Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 116:464 (Oct 1959)
Article: Water Baptism in the First Five Centuries Part III: Summary and Conclusions concerning Water Baptism in the Ancient Church
Author: William A. BeVier

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BSac 116:464 (Oct 59) p. 317

Water Baptism in the First Five Centuries
Part III:
Summary and Conclusions concerning
Water Baptism in the Ancient Church

William A. BeVier

One other segment of Christendom should be mentioned in the matter of water baptism. These are the small and usually termed heretical groups scattered throughout the Roman world in those early centuries. They were small only in comparison to the Roman and Greek churches.

The Ebionites (principally in Palestine) laid great stress on baptism. In their “Recognitions,” (VI, 8, 9) it is insisted that all who would worship God must be “sealed by baptism.” They believed in some magical efficacy of baptism.1

The Gnostics (Greece and Egypt) also gave great prominence to baptism. In their “Pistis Sophia” there is written an extended supposed dialogue between Mary Magdalene and Christ on the subject closing with the words: “Now, therefore, Mary, this is the manner whereby the mystery of baptism remitteth sins and all transgressions.”2

The Novatians rebaptized all who entered their churches from all others, baptismal regeneration then being almost universally held. They also insisted that the one baptizing be a qualified person.3

The Donatists (North Africa) believed in baptismal regeneration and in the necessity of baptism to salvation.4 They in addition practiced infant baptism, a natural development from the concept of baptism being necessary for salvation.

Pelagians, first in North Africa, denied hereditary sin, sin being an act of the will, hence they could find no justification for infant baptism—but they did generally allow it.

BSac 116:464 (Oct 59) p. 318

It made good people better people, grace being added in some way.5

The Irish Church seems to have practiced both aspersion and immersion at a very early time, according to the earliest extant Irish Baptismal Office. But this shows Roman influence in the text.6 The Irish monks “delayed baptism until those professing faith had received a certain amount of instruction and had given some proof of steadfastness.”7 This of course rules out infant baptism.

The early Britons probably practiced single immersion rather than triune as was more common in the Roman Church.8 This is evidenced by the fact ...

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