from the days of John the Baptist, the baptism seems to have been performed by others, and not by the one being

baptized, it is quite in keeping with the distinctive nature of Paul's ministry, that no other hands were employed in

administering this ordinance.

To Paul, this baptism was a symbolic `washing away of his sins', a teaching, however, foreign to his ministry

among the Gentiles. The reference in 1 Corinthians 6:11 is more directly to do with ourselves. The dispensation

may have changed since this epistle was written, but human nature, human need and Divine provision, constitute a

staple that remains unaltered in all the changes that the purpose of the ages may demand.

A list of evils is given in 6:9,10, made up of some unclean acts, some unrighteous acts and some unholy acts,

which are removed only through the Name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God, applying to the seeking

sinner, all that that Name stands for, `but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified'. We reserve any

comment upon the root word louo until later. We pass from this great doctrinal passage, to one which is only of

value if it be accepted as a symbol.

Apopluno. Again we reserve any comment on pluno until later. The only occurrence of apopluno is Luke 5:2

where it is used of `washing nets'. We find Peter and Andrew `casting a net into the sea' (Matt. 4:18) and James and

John `mending their nets', and as these four fishermen were called to be apostles, so the double action of `casting' a

net, and of `mending' a net easily becomes a symbol of the various phases of Christian ministry, some actively

engaged in preaching, others more quietly engaged in `mending', or, as the word is in the fourth chapter of

Ephesians, `perfecting'. It is not therefore putting a strain upon the incident to feel that a lesson for Christian fishers

of men, may be found in the action of `washing' nets. The work we are called to do demands clean hands, clean

hearts, clean consciences, clean understandings, and it is therefore quite in keeping that the instruments of our great

office should be clean too. However, we would not labour the point.

Baptizo. We have already seen in Mark 7:4 that baptizo is there used of the ceremonial ablution of the Pharisees,

as it is used in Luke 11:38, and in both cases the Lord severely reprimanded those who practised these `washings'.

Not because He countenanced uncleanness of person, or even objected to polite regard for the sensitiveness of

others, but because this punctilious and over scrupulous `washing' did not touch the moral and spiritual uncleanness

of those who trusted in mere ritual.

It is noteworthy that in Mark 7, Matthew 15 and Luke 11, the Lord exposed a Pharisaic subterfuge for evading a

real command of God. `It is corban (that is to say, a gift) by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me' (Mark

7:11). The meaning of this is that the law of Moses most distinctly commanded that men should honour their

parents, but, the Pharisees said, if a man says that all his possessions are already `corban' or given to God, then he

must be held exempt from the law and his parents need not be helped or supported by him; which, of course, was a

monstrous perversion. So in Luke the Lord said :

` Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening

and wickedness. Ye fools, did not He that made that which is without make that which is within also?'

Then follows what appears at first an irrelevant remark :

` But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and behold all things are clean unto you' (41).

Almsgiving was elevated by the Rabbinical doctrine into the place occupied in Scripture by `righteousness'.

Rabbi Azai says `almsgiving is equivalent to all other commandments'. Again, other Rabbis say `almsgiving

delivereth from sudden death, and from judgment of hell', while the LXX translates on several occasions the Hebrew

tsedaqah `justice', by the Greek eleemosune `giving of alms'. Giving alms of course is good, but if it be abused and

turned into a covering of evil, and a false basis for acceptance, then it must be unmasked. The Lord's word in Luke

11:41 should read, `Nevertheless (ye say) give alms of such things as ye have, and behold, all things are clean unto

you', a tenet that the Lord condemned. We must be on our guard against the slightest approach to that Pharisaic

`washing of hands, cups or platters' which leaves the inner man untouched or sheltered in a false security.

Baptismos occurs in Mark 7:4,8 and Hebrews 6:2 and 9:10. Each passage contains a repudiation of the practice,

either because of human accretions (Mark) or because such practices must be left behind if `perfection' be sought