Paul only baptizing a few people in a year and a half at Corinth

twin1954 said:

Anyone care to discuss this?

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twin1954 said:

The question on baptism got me to thinking about the Apostle Paul and the fact that he says that he only remembers baptizing a few people, Crispus and Gaius, in 1Cor. 1:14 and the household of Stephanus in verse 16. Paul spent a year and a half there preaching and teaching and apparently established the church there but only baptized a few? I know the very next verse says that Christ sent him not to baptize but to preach the Gospel so the question then for me is who did the baptizing? Paul went into Corinth because the Spirit had told him that He had much people in that city, Acts 18:9-10. Also in Act 18:8 the Scriptures tell us that apparently Paul preached in Crispus house and many of the Corinthians were baptized. And in Acts19:1we find that Apollos was in Corinth and they had not receieved the baptism of the Spirit but were then baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, verse 5, and then Paul laid hands on them and they received the Spirit. So who baptized them if it wasn't Paul? Was it Apollos? I am wondering because of the idea that only preachers can baptize and now I am questioning it.

Anyone care to discuss this?

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He is first mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles (6:5) as one of "the seven" who were chosen to attend to certain temporal affairs of the church in Jerusalem in consequence of the murmurings of the Hellenists against the Hebrews.

After the martyrdom of Saint Stephen he went to "the city of Samaria", where he preached with much success, Simon Magus being one of his converts. He afterwards was told by an angel of the Lord to go to the road between Jerusalem and Gaza. There he instructed and baptized the Ethiopian eunuch; next he was "caught away" by the Spirit and "found at Azotus" (Ashdod), and then "pass[ed] through he preached in all the cities till he came to Caesarea" (Acts 8).

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twin1954 said:

I have missed you brother! I am still looking into this but I surmise that Paul or Silas baptized the Philippian jailor and his household and every other instance seems to imply that one of the elders or Apostles did the baptizing though it isn't clear.

I do see a problem with anyone being able to baptize in that people would then seem to be able to baptize themselves and that makes baptism to be just a dunking in water. We are to baptize in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and that would not seem to be possible if one were to baptize themselves.

I am aware of the priesthood of the believer and hold no notions of a laity and clergy but I still view the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper to be more than just mere rites that can be done in private and alone. I also recognize the offices of pastor/teacher, elder and deacon. Men are separated unto those offices and have the authority given them in the Gospel.

I will continue to ponder this and would love the input of others.

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