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1 Cor. 15:29
This BAPTISM OF MARTYRDOM (as born out by the context) presents a problem only if it is interpreted apart from its context. Pressing a gloss upon the text to buttress a
supposed doctrine of baptizing a living person on behalf of a dead person's salvation is to make the text teach what is otherwise unknown in either the Old or New Testaments. This doctrine
of "Vicarious Baptism" teaches that, under clearly defined restrictions of persons, places, and modes, the living can be water baptized to save certain selected ones who have died either recently or in the remote past. Elaborate records are kept of those giving and receiving the benefits of such a water baptism. Where ancestral veneration has been a cultural thing, this would have great appeal--or, in the realm of those being taught endless conscious torment just for having lived even if they knew nothing of Christ. Vicarious water baptism, as taught by one denomination, nor purgatorial fires--relief from which is obtained by the liturgical mass, prayers, and meritorious works of the living, is the answer to this vexing problem. It is regrettable that those who are so deeply burdened by the state of their loved one who have died should have to find comfort in these alternatives.
Dr. E. W. Bullinger's book, "Figures of Speech"
has some astute observations concerning this text. The following are selections from this article, p. 41-44:
"Else what shall they do which are baptized (baptized-here present participle, not past, those who are being baptized, Alfred) for the dead, if the dead rise not at
all?"
This passage has been supposed to refer to a practice which obtained even in those apostolic days of persons being (water) baptized on behalf of and for the spiritual benefit
of those who are already dead. As this practice thus received tacit approval, and yet is destitute of any historical evidence as to its existence, apart from this passage, various methods have
been proposed of meeting the difficulty which is thus raised. Some have erroneously suggested that "the dead refers to Christ: but they do so in ignorance of the fact that the word is
plural, as is clearly shown by the verb "rise." Others (with MacKnight) suggest the supply of the words "resurrection of"--"What shall they do which are baptized for
the resurrection of the dead?" But this implies the omission of the very word which is most essential to the argument; and would form an ellipsis seldom, if ever, found. There are
multitudes of other explanations; but the true solution of the difficulty is (we submit) to be sought in punctuation, and in the supply of the ellipsis. We must bear in mind that there is no
punctuation in the ancient manuscripts beyond the greater pauses. All interpunctuation is purely human in its origin, and we may be thankful that it is so seldom necessary to question its
accuracy . . . "what shall they do which are being baptized? It is on behalf of the dead if the dead rise not at all!" From Romans 6 we learn that our circumcision (cutting
off-death) is in Christ's death, our baptism is in Christ's burial (entombment). "Buried (entombed) with Him by the baptism of Him (by His baptism-unto-death);" and if He is
not raised, we cannot be raised, Romans 6:4. "Buried (entombed) with Him in the baptism of Him," i.e., His Baptism, Col. 2:11,12. (cf. Luke 12:50; Mark 10:38, 39). Whenever we
have the word nekos, dead, with the article (as in 1Cor. 15:29) it always denotes dead bodies, corpses. . .IF Christ be not raised, well may those who are being baptized (by God) into
Christ's burial be asked, "What shall they do?" Truly, "It is for the dead." For they (as Christ) will remain dead, as corpses. In this life they "die
daily" verse 31; in death they perish, verse 18; and are thus "of all men most miserable," verse 19. End of Partial Quote
These men were daily gambling with death for the cause of Christ. They courted martyrdom, they suffered and many died--all for nothing if the supposed union of their
lives with that of the risen and ascended Christ never really took place. If Christ lives now and God has made an undissolvable union of their lives with that of Christ, then the dissolution of
their bodies was not the final act in this great drama. No water is mentioned in the text; the context refers to the resurrection of the dead (not DEAD BODIES), and co-joins their hope to a
risen, not a dead, Christ.
BAPTISM UNTO MOSES
. . . our ancestors all had the experience of being guided by the Cloud (The Shekinah) in the desert and of crossing the sea dry-shod. They were, so to
speak, "baptized" into Moses by these experiences. 1 Cor. 10:1, 2. Phillipps Trans.
. . . all were baptized into Moses by the Cloud and by the Sea. . . Moffatt Trans.
. . . our fore-fathers were all protected by the Cloud . . . Goodspeed Trans.
To clarify the account, Ex. 14:19,20 states:
. . . and the Pillar of Cloud removed from before them, and stood behind them; it came in between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel.
Rotherham Trans.
The Cloud-imagery was that of a Pillar, it hovered and moved before and behind the Israelites--and between them and the Egyptians. They were only "under" the
Cloud of His Presence in the sense of His protection. Liddel & Scott: "Under=Gr.hupo, accusative, under shelter or protection of, and so behind a thing." The
placement of the Cloud was to protect Israel from the wrath of the Egyptians. Not one Israelite was dipped into the Cloud or into the Sea. The Egyptians that were immersed in water, died
there. The crossing was a "dry" one for the Israelites and a wet one for the Egyptians. Through this unique experience of "Cloud and Sea" Israel and those leaving
Egypt with Israel were identified with Moses: they had changed their status of slavery in Egypt to one of freedom with Moses. Cf. Ex. 14:12 & 31. The "Cloud" and
"Sea" episode of leaving Egypt behind was the historical marker, a BAPTISM, a joining them in and with the life of Moses. They had been brought into a changed and different condition
from that which had been theirs in Egypt. They were not immersed, dipped, nor submerged in water. The experience was such that it made them fear, believe, and follow Moses. It is a
tragedy that only two of the multitude leaving Egypt lived to enter the Land of Promise. The ready expectation of miracles undermined the determination to hold to a steadfast faith--and Israel
lost in her wanderings what she had gained in the Exodus. Paul used this illustration to point up the truth that along with great privilege is great responsibility. The only water in this
baptism is that which befell the Egyptians. Interestingly, the term "BAPTIZED INTO" as applied to persons, is used only of Moses and Christ.
THE BAPTISM OF 1 PETER 3:20, 21
(THE ARK)
1 Pet. 3:20: . . . the Ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. Authorized Version
3:20: . . . during the construction of the Ark, in which (Ark) a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely
through the (flood) water. New American Standard Version
3:20 . . . He commanded the Ark to be made in the hope of their repentance, but only eight souls entered into it, and were
saved by its floating upon the water. Lamsa Trans. From the Aramaic
3:20: . . . God in His patience waited for the Ark to be made, in which a few people, eight in all, were brought safely
through the water. Goodspeed N.T. Translation
1 Pet. 3:21: . . . the like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us. Authorized Version
3:21: . . . and corresponding to that (Gr. Antiupon=antitype) baptism now saves you. . . New
American Standard Version
3:21: . . . you are also saved in that very manner of baptism. Lamsa Trans. From the Aramaic
3:21: . . . and baptism, the copy of this, now saveth us. Sharpe, trans. From Griesbach's text
The A.V. treats the Greek preposition "DIA" in verse 20 as "BY," hence, translating the text as ". . . saved BY water, leaving the impression
that those in the Ark were saved BY water. This would indeed be a miracle of the first order--since God had told Noah to build an Ark so that its inhabitants might be sheltered from the waters
that were to inundate Adam's race and land. They were NOT saved "by" water, but "FROM" the water. They were NOT saved BY the water from the waters, but rather,
from the water by being in the Ark. In this case the preposition "dia" should have been translated "through," understanding the water to mean the blood, which it was.
They were preserved, sheltered, and safe throughout the whole flood episode, safe in the Ark. The eight were safe throughout the year-and-ten-days of the Ark floating on the waters. Those
in the Ark were free of the drowning waters; they were not at all immersed, dipped, or submerged. Those outside the Ark were first sprinkled by the rain, then immersed, and they died. It
is unfortunate that this text has been not only mistranslated; but it is misapplied.
The Greek, "Antiupon" or English, "Antitype," or the A.V. "like figure," Vs. 21, has reference to a ship afloat, not to the Ark being
submerged, or those in it. They were saved from a watery baptism by a "Dry" baptism. "Antitype" or "figure" are in apposition to baptism, albeit a dry
one. What the one portends, so does the other. The "Ark" was the type, the "Antitype" was Christ. Noah and his family were placed in the Ark and survived
throughout the flood waters of judgment, so too, those whom God has placed in the ANTITYPE, Christ, are saved from any and all judgmental acts of God. In the Ephesian Letter, the term "in
Christ," "in Christ Jesus," "In Him," "in Whom," etc. occurs some 32 times to show how intimate God views those whom He has placed "in Christ." It
is an act of complete identity one with the other. The Antitype of being in the Ark is being "in Christ," placed there by God and shut up into Him as Noah, on a lower and different
scale, had been shut up in the Ark-type. This is God's saving and preserving baptism. It can be anywhere, any place, and at any time. It is not conditioned upon a church,
pastor, or denomination. It is God's way of saying that in seeing you He sees Christ and in seeing Christ He sees you, in all His fullness and grace. It is God's saving Baptism.
To repeat: The Ark was the type. Christ was the Anti-type. Being in the Ark preserved those throughout the long drawn-out period of the flood waters.
By contrast being "In Christ" provides a security that is endless.
Unfortunately, when the word "Baptism" is mentioned the mind conjures up a mode of water baptism. In spite of the texts that speaks of the Reedy Sea crossing
as being a "dry" one (Ex. 14:22,29; 15:19; Josh. 2:10; 4:23; Ps. 66:6; Heb. 11:29) and that of Noah and his family being closed in the Ark (Gen. 7:1, 16; 8:1, 16,
18) and that in both instances those being immersed in water, perished - water is still looked upon as the most important synonym for baptism!
In 1 Peter 3:21 the Greek text starts with "which," and in some manuscripts it is in the dative case and takes a preposition, and relates to whatever saved
Noah. "Whereunto" - "to which." Some manuscripts change the "us" into "you," nominative case. The preposition "dia," vs. 20,
is heard in the word "DIAmeter" - as if drawing a line through the middle of a circle. "Saved" - preserved, rescued, brought safely through, escaping safely.
". . . and the Lord (Elohim) shut him in . . ." Gen. 7:16. Safe in the Ark, shut in by God while the fountains of the deep were
opened and the lattices forming the canopy of heaven were broken up, but still those in the Ark were safe. God was the Baptizer, the Ark was the element, and the result was preservation.
For those outside of the Ark, the element was water; the result was death. In Noah and his family an Adamic posterity was preserved so that through it a Redeemer for the whole race might be
brought forth. The Ark was a foreshadowing of a greater and more wonderful deliverance than that from the flood. It was that of overwhelming grace instead of water.
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Scripture Research - The Baptism Edition 
