Baptism or Mikveh
The word tevilah ("immersion” in Hebrew) is part of the benediction recited during the Jewish mikveh ritual. The ritual washings and cleansings commanded in Mosaic law form the basis for the Judaic mikveh laws. Ancient sages who formulated these rules agreed that the purpose of mikveh was spiritual rather than physical cleansing. They taught that the mikveh cleanses the unclean thus it is a "shadow" of the spiritual cleansing performed by the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5). The roots of baptism rest deeply and permanently within Jewish tradition. Water baptism in the gospels or mikveh tradition teach the ritual has the power to cleanse the hearts of men.
In the old testament we read that before giving the Law (shadow of Christ) at Mount Sinai, God commanded all the people to be washed as an act of purification (Exodus 19:11). The mosaic law records the washing of Aaron (Lev. 8:6) and his sons when they were ordained as priests to minister in the holy tabernacle. God commanded Aaron (Lev. 16:4) to wash himself before he ministered in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. This priestly cleansing by immersion prepared Israel as a nation for the priesthood during the ministry of John the Baptist.
Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: (Ex. 19:5)
And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel (Ex. 19:6).
John was that voice crying in the wilderness!
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, "Prepare" ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight (Matt. 3:3).
The Hebrew word mikveh means literally "a collection or gathering together," in this context it refers to a gathering for the purpose of ritual cleansing. The earliest Biblical uses of the word "mikveh" occur in I Kings 7:23. and in 11 Chronicles 4:2. These verses describe the huge, circular "Sea of Solomon," constructed along with the first Temple for the priests to carry out their ceremonial washing.
Along with the purposes already mentioned in the old testament, another use of purification by water became part of early Jewish tradition. This was immersion or baptism for Gentile converts to Judaism. Though the only Biblical requirement for entrance into the covenant was circumcision, baptism became an added requisite. No one knows exactly when the requirements were changed to include baptism, but it was before the time of Jesus placing it within the period of the Mosaic law.
Mikveh was a vital part of Jewish life well before the time of John the Baptist. One finds Mikvehs in medieval Spain, in ancient Italy and in desert outpost of Masada. The way archaeologists determine whether or not a dig is Jewish is by the presence of a Mikveh. This is recorded in halacha (Jewish law) which states that before the synagogue is built, a Mikveh must be established.
Debates on the subject of proselyte baptism are recorded between Shammai and Hillel, both contemporaries of Jesus. The school of Shammai stressed circumcision as the point of transition, the Hillelites considered baptism most important because it granted spiritual cleansing and the beginning of a new life. Ultimately the Hillelite view prevailed. Maimonides, a 12th century Jewish scholar had this to say concerning converts to Judaism.
"By three things did Israel enter into the Covenant: by circumcision, and baptism and sacrifice. Circumcision was in Egypt, as it is written: 'No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof' (Exodus 12:48). Baptism was in the wilderness, just before giving of the Law, as it is written: 'Sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes' (Exodus 19:10). And sacrifice, as it is said: 'And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt offerings' (Exodus 24:5)...When a gentile is willing to enter the covenant...He must be circumcised and be baptized and bring a sacrifice...And at this time when there is no sacrifice, they must be circumcised and be baptized; and when the Temple shall be built, they are to bring a sacrifice...The gentile that is made a proselyte and the slave that is made free,
behold he is like a child new born."
Gentiles of today who convert to Judaism must undergo baptism in a mikveh ritual. The purpose of this ceremonial immersion is to grant spiritual cleansing, as Maimonides stated in his codification of the laws of mikveh:
Using water to cleanse is an ancient Jewish tradition. When John the Baptist came on the scene, the Jews saw nothing wrong in his demands that people repent and be cleansed in the Jordan River."Baptist" or “baptizer“, comes from the Greek verb baptidzo, which has the same meaning as the Hebrew root taval: to wash by dipping or plunging in water. John's message was in keeping with what all the other Jewish prophets proclaimed. He preached God's judgment, warning that Israel must repent and be spiritually renewed because of the coming of the Messiah was at hand. The self-righteous disagreed but they had no problem with John's method of cleansing. If it had been anything other than their normal tradition the religious leaders would have had him stoned as a false prophet.
John baptized Jesus and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1 :29). Jesus was perfect and sinless, His baptism prepared Him as both Priest and Sacrifice for Israel. In the days Christ walked this earth the Mosaic law was still in effect, those who repented and were cleansed by John in the river still brought animal sacrifices to the Temple to receive God's forgiveness. But after the righteous Messiah gave his life as an atonement for sin, removing the law (Col. 2:14), baptism became a Spiritual operation of God that places us into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).
The New Covenant or the New Testament requires faith in the atoning blood of Christ as the eternal means for spiritual cleansing (Matt 26:28). Spiritual baptism is the washing away of sin (Titus 3:5) and remission of sin is by faith in Christ's blood sacrifice (Matt.26:28), and the giving of new life by God's Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12:13). Baptism into His death is a Spiritual baptism (1 Cor. 12:13). The New Testament scriptures teach that by faith we are plunged or buried into his atoning death, so that God might raise us even as the Christ himself rose from the dead.
Maimonides listed the three requirements for Judaism as circumcision, baptism and sacrifice, in that biblical order. Maimonides waived the requirement of sacrifice until the Temple should be rebuilt yet failed to realize that God never waived that requirement. Indeed, that is why God sent the Messiah before the Temple was destroyed, so that all who believed in him would not be left without an acceptable sacrifice for sin. Modern Christianity confuses the biblical order, the sacrifice comes first then water baptism as a symbol of their faith. This confusion is based on their misunderstanding of the purpose and place water baptism had in the roots of Judaism. The scriptures do not teach water baptism as symbolic of what we believe but they reveal it as a cleaning ritual under the Mosaic law to "prepare" for the sacrifice. Because of Christ's blood sacrifice, believers are cleansed "spiritually" and forgiven of their sin. The apostle Paul described it this way in his New Testament letter to the Gentile believers in Colosse:
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Col. 2:9)
And ye are "complete" in him, which is the head of all principality and power: (Col. 2:10)
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: (Col. 2:11)
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the "faith" of the "operation of God", who hath raised him from the dead. (Col. 2:12)
Before Christ died one had to be circumcised and baptized to be brought under God's covenant, the New Covenant is inward and visible only to God. By his Spirit, he inscribes his law upon the hearts of all those who commit themselves to him through faith in Jesus’ sacrifice (Jeremiah 31:33). The Scriptures teach that Jews and Gentiles by faith receive circumcision of the heart (Col. 2:11) and Spiritual cleaning (Titus 3:5) the moment they accept the Sacrifice of God. Therefore the "fulfillment" of the Mosaic law is found in the power of the cross (Col. 1:19-20).
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)
Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; (Titus 3:6)
That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).
In Christ
Craig