The simplest way to understand the meaning of a word is to study its usage in as many texts as possible. Fortunately we are saved the very hard work that such a study would involve because a 19th Century scholar, T.J.Conant, in his book, The meaning and use of Baptizein (Wakeman Classic Reprints. ISBN 1-870855-31-0 ), has given every single usage of Baptizo in Classical or Koine Greek, and as we study the word, we can see that it always and invariably means, ‘To dip’, ‘submerge’ or ‘to immerse.’ Sometimes the usage is figurative, as when people are said to be ‘overwhelmed’ by grief, drink, debt or desire. Very occasionally, ‘sprinkle’ is a possible alternative translation, but never once is it required by the context.
Sometimes the word does indeed refer to being permanently submerged. We read several times in ancient Greek literature of ships being ‘baptized’ in the sea when they sink and of people drowning as they were ‘baptized’ in rivers or lakes. However, we read in Josephus, Jewish Antiquities, Book XV, 3,3, describing the murder of the boy Aristobulus: ‘Continually pressing down and submerging (Gk. Baptizo ) him while swimming, as if in sport, they did not desist until they had entirely suffocated him.’ Here we are looking at a series of temporary immersions resulting in a drowning.
Indeed, there are several other times where the word indicates a temporary submersion, such as the plunging of a sword into an enemy’s breast, or as Heliodorus (Aethopics Book IV ch. 17 ) writes, ‘When midnight had plunged (Gk. Baptizo ) the city in sleep, an armed band of revelers took possession of the dwelling of Chariclea.’ Or Gregory Thaumaturgus (Panegyric on Origen XIV ): ‘He himself would remain on high in safety, and stretching out a hand to others save them, as if drawing up persons immersed’ (Gk. Baptizo ).
Here is Basil the Great (On Baptism, Book 1, Chap 2, 10 ), commenting on Rom 6:3: ‘We were baptized (Gk. Baptizo ), says he, in order that from it we might learn this: that as wool dipped (Gk. Baptizo) in a dye is changed as to its colour; or rather (using John the Baptist as a guide, when he prophesied of the Lord, “He will baptize (Gk. Baptizo) you in the Holy Spirit and fire”)….let us say this: that as steel, immersed (Gk. Baptizo) in the fire kindled up by spirit (wind), becomes more easy to test whether it has any fault, and more ready for being refined;…..so it follows and is necessary, that he who is immersed (Gk. Baptizo) in fire (that is the word of instruction, which convicts of the evil of sin and shows the grace of justification) should hate and abhor unrighteousness, as it is written, and should desire to be cleansed though faith in the power of the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.’ To translate baptizo anywhere in this text as ‘pour’ or ‘sprinkle’ or ‘permanently submerge’ simply doesn’t work. Whether the person baptized, the wool, the steel, the text refers to something being placed into a substance and then withdrawn. Basil was one of the early Greek Fathers. He ought to know what baptizo means.
