Featured Old Covenant baptism

Baptism only in the Church age/dispensation?

I'm starting a new thread to discuss this to avoid the premature closure of the current "Disp" thread.

Hebrews 9:.....10 concerned only with foods and drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of reformation.

μόνον ἐπὶ βρώμασιν καὶ πόμασιν καὶ διαφόροις βαπτισμοῖς καὶδικαιώμασιν σαρκὸς μέχρι καιροῦ διορθώσεως ἐπικείμενα ​

Almost all translations - even the modern Greek I consulted - translate βαπτισμοῖς as washings rather than simple transliteration as they do elsewhere.

The chapter proceeds with examples from Numbers 19 - the "red heifer" ritual for contact with dead bodies, & the blood of the covenant sprinkling of Exodus 24.

The teaching in Heb. 9 follows the introduction of the subject in Heb.6 -

Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.​

Were the Pharisees expecting Elijah, the Prophet, & the Christ to baptise?

John 1:24 Now those who were sent were from the Pharisees. 25 And they asked him, saying, “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” ​

 

I was hoping for a Biblical answer - NOT google it.

 

This explains why John baptised in the Jordan & not in a mikvah!
And doesn't explain why the Pharisees expected Elijah & the Messiah to baptise.

Certainly doesn't answer my question.

 

The difference is clear when we consider John's message -

Mat. 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire​

A key feature of John's message was Messiah coming and baptising with the Holy Spirit - which the Ephesians had never heard of. The message of John had been corrupted.

Acts 19:2 he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”
So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.”​

 

Acts 1:21-22 indicates that John's baptism was acceptable. No suggestion that Jesus himself ever baptised.

 

The use of βαπτισμός, βάπτισμα
Is discussed in the link.

It is surprising, if OC washing rituals are implied by baptismos that it should be used in Heb. 6:2 where Christian doctrine & ritual is proposed.

1 Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits.​

Maybe his intention by the plural is to establish the contrast we see in Heb. 9. His choices of example baptisms - red heifer ash & water, & blood sprinkling - are hardly washings in the sense of physical cleansing. In the former case, a water wash was also needed. The blood of the covenant sprinkling persumably wasn't immediately washed off - the elders went up the mountain to see God - sanctified by the blood.