Baptism Series: The New Testament & Baptism

In the Gospels, we see Jesus enter his public phase by receiving a baptism of water by John the Baptist, and at the end of his life he asks his disciples to baptize all the nations. We might say, then, that baptism forms the bookends of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In this episode, Dr. Luke Arredondo explores the significance of baptism for Jesus and its connection to discipleship. 

 

Show Notes:

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, see paragraphs 1217-1222. 

In the Bible:  

• The Ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3: 1-12; Mark 1: 1-4; Luke 3: 1-20) 
• The Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3: 13-17; Mark 1: 9-11; Luke 3: 21-22) 
• The Necessity of Baptism (John 3: 3-5) 
• Baptism of “Households” seen in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 16: 27-34) 
• Baptism as Death and Life (Romans 6: 1-14) 

From St. Basil: 

“The image of death is fulfilled in the water, and the Spirit gives us the pledge of life. Therefore it is clear why water is associated with the Spirit: because of baptism’s dual purpose. On the one hand, the body of sin is destroyed, that it may never bear fruit for death. On the other hand, we are made to live by the Spirit, and bear fruit in holiness. The water receives our body as a tomb, and so becomes the image of death, while the Spirit pours in life-giving power, renewing in souls which were dead in sin the life they first possessed. This is what it means to be born again of water and Spirit: the water accomplishes our death, while the Spirit raises us to life.”