Towards, unto, into and in Theos

In the previous blog post to this one we looked at two incidents in the Old Testament which, when discussed in the New Testament, are seen as likenesses of baptism. Both the passing through the sea by the children of Yisra’el and the flood of Noah involved significant volumes of water which had an overwhelming element. In both scenarios the faithful man, as head of the house and along with his house, passes through the inundation unscathed while the adversaries of Yahweh are overwhelmed and perish in the experience. Clearly, both of these events have anticipatory value in their prefiguring of things to come. It is clear from these accounts and several others that, at the heart of this figurative and anticipatory work, a significant quantity of water is required for its enactment.

Our first encounters with baptism in the New Testament occur at the beginning of Iesous’ ministry:

The beginning of the euangelion of Iesous Anointed, the Son of Theos…Iohannes did baptise in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance unto the forgiveness of sins. And there went out towards him all the land of Ioudaia, and they of Ierousalem, and were all baptised of him in the river Iordanes, confessing their sins. (Markos 1.1,4,5)

At the beginning of the journey which can be described as the euangelion, Iohannes is sent to prepare people for the coming of Iesous. We have already seen in previous blogs that euangelion (ευαγγελιον) is part of a family of words that begin with the Greek ‘eu’ (ευ), which means ‘well’ in, for example, ‘well done’. These words, like the word translated ‘godliness’, the word translated ‘give thanks’ etc., all have a sense of reciprocity. The euangelion is the message from Theos, delivered by a messenger (‘angel’ in Greek) with the intent of eliciting a reciprocal response. This preparation which Iohannes is involved in is accompanied by baptism, which is itself seen as a journey, in the waters of the river Iordanes towards forgiveness of sins. It is redolent of the entry, through the waters of the same river, into the land by the children of Yisra’el as they were completing their journey towards the destination promised to the patriarchs and which was reiterated in Exodus 3, at the outset of that same journey, in the context of the revelation of Yahweh’s name.

This message has a beginning and an ending in respect of Iesous’ life on the earth. The progression of this journey and of the journey of his followers is seen as having a destination of the forgiveness of sins. At the end of his journey Iesous says, regarding baptism:

Go therefore, and teach all nations, baptising them into the name of the father, and of the son, and of the holy spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, behold, I am with you always, even unto the completion of the age. (Maththaios 28.19,20)

and:

And he said unto them, Go into all the kosmos, and preach the euangelion to all creation. He that believes and is baptised shall be saved; but he that believes not shall be condemned. (Markos 16.15,16)

From these two statements of commission that Iesous gives to his disciples we can see that the journey unto the forgiveness of sins which baptism is part of is closely associated with the name of the father. We have already seen that the name of the father, that is the name of Yahweh, is about the journey of becoming him. It is about agency, representation. The angels/messengers that are sent in his name are his representatives; they have become so by the holy spirit. The holy spirit is him, because it is his mind, revealed unto the creation of holiness in others so that they then become representations of himself. Here that pursuit of the name is associated with the son and with the holy spirit. The son is the complete example of upholding the name (note that he says ‘I am’ in Maththaios 28.20, indicating his fulfilment of the ‘I will be’ of Exodus 3). The holy spirit is the mind of Theos as it moves from one kerub to the other. It is the verb, as it were, in the subject/verb/object construction. The holy spirit is the impetus and direction that reveals the name and creates the possibility of reciprocation. Yet, as it is the father also, then it is the subject of the sentence and, because its aim is to create the object with the aim of reflecting the subject by the object, we can argue that the spirit can encompass the whole process, the whole sentence. As we have seen previously, this phenomenon of mediation by direction and subsequent reciprocation with the intent of becoming one is the essence of the teaching of the name. Being baptised cannot be divorced from the attending teaching to observe whatsoever commandments the apostles will reveal to the believers. This is the reciprocation that is inherent in baptism into that process. It is the acknowledging of the mediation of Theos in Iesous in the disciples via the holy spirit and willingness to engage in it. In Markos we see the necessary function of baptism. That is, without baptism salvation is impossible. These two passages are set in the context of a command by Iesous to go forward, to take a journey, in offering the euangelion to the kosmos, that is, as it were, to go forward in his name (as representatives of him) to create, via the holy spirit, obedient representatives of him and, through him, the father. Of course, we have to ask, what is the baptism that is necessary for salvation? Is it the full immersion in water that is clearly envisaged in the flood and the Red Sea crossing or is it the immersion in holy spirit, the indefatigable pursuit of the name of Yahweh, and of him in Iesous, which will lead us to that final destination of becoming him?

Then comes Iesous from Galilaias to Iordanes unto Iohannes, to be baptised of him. But Iohannes forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptised of you, and come you to me? And Iesous answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Iesous, when he was baptised, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the spirit of Theos descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. (Maththaios 3.13-17)

The answer then appears to be two-fold. Iesous says that it is imperative that he engages in the sign of full immersion in water as a work depicting his full immersion in the spirit of Theos, the sign of which the father shows in approbation after his obedience to the figurative work. It is, however, the full immersion in spirit that will lead to him taking away sins. There are issues of manifestation here. That is, that Iesous was required to demonstrate in a work, in a figure, the true of which he was partaking of at the beginning of the journey of his ministry. Iesous is manifesting Theos, because to be immersed in Theos is to become him, and we are called to follow him and manifest him. Therefore, we can assume that baptism unto salvation is immersion in Theos by his spirit, revealed to us in the words of this narrative, necessarily demonstrated by us following the example of Iesous in engaging with the figure of full immersion in water that depicts the true. Manifestation requires the participation in anticipatory figures and the fulfilment of the true.

Iesous answered and said unto him, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Except a man be born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of Theos. Nikodemos says unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Iesous answered, Amen, Amen, I say unto you, Except a man be born of water and spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of Theos. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you, You must be born from above. (Iohannes 3.3-7)

Iesous begins his conversation with Nikodemos, an elder of the Ioudaioi, by the straightforward statement that seeing the kingdom of Theos is dependent upon birth from above, a new birth, a new creation of a new identity supplied by Theos by his spirit. He also says that birth by water is also a requirement. That means that the entrance into the kingdom of Theos is barred from those who have not begun that journey of becoming Theos and have not indicated that journey unto him, and unto the removal of their sins, by being born in water. The new birth is like the old birth in figure but the new birth into the kingdom of Theos is out of the womb of the spirit in which the believer has been formed over time into the image of Theos, emerging into the light of that new day. The old birth is out of flesh, out of the woman’s womb. A failure to take the new journey will mean that the progression of the journey for the man of flesh will be like another growth within a carnal womb, fed by the umbilical cord of carnal wisdom until the emergence of the man is in an image wholly antithetical to the emergence of the man out of a prolonged journey of nourishment by spirit. The way to indicate commitment to this journey, knowing the trajectory and meaning of that way, is immersion in water.

The journey has a beginning, just as Iesous had a beginning, a beginning of the euangelion. Similarly, there is a beginning of the journey for the believer. It is at this time that immersion in water will signify that commitment to immersion in spirit. It is the purpose of this blog in its entirety, not just in this one post, to help discover the beginning, progression and destination of that path.

Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leads unto life, and few there be that find it. (Maththaios 7.13,14)

I have left the word ‘strait’ untranslated here, but it is a word which, in English, derives from the idea of constraint and has the sense of narrow or tight. The word ‘narrow’, used to describe the way is from a family of Greek words meaning ‘afflicted’ or ‘troubled’. In the parallel passage in Loukas Iesous urges the disciples to ‘strive’ to enter in the gate where the word ‘strive’ is the Greek ‘agonise’. The people who take the journey have to struggle to find and enter in the gate. Along the way they are only able to reach the destination after abiding much tribulation and affliction. The point here is that there is a gate to the way. The way does not begin at our natural births, it has to be found, and only then can it be said that we are in the way, the path, unto Theos and his kingdom.

What is the beginning of this way that coincides with baptism in water, as an anticipatory act of baptism in spirit and emergence into the Theos and his kingdom?

But when they believed Philippos preaching the things concerning the kingdom of Theos, and the name of Iesous anointed, they were baptised, both men and women. (Acts 8.12)

Baptism here is seen as an act performed by adult males and females as a response to hearing the message concerning the name of Iesous Anointed and the kingdom of Theos. If we can understand these two themes of that message, then we will get to the gate that signifies the beginning of the journey.

And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shall call his name Iesous: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanouel, which being interpreted is, Theos with us. (Maththaios 1.21-23)

The name of Iesous is clearly explained here. It means ‘he shall save’. Furthermore, his birth signifies that ‘el (אל) is with us. The question inherent in the statement ‘he shall save’ is, who is the ‘he’? The answer is supplied by the quotation from Yesha’yahu 7.14. It is ‘el who shall save as he is with us in Iesous. Iesous’ name is seen as equivalent, via references in Acts 7.45 and Hebrews 4.8 to that of Yehoshua’ the son of Nun.

These are the names of the men which Mosheh sent to spy out the land. And Mosheh called Hoshea the son of Nun Yehoshua’. (Numbers 13.16)

Originally, it seems, his name – Hoshea’ (הושע) was from the verb to save – yasha’ (ישע) but is then shunted into the future tense to become Yehoshua’ (יהושע). What is clear by looking at this newer, future tense, version of his name is that the first three letters in that name – y, h and w – are both the three letters that make up the name of Yahweh and also the structure that is used in many Hebrew names as a suffix, for example in the name of the prophet Yesha’yahu (ישעיהו), which is an inverted form of Yehoshua’, where the y, h and w follow rather than lead the ‘save’ verb. By seeing Yahweh’s name in the name of Yehoshua’ we see the meaning in Maththaios 1. Theos is in Iesous. The name of Yahweh is in the name of Iesous. We see the focus of the name, evident by the absence of the form Yahweh in the New Testament, in the name of Iesous. Therefore, to understand the name of Iesous we must understand the meaning of the name of Yahweh as evidenced in Iesous. That is, that Iesous is the heir of Yahweh’s name (Hebrews 1.4), he is the representation of Theos unto salvation. He creates the possibility of others becoming representations, also unto salvation. The name of Yahweh is the journey unto the inheritance that comes about by incrementally becoming him and leads to being him in perfection. As Iesous is the manifestation of that name he is the way towards, unto, into and in Theos.

The second part of the formula leading to belief and baptism by the preaching of Philippos is ‘the kingdom of Theos’. It is of course worth noting here that Philippos was ‘preaching’ this message. The word for preaching is ‘euangelizo’ (ευαγγελιζω) and, as you can see, is the verb associated with the noun ‘euangelion’ (ευαγγελιον). The message that Philippos is bringing is as a direct result of the commission which Iesous delivered to him and the other disciples in Maththaios 28 and Markos 16. It was a message of offering the opportunity for reciprocal manifestation to people who were willing to hear. It is the teaching of the name – of the possibility of willing and obedient people becoming representations of Theos in Iesous by the words of his representative.

The word ‘kingdom’ in Greek is basileia (βασιλεια) and is related to basileus (βασιλευς) which is the word for ‘king’. The kingdom, straightforwardly, is the domain of the king. It is that which the king rules over and which is subject to his directives.

Now after that Iohannes was put in prison, Iesous came into Galilaias, preaching the euangelion of the kingdom of Theos, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of Theos is at hand: repent and believe the euangelion. (Markos 1.14,15)

The declaration of the euangelion in Iesous’ mouth is the proximity of the kingdom of Theos and is the kingdom of Theos. The kingdom of Theos is declared by the euangelion and it is the euangelion. It is nigh because the mouth that declares it is nigh.

But if I cast out demons in Theos’ spirit, then the kingdom of Theos is come unto you. (Maththaios 12.28)

Because Iesous was the representation of Theos in their midst, that is he was the spirit of Theos demonstrated amongst them because he was willingly obedient to that spirit, then the kingdom of Theos was there. The kingdom of Theos, therefore, is that wherein Theos dwells, namely the willing and obedient people who manifest him. Clearly, there are few who are on that path of manifesting him, so the anticipation is for a place (other than the place of their minds presently) and time when the kingdom of Theos is all and in all.

Amen I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of Theos. (Markos 14.25)

Here, Iesous is engaging, with his disciples, in the anticipatory act of eating a supper with them before his death. He looks forward to a time, the kingdom of Theos, when he will drink of the cup with them. This is the sabbath of rest when they have been raised from the dead to be with him.

Now this I say, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of Theos; neither does corruption inherit incorruption…For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Corinthians 15.50,53,54)

The kingdom of Theos comes to a destination in the willing recipients of its message, those that have separated themselves from the corruption of the carnal mind will become incorruptible and immortal. This culmination of the journey is available to those who have followed him in that way when the resurrection at the outset of the sabbath of rest occurs. The kingdom of Theos is a time and a place that incrementally progresses with the few that found the gate and walked in that way but comes to its culmination when all are in him and of him, at the conclusion of the sabbath of rest and the dawning of the new day.

But every man in his own order: Anointed the firstfruits; afterward they that are Anointed’s at his coming. Then is the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to Theos, even the father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he has put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. For he has put all things under his feet. But when he says all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that Theos may be all things in all. (1 Corinthians 15.23-28)

A kingdom is an era of reigning. In Iesous, Theos was the ruler. In us the same needs to be said of Iesous, manifesting Theos, that is that we are subject to him, immersed in his spirit. Iesous will be the king over all until all things, including death are subject to his rule and then all things will be subject to the father so that he will rule over and in all. We can see, therefore, that the kingdom (reign) of Theos is a journey that involves, progressively, the one, the few, the many and the all until the time when (and where) there is none but Theos.

Another passage that deals with the beginning of the journey, the discovery of the gate as it were, is Hebrews 6:

Therefore leaving the beginning of the word of anointed, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of belief upon Theos, of the teaching of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of aionian judgment. (Hebrews 6.1,2)

There is, again, a clear correlation between a beginning and baptism. As with the beginning of the ministry of the Lord Iesous so, here, the beginning of understanding the word of anointed is associated with a number of teachings, one of which is that of baptisms. The concept of baptisms in the plural is uncommon, and we should spend a moment contemplating this.

Firstly, the exact form of the word used here in Hebrews 6 is baptismos (βαπτισμος). This form of the ‘baptise’/’baptism’ family of words is not common and is translated ‘washing(s)’ in all of the other three occurrences, dealing with the washing of crockery by the Pharisaioi and:

Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation. (Hebrews 9.10)

This chapter is dealing with the figures of the true enshrined in the law. Firstly, the tabernacle with the ark and kaporeth, then the day of the atonements on which the kaporeth is seen in its fundamental fulfilment, as a time and place where the high priest has entered into the holy of holies and is before the symbol of the revelation of Yahweh. It is in this context that the washings are indicated. These are imposed on the people until a time when they are no longer required. These washings were the cleansing of the sacrifices themselves, the cleansing of the high priest and his sons before preparation in their roles and as individual cleansings after times of contamination such as childbirth and menstruation in women and cleansing after coming into contact with death or with leprosy. In this we can see the relation of cleansing with the act of baptism in the new covenant, but the figurative element is only that. The cleansing from sin is, of course, as an outcome of immersion in spirit by Iesous and subsequently by his disciples. The outcome of which is reciprocation, or confession as outlined in 1 Petros 3.21.

As well as baptismos (βαπτισμος) – washings (see above) – this family of words also includes the related noun baptisma (βαπτισμα) – mostly translated as ‘baptism’ – and the verb baptizo (βαπτιζω) – usually translated as ‘baptise’.

If we see the aforementioned explanation of the meaning of baptism, in respect of the name of Iesous anointed and the kingdom of Theos, as true and we also note the immersion in spirit that kills the flesh and gives life to the spirit and, furthermore, we see the process in the light of a journey of affliction and testing, then the figure of baptism expressed by this family of words makes complete sense. So:

But Iesous answered and said, You know not what you ask. Are you able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with? They say unto him, We are able. And he says unto them, You shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptised with the baptism that I am baptised with: but to sit on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father. (Maththaios 20.22,23)

After asking to be placed at the right and left of Iesous in his kingdom, the sons of Zebedaios are being asked by Iesous if they understand the journey that lies ahead of, and leads to, the destination. The cup that he will drink of is the suffering that he will endure, and which reaches its crescendo at the stake, an anticipation he struggles with in the garden when he accepts, in prayer to the father, that he must drink of this cup of fulfilling his will in anguish and affliction. The baptism that he is being baptised with and which they will be baptised with is similarly the outworking of the will of the father in affliction and tribulation. The question of their ability to do this is whether or not they are obedient to the word. ‘Ability’ is from a family of words that includes the word ‘power’ and is often related to the spirit. Being able to be baptised and to drink of the cup is having the foundation of the spirit’s teaching so that we can embark on that journey and reach the destination. It is uncertain what eventually happened to Iohannes but Iakobos died by the sword at the command of Herod. Of the twelve disciples it is thought that the vast majority were killed in ways not dissimilar to Iesous’ death. In that way they certainly did partake of doing the will of the father unto the death of the flesh.

The plurality of baptisms alluded to in Hebrews 6 would seem to look to the many baptisms that occur en route to the final baptism of which all are a prefiguring:

There is one (εν) body, and one (εν) spirit, even as you are called in (εν) one (μια from εις) hope of your calling; One (εις) Lord, one (μια from εις) belief, one (εν) baptism, One (εις) Theos and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in (εν) you all. (Ephesians 4.4-6)

We have seen in previous posts that the name of Yahweh finds its fulfilment, its destination, at the point when his name is one (Zecharyah 14.9). Also, the first commandment, according to Iesous, is ‘hear, Israel, the Lord your Theos, the Lord is one.’ Here the terms for ‘one’ are homographic with the words in (εν) and into/unto (εις). The journey, as we have already described very early on in this journey of understanding, is about turning ‘towards’, then ‘unto’ and ‘into’ until finally residing ‘in’ Theos. The final state of immersion ‘in’ Theos is the final baptism, when all flesh has been overwhelmed by the spirit of Theos and all have become Theos in that dawning of the new day (see 1 Corinthians 15.24-28). En route to this final baptism is the willing immersion in spirit that Iesous undertook, the subsequent willing immersion in spirit that his disciples take in following him and the immersion in spirit that will occur in the seventh day in anticipation of that eighth day. These journeys are a path towards there being one Lord and they are accomplished by one belief in one spirit. They are pathways through death unto life, accomplished by looking to and following the way trod by the Lord Iesous. They are baptisms symbolised and anticipated by the work of belief, which is full immersion in water by the believer.