Recently in one of our “Evening Meditation” (video) Bible Studies … we came across this verse in John, in John’s Gospel.
First, the context. The “Jews” (leaders in Israel who were also nonbelievers in Jesus, in fact, enemies of Jesus) were trying to sow animosity (discord) between John the Baptist and Jesus!
They merely mentioned that they had heard … “Rabbi (addressing John the Baptist), He that was with thee beyond Jordan (Jesus), to Whom thou barest witness, behold, the Same BAPTIZETH, and all men come to Him.” (John 3:26)
This Verse plainly says that Jesus “baptized” people. (Of course these men, not fond of accuracy when it comes to our Lord, might have not had their facts totally straight!)
So John, the writer of the Gospel that bears his name, John the Disciple or Apostle … soon clarifies this action of Jesus, this “baptizing.”
In John 4:1-3 … “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John (Though JESUS HIMSELF BAPTIZED NOT, but his disciples), He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee.”
So after all … Jesus Himself, in truth, did NOT baptize!
Only His disciples did!
Then, are we looking at a contradiction in Scripture?
No!
Jesus’ enemies said He baptized. And they may have very well heard that somewhere.
Therefore John recorded their words, their malicious and inaccurate words. He had to do this in order to reveal their sinful hearts, the venom in their souls toward Jesus.
Then, a Paragraph later, John clarifies … “Jesus Himself baptized not.”
Explains!
No contradiction, just explication!
What a Book, the Bible!
God inspired, Holy Spirit written, perfect in every way!
Psalm 12:6 says it well … “The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.”
Amen!
Study your Bible, you can rely on its truths!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
By the way, what a disciple of any great Teacher does … that act is performed “in the name of” that Teacher!
When we baptize yet today, we do so “in the Name of the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Ghost!”
As I preached yesterday in the Revival … twice in fact, I did so “in the name of Jesus,” my Saviour and the Lord who called me to the pulpit, to the ministry!
Wow, what a thought!
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