his posterity. Context.

Nowhere does Scripture say that infants and minor children cannot be baptized.

[Bodleian_Girl]

I’ll circle back around tonight! Always enjoy discussing things with you and just wanted to say that my sometimes brevity is only because I’m pressed for time. :-)

[Mrs. Don-o]

OK. I get that completely. I enjoy you too!