Baptizing in the Jordan River May 15.08
Today I was baptizing in the Jordan River. A first for me. One of those baptized was 80 years old. Pretty cool, really.
Today I was baptizing in the Jordan River. A first for me. One of those baptized was 80 years old. Pretty cool, really.
It is quite something to tour these sites. Many of those present are here for the first time, including my wife. They really enjoy the experience.
13 Comments
Susan
Thanks for all you are doing
Thanks for all you are doing on this trip Darrell!! Today in the Jordan was awesome!!
This is a first trip for me too. This is a great site too! Thanks for the info.
dywan
It’s a great
It’s a great website.Congrats.
David A. Porter
Baptizing in the Jordan River
Darrell,
I just saw a video of you baptizing people in the Jordan river. Is baptism envy scriptural???
🙂
Have a wonderful time!
Anonymous
yahweh
I am just visiting this website for the first time and i would like someone to please explain to me what the Heck “yahweh” is supposed to mean. Are you all ashamed to actually say the Lord’s name on your website? I was taken back to see the lack of backbone you seem to have regarding the LORD JESUS CHRIST. I was just curious as to the reasoning behind the usage of this word. Your explaination would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
bock
Yahweh dlb
Anonymous:
Pretty simple. The name of God was given so that we might know him. Yahweh is the Hebrew name of God. The one who called the disciples and said we are God’s children could call God Abba (Father) shows that there is nothing to avoid in calling out His name. This is not informality or lack of respect, but reflects how God draws close to His people.
dlb
chodniki
Nice article.I like your
Nice article.I like your website.
Jonas
Dr. Bock,
That is so
Dr. Bock,
That is so WONDERFUL that your wife could go with you! What a treat.
– Jonas
Patricia
I thought baptism is a
I thought baptism is a church ordinance. How can you do it by free-lance?
bock
baptism dlb
Patricia:
Most of these were rededications. However, I am ordained and originally baptisms did not take place in churches by in rivers like the Jordan. So ther ewas no free lancing about this. The key is a public declaration of Jesus by the one being baptized. These took place there.
dlb
seminary student
curiousity about baptism
I had a curious question about baptism that was actually spurred on by a question by my wife. From what I can tell and see from Scripture, water baptisms began in the NT with John the Baptist. Now the question I have about it is two fold.
1. Is water baptism reflective of some sort of ordinance in the OT? Since it seems that John began this on his own (first to preform it and ask for it), from what I gather anyhow, where did the idea of water baptism come from? Is this similar to the ceremonial washings that the priests of old would do to prepare themselves for service to God (perhaps like an outer sanctification) or like the utensils they would use in the temple? With the verse that says from the prophet Isaiah, that a messanger must come to prepare the way of the Lord, this would seem to make sense. But how he arrived how to prepare the people with water baptism seems to come from nowhere since it does not seem to be commanded elsewhere except for the priests and for Israel when they were considered unclean.
2. What relevence does water baptism play for the future? I mean I recall the calling of Christ to baptize in the name of the F, S, and HS, but is this water baptism also a reflective of the spiritual baptism that takes place with the coming of the Holy Spirit? While I see a great emphasism on water baptism in the book of Acts, it seems to be recalled quite less frequently in the other epistles or is that because water baptism is assumed to have taken place (so then why mention it?). Has the baptism that comes from the Holy Spirit then replace the baptism that comes from water? John the Baptist also says that he baptizes with water but there will come one who will baptize us with the Holy Spirit. I am confused at times whether the second supersedes the first making the first (water baptism) obselete.
bock
Short Answers dlb
My answers will be short as I am at a conference in Berlin.
On pt. 1: John’s baptism was innovative and not from the OT. It parallels washings at Qumran but has an emphasis on being ready for God’s promise to come that makes it uniquely eschatological. It also was a one time deal, making it different.
On pt. 2: Water baptism pictures spirit baptism into new life as 1 Peter 3:18-22 shows. It is assumed for believers and is distinct from John’s baptism which looked forward to Jesus while this looks back. Jesus’ baptism of the Spirit, which water baptism represents, is what John is discussing.
dlb
Rick
authority
Hi,
you mentioned earlier that you are ordained. where does authority to ordain originate? Jesus gave Peter the keys but did Peter then pass those down so that when a person is baptized, he/she knows that the one baptizing them actually has authority to do so?
Thanks,
Rick
bock
authority dlb
Ordination developed as an extension of "laying on of hands" when a church recognized someone as being called into ministry, but there is no call or text that requires ordination. This has noting to do with the "keys" tied ot Peter. Those picture the right of of the gospel message to open the way to heaven.
dlb