Not Your Normal Baptism Thread

[Marrow Man]

I'm teaching on 1 Corinthians 15:29 tomorrow evening ("baptism for the dead"). Of course, there is no shortage of opinion on what Paul means by this verse. Any helpful resources out there I can access as I complete the study?

 

[AThornquist]

Clearly that means we should baptize the dead vicariously through the living in order to save their souls. ...Well ok, it's at least clear to Mormons.

I'm interested in resources on this passage as well, so I'll just give this a bump.

 

[Glenn Ferrell]

James Jordan connects these baptisms for the dead with the ceremonial washings (baptisms) of the Mosaic Law required after contact with a corpse.

 

[MW]

I would suggest that the phrase has nothing to do with water baptism, but that the word is being used figuratively for something willingly undertaken. Christians willingly count themselves dead because of the hope of the resurrection. It is stated in literal terms in verse 31, where the apostle says, "I die daily."

 

[Marrow Man]

For those interested, here is a sampling of the possible interpretations of the phrase "baptism for the dead" that I found (including the one mentioned by Glenn above):

• Tertullian (along with some other Early Church Father) -- Paul was talking about baptizing a living person in place of someone who died without being baptized (proxy baptisms)
• Thomas Aquinas (13th century) -- individuals who were baptized so that they could receive pardon for “mortal sins” (re-baptisms)
• Heinrici (?) -- Paul is chastising the Corinthians for a superstitious custom (pagan baptisms)
• Martin Luther (16th century) -- these were Christians baptized over the graves of martyrs (creepy baptisms)
• John Calvin (16th century) -- these were those being baptized with a view toward death or under threat of death (risky baptisms)
• Theodore Beza (16th century) -- bathing the dead prior to burial
• J.B. Lightfoot (19th century) -- referred to those being martyred (“baptized with blood”)
• Manfred Brauch (20th century) -- Persons who were Christians but who died before baptism could be administered (but this was not the NT pattern); or baptism of those who died before Jesus’ incarnation or before the gospel came to their region
• Gleason Archer (20th century) -- dying saints who pleaded with their loved ones to receive the gospel (“baptism for the sake of the dead”)
• James Jordan (20th/21st century) -- ceremonial washings under Mosaic Law for contact with a corpse