What Paul Said About Baptizing

(Continued from: "The Apostles' Baptism")

Paul Was the Apostle to the Gentiles

The apostle Paul was sent to the Gentiles while Peter and the others went to the Jews.

But on the contrary, seeing that I had been entrusted with the gospel to the uncircumcised, just as Peter had been to the circumcised (for He who effectually worked for Peter in his apostleship to the circumcised effectually worked for me also to the Gentiles), and recognizing the grace that had been given to me, James and Cephas and John, who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, so that we might go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised. (Galatians 2:7-9)

Baptism Was Not Part of the Gospel for the Gentiles

However, Paul's message, which was for the Gentiles, did not include baptism. The Jews who had been practicing the law with its ceremonial washings for hundreds of years (with the purpose of pointing them to the coming Messiah) needed one last washing for closure. But the Gentiles didn't. They needed a relationship with God without all the religious trappings.

I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. (1 Corinthians 1:14-17)

But Paul did baptize Gentiles in Corinth didn't he?

Not necessarily. The account of his being in Corinth is found in Acts 18. It starts out stating that Paul went there to visit some Jewish friends that had escaped from Rome.

After these things he left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, having recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. He came to them, and because he was of the same trade, he stayed with them and they were working, for by trade they were tent-makers. (Acts 18:1-3)

One of the names of the people that Paul baptized was Crispus who must have been a Jew since he was the synagogue ruler!

Crispus, the leader of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his household, and many of the Corinthians when they heard were believing and being baptized. (Acts 18:8)

The account in Acts refers only to Jews. Does that mean that he didn't baptize any Gentiles? We don't know for certain –he did baptize these Jewish friends– but it's doubtful since he said that his gospel was for the Gentiles and it did not include baptism.

Continue reading: "Is Baptism Essential??"