Old Covenant washings for infants?

a mere housewife · #1 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 01:09 PM

I was wondering if/when infants may have been ceremonially washed/sprinkled/baptised under the Old Covenant. (I'm just looking for answers and don't have any arguments to make, but haven't posted this in the paedobaptism answers forum because some of the baptists are very knowledgeable in this area as well).

I have read and reread the information Dennis posted about proselyte baptisms, and later proselyte practices is not really what I am asking about at this time. I am unfortunately not well enough versed in my old Testament to know offhand where to look for information about when infants may have been ceremonially washed, except for the references in Ezekiel about the child who is not cleansed (and I'm not sure if this is referring to ceremonial washings that the Jews would have recognized as such, or drawing an analogy with an unnceremonial washing that happens after every birth).

Contra_Mundum · #2 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 01:41 PM

The "baptisms" of the Old Testament (Heb. 9:10) were frequently associated with cleansing of the body-public was so "baptized" or ceremonially cleansed, Men, Women, and Children, Heb. 9:13, cf. w/ Ex.24:8; Dt.31:10-12, Num.19:18; Lev.16:15.

Then, there were individual cleansings, for the ceremonially unclean. Usually, this demands some self-awareness/self-examination.

a mere housewife · #3 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 01:50 PM

Thanks, Bruce. I have looked those up. It seems like so many symbols converge in Baptism -- the flood, where there is not only washing but regeneration if I'm understanding Peter correctly; the ceremonial immersion washings of course; the passing through the Red Sea, Christ's death, burial and resurrection, and the sprinkling of blood under the old covenant.

I didn't see a reference to sprinkling/cleansing in the Dt. passage -- is that a mistype or am I missing something?

toddpedlar · #4 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a mere housewife

Thanks, Bruce. I have looked those up. It seems like so many symbols converge in Baptism -- the flood, where there is not only washing but regeneration if I'm understanding Peter correctly; the ceremonial immersion washings of course; the passing through the Red Sea, Christ's death, burial and resurrection, and the sprinkling of blood under the old covenant.

I didn't see a reference to sprinkling/cleansing in the Dt. passage -- is that a mistype or am I missing something?

I'm not sure all ceremonial washings in the OT can be assumed to be immersions. Passing through the Red Sea was certainly no immersion (though it was for some - but they got quite a different end than did the Israelites who were said to be baptized therein).

In their consecration, the Levites were sprinkled with water in Numbers 8:7, and tents, clothing etc., were sprinkled for purification in Numbers 19. The list goes on beyond these, though.

Davidius · #5 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:07 PM

I like the description God uses in Ezekiel 26 of Israel as an infant left on the side of the road, picked up by God, washed/cleansed and adopted. This shows how, in a sense, all baptisms are infant baptisms. The imagery of the infant shows how helpless we are.

a mere housewife · #6 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:11 PM

It seems there were sprinklings and immersions in the ritual cleansing of the old covenant, from what I have read. I am not entirely sure that mode is all important or that everyone in the New Testament would have used the same mode (I have heard and read that the earliest pictures we have are of people standing in water and water being 'affused' on the head; but that the didache prescribed immersions, and that probably people would have practiced a mode baptism similar to a ritual cleansing with which they were familiar? one such article here).

a mere housewife · #7 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidius

I like the description God uses in Ezekiel 26 of Israel as an infant left on the side of the road, picked up by God, washed/cleansed and adopted. This shows how, in a sense, all baptisms are infant baptisms. The imagery of the infant shows how helpless we are.

I am in part trying to find out if this imagery in Ezekiel is a reference to something the Israelites would have understood as a ritual or ceremonial cleansing for infants, or simply an analogy from something non-ceremonial that happens to every baby when it is born.

Davidius · #8 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a mere housewife

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davidius

I like the description God uses in Ezekiel 26 of Israel as an infant left on the side of the road, picked up by God, washed/cleansed and adopted. This shows how, in a sense, all baptisms are infant baptisms. The imagery of the infant shows how helpless we are.

I am in part trying to find out if this imagery in Ezekiel is a reference to something the Israelites would have understood as a ritual or ceremonial cleansing for infants, or simply an analogy from something non-ceremonial that happens to every baby when it is born.

Yeah, I am not so sure that it refers to an actual ceremony. What it does show, IMO, is that there is no inconsistency in God coming and adopting an infant/showing that infants are in the covenant, etc. It makes me think of the children being brought to Jesus.

toddpedlar · #9 (**permalink**) 07-01-2008, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a mere housewife

It seems there were sprinklings and immersions in the ritual cleansing of the old covenant, from what I have read. I am not entirely sure that mode is all important or that everyone in the New Testament would have used the same mode (I have heard and read that the earliest pictures we have are of people standing in water and water being 'affused' on the head; but that the didache prescribed immersions,

Or pouring...

Quote:

and that probably people would have practiced a mode baptism similar to a ritual cleansing with which they were familiar? one such article here).