Words · Greek Words · Lesson 4, word 4 of 5
βαπτίζωbaptizo
To dip, immerse, wash, to baptise.
Why this word is here. Baptism is one of the church's two ordinances and a point of honest difference between Christians; this entry gives the lexicon's evidence and stops where it stops.
What it means
Abbott-Smith: 'to dip, immerse, sink'. In general Greek: of soldiers wading breast-deep, of ships sinking; metaphorically, to overwhelm (so Jesus' 'baptism' of suffering, Mark 10:38). In the middle voice: to wash oneself, bathe (Mark 7:4, of returning from the market; Luke 11:38). Of ablution or immersion as a religious rite: to baptise, John's baptism of repentance, Christian baptism in water, and baptism 'in the Holy Spirit' (Mark 1:8).
The noun baptisma and the agent noun baptistes ('the Baptist') belong to the same family.
Where you meet it
I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
Mark 1:8 (BSB)
John: 'I baptise (baptizo) you with water, but He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.' Water and Spirit set in parallel by the same verb.
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 (BSB)
Anchor verse Peter at Pentecost: 'Repent and be baptised (baptizo), every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.'
Or aren’t you aware that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?
Romans 6:3 (BSB)
'All of us who were baptised (baptizo) into Christ Jesus were baptised into His death.' Paul builds the Christian life on baptism as burial and resurrection with Christ.
And on returning from the market, they do not eat unless they wash. And there are many other traditions for them to observe, including the washing of cups, pitchers, kettles, and couches for dining.
Mark 7:4 (BSB)
The Pharisees 'do not eat unless they wash (baptizo)' and observe 'the washing (baptismos) of cups and pitchers'. The word family also covers ritual washings that were plainly not full immersions of the objects' owners, one reason the debate exists.
Why it matters
Baptizo matters because baptism matters: it is the New Testament's appointed doorway into the visible people of God, picturing washing, burial, resurrection and the gift of the Spirit. Every tradition's practice claims this word's authority, which is exactly why its evidence must be stated exactly.
Watch out
Present this one with both hands open, because Christians of good faith differ. The over-claim on one side: 'baptizo always and only means immerse, so the word alone settles the mode.' The lexicon's primary sense is indeed dip or immerse, that must not be fudged, yet the same family covers ritual washings (Mark 7:4; Hebrews 9:10's 'various washings (baptismoi)', of sprinkled and poured rites), and mode is argued from whole passages. The over-claim on the other side is pretending the word is vague: it is not. Dip and immerse is its centre of gravity. What baptism signifies, who should receive it, and how it should be administered are settled (or not) by congregations and traditions from the whole of Scripture; this entry's job is to keep the lexical facts straight for that argument.
In this lesson
- parakletos (παράκλητος): One called alongside to help: advocate, intercessor, comforter.
- christos (Χριστός): The Anointed One, the Greek of mashiach, Messiah.
- kyrios (κύριος): Lord, master, the word the Greek Bible uses for God's name.
- hagios (ἅγιος): Holy, sacred, and 'the saints', ordinary believers.
Sources
- Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon (1889)
- STEP Bible lexicon data (Abbott-Smith)
- SBL Greek New Testament (SBLGNT)
Review status: in-theological-review. Every Contend page passes a human theological review against the Statement of Faith before it is published as approved teaching. This section is in that queue.