An Atheistic Bible Study Of The Gospels Jesus Performs No Baptisms

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Given that for many Christians Christenings and baptisms are central to the doctrine and worshipful practice, the Bible shows Jesus avoiding conducting any baptisms at all. The water i supposed to represent the cleansing of the soul. Babies are often Christened within months of the birth. For many lapsed Christians this is just an excuse for a party. I have been to Christenings where the regular parishioners, those who attend church every week without fail, resent the families who turn up for a wedding, Christening or funeral, and are then never seen near the churches again. The regulars have a point. Jesus is baptised himself by John the Baptist, who begs Jesus to baptise him in return but Jesus does not do it. Infant Christenings involve a priest or vicar splashing water on an infant’ forehead. Born again movements encourage adults to take a full emersion baptism, in pools or rivers, as a re-statement of faith. However, Jesus performs no baptism on his faithful. John’s Gospel notes that the Pharisees believe Jesus has performed more baptisms than the Baptist ever did, but John notes that they are mistaken. The Apostles conduct numerous baptisms. Jesus does not. His movement is bigger than that of the Baptist precisely because John The Baptist told his followers to start following Jesus instead. Jesus washes the feet of the twelve original Apostles when Peter ask why Jesus won’t wash his hands and the rest of his body too (a request for baptism?). Jesus tells him that he doesn’t need it. Jesus seems to teach his followers that they are clean just from direct eye to eye contact with him. Others need to be baptised if they haven’t yet met Jesus personally, hence the Apostle conducting the river dunking ceremonies, but Jesus not bothering. Soon after his conversion to Christianity St Paul I commanded to get himself baptised as quickly as possible to cleanse away his sins and make his new faith official. From his time on, baptism becomes central to the Christian upbringing and conversion process, but Jesus seemed to avoid conducting such services personally at every opportunity. Arthur Chappell