John 3:22-23

Dr. Ronnie Wolfe

Verse 22: Jesus went into Judea and baptized. In John 4:2 we read "(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,)." When he got a reputation of baptizing more people than John, he left Judea and went into Galilee (John 4:1-3).

Jesus had come into Judea, which is said by John Gill and others to mean the countryside outside of the city of Jerusalem.

Verse 23: John was also baptizing in a place called Aenon near to Salem. Aenon was about half way up (north) from the Dead Sea going toward the Sea of Galilee on the west side of the Jordan River.

He was baptizing in Aenon "because there was much water there," which brings our thoughts to the idea that in order to baptize according to John's practice one must have "much water."

This infers the practice of immersion for baptism, which many of our Protestant friends deny. Many Protestants not only exercise the "sacrament of baptism" upon babies, but nowadays they only sprinkle water upon them or pour water upon their heads.

Baptists have always been known for immersing candidates in water for baptism, showing forth in a symbolic way the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the heart of the Gospel message.

Thus Baptists throughout the years have been called Dunkers, Drowners, Dippers, and other like names. We care not for those names, but we carry them with thanksgiving to God, who has shown us the way and has given us the grace to hold true to that biblical practice.