Baptism

QUESTION by R.: Who baptized John the baptizer?

ANSWER by Timothy:

I do not recall anywhere in the 1,189 chapters of the Bible that we are told who may have baptized John the baptizer.

QUESTION by R.: The thief was not baptized, so why was Yehoshua and all those who the apostles baptized if the old law was still active? The only ones that were baptized previously were proselytes and John was not one, he was a Jew.

ANSWER by Timothy:

Many assume the penitent thief on the cross had not been previously immersed, but he may have been as he may have been previously commanded to do so: “John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem, went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins” (Mk. 1:4-5).

We simply are not told whether or not the penitent thief was immersed. However, we do know that Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins (Mk. 2:10) and that Jesus was able to pardon him (Lk. 23:43).

It is clear that some rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been immersed by John (Lk. 7:30).

What seems to be important for us today is that under “the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:2), among other things which Scripture says saves, “immersion also now saves us” (1 Pet. 3:21). Both Jews (Acts 2:38-41) and Gentiles (Acts 10:48) are immersed into Christ to clothe themselves with Christ (Gal. 3:27).

Hope this helps in your search of the Scriptures.