Why did Paul only baptize a few? Was it because Paul prophetically could see through the corridors of time and see in the future the situation that the Corinthian believers would be divisive?
In retrospect: While Paul was thankful to God that he only baptized a few in relation to the Corinthian situation of them being divisive is true, it does not undo what 1 Corinthians 1:14-17 says. Paul says that he was not sent to baptize and he only baptized two people, and one household. Again, Paul tells us to follow his example just as Christ is his example (1 Corinthians 11:1). This knowledge of Spirit baptism being the only one and true baptism that came to Paul must have came to him after he baptized two people and one household. Why? Well, Paul says Christ is his example in 1 Corinthians 11:1 and yet Christ did not water baptize anyone. However, our Lord did baptize believers into the Holy Ghost, though. This is something that happens when we preach the gospel. For when Peter preached the gospel to Cornelius and his household, the Holy Spirit fell upon them (i.e. They were baptized into the Spirit).
I am sure many have been water baptized in the beginning of the early church, but it was imposed upon them until the time of reformation (Hebrews 9:10) (Note: Again, the word “washings” in the Greek is “baptismos.”). The question is: When was the reformation? While the New Covenant officially began with Christ's death upon the cross, the disciples had no understanding of the cross fully and neither did they understand the resurrection yet. One could say the reformation was the cross, and from God's perspective, this may be true because God did end all of the Old Covenant ceremonial laws. But for man to catch up with God's understanding on that is another matter. Remember, the Gentiles were included in God's plan of salvation from even the Great Commission, but I don't believe the disciples fully understood that yet because of Cornelius and Peter explaining to the other Jewish believers in how the Gentiles are now included. So the disciples misunderstood Jesus in regards to the Great Commission when Jesus first gave those words to them to Go and teach all nations. They were most likely thinking to Go and teach all Jews in all nations. So if they misunderstood this aspect of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:19, then what else were they misunderstanding? I believe they misunderstood the new baptism that God was trying to tell them. Jesus said John baptized with water but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Peter still went back to that old water baptism that John did but he tried to Christianize it. Granted, I believe God is patient and he allows his people to learn and grow in their own timing on things. The church was still in it's infancy. I believe based on the context of Hebrews 9 (with Israel being the topic of conversation), that the time of reformation could also be the destruction of the temple in 70AD. By this time, Paul's teachings would have been made clear to many believers.
Again, they traveled two by two. Paul did not have an army of believers at his side to baptize many.
Then I am glad to God that I had been water baptized. Although back then I seen baptism in the same way you do (with a picture or symbol of dying to yourself and rising again), I was baptized in a church that believes in Eternal Security or Belief Alone-ism (Which is something I now find to be extremely unbiblical and immoral). Should I be water baptized again if they were not teaching a correct view on sin and salvation from the Bible? Surely not because water baptism is no longer necessary. For Jesus said, “John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.” (Acts of the Apostles 11:16). Jesus
did not say, “John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost and also be baptized in my name in water.”
This was still the time of the Old Covenant. The New Covenant did not even begin officially until Christ's death upon the cross. Yet, even after the New Covenant began, it took time for God's people to learn and grow in understanding the New Covenant ways.
Here is one:
“And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Lord, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. And they went to another village.” (Luke 9:54-56).
And here are a few more (if that is not convincing):
- When Jesus warned against “the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees” his disciples thought he was talking about literal bread, but he was talking about “the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:5-12; cf. Mk. 8:14-21).
- After Jesus predicted that he must suffer many things and be killed, Peter rebuked him because he misunderstood what it meant for Jesus to be the Messiah (Mk. 8:31-33).
- Peter, James, and John didn’t understand what Jesus meant by “rising from the dead” (Mk. 9:9-10).
- Jesus said to his disciples, “‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’ But they did not understand what he meant and were afraid to ask him about it” (Mk. 9:31-32; cf Lk. 9:43-45).
- Jesus told his disciples, “’We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.’ The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about” (Lk. 18:31-34).
- Jesus told his disciples to buy a sword, they responded “Look, here are two swords.” Jesus replied, “That’s enough!” Then when one of them used his sword to cut off the servant’s ear, Jesus said, “No more of this!” then he healed the man’s ear (Lk. 22:36, 49-51). The context and Jesus’ entire life shows that he didn’t mean for his disciples to literally use their swords in defending him.
- After Jesus’ death, two of his followers said, “we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel” (Lk. 24:21). They were thinking that he was going to free Israel from Roman domination. They misunderstood his mission.
- The disciples thought Jesus was talking about literal food, but he was talking about his Father’s work (Jn. 4:31-34).
- Martha thought Jesus’ statement “Your brother will rise again” referred to “the resurrection at the last day,” but Jesus raised Lazarus shortly afterwards (Jn. 11:23-44).
- None of the disciples understood why Jesus told Judas, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” They thought Judas needed to buy something for the festival or give something to the poor (Jn. 13:28-30).
- The disciples didn’t understand Jesus’ statement, “In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me.” They kept asking, “What does he mean by ‘a little while’? We don’t understand what he is saying” (Jn. 16:16-18).
- The book of John ends with a final misunderstanding. Responding to Peter’s question, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus says, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” Then John states that Jesus’ words caused a rumor to spread among the believers. Think about this: Jesus has risen from the dead, John is at the end of his Gospel, and Jesus’ words are still being misunderstood. So John attempts to dispel the rumor with these words: “But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, ‘If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?’” (Jn. 21:22-23).
Source used:
Misunderstanding Jesus - BibleBridge Bible Study Lessons
When men of God make mistakes, then they are to blame and not God (obviously). Even after the cross, there were misunderstandings going on.
Paul had to rebuke Peter for his trying to get the Gentiles to live as the Jews do (See: Galatians 2:11-14). Paul was later peer pressured by the Jewish Christian elders to go through with an OT ritual rite that involved an animal sacrifice within the Jewish temple (See: Acts of the Apostles 21:17-36).