Bible Study The Authority of Johns Baptism.

[stovebolts]

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Mark 1 ESV​

John the Baptist Prepares the Way​

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

I was reading this the other day and it and verse 4 popped out to me. Why? Because the past 20 years with the church of Christ, they teach Johns Baptism was for repentance while the baptism of Jesus was for the forgiveness of sin. Verse 4 makes it pretty clear, to me at least, that Johns Baptism included the forgiveness of sin.

Keeping this in mind, A few chapters later and this stood out to me.

Mark 11

The Authority of Jesus Challenged​

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,

28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”

29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.

33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Verse 30 really stood out to me... and I myself, who has been taught the Johns Baptism was from Man was confronted with the question Jesus asked the religious leaders...

I now see that I was wrong.

Johns Baptism was from God. And here is why.

Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Paralytic​

2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,

7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?

10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Look at verse 7 and 11, and enjoy a slurped, but don’t drink too fast or you’ll get brain freeze... meditate, let it set in.

But some may say that the teachers of the law were wrong on everything... Are they wrong saying only God can forgive sins?

When we talk about Prophets, they speak the very words of God. It is not them speaking, but rather, it is God speaking through them.

This being said, Johns baptism was authorized by God and as a result, was able to forgive sins.

If this is true, then it brings me to the conclusion that Johns Baptism was not a baptism of men, but from God since only God can forgive sins.

 

[Hopeful]

​

Mark 1 ESV​

John the Baptist Prepares the Way​

1 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet,

“Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way,
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”

4 John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

5 And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

6 Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.

7 And he preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.

8 I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

I was reading this the other day and it and verse 4 popped out to me. Why? Because the past 20 years with the church of Christ, they teach Johns Baptism was for repentance while the baptism of Jesus was for the forgiveness of sin. Verse 4 makes it pretty clear, to me at least, that Johns Baptism included the forgiveness of sin.

Keeping this in mind, A few chapters later and this stood out to me.

Mark 11

The Authority of Jesus Challenged​

27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to him,

28 and they said to him, “By what authority are you doing these things, or who gave you this authority to do them?”

29 Jesus said to them, “I will ask you one question; answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man? Answer me.”

31 And they discussed it with one another, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ he will say, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’

32 But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet.

33 So they answered Jesus, “We do not know.” And Jesus said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

Verse 30 really stood out to me... and I myself, who has been taught the Johns Baptism was from Man was confronted with the question Jesus asked the religious leaders...

I now see that I was wrong.

Johns Baptism was from God. And here is why.

Mark 2

Jesus Heals a Paralytic​

2 And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts,

7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

8 And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? 9 Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’?

10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic—
11 “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.”

12 And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!”

Look at verse 7 and 11, and enjoy a slurped, but don’t drink too fast or you’ll get brain freeze... meditate, let it set in.

But some may say that the teachers of the law were wrong on everything... Are they wrong saying only God can forgive sins?

When we talk about Prophets, they speak the very words of God. It is not them speaking, but rather, it is God speaking through them.

This being said, Johns baptism was authorized by God and as a result, was able to forgive sins.

If this is true, then it brings me to the conclusion that Johns Baptism was not a baptism of men, but from God since only God can forgive sins.

Good post.
But we too can forgive sins...committed against us.
I feel that John's baptism unto repentance for the forgiveness of sins has only been modified to include the name of Jesus Christ.
It is still in effect.

 

[stovebolts]

Good post.
But we too can forgive sins...committed against us.
I feel that John's baptism unto repentance for the forgiveness of sins has only been modified to include the name of Jesus Christ.
It is still in effect.

We see in the ten commandments that we can sin both against man and we can sin against God. Both require forgiveness. We could even extend this out to willful sin and sin done in ignorance.

Johns Baptism was one of repentance. In other word, stop doing that, and start doing this and we see that confession also played a role.

But here is whatI see, Johns baptism was not a baptism of man. It was a baptism from God with John and the water both being the vessel for Gods grace unto the forgiveness of sins.