Albert Barnes Commentary Matthew 3:6

"and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins." — Matthew 3:6 (ASV)

Were baptized. The word "baptize" signifies originally to tinge, to dye, or to stain, like those who dye clothes. It means here to cleanse or wash anything by the application of water. (See the notes on Mark 7:4).

Washing, or ablution, was much in use among the Jews as one of the rites of their religion (Numbers 19:7; Hebrews 9:10). It was not customary, however, among them to baptize those who were converted to the Jewish religion until after the Babylonian captivity.

At the time of John, and for some time previously, they had been accustomed to administer a rite of baptism, or washing, to those who became proselytes to their religion; that is, who were converted from being Gentiles.

This was done to signify that they renounced the errors and worship of the pagans, and it was significant of their becoming pure by embracing a new religion. It was a solemn rite of washing, significant of cleansing from their former sins and purifying them for the special service of Jehovah.

John found this custom in use. Since he was calling the Jews to a new dispensation—to a change in their form of religion—he administered this rite of baptism, or washing, to signify the cleansing from their sins and their adoption of the new dispensation, or their fitness for the pure reign of the Messiah.

They applied an old ordinance to a new purpose. As it was used by John, it was a significant rite, or ceremony, intended to denote the putting away of impurity and a purpose to be pure in heart and life.

The Hebrew word (tabal), which is rendered by the word "baptize," occurs in the Old Testament in the following places, namely: Leviticus 4:6; Leviticus 14:6, 51; Numbers 19:18; Ruth 2:14; Exodus 12:22; Deuteronomy 33:24; and Ezekiel 23:15.

It also occurs in Job 9:31; Leviticus 9:9; 1 Samuel 14:27; 2 Kings 5:14; 2 Kings 8:15; Genesis 37:31; and Joshua 3:15.

The word occurs in no other places in the Old Testament. From a careful examination of these passages, its meaning among the Jews is to be derived. From these passages, it will be seen that its essential meaning is not to sprinkle or to immerse.

Rather, it is to dip, commonly for the purpose of sprinkling or for some other purpose.

Thus, it means to dip the finger (that is, a part of the finger) in blood—enough to sprinkle with (Leviticus 4:6). It also describes dipping a living bird, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop, in the blood of the bird that was killed, for the purpose of sprinkling. In this case, it could not be that all these items were immersed in the blood of a single bird.

Other examples include: to dip hyssop in the water to sprinkle with (Numbers 19:18); to dip a portion of bread in vinegar (Ruth 2:14); to dip the feet in oil, an emblem of plenty (Deuteronomy 33:24); to dye or stain (Ezekiel 23:15); and to plunge into a ditch so as to defile the clothes (Job 9:31).

Furthermore, it is used to describe dipping the end of a staff in honey (1 Samuel 14:27) and Naaman the Syrian dipping in the Jordan (2 Kings 5:14). The prophet's direction to Naaman was to wash himself (2 Kings 5:10), which shows that, in this context, washing and baptizing were understood to mean the same thing.

Finally, it describes dipping a towel or quilt in water to spread it on a man's face to smother him (2 Kings 8:15).

In none of these Old Testament cases can it be shown that the meaning of the word is to immerse entirely. Instead, in nearly all instances, the idea of applying water to only a part of the person or object, though it was by dipping, must necessarily be supposed.

In the New Testament, the word, in its various forms, occurs eighty times; fifty-seven of these refer to persons. Of these fifty-seven instances, it is followed by "in" (en) eighteen times (e.g., in water, in the desert, in Jordan); nine times by "into" (eiv) (e.g., into the name, etc., into Christ); once it is followed by epi (Acts 2:38); and twice by "for" (uper) (1 Corinthians 15:29).

The following remarks may be made in view of this investigation into the meaning of the word:

1. That in baptism it is possible, perhaps probable, that the notion of dipping would be the one that would occur to a Jew.
2. It would not occur to him that the word necessarily meant to dip entirely or completely to immerse.
3. The notion of washing would be the one most readily occurring as connected with a religious rite (see the cases of Naaman and Mark 7:4, Greek).
4. It cannot be proved from an examination of the passages in the Old and New Testaments that the idea of a complete immersion ever was connected with the word, or that it ever occurred in any case. Even if they went into the water, that still does not prove that the only mode of baptism was by immersion, as it might have been by pouring, though they were in the water.
5. It is not positively commanded anywhere in the New Testament that the only mode of baptism must be by an entire submersion of the body under water. Without such a precept, it cannot be made obligatory for people of all ages, nations, and climates, even if it were probable that in the mild climate of Judea it was the usual mode.

The Jordan River is the eastern boundary of Palestine or Judea. It rises in Mount Lebanon, on the north of Palestine, and runs in a southerly direction, under ground for thirteen miles, and then bursts forth with a great noise at Caesarea Philippi.

It then unites with two small streams, runs some miles farther, and empties into Lake Merom. From this small lake, it flows thirteen miles and then falls into the Lake of Gennesaret, otherwise called the Sea of Tiberias or the Sea of Galilee.

Through the middle of this lake, which is fifteen miles long and from six to nine miles broad, the Jordan flows undisturbed. It preserves a southerly direction for about seventy miles and then falls into the Dead Sea.

At its entrance into the Dead Sea, the Jordan is about ninety feet wide. It flows in many places with great rapidity, and when swollen by rains, it pours like an impetuous torrent.

It formerly regularly overflowed its banks in the time of harvest (that is, in March), in some places by six hundred paces (Joshua 3:15; 1 Chronicles 12:15).

These banks are covered with small trees and shrubs and provide a convenient dwelling for wild animals. Allusion is often made to these thickets in the sacred Scriptures (Jeremiah 49:19; Jeremiah 50:44).