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| Answer to the Objection that “The Lord Did Not Baptize.”
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Chapter
XI.—Answer to the Objection that “The Lord Did Not
Baptize.”
“But behold, “say some, “the
Lord came, and baptized not; for we read, ‘And yet He used not to
baptize, but His disciples!’”8654
As
if, in truth, John had preached that He would baptize with His own
hands! Of course, his words are not so to be understood, but as simply
spoken after an ordinary manner; just as, for instance, we say,
“The emperor set forth an edict,” or, “The prefect
cudgelled him.” Pray does the emperor in person set forth,
or the prefect in person cudgel? One whose ministers do a thing is
always said to do it.8655
| 8655 For instances of this,
compare Bible:Matt.20.20">Matt. viii. 5 with Luke vii.
3, 7; and Mark x. 35 with Matt. xx. 20. | So “He will
baptize you” will have to be understood as standing for,
“Through Him,” or “Into Him,” “you will
be baptized.” But let not (the fact) that “He Himself
baptized not” trouble any. For into whom should He
baptize? Into repentance? Of what use, then, do you make His
forerunner? Into remission of sins, which He used to give by a word?
Into Himself, whom by humility He was concealing? Into the Holy Spirit,
who had not yet descended from the Father? Into the Church, which
His apostles had not yet founded? And thus it was with the selfsame
“baptism of John” that His disciples used to baptize, as
ministers, with which John before had baptized as forerunner. Let none
think it was with some other, because no other exists, except that of
Christ subsequently; which at that time, of course, could not be given
by His disciples, inasmuch as the glory of the Lord had not yet been
fully attained,8656
nor the efficacy of
the font8657
established through
the passion and the resurrection; because neither can our death see
dissolution except by the Lord’s passion, nor our life be
restored without His resurrection.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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