In the previous post, we showed how the first two references to baptism in the first letter to the Corinthians are references to a birth of a water and Spirit in the name of Jesus Christ. Again, understanding that this is all one letter should let us know that when Paul uses the word we translate as "baptism/immersion" in this letter, this is what he is referring to.
Let's look at our next instance:
"Now brethren, I do not wish you to be ignorant that our fathers were all under the cloud and all went through the sea; and were all immersed into Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food; and all were drinking the same spiritual drink; for they were drinking from a spiritual rock following them, and the rock was Christ. Yet God was not delighted in most of them; for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things became our examples, that we should not be desirers of evil things, just-as they also lusted. Do not become idolaters, just-as some of them were; as it has been written, ‘The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.’ Neither should we fornicate, like some of them fornicated, and twenty three thousand fell in one day. Nor should we test the Christ, just-as some of them also tested him, and perished by the serpents. Nor murmur, like some of them also murmured, and perished by the destroyer. Now all these things are examples which were befalling to those Jews, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have arrived. So-then, he who thinks he stands, let him beware, lest he might fall! No temptation has taken you except common human temptations, but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to undergo, but together with the temptation, he will also make an outlet." - 1 Corinthians 10:1-13, MLV
Understanding the full context of this letter reminds us that above all this is a corrective letter to the church in Corinth, which was full of problems. In this particular part of the letter, Paul is warning them to not use their salvation as a license to sin. He then gives some analogies from Israel's history. He uses a type-antitype OT foreshadowing construction to start off his point. He says that Israel had its own "baptism/immersion" and a sort of commumion as well. They went through the waters of the Red Sea with the cloud overhead (essentially surrounded by waters on all sides). This baptism allowed them to escape slavery and death and then put them into a relationship with Moses as their leader; afterwards they ate manna from Heaven and drank water from the rock. The same is true for us today, we go through the waters of baptism for the forgiveness of sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, and this puts us into a relationship with Christ as our leader. Afterwards we partake of the bread and wine representing the body and blood of Christ. However, just as some of the Israelites afterwards rebelled and sinned and were punished, we are warned not to use our baptism and partaking of communion (both of which are connected to forgiveness of sins) as an excuse to willingly sin. The point I'd like to make about the current study is the allusion to baptism here (Red Sea = water, Cloud = Spirit) is a birth of water and Spirit.
The next baptismal passage is one of the most controversial and debated ones in all the Bible. In the future I will dedicate an entire post to this verse, but for now let's try to put it into context for the letter of 1st Corinthians:
"For just-as the body is one and has many members and all the members of the one body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For also, we were all immersed into one body, in one Spirit, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bondservants or free men, and all were made to drink into one Spirit."
- 1 Corinthians 12:12-13, MLV
For the sake of time and space, I won't delve deep into this verse now. Suffice it to say that many people claim that this verse is referring to the moment of conversion as a Spirit-(only) baptism, and has nothing to do with water baptism. Others say this verse is about water baptism, only using the Spirit as as metaphor. I would like to put forward that this verse is referring to the baptism that is a birth of water AND Spirit and not one or the other. Again, understanding the first three verses referring to baptism in this letter (Chapter 1 verses 10-17, Chapter 6 verses 9-11 and chapter 10 verses 1 - 13) all refer to immersion (in water) in the name of Jesus, which is a birth of water and Spirit, it only makes logical sense that this verse refers to the same moment. When the readers/hearers of this letter in the first century got to this part, they wouldn't have been thinking of two different baptism: one in water and one in Spirit, but rather would have recalled their own conversion when a disciple of Jesus immersed them in water in his name, just as it is stated in Acts 18:8, and in the first chapter of this letter, when Paul lists off the people he recalls having baptized (Crispus, Gaius and the household of Stephanas). The point of this verse is that our baptism is a uniting factor. In this part of the letter, Paul is talking about unity through diversity: all the Corinthians may have different gifts, but it is the one Spirit who has given each of the gifts. And although we all have different functions in the body/the church, the one Spirit put us into that church when we were baptized. We were all watered with, irrigated with, or given the one Spirit to drink. John 4:10-14 and John 7:38-39 both allude to this idea that the Spirit is poured into us like a drink; and Titus 3:3-8 spells out the moment when this occurs is when we have the washing/bath of rebirth and renewal. As mentioned, we will discuss this verse more in detail in a later post, but for now let's use the logical conclusion that if the first three verses in this letter dealing with baptism have water involved, then so does this reference as well.
The final verse in this letter dealing with baptism is probably the most confusing one in the entire NT:
"Otherwise what will they do who are immersed on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not literally raised up, why then are they immersed on behalf of the dead?" - 1 Corinthians 15:29, MLV
A baptism for the dead. Complex and confusing to say the least. Some believe that the apostle is saying that in Corinth there were disciples who began allowing themselves to be immersed for people who were already dead, a sort of vicarious baptism for one who perhaps had faith, but died before they were able to be baptized. This one verse has led to an entire doctrine of "baptism for the dead" in the Mormon churches of today. That being said, there are three main ideas promoted by Bible scholars regarding this verse:
A) people were being vicariously baptized for loved ones who were already dead
B) the expressions means that one was baptized with regard to one who was dead, as in a Christian whose dying plea was that loved ones would become a Christian (by getting baptized)
C) the dead meaning one's own dead body, and the baptism was a way to assure that the dead body will be resurrected and join those who were already dead in Christ in the resurrection
None of the arguments are satisfying, however I will say that I tend to lean towards the third option, particularly after reading what Tertullian wrote about the verse around 200 AD:
"He asks 'what will thy do who are baptized for the dead, if the dead do not rise?'...Do not then suppose that the apostle here indicates that some new god is the author and advocate of this practice. Rather, it was so that he could all the more firmly insist upon the resurrection of the body, in proportion as they who were baptized for the dead resorted to the practice from their belief of such a resurrection. We have the apostle in another passage defining 'only one baptism.' Therefore, to be 'baptized for the dead' means, in fact, to be baptized for the body. For, as we have shown, it is the body that becomes dead. What, then, will they do who are baptized for the body, if the body does not rise again?"
So, in conclusion. I would state the every single verse in 1 Corinthians that deals with baptism, is referring to a baptism in the name of Jesus, where one disciple immerses a convert in water so as to be born of water and Spirit. This is tied to the crucifixion and the unity of the body of Christ. This is where we are washed, sanctified and justified. This was foreshadowed by Moses leading the Israelites through the Red Sea and under the cloud. This is where the Spirit puts us into the body of Christ, and eliminates all dividing hostilities. Finally, this is what allows us to be confident that we will participate in the final resurrection because we have been united with and resurrected with Christ in his death, burial and resurrection.
Be strong in the grace,
Fenton
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