...... Here is a page from the Blue Letter Bible ...
Now, with all that set up, I honestly don't know much about the Blue Letter Bible, or if it is any good. Wiki reports that it is now a whopping 12 years old on this earth. That doesn't mean it's bad, but here are some other tidbits from Wiki:
"The Project supports 12 English Bible translations, Hebrew and the Septuagint for the Old Testament, and the Greek Textus Receptus and Westcott-Hort versions for the New Testament. Integrated study tools include Gesenius' Lexicon for the Old Testament, and Thayer's Lexicon for the New Testament, as well as English and Strong's Concordances for the entire Bible.
I don't know how this thing works, but it appears that you've been doing some picking and choosing within a much larger arena. :) I have no doubt that Orthodox translators have translated everything there is into words that match what the Church wants to hear. That is fine by me.
In fact, as a Baptist, I do not even scream bloody murder at triple dunking. I wouldn't say "that counts as three baptisms, so it's no good", or something like that. If you want to triple dunk at one time, then go for it. I won't call you names. Now, if we could only get the same kind of consideration from some of our Apostolic friends, that would be nice. :) But of course, I'm not going to hold my breath.
The Bible simply doesn't say for sure, notwithstanding dueling translators across time. BTW, as of this post, you haven't addressed the problem that you have explaining away Matt. 3:16. A multiple immersion wouldn't make sense with the text.
Since it means multiple dips, what number is meaningful and symbolic at the same time? First there is the Holy Trinity into which we baptize, each person separately, so it makes sense to dip for each Divine Hypostasis (the way we make the sign of the cross, when calling on God, each Divine Person individually).
Second, Christ was dead for three days, and when we are baptized we die unto ourselves and are "buried" and each dip can represent one day of death before resurrection. Other numbers simply make no sense from the spiritual point of view.
I just want you to think of all the posts of mine that you have previously summarily dismissed because I was "rationalizing", or some such. And then, I'd like you to read the above two paragraphs and tell yourself that they are nothing like that. :)
Not really. The Crosswalk Greek lexicon also lists baptizo as immerse repeatedly. The issue was not various Bibles but the definition of the word. Clearly, the early Church, which used the same language in which the NT was written, took it to mean more than once, as the 1st century Didache testifies. And that same early church, when the Apostles still walked the earth baptizes by triple immersion. I think I will stick with the Apostolic Church and its practice.
In fact, as a Baptist, I do not even scream bloody murder at triple dunking. I wouldn't say "that counts as three baptisms, so it's no good", or something like that
Based on what rule? One dip contrary to the meaning of the word?
BTW, as of this post, you haven't addressed the problem that you have explaining away Matt. 3:16
There is nothing in that verse that says He was immersed only once. The word "baptize," by the way, doesn't exist in the Old Testament, so we have to go with Greek meaning. BTW, Christ's own baptism is pointless, since He had nothing to repent of. So, in a way it was an empty ritual. The suggestion that the HS descended on Christ at that moment also makes no sense, given that He was never without the Holy Spirit.
I just want you to think of all the posts of mine that you have previously summarily dismissed because I was "rationalizing", or some such. And then, I'd like you to read the above two paragraphs and tell yourself that they are nothing like that
Sure. Given the dilemma posed by the meaning of the word baptizo the Church looked for a meaningful number of immersions. Or perhaps number three is what the Church was told and it was one of those other things that the Apostles knew and never wrote about it because it had to do with worship. The NT does not tell us how to worship, yet the early Church, along with the Apostles, did worship liturgically, based on Hebrew worship. Since they were all Jews, all practically all, there was no need to specifically write about the liturgical way of worship which was known to all.
Either way, the only meaningful number in the equation is three. The rest would be rationalizations.
In the end we both know it all gets down to their claim everybody must do and believe what they say.
In fact, as a Baptist, I do not even scream bloody murder at triple dunking. I wouldn't say "that counts as three baptisms, so it's no good", or something like that. If you want to triple dunk at one time, then go for it. I won't call you names.
You mean you won't put to death other Christians because they insist that a person must first BELIEVE and REPENT before being baptized. ;-0