1. The quotations I gave are clearly from individuals who knew the Apostles.
2. The sanctifying effects of water baptism are found in Ezechiel 36, which says: “For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land.
Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you.”
3. I will again point to St. Hippolytus of Rome, who died in 235 A.D., said: “
Baptize first the children, and if they can speak for themselves let them do so. Otherwise,
let their parents or other relatives speak for them” (
The Apostolic Tradition 21:16 [A.D. 215]).
4.
Ibidem.
5.
Ibidem.
6. Consider Romans 6:3-4: "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life." From a symbolic perspective, immersion better portrays being “buried” with Christ. And that is at least one reason why the Catholic Church teaches immersion to be a valid form of baptism (cf. CCC 628; 1239). But
baptizo is not limited to immersion in the New Testament. It can also mean, as Newman points out: “to wash,” as in, the “washing” of hands. In fact, according to Luke 11:37-38, a “ritual washing” and “the washing of hands” can be joined as one: "While [Jesus] was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him; so he went in and sat at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash (Gr.
ebaptisthe, aorist, third person singular form of
baptizo) before dinner." This was obviously not immersion. There were “baptisms” the Pharisees did that would involve full immersion, but this was not one of them. Mark 7:3-4 gives us an even more complete picture of the nature of the “baptism” being referred to here: “For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, do not eat unless they wash their hands. . .” The Greek word used here for wash is
ebaptisthe, or “baptize.” Moreover, Jesus prophesied that with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, the apostles would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5), and yet its fulfillment in Acts 2:4 is described in two distinct ways, neither of which indicating “immersion.” In Luke 24:49, for example, we find this same “baptism in the Holy Spirit” referred to as being “clothed” upon: "And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but stay in the city, until you are clothed with power from on high." To be “clothed” does not indicate an immersion; rather, a partial covering. And yet, this is clearly
baptism in the Holy Spirit. We should also look at Acts 2:16-17 where we read: "But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”" This biblical text describes the Holy Spirit being “poured out” upon the recipients of this great gift. Thus, it would be unbiblical to claim that “baptism” can only refer to immersion. See also: "Now a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was an eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures. He had been instructed in the way of the Lord. And being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus,
though he knew only the baptism of John" (Acts 18:24–250. Apollos could have been baptized by John the Baptist or one of his disciples. But remember John’s baptism was
not sufficient for salvation, as his baptism was only a precursor to baptism in the name of Jesus Christ (Mark 1:8), the baptism that gives you the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:4-5 and Acts 2 record the disciples’ remembrance of Jesus’s words regarding John’s baptism vs. His (Jesus’s) baptism. They (the disciples) themselves were baptized by water & the Holy Spirit (and received Him), and they also talk about how they baptized a multitude of followers in the name of Jesus Christ, who in turn received the Holy Spirit. Being baptized by water & the Holy Spirit and receiving His “seal” (and receiving Him) is required for salvation. Notice that
ALL apostles were baptized by water. Many argue that the 120 were baptized at Pentecost because water baptism is essential to salvation, and because the apostles are obviously saved, they must have been water baptized.
However, the text plainly indicates the apostles — and the rest of the 120 — were not water baptized at Pentecost
specifically. Consider Acts 2:41:
They therefore that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls. It must have been prior to Pentecost. Notice John 13:8-11: "
Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me. Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Jesus saith to him: He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all. For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean." Add this to the puzzle: "
Now you are clean by reason of the word, which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3
). This is the claim, in response to that verse:
“Peter asks to be washed by Jesus head to toe, and Jesus responds that this is not necessary. The image is of a man who bathes in preparation for a feast, and upon arriving there only needs to have his feet washed. In 15:3, we see that the disciples are baptized via having their feet washed. And so it seems that Jesus is saying, in effect, I have one last lesson to teach you: washing your feet completes the cleansing by my word.” The first part of this quote is true, however this saying of “
cleansing by my word” contradicts the church’s later teaching that baptism is absolutely essential to salvation. Just as Jesus’ first disciples (along with his Blessed Mother), the apostles were undoubtedly baptized. Just before his Ascension, Jesus makes clear to his apostles that baptism is a fundamental part of becoming his disciple (Matt. 28:18-20). And Jesus’ baptism is distinguished from John’s, which was a baptism of penance yet which could not forgive sins or provide grace. Luke mentions John’s baptism in Acts 1:5, 1:22, 10:37, 11:16, 13:24, 18:25, and 19:4. So yes, as Jesus’ first disciples (along with his Blessed Mother), the apostles were undoubtedly baptized. Just before his Ascension, Jesus makes clear to his apostles that baptism is a fundamental part of becoming his disciple (Matt. 28:18-20). And Jesus’ baptism is distinguished from John’s, which was a baptism of penance yet which could not forgive sins or provide grace. Luke mentions John’s baptism in Acts 1:5, 1:22, 10:37, 11:16, 13:24, 18:25, and 19:4. Thus, it would be unbiblical to claim that “baptism” can only refer to immersion.
7.
See #3.
8. Baptism was not instituted until the New Testament, but it is implied that David [being Jewish]'s son would have been circumcised, the Old Testament archetype of baptism. Furthermore, no one went to Heaven until after the Resurrection of Christ. As the Catechism of the Council of Trent states, “
before his death and Resurrection, heaven was closed against every child of Adam.” The fact that Jesus and the good thief did not enter Heaven on the day of the crucifixion is also demonstrated in
Matthew 12:40: “
For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the whale, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Another passage that refers to Christ’s descent into Limbo is
Ephesians 4:8-9: “Therefore it says, ‘When He ascended on high, He led a host of captives, and He gave gifts to men.’ In saying He ascended, what does it mean but that
He had also descended into the lower regions of the earth?” Here, we are told that Jesus descended into the lower regions of the earth and ascended with a host of captives. His soul did not descend to the hell of the damned but to the place where the just of the Old Testament were waiting, called the limbo of the fathers or the
limbus patrum in Latin. It is also sometimes called Abraham’s bosom. Scripture refers to this descent in 1 Peter 3 and
Ephesians 4:9. Thus, where David and his son resided was not heaven, but was the
limbus patrum. The word translated above as “paradise” (Greek, paradeiso) means “the abode of the blessed dead” (
A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament, p. 339). Jesus didn’t ascend to Heaven until after His Resurrection, and He descended into Hell on the day of His death. Jesus called it paradise because He would be there.
