Again, other reference to the laying on of hands after immersion is seen by some in 2 Ti 1^ (which is usually taken to refer to Timothy's ordination, though Chase refers it — not 1 Ti 1^^ — to his baptism, i.e. confirmation). In Ac 9^^ (cf. v.^^) also, Ananias lays his hands on Saul before baptism ; but the allusion in both cases is doubtful. For the anoint- ing, see above, 1.
The name confirmation, i.e. 'strengthening,' for the complement of immersion is not found before the 5th cent. ; it may be founded on the use of ^€j3ai6u in 2 Co 1^"* with the allusion there to baptism.
For many centuries the baptismal rite — im- mersion, anointing (when practised), and laying on of hands — was normally one, and took place at one time. Tertullian {de Bapt. 8) speaks of the immersion, unction, and imposition of hands with invocation of the Holy Ghost as being administered on the same occasion ; and the Church Orders are equally definite (Maclean, pp. 18 f., 105 If.). Laying on of hands is also referred to in Tert. de Bes. Cam. 8 (with immersion, unction, sealing with the sign of the cross, and communion), and by Cji^prian {Ep. Ixxi.), who speaks of those who have been laaptized by heretics being received into the Church with imposition of hands that they might receive the Holy Ghost (cf. Ep. Ixxii. 9, referring to Ac 8). Origen [de Princ. I. iii. 2) says that the Holy Spirit was given by the laying on of the apostles' hands in baptism ; so Athanasius, ad Serap. Orat. i. 6. It is curious that Cyril of Jerusalem {Cat. xx.-xxii.), who mentions immersion, anointing, and the communion of the neophytes, omits the laying on of hands, seeing that the contemporary Church Orders strongly emphasize it. It is a mistake to suppose that this custom ceased with Tertullian. The baptismal Eucharist with the first communion of the neophytes follows immediately in the Church Orders ; cf. also Tertullian and Cyril as above, and Justin {Apol. i. 65).
In case of necessity there might be an interval between the immersion and the imposition of hands, as there had been in Ac 8. The Council of Elvira (c. A.D. 305, can. 38, 77) says that in such a case if the baptized dies before [his confirmation], he may be justified by the faith which he has professed ; cf. also Jerome, Dial. c. Lucif. 9, who mentions the laying on of hands.
Engrlish idiom. Whatever justification there may be for this criticism in a version intended for public reading (though even there it is surely important that the hearers should Itnow what the sacred writers exactly meant), yet it cannot be too strongly asserted that it is essential for the student to pay the greatest attention to the accuracies of the Greek tenses.
For the theological significance of the laying on of hands, see below, § 8.
7. Minister of baptism. — We gather from the NT that the apostles themselves did not usually baptize ; their task was ' to preach the Gospel,' and St. Paul only rarely administered the sacra- ment himself, lest any should say that his converts were baptized into his name (1 Co l^'''^^). It is not recorded who baptized the 3000 at Pentecost (Ac 2^^), or the Samaritans (8'-^-, probably Philip), or Lydia and her household (16^°), or the jailer at Philippi and 'all his' (16^^), or the Corinthians (18*), or the Ephesians (19^) ; St. VetQi'?, companions clearly baptized Cornelius and his company (lO'*^'-) : he 'commanded' them to be baptized. Philip baptized the Eunuch (8^*), and evidently Ananias baptized St. Paul (9^* 22^^). It has been suggested tliat baptism was one of the functions of John i\Iark as 'minister' (vir-qpeTtj^) to Barnabas and Saul (13^; Rackham, Covi. in loc). On the other hand, St. Peter and St. John laid their hands on those who had been baptized in Samaria (8'''), and St. Paul laid his hands on the Ephesian neophytes (19«; ct. V.5).
A similar rule is found in the baptismal customs of the succeeding ages. In the Church Orders the bishop is normally present at baptisms, but the presbyters actually immerse, and the deacons assist ; then the newly-baptized are immediately brought to the bishop for anointing and laying on of hands ; though the custom as to the person who anoints and the number and place of the unctions in the rite varies, the bishop always lays on hands (for details, see Maclean, p. 104 ft'.). "When, there- fore, it is said that the bishop was the normal minis- ter of baptism, it is not meant that he actually immersed, though doubtless he sometimes did so. St. Ambrose (de Alyst. 8 [iii.]) speaks only of the bishop (summum sacerdotem) interrogating, and hallowing (the Avater, or the oil [?]). As time went on, either the immersion and the confirmation had to be separated, or else the latter was administered by the presbyter with oil consecrated by the bishop.
Deacons were allowed at Elvira (can. 77) to bap- tize in case of necessity ; and so Tertull. de Bapt. 17 (who, like Elvira, allows laymen to baptize in such a case). Test, of our Lord, ii. 11, Didascalia, iii. 12 (ed. Funk) ; but this is forbidden in Ap. Const, viii. 28, 46 (ed. Funk). The Ap. Const. (iii. 9) and the ' Fourth Council of Carthage,' A.D. 398 (can. 100, Hefele, Coimcils, Eng. tr., ii. [18P6] 417), forbid women to baptize. There is perhaps a permission to deacons to baptize in country places, in Cyr. Jer., Cat. xvii. 35; but this is uncertain. There may be a trace of pres- byters confirming in the Sacramentary of Serapion and in the Ap. Const, (see Maclean, pp. 107, 110, 155).