1Interestingly, nowhere in the New Testament are women said to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Nowhere! So how do Baptists justify letting women partake of communion? There is no basis for it if the only standard is the New Testament; there were no women at the supper with the Lord Jesus and nowhere else in the New Testament are they commanded, permitted, or even said to have partaken of the Lord’s Supper.

Gal. 3:28 is not discussing the Lord’s Supper since in context it is referring to the change from circumcision to baptism: “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female…” If this applied to all church matters, then women could be elders, could preach in church, etc., and Paul would contradict himself. The context clearly indicates that baptized women, slaves and Gentiles “are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise” (3:29). Notice that the next verse says the same thing about our children: “Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child…” (4:1) Children continue to be “heirs according to the promise” along with the believers mentioned in 3:26-29. It is arbitrary to say that the heirs of verse 29 are baptized, but not the heirs of 4:1

We confidently admit women to this sign and seal of the covenant because women partook of the Passover feast in the Old Testament, and the New Testament never annuls the Old Testament practice of women partaking of the covenant meal. (As will be shown, there is stronger New Testament evidence for infant baptism than for women’s participation in the Lord’s Supper!)↩

2This explains why the Old Testament mode of baptism by sprinkling/pouring continues to be practiced as well. All of the “various baptisms” (Heb. 9:10) in the Old Testament are said to be by sprinkling: “sprinkling” (v. 13), “sprinkled” (v. 19), “sprinkled” (v. 21).

Though Presbyterians accept both modes of baptism: 1) affusion (sprinkling or pouring) and 2) immersion, we believe that both Old and New Testaments call for affusion. This was the mode that God used when He baptized in the Spirit. The action was with the Spirit (teaching us that salvation is not by works, but by God’s action upon us). God’s baptism is described with the following words: “the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8), “I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh” (Acts 2:17), “He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33), “the Holy Spirit fell upon all” (Acts 10:44), “the gift of the Holy Spirit has been poured out” (Acts 10:44), “the Holy Spirit fell upon them” (Acts 11:15)-emphases added.

Those baptized were clearly passive, while the Spirit was acting upon those being baptized. Thus, in the New Testament, outward ceremonial purification of “our bodies” should correspond to the Spirit’s work of “having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience” (Heb. 10:22). Immersion ruins this imagery by having the baptized person as the active worker and the water being passive. We must allow Scripture to define the term baptism.

For a more detailed examination of this subject, read the tract Baptism by Sprinkling, by Rev. Ben Lacy Rose. For more in depth study, read the following books: 1) William the Baptist, by James M. Chaney (a very lively debate between a Baptist and a Presbyterian). 2) Holy Baptism: Word Keys Which Unlock the Covenant, by Duane E. Spencer. 3) Baptizo: An Inquiry into the Meaning of the Word, in three volumes, by James W. Dale (a massive treatise that deals with every occurrence of the word βαπτιζω in secular and religious Greek). 4) The Meaning and Mode of Baptism, by Jay Adams.↩

3See Rom. 4:11; Col. 2:11-12; Rom. 2:25-29; Phil 3:3 for circumcision as a sign and seal of justification by faith, and see Acts 8:37; 2:38 for baptism.↩

4Though we will later show that there is clear New Testament evidence.↩

5Contrary to popular opinion, Scripture does use the word “covenant” in connection with the original creation (Jer. 33:20-21,25-26) and Adam (Hosea 6:7). Certainly the features of a covenant are richly in evidence in Genesis 1-3.↩

6Baptists often go to great lengths to insist that John’s baptism was not rooted in the Old Testament and was not proselyte baptism. Why? Because Jewish proselyte baptism always baptized the whole family, including the infants. Thus it is significant that John ties his baptism in with the Abrahamic covenant. He clearly roots it in the Old Testament and I believe shows its character to be that of proselyte baptism.↩

7Sometimes Jeremiah 31:31-34 (quoted in Hebrews 8:7-13 and 10:16-18) is given as a proof text that the New Testament community would be a community only of believers. This does not follow however for the following reasons.

1) Notice that neither baptism nor circumcision is mentioned in the passage. 2) Nor does the passage contrast the Abrahamic “covenant of circumcision” with the New Covenant, but the Mosaic covenant. It specifically says, “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (Jer. 31:32). Paul makes very clear that “the law, which was four hundred and thirty years later, cannot annul the covenant that was confirmed before by God, that it should make the promise of no effect” (Gal. 3:17). Thus we are in the Abrahamic covenant of promise: Matt. 8:11; Rom. 4:11-25; 9:6-8; Gal. 3:7,16,17,29; 4:22-31; etc.) 3? If this passage has any bearing on who may receive baptism, then it argues equally well against Baptists since the passage is saying what will happen, not what should happen. It is saying that in the New Covenant purpose, “‘all shall know me from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord, ‘For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.’” (Jer. 31:34). Baptists on occasion baptize those who do not make genuine profession of faith since no one can read the heart. Even the apostles baptized many adults who made profession but were not true believers (Acts 8:13-24; 1 John 2:19; etc.). There is no church on earth that can be absolutely guaranteed that all its members are elect. 4) The same thing is said about the Abrahamic covenant as is said about the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31. The covenant was only with the elect. Even though the sign of the covenant was applied to Ishmael, Ishmael was not in the covenant (Gen.17:23-27; Gal. 4:21-31). The Abrahamic covenant was ultimately made only with those who were in true union with Christ (Gal. 3:16,26-29). All of the promises of the Abrahamic covenant were made to Christ (Gal. 3:16; 2 Cor. 1:20; Rom. 15:8; 9:6) and thus to the elect whom Christ took upon Him (Heb. 2:16; Gal. 3:16,26-29; Rom. 9:6-8).↩

8Much like Roman Catholics and apostate mainline Protestants continue to baptize their children even though they are unbelievers. The fact that they abuse God’s sign does not mean that God’s purpose was to blur the distinction between believer and unbeliever.↩

9Bauer, Arndt, and Gingrich, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament defines this word as a “Sabbath observance.”↩

10That this is referring to physical flesh can be seen by the way circumcision in the flesh is contrasted with circumcision in the heart throughout Scripture: Compare Gen. 17:13-14 where it speaks of the need to be circumcised “in your flesh,” and where those who are uncircumcised “in your flesh” were to be treated as being cut off from the covenant. When the sign of the Abrahamic covenant is not in your flesh you are treated as a pagan under judgment. Compare that language with our present state as implied in Colossians 2:13.↩

11See G. Friedrich, ed., Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. VI, pp. 72ff for examples. Many tribes continue to practice female circumcision of the outer labia to this day.↩

12See Appendix B for a more detailed study of these and other Scriptures dealing with “the baptism of nidah.”↩

13See Oscar Cullmann, Baptism in the New Testament, (London: SCM Press Ltd., 1973) for a scholarly examination of this subject. There were times in later Jewish history when Jews applied this substitution of baptism for circumcision in an unbiblical fashion to prominent Gentiles who refused to get circumcised. They allowed them to be called “the circumcision” by virtue of the proselyte baptism they underwent. (See Sibylline Oracles, book IV, 164). See Kittel, ed., TDNT, vol. I, pp. 335ff. See William Barrows, The Church & Her Children, for a fuller discussion.↩

14

I.e., the circumcision that pertains to Christ as opposed to the circumcision that pertains to Moses and Abraham. There are three possible interpretations of the Greek phrase τή περιτομή του χριστου (the circumcision of Christ).

1. The interpretation I have given is followed by such notable scholars as Ferrar Fenton, John Eadie, J.O Busswell, Lightfoot and many others. This takes the “of Christ” as an attributive genitive. This is a very common usage in Greek.
2. Others, like Faucet, see this as an objective genitive (i.e. the noun in the genitive receives the action). This would mean that it is speaking of Jesus being circumcised. This could be the circumcision of the baby Jesus (Luke 2:21-24) or (as Kline says) the circumcision/baptism of the cross when He was “cut off” from the land of the living.
3. Others take it as a subjective genitive (the noun in the genitive produces the action). This would then refer to our regeneration (=spiritual circumcision = spiritual baptism).

Whichever interpretation of this clause is accepted, the bottom line of the exegesis as a whole (see next footnote for further details) is that baptism is indeed Christian circumcision. If the things signified are equal (spiritual circumcision equals spiritual baptism) then the signs are equal.↩

15

It is important to note that whatever interpretation one gives of “the circumcision of Christ” in the previous footnote, there is no escape from the implications of the grammatical use of the aorist passives (περιετμηθητε, συνταφεντες, συνηγερθητε) throughout the passage (see Paul K. Jewett in footnote 17). Especially important is the adverbial clause “buried with Him in baptism” which modifies the main verb “you were circumcised.” There are only two possible ways this participle could be used: 1. As an instrumental participle. This would be saying “You were circumcised …by being buried with Him in baptism.” This is the interpretation of some like J. O. Buswell. Examples of this usage in Greek are Acts 16:16; Mark 6:27; 1 Tim. 1:12; etc. 2. As a temporal participle. This would be saying, “You were circumcised …when you were buried with Him in baptism.” This is the interpretation of scholars like Ferar Fenton, Vincent, Moffatt, Amplified New Testament, etc. For this usage see Wenham, Elements of N.T. Greek, pp. 147ff., and Dana & Mantey, A Manual Grammar of the Greek New Testament, pp. 226,230. On either interpretation, baptism and circumcision are identified as being the same.

Thus whether you say with Buswell (Calvin seems to say the same) “You were circumcised …by being baptized” or whether you say with others, “You were circumcised …when you were buried with Him in baptism,” the same conclusion is reached. See Appendix C for a diagramatical analysis of Colossians 2:11-12.↩

16For numerous quotes on the circumcision-baptism connection, see James W. Dale, An Inquiry into the Usage of ΒΑΠΤΙΖΩ and the Nature of Judaic Baptism (Philadelphia: Wm. Rutter & Co., 1869), pp. 207–208. Here are some samples: Epiphanius (AD 310-408) was the pastor of the island of Cyprus. He said, “the law had circumcision in the flesh, serving for a time, till the great circumcision came, that is, baptism; which circumcises us from our sins, and seals us unto the name of God.” (Haer. 8:6) Chrysostom says, “But our circumcision, I mean the grace of baptism, gives cure without pain, and procures for us a thousand benefits, and fills us with the grace of the Spirit: and it has no determinate time, as that had; but one that is in the middle of it, or one that is in his old age, may receive this circumcision made without hands.” Justin Martyr (AD 100-165) said, “And we, who have approached God through Him (Christ), have received not carnal, but spiritual circumcision… And we have received it through baptism…” John of Damascus says that “circumcision [is] a figure for baptism.” (Orth. Faith 4:25). Dale quotes Cyril as saying, “Therefore, by the likeness of the faith of Abraham, we come into adoption. And, then, after faith, like to him, we receive the spiritual seal, being circumcised through washing by the Holy Spirit.… By the circumcision of Christ, being buried with him by baptism.”—Cyril, 513. Origen (AD 184-253) said, “since Christ came and gave to us the second circumcision by the baptism of regeneration, and purged our souls, we have cast away all these things, and in their stead have received the answer of a good conscience in the Lord. Then, by the second circumcision the reproaches of Egypt have been taken away from us, and the vices of our sins.” (Dale, p. 207. Also see quotes in See Bingham, Antiquities, (London: Henry G. Bohn, MDCCCLVI), volume I, book XI, chapter 1, p. 477. ↩

17This is the same Greek word that is used for the imputation of Christ’s righteousness (λογῖζομαι). We are not actually perfectly righteous, but in God’s books we are given Christ’s righteousness as an imputation. In Romans 2:26 the Greek is clear that a physical circumcision is “imputed” to us.↩

18Paul K. Jewett says of Colossians 2:11-12, “the use of the aorist passives throughout the passage (περιετμηθητε, συνταφεντες, συνηγερθητε) makes it evident that to experience the circumcision of Christ, in the putting off of the body of the flesh, is the same thing as being buried and raised with him in baptism through faith. If this be true, the only conclusion we can reach is that the two signs, as outward rites, symbolize the same inner reality in Paul’s thinking. Thus circumcision may fairly be said to be the Old Testament counterpart of Christian baptism. So far, the Reformed argument, in our judgment, is biblical. In this sense ‘baptism,’ to quote the Heidelberg Catechism, ‘occupies the place of circumcision in the New Testament.’” Paul K. Jewett, Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Grace, p. 89. See the same admission in David Kingdom, Children of Abraham, p. 54.↩

19As mentioned in a footnote under principle #3), sometimes Jeremiah 31:31-34 (quoted in Hebrews 8:7-13 and 10:16-18) is given as a proof text that the New Testament community would be a community only of believers. See comments made there.↩

20A much smaller chart of seven points was first developed by Kenneth A Horner, Jr. in his interesting booklet, The Biblical Basis of Infant Baptism (Coventry, Conn: RPCES, 1978), p. 23.↩

21Cyprian (who argued that earlier baptism were allowed) gives as Fidus’ reason for eighth day baptism “that the old law of circumcision must be taken into consideration…” (Letters 64:2)↩

22This letter can be read in Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., Fathers of the Third Century: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian, Appendix, ANF V; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885)↩

23Their reasoning is incapsulated in this quote of Cyprian: “For in respect of the observance of the eighth day in the Jewish circumcision of the flesh, a sacrament was given beforehand in shadow and in usage; but when Christ came, it was fulfilled in truth. For because the eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, was to be that on which the Lord should rise again, and should quicken us, and give us circumcision of the spirit, the eighth day, that is, the first day after the Sabbath, and the Lord’s day, went before in the figure; which figure ceased when by and by the truth came, and spiritual circumcision was given to us.”↩

24Letters 64:2.↩

25Joachim Jeremias, Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries::, (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2012 [1960]).↩

26Bryan D. Hostrom, Infant Baptism and the Silence of the New Testament::, (Greenville, SC: Ambassador International, 2008). ↩

27As one example, Holstrom interacts with McKinion’s use of the Apostolic Constitutions for catechumens to prove that it taught credo baptism. However, Holstrom shows how irresponsible this reading of the Constitutions is: 1) It misses the point that this was written for converts and focuses on their need of repentance and instruction. 2) It completely overlooks an explicit command to baptize the babies of the catechumens. Book VI, Section III of the Apostolic Constitutions gives the following admonition: “also baptize your infants, and bring them up in the nurture and admonition of God. For says He, ‘Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not.” Holstrom concludes, “Thus, the Apostolic Constitutions prove that the two separate features (instructions directed to adult catechumens, and the baptism of infants) can, and do, exist side-by-side in the liturgies of the church; there is nothing in the one which suggests exclusion of the other.” (p. 104)↩

28Philip Schaff, ed., St. Augustin: The Writings Against the Manichaeans and Against the Donatists, NPNF IV; Accordance electronic ed. 14 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Publishing, 1886), paragraph 16245.↩

29In his dialogue with Trypho. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., The Apostolic Fathers With Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ANF I; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885), paragraph 3270. ↩

30“The command of circumcision, again, bidding [them] always circumcise the children on the eighth day, was a type of the true circumcision, by which we are circumcised from deceit and iniquity through Him who rose from the dead on the first day after the Sabbath, [namely through] our Lord Jesus Christ. For the first day after the Sabbath, remaining the first of all the days, is called, however, the eighth, according to the number of all the days of the cycle, and [yet] remains the first.” Dialogue 41. Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., The Apostolic Fathers With Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ANF I; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885), paragraph 3266.↩

31Justin Martyr says, “Moreover, the Scriptures and the facts themselves compel us to admit that He received circumcision for a sign, and not for righteousness. So that it was justly recorded concerning the people, that the soul which shall not be circumcised on the eighth day shall be cut off from his family. And, furthermore, the inability of the female sex to receive fleshly circumcision, proves that this circumcision has been given for a sign, and not for a work of righteousness. For God has given likewise to women the ability to observe all things which are righteous and virtuous; but we see that the bodily form of the male has been made different from the bodily form of the female; yet we know that neither of them is righteous or unrighteous merely for this cause, but [is considered righteous] by reason of piety and righteousness.” Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., The Apostolic Fathers With Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ANF I; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885), paragraph 3220.↩

32Τἰς οὖν ἔτι μοι περιτομῆς λόγος ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ μαρτυρηθέντι. Τίς ἐκείνου τοῦ βαπτίσματος χρεία ἁγίῳ πνεύματι βεβαπτισμένω. “What, then, is the word of circumcision to me, having received testimony from God? What need is there of that baptism to one baptized by the Holy Spirit?” See discussion in James W. Dale, An Inquiry into the Usage of ΒΑΠΤΙΖΩ and the Nature of Judaic Baptism (Philadelphia: Wm. Rutter & Co., 1869), pp. 206ff.↩

33“For if we still live according to the Jewish law, and the circumcision of the flesh, we deny that we have received grace.” Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., The Apostolic Fathers With Justin Martyr and Irenaeus, ANF I; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885), paragraph 1048.↩

34As quoted by James W. Dale, An Inquiry into the Usage of ΒΑΠΤΙΖΩ and the Nature of Judaic Baptism (Philadelphia: Wm. Rutter & Co., 1869), 207–208.↩

35“…that as He saved the Jews by undergoing circumcision, so He might save the Gentiles also by baptism — that is, by the pouring forth of the purifying dew.” Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson, and A. Cleveland Coxe, eds., Fathers of the Third and Fourth Centuries: Lactantius, Venantius, Asterius, Victorinus, Dionysius, Apostolic Teaching and Constitutions, Homily, and Liturgies, ANF VII; Accordance electronic ed. 9 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Company, 1885), paragraph 57959.↩

36Catechetical Lectures 5.6 as quoted in Dean O. Wenthe, ed., Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2009), 43.↩

37He said “For it is better to be sanctified unconsciously, than to depart unsealed and imperfect. And the evidence to us, of this, is circumcision on the eighth day, being a typical seal, and administered to those without intelligence.” As quoted by James W. Dale, An Inquiry into the Usage of ΒΑΠΤΙΖΩ and the Nature of Judaic Baptism (Philadelphia: Wm. Rutter & Co., 1869), 207.↩

38One example is the following: “But if, in the flesh of a circumcised man, I could not find place for the repetition of the circumcision, because there is but one member which is circumcised, much less is place found in the one heart of man for the repetition of the baptism of Christ. Ye, therefore, who wish to baptize twice, must seek as subjects of such double baptism men who have double hearts.” Philip Schaff, ed., St. Augustine: Confessions & Letters, NPNF I; Accordance electronic ed. 14 vols.; (New York: Christian Literature Publishing, 1886), paragraph 2441.↩

39He professed to have belonged to Christ for eighty-six years when he was eighty-six years old. He said, “For eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. how can I blaspheme my King who saved me.” This statement was made in AD 167-168, which means that he was born in AD 80. One could argue that he was simply dedicated to God, but the language of patristics speaks nothing of dedication apart from baptism.↩

40The full quote is, “For He came to save all by Himself; all, I mean, who through Him are reborn unto God: infants, and little ones, and boys, and youths, and older men. Therefore He passed through every age, being first made an infant unto infants, to sanctify infants; among little ones, a little one, to sanctify such as are of that same age…” etc. In chapter 33 he addresses the baptism of Naaman as being a new born child and then goes on to say that we too are “cleansed by the holy water and Invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions, as new born children spiritually regenerated, as the Lord too saith, ‘Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.” Even many Reformed Baptists are willing to concede that Irenaeus may well have been referring to infant baptism in this clause.↩

41Origen said, “the church has a tradition from the apostles to give baptism even to infants.” See Joachim Jeremias, Infant Baptism in the First Four Centuries, pp. 65-66 for a discussion of this and other statements.↩

42He says, “First the little ones should be baptized. All who can speak for themselves should speak. For those however who cannot, their parents or another who belongs to their family should speak.” Even Aland, who argues against infant baptism, admits this is a clear reference. Kurt Aland, Did the Early Church Baptize Infants? (London: SCM Press, Ltd, 1963), p. 49.↩

43For example, Cyril of Jerusalem said, “In regard to the divine and holy mysteries of the faith, not the least part may be handed on without the Holy Scriptures. Do not be led astray by winning words and clever arguments. Even to me, who tell you these things, do not give ready belief, unless you receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of the things which I announce.” (Catechetical Lectures 4,17) Anastasius of Antioch said, “It is manifest that those things are not to be inquired into, which Scripture has passed over into silence. For the Holy Spirit has dispensed and administered to us all things which conduce to our profit.” (Anagog. Contemp. in Hexem. lib 8 init.) Hundreds of others could be cited. William Cunningham spoke of “the constant maintenance, during the first three centuries, of the supremacy and sufficiency of the sacred Scriptures, and the right and duty of all men to read and study them. There is no trace of evidence in the first three centuries that these scriptural principles were denied or doubted, and there is satisfactory evidence that they were steadily and purely maintained… and the same may be said of the writings, without exception, of many succeeding centuries - there is not the slightest traces of anything like that depreciation of the Scriptures, that denial of their fitness, because of their obscurity and alleged imperfection, to be a sufficient rule or standard of faith, which stamp so peculiar a guilt and infamy upon Popery and Tractarianism. There is nothing in the least resembling this; on the contrary, there is a constant reference to Scripture as the only authoritative standard.” (Historical Theology, vol. 1. Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1979), pp. 185-186)↩

44Origen, Commentary on Romans.↩

45ἁγιαζω the verbal form of ἁγιος↩

46ἁγιαζω the verbal form of ἁγιος↩

47ἀκαθᾶρτα the negative adjective form of καθαρος↩

48neuter form of ἁγιος↩

49Many Baptists from John Gill on have taken this interpretation in order to avoid the implication of infant baptism.↩

50See Bauer, Arndt & Gingrich, A Greek English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, and Thayer, Greek English Lexicon.↩

51We agree that “holy” does not mean baptized. Rather, the holiness is the rationale for the cleansing rite of baptism (see below).↩

52Cf. e.g. Geoffrey W. Bromiley, Children of Promise, p. 8.↩

53Verse 10 defines these sprinkling ceremonies as Old Testament “washings,” and the literal rendering of washings is “Baptisms.”↩

54In John 3:22-24 it is recorded that both John and Christ baptized and that a dispute arose about the other group’s baptisms. Verse 25 continues talking about these baptismal questions saying, “Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. [same word as “unclean” in 1 Cor. 7:14 but without the negative] And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified - behold He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him.”↩

55This is why we do not baptize children of parents who are unbelievers. They have not been made “holy” covenantally, therefore they should remain in an unclean state. The child must be made holy and clean.↩

56Every promise either includes this phrase (13:15; 17:8; 26:3) or similar phrases: “families” (12:3), “to your descendants” (12:7; 15:18; 24:7), “to you and your descendants” (17:8), “your descendants” (13:15,16; 15:5,13), “the one who shall come from your own body shall be your heir” (15:4), “with him for an everlasting covenant and with his descendants after him” (17:19), “your descendants shall possess the gate of their enemies” (22:17), “in your seed” (22:18).

The heart of the Abrahamic covenant (Genesis 17) could not be more clear:

And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and your descendants after you. Also I give to you and your descendants after you the land… and I will be their God… As for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any stranger who is not your descendant. He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant. Gen. 17:7-14 (emphases added)

↩

57See Appendix B for a discussion of Old Testament baptisms that accompanied circumcision and, in the case of women and of repentant excommunicated men who were seeking readmission, how baptism substituted for circumcision.↩

58Both Baptists and Presbyterians alike usually say that we must distinguish between Christian baptism and the baptism of John. See for example Acts 19:1-10 where those baptized by John are rebaptized by the apostles.

Though John’s baptism does not specifically mention children (it only says, “And there went out to him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized” Mark 1:5, emphasis added), if his baptism was proselyte baptism (which is almost certain - See Oscar Culmann; and Kittel under “Βαπτῖζω”) then the whole family was baptized together with the repenting adults. Thus the baptisms of John are further evidence of household baptism.↩

59Kittel, Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, vol. 1, pp. 360-363 points out that ἀνῆρ can be used to mean “male” even when children are referred to. Likewise, on pages 776 it shows that γυνῆ can mean female.↩

60To those who object that the New Testament only applies the Abrahamic promise to those with faith, two things should be remembered.

First, God gives the gift of faith (John 6:29,35-39,44-45,64-65; Acts 3:16; 18:27; Rom. 12:3; Eph. 1:19; 3:12; Gal. 5:22; Phil. 1:29; 3:9; 2 Pet. 1:1,3,5).

Second, the same condition of faith has always held true even in the Old Testament. Paul makes clear that the Abrahamic promises were ultimately only made to Christ (Gal. 3:16; 2 Cor. 1:20; Rom. 15:8; 9:6) and thus to the elect whom Christ took upon Him (Heb. 2:16; Gal. 3:16,26-29; Rom. 9:6-8). The promises are conditioned upon union with Christ. However, because the outward administration of the covenant was along generic lines, all children were included until they rejected the covenant promises. God took pains to make it clear that the sign of the covenant was not coterminous with those who would ultimately be the elect (it is not even in Baptist churches, by the way). He said that circumcision had to be applied to Ishmael (Gen. 17:10,14) even though it was revealed that Ishmael would ultimately break the covenant (Gen. 17:18-21).

This is because the sign of the covenant shows not only the promise, but also the need for grace, and the responsibilities Ishmael had to the covenant conditions. If Ishmael broke the covenant he would be “cut off” in judgment. If a child breaks the covenant, baptism is also a pledge that the child will be judged with a baptism of fire. Unless one receives Christ’s substitutionary baptism on the cross (Luke 12:50; Mark 10:38), he himself will be baptized on judgment day with fire. Thus in both Testaments we find Israel and true Israel (Rom. 9), children of promise and children of flesh (Gal. 4:28-29), wheat, and tares, etc.↩

61William Lane says, “The problem is two-fold: (1) There is no historical or biblical precedent for such baptism. The NT is otherwise completely silent about it; there is no known practice in any of the other churches nor in any orthodox Christian community in the centuries that immediately follow; nor are there parallels or precedents in pagan religion. This is a genuinely idiosyncratic historical phenomenon…The second problem is theological and has to do with how Paul can appeal, without apparent disapproval, to a practice that stands in such contradiction to his own understanding both of justification by grace through faith, which always implies response on the part of the believer, and of baptism as personal response to grace received.” (NICN: The First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 764.↩

62ὑπὲρ can mean 1) over, above, 2) a marker of activity in some entity’s interest: for, in behalf of, for the sake of, 3) a marker of cause or reason: because of, for the sake of, for, 4) a marker of general content: about, concerning, 5) a marker of degree: beyond, more than, over and above. See BDAG↩

63Anthony C. Thiselton, NIGTC, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, pp. 1242-1248.↩

64R. L. Dabney, Lectures in Systematic Theology, p. 760. “the Apostle here refers to the Levitical rule of Numbers xix:14-19. Were there no resurrection, a corpse would be like any other clod; and there would be no reason for treating it as a symbol of moral defilement, or for bestowing on it, so religiously, the rites of sepulture.”↩

65Lepers were treated as though they had died.↩

66These passages should not be interpreted so as to conflict with Exodus 34:12-16, Numbers 25:6-8, Deuteronomy 7:1-3, Josh. 23:12, 1 Kings 11:2, Ezra 9:2, Nehemiah 9:2, 13:23-27 or Malachi 2:14 all of which prohibit intermarriage with idolatrous Gentiles. Nor should it conflict with passages on divorce such as Deuteronomy 22:13-19,28-29; 24:1-4, Ezra 10:1-16, Nehemiah 13:23-30, and Malachi 2:14-16. The permission to marry a foreigner could only be in a situation similar to Rahab’s who had renounced idolatry and embraced Yahweh. The Old Testament did not forbid intermarriage with other nationalities. Rather it forbade intermarriage with other faiths. Christ’s own genealogy has examples of Gentiles who became Jews: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.

Thus The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge says of Deut. 21:12-13, “This was a token of renouncing her religion, and becoming a proselyte to that of the Jews. This is still a custom in the East: when a Christian turns Mohammedan, his head is shaved, and he is carried through the city, crying, la eelah eela allah wemochammed resoolu’lahee, ‘There is no God but THE God, and Mohammed is the prophet of God.’”↩

67The common practice of rebaptism for Jews who had been covenantally “cut off” through various defilements may have some implications for rebaptism of converts from Roman Catholic and Liberal Churches. Certainly a Jew could not be “re-circumcised” if he apostatized and later reconverted, but if baptism took the role of circumcision, and was treated as circumcision, then the implication is that the rebaptisms were reapplications of the sign of the covenant. Thus, Paul in Romans 2:25-29 says, “For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision (emphasis added). Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as [logizomai - imputed] circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law (emphasis added)? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” Thus, when Israel failed to be circumcised in the heart, God called them Egypt (Josh. 5:7-9; Rev. 11:8), Sodom & Gomorrah (Is. 1:10; Jer. 23:14; Ezek. 16:53-55; Rev. 11:8), Samaria (Ezek. 16:53-55), etc. If they were treated as Gentiles during those periods, then the baptism of nidah had to be applied to the Jews upon their conversion, and since their families were Gentiles, their families would have to be “purified” by baptism as well. In the context of the baptism of nidah, it makes perfect sense for John the Baptist to require Jews to be baptized in his ministry. They were cut off from Israel (Luke 3:7-9).↩

68If we do not keep clearly distinct the difference between Israel as a state and Israel as a church we will misinterpret many passages. When those with discharges are “cut off” from the people of God along with moral rebels, they are not executed. All executions are clearly noted with phrases such as “put to death,” “shall surely die,” “in dying he shall die,” etc. This is a phrase referring to covenantal death where the people were either officially excommunicated or treated as outside the church ceremonially. This presupposes of course that proto-synagogues existed in the time of Moses. That there were local synagogues from the time of Moses and after can be seen by comparing the following Scriptures which speak of local assemblies that worshipped every Sabbath and new moon:

• Acts 15:21: “For Moses has had throughout many generations those who preach him in every city, being read in the synagogues every Sabbath.” This verse establishes that synagogues are a Mosaic institution, and that synagogues were in every city.
• Psalm 74:8: “They said in their hearts, ‘Let us destroy them altogether.’ They have burned up all the meeting places [Hebrew מוֹעֲדֵי] of God in the land.” Already in Asaph’s day there were meeting places (i.e.,synagogues) everywhere.
• Exodus 16:22 - The Septuagint translation reads: “All the rulers of the synagogue went in and reported it to Moses” (LXX = πάντες οἱ ἄρχοντες τῆς συναγωγῆς καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν Μωσεῖ.)
• Exodus 34:31 - The Septuagint translation reads: “And Moses called them, and Aaron and all the rulers of the synagogue (ἀρχὴν συναγωγῆς) turned towards him, and Moses spoke to them.”
• See the numerous other places in Exodus-Deuteronomy where “congregation/church” (Hebrew = קהל) is translated with the Greek word for synagogue (συναγωγῆς) in the Septuagint (LXX). Some of the places show that the representatives of the synagogue system are the “congregation” or “synagogue” that Moses spoke to, not every individual member of the syngaogue system.
• Lev. 23:3: “Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation [NIV translates it “sacred assembly].” The Sabbath was to be a day of corporate worship in the land, and if the temple was the only place to do that, then most in Israel would have no place to worship since they could not travel to Jerusalem every week or they would spend all their time in travel. Compare 2 Kings 4:23.
• 2 Chronicles 17:9; Deut. 18:6-8; Nehemiah 10:37-39. Levites went throughout the land teaching and came to be known as scribes. They were distinguished from the other sons of Levi (the priests) who ministered in the temple. Interestingly, the tithe went to the synagogues (Neh. 10:37-39) and the Levites in the synagogues in turn tithed by giving 10% of that tithe to the temple. So the synagogue was the basic institution of the church, though all of life including the church was in turn subject to the temple since the temple represented God’s throne room. When Israel was in exile, the synagogue was the only manifestation of the church on earth.
• Examples of bad synagogues: Judges 17:7; 18:30; 19:1.
• The synagogue form of worship was exactly the same as the Presbyterian form of worship as can be seen from Douglas Bannerman’s book The Scripture Doctrine of The Church. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1976. See also my paper discussing the doctrine of the church in the Old and New Testaments.

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69Though her continuing blood flow will make her unclean once again, it is important for her to be cleansed after seven days for the cleansing of her son or daughter.↩

70What the Jews called the “baptism of separation [Hebrew = nidah ]” (translated in Scripture as “water of separation,” or “water for uncleanness”) was specified as being by “sprinkling” in Numbers 19:9-22. This Hebrew word nidah is not only used for ceremonial uncleanness from contact with dead, leprous, etc. (Numb. 19), but it is also used of the sprinkling of anything that came out of heathen lands (Numb. 31:20-23) including young virgins taken captive who are willing to convert to God (Numb. 31:18,23 with Deut. 21:10-14). The word nidah is also clearly connected to the uncleanness a woman has after menstruation and childbirth in Leviticus 12:2,5; 15:19-20,24-26,33; 18:19; Lam. 1:17; Ezek. 18:6; 22:10; 36:17. Before a heathen could become a proselyte, he had to be purified from his uncleanness (Heb. of Numb. 31:18,23 with Deut. 21:10-14; Ezra 9:11; Lam. 1:17; Zech. 13:1 with 14:16-20; see also John the Baptist’s Jewish proselyte baptisms).↩

71Kellog comments on this passage:

Until the circumcision of the new-born child, on the eighth day, he was regarded by the law as ceremonially unclean. For this reason, again, the mother who had brought him into the world, and whose life was so intimately connected with his life, was regarded as unclean also. Unclean, under analogous circumstances, according to the law of xv.19, she was reckoned doubly unclean in this case, - unclean because of her issue, and unclean because of her connection with this child, uncircumcised and unclean. But when the symbolic cleansing of the child took place by the ordinance of circumcision, then her uncleanness, so far as occasioned by her immediate relation to him, came to an end. She was not indeed completely restored; for according to the law, in her still continuing condition, it was impossible that she should be allowed to come into the tabernacle of the Lord, or touch any hallowed thing; but the ordinance which admitted her child, admitted her also again to the fellowship of the covenant people.

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72Paul K. Jewett, Infant Baptism and the Covenant of Grace (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978), 89.↩

73David Kingdon, Children of Abraham (Sussex, England: Carey Publications Ltd., 1975), 54.↩

74In “Baptism and Covenant Theology,” Baptist Reformation Review, II:1.↩

75Jewett, Infant Baptism, 91.↩