Pickles and Baptism

John 1:29-34

…but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.
- John 1:31

Baptism has become such a common word, we might not consider its complexity. It comes from the Greek word baptizo. Apparently, there was no word in English which could appropriately translate baptizo, so instead we simply adopt the Greek word itself. Most commonly, baptize is defined as ‘to dip or immerse,’ most often in water. But, there’s a slight problem with that basic of a definition, because the Greek word bapto actually means ‘to dip or immerse.’ Baptizo is a derivative with a more nuanced meaning.

To learn more, let us turn to pickles. Yes, pickles. What do pickles and baptism have to do with each other? Well, if you know something about making pickles, you might already begin to guess. There is a recipe for making a pickle that is written around 200 BC in ancient Greek. The recipe calls for the vegetable to be dipped (bapto) into boiling water, then baptizo in the vinegar solution. It is obvious that in both cases the vegetable was immersed in liquid, but the first case is temporary, while the second case results in lasting change—a change in nature, identity. The vegetable now identifies with the brine.

This sort of nuance helps us understand Jesus’ own baptism. Why would Jesus need to be baptized by John for the forgiveness of sins? Well, let’s consider how Jesus’ baptism relates to his identity. By receiving this baptism, Jesus identified himself with humanity. He didn’t identify with sin itself, but with us. With humans. It was the lived reality of Paul’s words from Philippians 2:6-7,

“[Jesus], being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.”

But, in the same event—baptism—Jesus was revealed to be the Lamb of God. In other Gospel accounts, he was called God’s Son. Jesus was identified as the one on whom the Spirit of God rests.

Your own baptism has much to do with identity as well. It was an event with a lasting impact. It is a sign for us that we are identified with Christ, with his death and his resurrection. It identifies us as children of God, as Christians. Baptism is also a seal. Seals were used to identify the source and validity of letters and documents—a king’s seal on a letter or the seal on a passport indicate authenticity. So your baptism affirms that you are God's possession.

Take comfort that in your baptism, your identity changed. By the power of the Holy Spirit, you now share with Christ and all his benefits.

Heidelberg Catechism #73
[In baptism], God wants to teach us that the blood and Spirit of Christ take away our sins just as water removes dirt from the body.
But more important, God wants to assure us, by this divine pledge and sign, that we are as truly washed of our sins spiritually as our bodies are washed with water physically.

~ Pastor Tim