How did the Ante-Nicene Church Fathers understand baptism? Was it essential or was it just a act of obedience? First let me clarify, the Ante-Nicene Church Fathers are those men who led the church prior to the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. Any mention of the Early Church will be limited to this time period. To answer the question one need only look to the wittings of these. Below are some quotes taken from their writings.
Ignatius was a disciple of the apostle John
Ignatius appeals to Rom. 6:5
"Wherefore also, ye appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order that, by believing in His death, ye may by baptism be made partakers of His resurrection." (Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians, II)
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Barnabas 70-130
Further, what says He? “And there was a river flowing on the right, and from it arose beautiful trees; and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever.” (Ezek. 47:12) This meaneth, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit. “And whosoever shall eat of these shall live for ever,”
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Hermas 150
And I said to him, “I should like to continue my questions.” “Speak on,” said he. And I said, “I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins.” He said to me, “That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case. For he who has received remission of his sins ought not to sin any more, but to live in purity
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Hermas 150
Accordingly, those also who fell asleep received the seal of the Son of God. For,” he continued, “before a man bears the name of the Son of God he is dead; but when he receives the seal he lays aside his deadness, and obtains life. The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Justin Martyr 160
Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the laver the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Justin Martyr 160
But there is no other [way] than this,—to become acquainted with this Christ, to be washed in the fountain spoken of by Isaiah for the remission of sins; and for the rest, to live sinless lives.”
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Irenaeus 180 Disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John.
In refuting the Gnostics
And when we come to refute them, we shall show in its fitting-place, that this class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole [Christian] faith.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Irenaeus 180
“And dipped himself,” says [the Scripture], “seven times in Jordan.” (2 Ki. 5:14) It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions; being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared: “Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (John 3:5)
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Clement of Alexandria 195
Then within the same period John prophesied till the baptism of salvation; and after the birth of Christ, Anna and Simeon.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life!
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
But we, little fishes, after the example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ Jesus Christ, are born in water,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
When, however, the prescript is laid down that “without baptism, salvation is attainable by none” (chiefly on the ground of that declaration of the Lord, who says, “Unless one be born of water, he hath not life” (John 3:5, not fully given)), there arise immediately scrupulous, nay rather audacious, doubts on the part of some,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 9
Origen 228
Matthew alone adds the words “to repentance,” teaching that the benefit of baptism is connected with the intention of the baptized person; to him who repents it is salutary, but to him who comes to it without repentance it will turn to greater condemnation.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 9
Origen 228
“by the laver of regeneration,” (Titus 3:5) through which they were born “as new-born babes,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 6
Pamohilius 309
Of the divine descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost which lighted on them who believed. In this we have also the instruction delivered by Peter, and * passages from the prophets on the subject, and * on the passion and resurrection and assumption of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Ghost; also * of the faith of those present, and their salvation by baptism; and, further,* of the unity of spirit pervading the believers and promoting the common good, and of the addition made to their number.
These writings span the time from the apostles with Ignatius to the Council of Nicea. They are all pretty much in agreement that water baptism is necessary for salvation. However, is this what the Scriptures teach? Because it doesn't matter one bit if they all agree if the Scriptures do not teach this. So, we need to look and see if the Scriptures teach that water baptism is necessary. There are several to consider, Titus 3:5 says that God saved us through the "Bath" of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:4-5 ( KJV )
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
The Greek word translated "Washing" Is "Loutron" and means a bath. Paul is saying that God saved us through a bath. The only bath that I am aware of in Christianity is water baptism. Jesus said 'unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot see the kingdom of heaven'. Here we have Paul basically saying the same thing with different words, He (God) saved us with the bath of regeneration (water baptism) and the renewing of hte Holy Spirit (Spiritual baptism). We also see that it was at Jesus' baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.
Paul also speaks of this in Romans 6,
Romans 6:3-5 ( KJV )
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
This passage is claimed by many to be speaking of Spiritual baptism, however, this simply is not possible. One reason is that the grammar does not allow such an interpretation. Paul says that this baptism makes us partakers of the resurrection, so we need to make sure we understand what it is. The Greek word that is translated "Likeness" in this passage is the Greek word, "Homoioma". It means a representation or an image.
G3667
ὁμοίωμα
homoiōma
Thayer Definition:
1) that which has been made after the likeness of something1a) a figure, image, likeness, representation1b) likeness, i.e. resemblance, such as amounts almost to equality or identity
A representation or image is something that can been with the eye. This baptism that Paul is speaking of is a visible baptism, it is am image or representation of something. It is a visible representation of Spiritual baptism as we saw with Jesus baptism. He received the Spirit upon coming out of the waters of baptism.
There is another reason this passage cannot be speaking of Spiritual baptism. Paul said that the baptism in Romans 6 is a representation or an image. A representation or image is not the original, for instance, when one go to the store and buys a picture of the Mona Lisa, they are not buying the original, only a representation or image of the original. If this baptism in Romans 6 was a Spiritual baptism, what is it a representation of? The original is not a representation of a copy. If union with the Holy Spirit is essential for the Christian to have life it must be the original, not the copy. Therefore there is no way that this passage can be speaking of Spiritual baptism simply because Paul said it is the representation of the original
This fits nicely with what Peter said,
1 Peter 3:18-21 ( KJV )
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Peter equates Noah and the eight souls being saved in the Ark with baptism saving the Christian. He connects the baptism with water to show that it is water baptism, yet he says that it is not the water that actually saves. He says that it is the answer of a good conscience toward s God. The Christian with a good conscience goes into the waters of baptism and in that God gives an answer. It is the answer that saves but it is going into the water that is the question. This fits nicely with what Paul has stated, 'He (God) saved us through the bath of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
There is also, Ephesians 5
Ephesians 5:23-27 ( KJV ) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Paul says that Christ may sanctify and cleanse the Church with the "Washing of Water" by the word. Many think that "The word" in this passage is Christ, however, Paul did not use the word "Logos" he use the word "rhema" which means,
Thayer’s Greek Definitions
G4487 ῥῆμα rhēma Thayer Definition: 1) that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word 1a) any sound produced by the voice and having definite meaning 1b) speech, discourse 1b1) what one has said 1c) a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one’s mind made in words) 1c1) an utterance 1c2) a saying of any sort as a message, a narrative 1c2a) concerning some occurrence 2) subject matter of speech, thing spoken of 2a) so far forth as it is a matter of narration 2b) so far as it is a matter of command 2c) a matter of dispute, case at law
Basically the word means an utterance, a spoken word, a command. What command was given in the Christian faith regaurding washing or a bath? Mathew elaborates for us.
Matthew 28:19-20 ( KJV ) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Here is the "Washing of water with by the word". Also the Greek word translated by is the word "en" which is better translated "in" or "with". In this case with is the better translation.
I think it can be seen that there is much to what the Ante-Nicene Fathers has said about the importance of baptism. Their claims can be supported in Scripture.
Ignatius was a disciple of the apostle John
Ignatius appeals to Rom. 6:5
"Wherefore also, ye appear to me to live not after the manner of men, but according to Jesus Christ, who died for us, in order that, by believing in His death, ye may by baptism be made partakers of His resurrection." (Ignatius, Epistle to the Trallians, II)
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Barnabas 70-130
Further, what says He? “And there was a river flowing on the right, and from it arose beautiful trees; and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever.” (Ezek. 47:12) This meaneth, that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear [of God] and trust in Jesus in our spirit. “And whosoever shall eat of these shall live for ever,”
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Hermas 150
And I said to him, “I should like to continue my questions.” “Speak on,” said he. And I said, “I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins.” He said to me, “That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case. For he who has received remission of his sins ought not to sin any more, but to live in purity
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Hermas 150
Accordingly, those also who fell asleep received the seal of the Son of God. For,” he continued, “before a man bears the name of the Son of God he is dead; but when he receives the seal he lays aside his deadness, and obtains life. The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Justin Martyr 160
Since at our birth we were born without our own knowledge or choice, by our parents coming together, and were brought up in bad habits and wicked training; in order that we may not remain the children of necessity and of ignorance, but may become the children of choice and knowledge, and may obtain in the water the remission of sins formerly committed, there is pronounced over him who chooses to be born again, and has repented of his sins, the name of God the Father and Lord of the universe; he who leads to the laver the person that is to be washed calling him by this name alone.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Justin Martyr 160
But there is no other [way] than this,—to become acquainted with this Christ, to be washed in the fountain spoken of by Isaiah for the remission of sins; and for the rest, to live sinless lives.”
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Irenaeus 180 Disciple of Polycarp who was a disciple of the apostle John.
In refuting the Gnostics
And when we come to refute them, we shall show in its fitting-place, that this class of men have been instigated by Satan to a denial of that baptism which is regeneration to God, and thus to a renunciation of the whole [Christian] faith.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1
Irenaeus 180
“And dipped himself,” says [the Scripture], “seven times in Jordan.” (2 Ki. 5:14) It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean, by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord, from our old transgressions; being spiritually regenerated as new-born babes, even as the Lord has declared: “Except a man be born again through water and the Spirit, he shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (John 3:5)
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 2
Clement of Alexandria 195
Then within the same period John prophesied till the baptism of salvation; and after the birth of Christ, Anna and Simeon.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
Happy is our sacrament of water, in that, by washing away the sins of our early blindness, we are set free and admitted into eternal life!
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
But we, little fishes, after the example of our ΙΧΘΥΣ Jesus Christ, are born in water,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 3
Tertullian 195
When, however, the prescript is laid down that “without baptism, salvation is attainable by none” (chiefly on the ground of that declaration of the Lord, who says, “Unless one be born of water, he hath not life” (John 3:5, not fully given)), there arise immediately scrupulous, nay rather audacious, doubts on the part of some,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 9
Origen 228
Matthew alone adds the words “to repentance,” teaching that the benefit of baptism is connected with the intention of the baptized person; to him who repents it is salutary, but to him who comes to it without repentance it will turn to greater condemnation.
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 9
Origen 228
“by the laver of regeneration,” (Titus 3:5) through which they were born “as new-born babes,
The Early Church Fathers: Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 6
Pamohilius 309
Of the divine descent of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost which lighted on them who believed. In this we have also the instruction delivered by Peter, and * passages from the prophets on the subject, and * on the passion and resurrection and assumption of Christ, and the gift of the Holy Ghost; also * of the faith of those present, and their salvation by baptism; and, further,* of the unity of spirit pervading the believers and promoting the common good, and of the addition made to their number.
These writings span the time from the apostles with Ignatius to the Council of Nicea. They are all pretty much in agreement that water baptism is necessary for salvation. However, is this what the Scriptures teach? Because it doesn't matter one bit if they all agree if the Scriptures do not teach this. So, we need to look and see if the Scriptures teach that water baptism is necessary. There are several to consider, Titus 3:5 says that God saved us through the "Bath" of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
Titus 3:4-5 ( KJV )
But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
The Greek word translated "Washing" Is "Loutron" and means a bath. Paul is saying that God saved us through a bath. The only bath that I am aware of in Christianity is water baptism. Jesus said 'unless one is born of water and Spirit he cannot see the kingdom of heaven'. Here we have Paul basically saying the same thing with different words, He (God) saved us with the bath of regeneration (water baptism) and the renewing of hte Holy Spirit (Spiritual baptism). We also see that it was at Jesus' baptism that the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.
Paul also speaks of this in Romans 6,
Romans 6:3-5 ( KJV )
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
This passage is claimed by many to be speaking of Spiritual baptism, however, this simply is not possible. One reason is that the grammar does not allow such an interpretation. Paul says that this baptism makes us partakers of the resurrection, so we need to make sure we understand what it is. The Greek word that is translated "Likeness" in this passage is the Greek word, "Homoioma". It means a representation or an image.
G3667
ὁμοίωμα
homoiōma
Thayer Definition:
1) that which has been made after the likeness of something1a) a figure, image, likeness, representation1b) likeness, i.e. resemblance, such as amounts almost to equality or identity
A representation or image is something that can been with the eye. This baptism that Paul is speaking of is a visible baptism, it is am image or representation of something. It is a visible representation of Spiritual baptism as we saw with Jesus baptism. He received the Spirit upon coming out of the waters of baptism.
There is another reason this passage cannot be speaking of Spiritual baptism. Paul said that the baptism in Romans 6 is a representation or an image. A representation or image is not the original, for instance, when one go to the store and buys a picture of the Mona Lisa, they are not buying the original, only a representation or image of the original. If this baptism in Romans 6 was a Spiritual baptism, what is it a representation of? The original is not a representation of a copy. If union with the Holy Spirit is essential for the Christian to have life it must be the original, not the copy. Therefore there is no way that this passage can be speaking of Spiritual baptism simply because Paul said it is the representation of the original
This fits nicely with what Peter said,
1 Peter 3:18-21 ( KJV )
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;
Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.
The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
Peter equates Noah and the eight souls being saved in the Ark with baptism saving the Christian. He connects the baptism with water to show that it is water baptism, yet he says that it is not the water that actually saves. He says that it is the answer of a good conscience toward s God. The Christian with a good conscience goes into the waters of baptism and in that God gives an answer. It is the answer that saves but it is going into the water that is the question. This fits nicely with what Paul has stated, 'He (God) saved us through the bath of regeneration and the renewing of the Holy Spirit.
There is also, Ephesians 5
Ephesians 5:23-27 ( KJV ) For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Paul says that Christ may sanctify and cleanse the Church with the "Washing of Water" by the word. Many think that "The word" in this passage is Christ, however, Paul did not use the word "Logos" he use the word "rhema" which means,
Thayer’s Greek Definitions
G4487 ῥῆμα rhēma Thayer Definition: 1) that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word 1a) any sound produced by the voice and having definite meaning 1b) speech, discourse 1b1) what one has said 1c) a series of words joined together into a sentence (a declaration of one’s mind made in words) 1c1) an utterance 1c2) a saying of any sort as a message, a narrative 1c2a) concerning some occurrence 2) subject matter of speech, thing spoken of 2a) so far forth as it is a matter of narration 2b) so far as it is a matter of command 2c) a matter of dispute, case at law
Basically the word means an utterance, a spoken word, a command. What command was given in the Christian faith regaurding washing or a bath? Mathew elaborates for us.
Matthew 28:19-20 ( KJV ) Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Here is the "Washing of water with by the word". Also the Greek word translated by is the word "en" which is better translated "in" or "with". In this case with is the better translation.
I think it can be seen that there is much to what the Ante-Nicene Fathers has said about the importance of baptism. Their claims can be supported in Scripture.
