Galatians 3:27 – Baptized in Christ Jesus

For whoever are baptized into Christ, put on Christ

In Christ Jesus we are all sons of God by faith. Why is it like that? Verse 27 says: For whoever are baptized into Christ Jesus are also clothed with Christ. The key term here is “in Christ Jesus.” We are baptized into Him. The obviousness with which interpreters here think of a baptism in water is astonishing. As if water baptism were the ultimate Christian baptism! While John the Baptist repeatedly pointed out that although he himself baptized in water, the one who would come after him (=Christ) would baptize in spirit. This means that the baptism of Christ is not water baptism but a spiritual baptism.

It is not by undergoing a ritual that we come “in Christ Jesus”. How strange to the purport of the Galatians letter is the idea that by a Jewish custom (which is water baptism; Heb. 6:2) and by the work of human hands we would be placed “into Christ Jesus”! 1 Corinthians 1:31 says: “…you of Him (=God) are in Christ Jesus”. We are immersed by God “in Christ Jesus” as it were. Indeed, “by faith”. Or as 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, “…in one spirit we are all baptized into one body…”.

Delen: