JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN BAPTISM.
By Editor
A CORRESPONDENT writes: "I should like to have stated through the columns of the SIGNS OF THE TIMES the difference between Jewish and Christian baptism," and asks if there is any printed work on the subject of Jewish baptism. 1. We will answer the last question first: There may be works on that subject, but there are none that we recall. 2. It is a disputed point as to whether there was Jewish baptism previous to the time of Christ. The evidence, however, seems to point to the affirmative. The tradition of the rabbins, according to Kitto, refer to it as a rite in existence hundreds of years before the Christian era. An evidence that baptism was known to them is shown by the fact that they did not appear surprised at the baptism of John. 3. The ceremony of Jewish baptism is thus described by Kitto: "The ceremony was performed in the presence of three persons who had acted as the instructors of the convert, and were regarded as not only witnesses for his baptism, but, with reference to the idea of a new birth therewith connected, as his fathers. Having stripped himself, cut his hair, and pared the nails on his hands and feet, he went into the water up to the arms; the laws were then read to him, and, having promised to obey them, he immersed himself wholly. Females were attended to the bath by persons of their own sex, while their teachers stood outside the door. After their immersion they received a new name. When a proselyte had young children, these were baptized with their parents. Having been thus by circumcision and baptism received into the Israelitish community, the convert had to celebrate his entrance by the presentation of an offering unto God, without which no one could approach the Lord. The offering consisted of a bullock, or a pair of turtle doves, or two pigeons." 4. The object of Jewish baptism was to show that the proselyte or convert had renounced Paganism, and was purified from its wickedness. It was really only one act of an elaborate ceremony, the other two of which were circumcision and free-will offering. 5. The difference between that and Christian baptism seems to lie in this one fact,—the Jewish baptism carried with it the idea of renunciation, but not that of faith. It did not show faith in a Saviour to come, nor in the resurrection of the dead. Its main idea seems to be that of purification. Christian baptism, on the other hand, not only conveyed the idea of renunciation of the world, but was the manifestation of faith in Christ—his death, burial, and resurrection to an immortal life. To use the figure of a marriage, it is the marriage ceremony which unites the believer to Christ.