BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD

BAPTIZED FOR THE DEAD

“Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?” (1 Cor. 15:29-30)

These inspired words have caused much controversy and have even led some to be baptized many times for people who are dead. The following is a possible understanding of these inspired words that does not require inventing a new doctrine. Let us begin with Paul’s letter to the Ephesians that mentions only “one baptism”! “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” (Eph. 4:4-6).

Surely Paul does not contradict himself by what he wrote to the Corinthians! Please consider that being “baptized for the dead” is the “one baptism” with which the Corinthians were already familiar.

PAUL IS WRITING ABOUT THE RESURRECTION

Paul in this Scripture is not writing about baptism, but about the resurrection. Some at Corinth said “there is no resurrection of the dead” (1 Cor. 15:12) and Paul is writing to prove they were wrong. He only mentioned baptism to prove that Jesus was risen from the dead. Obviously they were familiar with baptism for by one Spirit they were all baptized into One Body (1 Cor. 12:13).

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1 Corinthians 15 is called the “Resurrection Chapter of the Bible”. All 58 verses deal with the resurrection.

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Here is a brief summary leading up to Paul’s reference about baptism.

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Paul begins by pointing out that there were many eye witnesses to the resurrection. This included Peter, the Twelve, more than 500 brethren at once, James, all of the apostles, and Paul himself. (1 Cor. 15:1-8).

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He then points out that “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Cor. 15:14)

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“More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead.” (1 Cor. 15:15)

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Then he stresses that Christ is the “first fruits of those what have fallen asleep.” (1 Cor. 15:20) As the “first fruits” of the harvest were an indication of the major harvest which was later, the resurrection of Jesus is the “first fruits” of the great resurrection when all shall come out of their graves (Jn. 5:28).

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“For as in Adam all die, so in Christ will all be made alive.” (1 Cor. 15:22).

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“For he (Christ) must reign until he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Cor. 15:25-26).

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It is in this context that Paul brings up baptism.

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HIS POINT IS, IF CHRIST IS DEAD WHY BE BAPTIZED? IF CHRIST IS DEAD WHY BE ENDANGERED EVERY HOUR?

THERE IS ONLY ONE BAPTISM

As we have already said, there is only one baptism and the Corinthians were familiar with it. Everyone in the church at Corinth had been baptized: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body – whether Jews or Greek, slave or free – and were all given the one Spirit to drink.” (1 Cor. 12:13)

The Corinthians were baptized upon the authority of Jesus. Jesus said: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matt. 28:18-20) Please note that Jesus spoke these words after he was resurrected from the dead and just before ascending into heaven.

Paul’s argument is that if Jesus is dead he has no authority, so why be baptized for him? If Jesus is dead why be persecuted for him?

DEAD PEOPLE HAVE NO AUTHORITY

While Herod the Great was alive he had a lot of authority. He was like the mighty Nebuchadnezzar: “Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death; those he wanted to spare, he spared; those he wanted to promote, he promoted; and those he wanted to humble, he humbled” (Dan. 5:19). While Herod was alive he could do anything he wanted. For example, he had many construction projects. He ordered thousands of workers to construct the Jewish temple, Masada, Herodium, Alexandrium, Hyrcania, Machaerus, the seaport at Caesarea, Etc. Everyone obeyed him for he was the greatest king in the Herod family. That’s why they called him “Herod the Great”.

Herod also killed thousands of people including two of his own sons and his favorite wife. When Jesus was born, as you know, he ordered the death of all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity that were two years old and under (Matt. 2:16-18). As he was dying in Jericho he planned many more deaths. Herod knew he was hated! He had 2,000 soldiers who served as his body guards. He knew, therefore, that people would rejoice when he died. To insure that people would mourn at this passing he arrested the most illustrious men in Judea and imprisoned them in the hippodrome. He then gave orders to his sister Salome and her husband that as soon as he died these beloved Jewish men would be immediately killed. In this way the demented king sought to insure great mourning at the time of his death.

WHEN HEROD DIED HOWEVER, HIS ORDERS WERE NOT CARRIED OUT! HEROD WAS DEAD! AS A DEAD MAN HE WAS POWERLESS TO HELP OR HARM ANYONE! A DEAD PERSON HAS NO AUTHORITY!

Paul himself recognized this principle and wrote to the Romans: “By law a married woman is bound to her husband as long as he is alive, but if her husband dies, she is released from the law of marriage. So then, if she marries another man while her husband is still alive, she is called an adulteress. But if her husband dies, she is released from that law and is not an adulteress, even though she marries another man” (Rom. 7:2-3).

“THOSE” AND “US”

“Now if there is no resurrection, what will those do who are baptized for the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them? And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour?”

As we have already pointed out, everyone in the church at Corinth had been baptized (1 Cor. 12:13). Yet, at the same time, “some” in the church said “there is no resurrection of the dead.” (1 Cor. 12:12) Paul was pointing out that it was irrational for “those” people to be baptized! As we have said, dead people do not have authority! Therefore, If Christ has not been risen from the dead nobody needs to be baptized!

Paul applies the same reasoning to “us”. This would include Silas, Timothy, and other of Paul’s helpers. Everywhere these men preached they were in danger every hour. If Christ has not been raised from the dead there was no reason for these men to be in danger!

JESUS, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN RAISED FROM THE DEAD. BECAUSE OF THIS EVERYONE NEEDS TO CONFESS CHRSIT AS LORD AND BE BAPTIZED!

This explanation may not represent the full meaning of Paul’s words, but it is certainly preferable to inventing a new doctrine not mentioned anywhere else in the Bible.

“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” (Gal. 3:26- 29)