Baptism

already believers and are in the Kingdom. The mode of John’s baptism and
Baptism given by disciples and of the Christian baptism were the same. Since
John and Jesus were connected with Essence Groups their Baptism was
somehow connected to the expected "Righteous One".. There is a group of
followers of John still in existence in Iran and Iraq who baptize in this
manner. (A video of baptism by this group can be seen in the video series
Legacy published by the Maryland and Public Television and central
Independent Television program Iraq: "The cradle of civilization" is
distributed by Ambrose Video Publishing. Inc.,1290 Avenue of the Americas,
Suite 2245, New York NY 10104 This is an educational video produced by
the secular organization). If the Mandean Baptism is in any way a correct
tradition of the Johannine baptism it was not by total immersion. The person
goes into the water to his or her waist and the baptizer takes water with hand
or with a small pitcher and pours it over the head. Probably this was handed
over through generations, from John Historically therefore John's baptism was
not by total immersion. It was a ceremonial washing. If we notice the
ceremonial washing of Hindu Sanyasins (Holy Men – Ascetics) today in the
river (Ganges), they follow a very similar procedure as part of ritual ablution.
It is also possible that there was a discontinuity in the baptismal procedures of
John, Judaistic Proselysation and ritual purification proceedings with the
Christian baptism after the resurrection of Jesus. Now baptism was into Christ
and the procedures could have been changed accordingly. This is particularly
true if Jesus did indeed instruct the Apostles as to the new form of baptism.
Though we do not have any records for it, it is a possibility. I believe that the
Johannanine baptism prophetically foreshadowed the death, burial and
resurrection of Jesus. The Essene prophetic tradition had this strong
component in place long before even John.
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