( Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)
Jesus himself baptized no one personally, but his disciples administered the ordinance with his approval as people came to him, at times in large numbers. His disciples baptized on profession of faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit unto a new life, distinct from John's baptism unto repentance, which raised the question whether baptism itself cleanses the sinner from guilt. The difference in wording stirred prejudice and a dispute between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples over the proper form of words and finally over the right of Jesus' disciples to baptize at all. Because the Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, he knew jealousy would be stirred to create division that would injure the work, so he unselfishly stopped the baptizing activity and quietly left Judea for Galilee to avoid dissension. His course shows his work was not to build separating barriers by constantly telling people they were wrong, but though a Jew to mingle freely with the despised Samaritans, setting aside Pharisaic customs and treating them with kindness and courtesy, so that human sympathy brought them the salvation the Jews rejected.
Baptism Practice Described
Jesus himself baptized no one personally; his disciples administered the baptismal ordinance in his stead. People came to Jesus for baptism, at times in large numbers, so the report speaks of Jesus as making and baptizing more disciples even though he did not baptize them himself. They baptized with his approval, affirming the mission of John the Baptist as his forerunner. The disciples of Jesus baptized on profession of faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while John baptized unto repentance.
Those baptisms prompted a question about whether baptism cleanses a sinner from the guilt of sin. John's disciples drew the distinction that John baptized unto repentance, while the baptism administered by Jesus' disciples was unto a new life.
The verse thus distinguishes Jesus' personal ministry from the administration of baptism by his followers. It belongs to the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well, set in rocky hill country where robed women go down stone paths carrying water in large jars.
Avoiding Division, Reaching Out
Jesus himself did not baptize personally, but his disciples administered the ordinance for those who professed faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while John baptized unto repentance. John's disciples held to John's exact words, and this difference in the form of words at baptism aroused Jewish prejudice. A dispute then arose between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples over the proper form of words to use at baptism and finally over the right of Jesus' disciples to baptize at all. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, Jesus knew they would use the report to stir jealousy and create a division between his disciples and John's that would injure the work.
To avoid dissension he therefore quietly stopped the baptizing activity and left Judea for Galilee, withdrawing to prevent the Pharisees from fostering jealousy and division that would harm their shared work. In withdrawing from the field when conflict arose between his disciples and John's, he showed unselfishness.
His wider work on the journey was not to build separating barriers and constantly tell people they were wrong. Though a Jew, he mingled freely with the Samaritans and set aside the Pharisaic customs of his nation. In spite of prejudice he accepted the hospitality of this despised people, slept under their roofs, ate with them at their tables food prepared and served by their hands, taught in their streets, and treated them with the utmost kindness and courtesy. By drawing their hearts to himself through human sympathy, his divine grace brought them the salvation the Jews rejected.
Jesus himself baptized no one personally, but his disciples administered the ordinance with his approval as people came to him, at times in large numbers. His disciples baptized on profession of faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit unto a new life, distinct from John's baptism unto repentance, which raised the question whether baptism itself cleanses the sinner from guilt. The difference in wording stirred prejudice and a dispute between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples over the proper form of words and finally over the right of Jesus' disciples to baptize at all. Because the Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, he knew jealousy would be stirred to create division that would injure the work, so he unselfishly stopped the baptizing activity and quietly left Judea for Galilee to avoid dissension. His course shows his work was not to build separating barriers by constantly telling people they were wrong, but though a Jew to mingle freely with the despised Samaritans, setting aside Pharisaic customs and treating them with kindness and courtesy, so that human sympathy brought them the salvation the Jews rejected.
Baptism Practice Described
Jesus himself baptized no one personally; his disciples administered the baptismal ordinance in his stead. People came to Jesus for baptism, at times in large numbers, so the report speaks of Jesus as making and baptizing more disciples even though he did not baptize them himself. They baptized with his approval, affirming the mission of John the Baptist as his forerunner. The disciples of Jesus baptized on profession of faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while John baptized unto repentance.
Those baptisms prompted a question about whether baptism cleanses a sinner from the guilt of sin. John's disciples drew the distinction that John baptized unto repentance, while the baptism administered by Jesus' disciples was unto a new life.
The verse thus distinguishes Jesus' personal ministry from the administration of baptism by his followers. It belongs to the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well, set in rocky hill country where robed women go down stone paths carrying water in large jars.
Avoiding Division, Reaching Out
Jesus himself did not baptize personally, but his disciples administered the ordinance for those who professed faith in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while John baptized unto repentance. John's disciples held to John's exact words, and this difference in the form of words at baptism aroused Jewish prejudice. A dispute then arose between John's disciples and Jesus' disciples over the proper form of words to use at baptism and finally over the right of Jesus' disciples to baptize at all. When the Pharisees heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, Jesus knew they would use the report to stir jealousy and create a division between his disciples and John's that would injure the work.
To avoid dissension he therefore quietly stopped the baptizing activity and left Judea for Galilee, withdrawing to prevent the Pharisees from fostering jealousy and division that would harm their shared work. In withdrawing from the field when conflict arose between his disciples and John's, he showed unselfishness.
His wider work on the journey was not to build separating barriers and constantly tell people they were wrong. Though a Jew, he mingled freely with the Samaritans and set aside the Pharisaic customs of his nation. In spite of prejudice he accepted the hospitality of this despised people, slept under their roofs, ate with them at their tables food prepared and served by their hands, taught in their streets, and treated them with the utmost kindness and courtesy. By drawing their hearts to himself through human sympathy, his divine grace brought them the salvation the Jews rejected.