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him not: but he that sent me to Possession of scriptural baptism does
baptize with water, the same not give an individual the authority to
said unto me, Upon whom thou baptize. In Acts 19, Paul came across
shalt see the Spirit descending, some persons that the Bible calls
and remaining on him, the "disciples," who had probably been
same is he which baptizeth baptized by Apollos. Apollos had ap-
with the Holy Ghost. And I saw parently been properly baptized by
and bare record that this is the John, but had no authority to baptize
Son of God. others. Paul re-baptized them. There
can be no succession of scriptural
John bap- baptism without the succession of
Jesus walked 60 tized authority to baptize.
miles to be baptized "with wa- While on earth, Jesus orga-
by John because he ter" and nized a church (Matthew
was the only one Jesus later 16:18-19) with "himself being
authorized to do so baptized the chief cornerstone," and
"with the
at that time. Holy with "the foundation of the
Ghost." apostles and prop-
The first part of verse 33 speaks of hets" (Ephesians 2:19-22).
John as the administrator of a baptism Esa That church can be seen exis-
and water as the element. The last part ting and in operation in Matthew
of the verse speaks of Jesus as the ad- 18:15-18. Jesus ordained twelve
ministrator of a baptism, with the members of that church as apostles
Holy Ghost as the element. It was not and gave them authority to baptize. At
then, and a later time He ordained seventy ot-
is not hers in that church. Before His ascen-
If baptism is to be now, suf- sion, Jesus gave a commission and the
valid, it must be ad- ficient to authority to baptize to either a person,
some persons, or to something
ministered by those receive (Matthew 28:18-20). It is clear, from
baptism
with proper autho- only from Matthew 28:20, that it was Jesus’ in-
rity to do so. someone tention that that authority would be
else that perpetuated "always, even to the end
had or has of the world."
been properly baptized. John had al- If Jesus gave the authority to bap-
ready baptized others, and if proper tize to some person, the ordinance of
baptism could be obtained merely by baptism died with the death of that
another baptized individual, Jesus person. If Jesus gave the authority to
could have saved much time and tra- baptize only to the apostles, as apos-
vel by receiving His baptism from one tles, that authority died with the last
of John’s disciples. The authority to apostle.
baptize is NOT passed on by baptism.
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