Ethiopian Baptism

There is confusion for some people on the topic of baptism, mostly because they do not read or study the Bible, and instead listen to what some priest or pastor has said on it based on erronious beliefs of men in the past. We need to be Bereans, not just people who go along with whatever others teach. 

I hope this brings clarity about the Ethiopian's baptism, and hope the further look into and study up on what Scripture actually teaches on baptism is helpful to you as well. 

What about the Ethiopian 

We have to remember, were not there to have memory of the events, we have the eyewitnesses testimony in Scripture, and those of us not living in Israel and who do not have Hebrew & Greek as our 1st language, can often assume things wrongly when we read the Bible esp if a believer takes everything literally & only as it appears in English. 

A quick study into the geographical areas of Scripture and the language used is needed to comprehend a few things we all have difficulty with when reading the Bible. Not only were their water sources along the "desert road" which simply means more literally "deserted/desolate road" not a sand desert as many try to imply. Also remember, Gaza is a port town with TONS of water nearby. 

In Acts 8:36, when the eunuch said to Philip "Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?"

the word he used for baptized is baptizo. it literally means:

-to submerge

-to immerse

also, while it is true that they were in a desert region, the passage clearly states that they came across water. As stated before, there are various potential sources of water in the area where the events occurred. It is possible that they encountered a natural water source like a a pond, a stream, or a lake, possibly even a river. Whatever it was, it was clearly deep enough body of water to submerge someone in it, and big enough for both to go into it. 

"when they came up out of the water..." in Acts 8:39 implies the eunuch was immersed in the water. And that they then both walked back onto dry land. 

We must remember that the majority of middle east wasn't always a desert. Water played a crucial role in the development of civilizations in the fertile crescent. Water was everywhere. 

Why did the ethiopian want to be baptized? He knew people did this public testimony to symbolically show they had repented and were showing they now aligning with YHWH. Just as the Jews were being baptized by John ....and how the gentiles who convert to Judaism did back then. If you study that you will find it was all symbolic. 

Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus. (Acts 19:4)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him... Jesus said to John, "Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. (Matt. 3:13-17)

Christ is also our example, he was at the Jordan at a body of water, and people went in and were fully immersed. John didnt "come back out of the water" as Phillip did, bcuz John was still in the water baptizing people all day. 

In Acts 8:38-39, the Apostles followed that example.

Colossians 2:12, supports the symbolism previously mentioned: 

"Having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."

But the main purpose is the symbolism of being crucified and resurrected in Christ. 

Gal. 2:20, I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

There are many verses from Scripture that have been used out of context in the past about water baptism to justify false teaching about baby baptism and the neferious reasons around it. However, the truth is we are saved by God when we repent & believe the Gospel as Jesus said (Mark 1:15), and that only happens when God draws us and the Holy Spirit converts us. 

The ethiopian left "rejoicing". He had shown a public testimony of what had already happened to him when he was saved. Then he was baptized to symboliclly show that. 

For more on the baptism topic, return to prev page to examine this study further, or go here.