Did Early Christians Perform Baptism for the Dead

John A. Tvedtnes Provo, Utah

This essay exposes the ideological biases characterizing recent research into the origin of "Christian baptism" as scholars variously root its origin in their preferred religion (Greco-Roman, Jewish, or sui generis Christianity). This is made possible in part through the constructed categories of various types of “baptisms” and a preference for "Christian baptism," which controls comparison. To remedy the distortion of sources, I propose that a robust implementation of comparative method is necessary, including clarification on what, why, and how we compare. This will shed clearer light on the origin of the religious ritual of baptism in, of, and around the Bible.

ReformedBooksOnline.com, 2015

Fentiman gives an introduction to the subject of the ‘baptism for the dead’ (1 Cor. 15:29) and argues that it refers to the purification washing for touching dead bodies in Num. 19, which the Jews (rightly) held to be a picture of the Resurrection. R.L. Dabney, amongst others took this view, though Fentiman argues it in more detail. A dozen other views are surveyed and critiqued in these expanded sermon notes.

The Death in Baptism: How Being Buried and Raised with Christ Informs Believers' Past, Present, and Future Realities Through Romans 6:3-4, 2024

This paper takes an exegetical look at Romans 6:3-4. Paul constructs an argument about where believers' lives come from (Adam), where they currently reside (in Christ), and where they are heading (glory) via verses 3-4 and their surrounding context. This paper will, therefore, show that being buried and raised with Christ in baptism informs the believer about his past, present, and future. This will be done by an exegetical analysis that shows the need for being buried with Christ and how that shows the sin that is radically evident in the person’s past, the raising to new life in Christ, and the severing of sin in his present life, and his future assurance in the resurrection to eternal life

BYU Studies Quarterly, 2012

L atter-day Saint discourse has long featured and benefited from two different New Testament metaphors in explaining and understanding water baptism. The first is the near universal insight used widely by Christians and pagans alike that washing in water can signify spiritual purification, a washing away of sin or contamination (see Acts 22:15-16, "For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou has seen and heard. And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord"). The second is the more specifically Christian insight of Paul that immersion in water can represent the burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see Rom. 6:4, "Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life"). What seems to have gone largely unnoticed in LDS discourse is that discussions of baptism in the Book of Mormon offer instead a third understanding of baptism: that baptism is a witnessing to God of one's repentance and commitment to follow Jesus Christ. All three of these distinct portrayals can be seen as consistent with each other, and together they invite faithful followers to think more deeply about Christian baptism. The claim that the Book of Mormon provides a well-developed and distinctive understanding of water baptism may be surprising to some of its readers. Nevertheless, the Nephite writers consistently explain baptism as a convert's witness to the Father and to the people that the convert covenants to always remember Christ and to keep his commandments, with the understanding that the remission of sins then comes by fire and the Holy Ghost. In this article, I will analyze Book of Mormon teachings about baptism, explore possible connections to covenant traditions in ancient Israel 2

This paper examines the historical development of baptism and recent efforts in Catholic and ecumenical circles to rediscover the early church practice and meaning of this central act of conversion to Christianity.

2014

St. Cyril uses a allegorical hermenuetic to find many passages that foreshadow and enrich our understanding of the meaning and reason for Baptism. In a day when the Church was not only legal, but fashionable, he insisted that his baptismal candidates (catechumens) were sincere and committed to their Christian Faith.

2018

The events of Jesus’ baptism in the Gospel of Luke marked an important transition in God’s historic work to redeem the world. Nothing would be quite the same after Jesus was baptized, prayed and received the Spirit, and heard God’s voice acknowledging him in terms reminiscent of Isaiah 42.1, with distant echoes of Psalm 2. This paper will explore the place of the baptism of Jesus in the overall narrative context of Luke-Acts; relevant nuances of the meaning of John’s baptism affecting this context; Jesus’ baptism and subsequent ministry in the Spirit; and a brief connection of the meaning of Christian baptism relevant to Jesus’ baptism. This will be followed by a necessarily brief comment on the early Church Fathers’ approach to the baptism of Jesus, and a conclusion suggesting a path forward toward appropriate expectations and application in our own time.

A short challenge to the Baptist position on Titus 3:5b based upon Scripture and the Early Church Fathers.