Journal: Reformed Baptist Theological Review
Volume: RBTR 02:1 (Jan 2005)
Article: An Exegetical Appraisal Of Colossians 2:11–12
Author: Richard C. Barcellos

RBTR 2:1 (January 2005) p. 3

An Exegetical Appraisal Of Colossians 2:11–12

Richard C. Barcellos

Richard C. Barcellos is one of the pastors of Free Grace Church: A Reformed Baptist Congregation, Lancaster, CA, author of In Defense of the Decalogue: A Critique of New Covenant Theology, and co-author of A Reformed Baptist Manifesto: The New Covenant Constitution of the Church.

“and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” (Col. 2:11–12)1

Colossians 2:11–12 is a text used by paedobaptists to justify their practice of baptizing infants. This text is used to display the relationship between OT circumcision and NT baptism. The conclusion drawn is that what circumcision was, baptism is. As John Murray puts it, “baptism is the circumcision of the New Testament.”2 Simply put, in paedobaptist thought baptism replaces circumcision as the sign and seal of the covenant. Since infants were circumcised in the OT, infants should be baptized under the NT. A replacement theology between circumcision and baptism is argued by this understanding of the text.

It must be admitted that a prima facie glance at the text seems to give credibility to such an interpretation. Our purpose in this article, however, is to examine Col. 2:11–12 in the Greek text to determine its meaning in context and to compare our findings with the claim that it is a proof text for infant baptism. The approach will be as follows: first, to set the text in its context; second, to examine its syntactical structure and provide exegesis of its contents; third, to compare our conclusions with arguments used in The Case For Covenantal Infant Baptism; and fourth, to draw some pertinent conclusions.

Colossians 2:11–12 in Context

Colossians 2:11–12 comes in a larger context where Paul is exposing

RBTR 2:1 (January 2005) p. 4

error and giving its remedy (Col. 2:4–3:4).3 In the immediate context, Paul warns the Colossians: “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the ...