The Pulpit Commentary — Acts — Volume 1 — Section 86

V-ers. 38, 41.-Thefirst practice of baptism as a Ohi·istian rite. "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized •. , the Holy Ghost." "Then they that ~ladly received his word were baptized . . . three thousand souls." The sun of the day of Pentecost did not set without marking the moment of the inauguration of the rite of Christian baptism-a rite which has never ceased to prove the occasion of stir and difference of opinion down the history of the Church. Baptism, and the baptism of water, was of course a familiar thing t,o the minds of the disciples of Jesus. It was in no sense a novelty, for they had known it from the preaching and the practice of John the Baptist. And with the original of even this there can be no doubt the Jewish nation as such had long been acquainted. The rite, however, unavoidably invests itself with fresh dignity and fresh significance from the time that Jesus, in the interval between the Resurrection and Ascension, and especially in his very parting words before the latter event, enjoined his disciple3 to observe it, in the sense, not of sub- mitting to it themselves at the hands of one another, but of calling others to it and administering it t,o them. They are expressly advised by Jesus that in their own case it wonld be utterly superseded by the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which the day of Pentecost was to bring, s.nd whiclt. it now had brought. "This beginning," therefore, of baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ may well attract most interested notice. It practically owned t,o certain objects or requirements, whether more explicit or implicit in their character. And it is our duty to study it in the appearances it then offered to view. L IT IMPLIED TH.AT, GIVEN CERTAIN FAVOURING CIBCUMSTANCES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF :KNOWLEDGE IN THEIR RELIGIOUS LIFE, MEN ABE CALLED TO ENTEB INTO A DEFINITE AND FIXED BELATIONBBIP TO CHRIST. Once the novel appeal to men was, "Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Now the more permanent appeal has taken its place : " Repent, and be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ." Il. IT SUl'POSES TH.AT THE ENTRANCE Ul'ON SUCB RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST BE OF THE NATURE OF A PROFESSION, AND )[ORE OB LESS PUllLIO PROFESSION. Not in the retire- ment of sacred shrine, or of more sacred closet, or of most sacred heart alone, must tho relationship be established. There were reasons why a certain kind of notoriety should attend it. That notoriety might be expected to have in it: 1. Some share of useful influence on the indi'l'idnal character of the person making profession. 2. Some help- ful influence in the founding and holding together of the Christian society. 3. Some tribute of grateful and willing acknowledgment to him who once was put to "open shame." Ill. IT CONTAINED IN IT A TACIT CONFESSION, IN THE VERY NATURE OF THE RITE SU11HITTED TO, OF THE TAINT INHERENT IN NATURE, AND OF NATURE'S NEED OF PURI- FICATION. The indistinctness of prophecy that went before by centuries, and the unequivocal distinctness of apostolic language in both history and Epistle, give the description of washing, d«Jlfl.sing, purifying, as the symbolic significance of the rite of baptism. IV. IT DID NOT, TO ALL A.PPEARANCE, ABK FOB. ANY INQUISITORIAL ELEMENT OR IIE.A.BCHING D."'VEBTIGATION ON THE PAB.T OF THE AD:MINIBTBATOBS OF IT, It would seem impoBBible, in the nature of the circumstances described in the history before us, that even apostles, under the highest amount of inspiration, could have done more than accept simply the profession of those who offered themselves for baptism. 'l'he guarantee they took .Df the very repentance which they urged and preached as the ,Jeepe,t matter in queation, was only that which belonged to the fact of the people's OH, II, 1-47,) THE ACTS OF 'fllE APOSTLES. 8t