Starting with John the Baptist

The Christian fascination with concepts asserts itself from the very beginning of conventional New Testament commentary.  The baptisms by John the Baptist are asserted by the commentators—utterly without evidence—to necessarily establish an indispensable sacramental framework.  The repentant Jews, according to the prevailing Christian concepts, were—of course—washed because the Jews had always been following washing regimens, or because water is next to cleanliness is next to godliness—or some such.

In truth, if it were not for the Baptist having been directed by God to baptize (Luke 3:2-3, John 1:33), it would be impious presumption to contend that John’s ministry of repentance had, of necessity, to be connected to water baptism.  Other possibilities present themselves.  For example, Paul, in his letter to the Romans (12:20), refers to Proverbs 25:

“If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink: For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the LORD shall reward thee” (20-21, KJV).

It would be scarcely difficult to imagine the proverb—featuring a picture of burning shame to be internalized by a transgressor—turned into a ritual of repentance.  John apparently had a habit of baptizing where “there was much water” (John 3:23); surely he could have found similarly isolated places where there was ample scrub for firebrands, embers, ashes, soot, and the like for a repentance ritual.

However, it is plainly characteristic of Christianity to conjure endless conjectures about concepts—and their related controversies—where no such things need exist.  Why, oh why, did John the Baptist’s ministry take the form it did?  Well, it might be helpful to consult the man himself:

“And I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water” (John 1:31).  There we have it.  Setting aside the evocative poetry of the baptism stories (only for a moment, as valuable as it is for motivation) we are left with the upshot of the baptism stories: the introduction of the messiah to his main contemporary audience.

If it had served God’s sovereign will, Jesus’ introduction might have been effected by one full-throated fisherman or shepherd.  Of course, thus eliminating the repentance ritual account of John the Baptist would have deprived numerous sinful generations, then as now, of getting the hell scared out of them.