Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
135 AD, Hermas, Similitudes 9:16- before a man bears the name of the Son of God he is dead; but when he
receives the seal he lays aside his deadness, and obtains life. The seal, then, is the water: they descend into
the water dead, and they arise alive
175 AD, Melito - "Are not gold, silver, copper, and iron, after being fired, baptized with water ...in order that it
may be strengthened by the dipping"
210 AD, Tertullian, Baptism, Chap.1- But we, little fishes, after the example of our Icthys Jesus Christ, are
born in water
210 AD, Tertullian, Baptism, Chap. 7- "in the same way as the act of baptism itself too is carnal, in that we
are plunged in water, but the effect spiritual, in that we are freed from sins..."
225 AD, Origen - "...you descend into the water and you escape safely; having washed away the filth of
sin, you come up a 'new man'...."
250 AD, Oxyrhynchus Papyri, V:840 I and my disciples, who you say are not bathed, have been dipped
in the waters of eternal life
The practice of immersion was relaxed by Cyprian in the case of persons who were ill, but his response arises
out of the practice being questioned, and Eusebius questions it himself and writes about others who strongly
objected:
255 AD, Cyprian (defending the pouring of Novatian) - "You have asked also, what I thought concerning those
who obtain God's grace in sickness and weakness, whether they are to be accounted as legitimate Christians,
because they are not washed with the water of salvation but have it poured on them.... Whence it
appears that the sprinkling also of water holds equally with the washing of salvationWe think that the divine
benefits can in no way be mutilated or weakened." (Notice that Cyprian by the words appears and we think,
assumes that pouring or sprinkling are acceptable alternatives to immersion which he describes as the
washing of salvation.)
325 AD, Eusebius ...[Novatian] fell seriously ill and was thought to be about to die. In the bed itself on which
he was laying he received grace by water being poured around over him, if it is proper to say that such
a one received it... When he believed, he was counted worthy of the office of presbyter by the favor of the
bishop (Cyprian) who laid his hand on him for this rank. The bishop was opposed by all the clergy and
many of the laymen, since it was not lawful for someone who had received pouring in bed on account
of sickness to become a member of the clergy, but he asked to be allowed to ordain this one alone.
(Church History VI. xliii. 14, 17, quoting a letter from Cornelius, bishop of Rome, 251-253)
345 AD Cyril - "When going down, therefore, into the water, think not of the bare element, but look for
salvation by the power of the Holy Ghost: for without both thou canst not possibly be made perfect. It is not I
that say this, but the Lord Jesus Christ, who has the power in this matter" (Cyril of Jerusalem, "Catechetical
Lectures," Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, vol. 7, pg. 15.)
350 AD Cyril - "Bearing your sins, you go down into the water You go down dead in your sins, and you
come up made alive in righteousness" (Catechetical Lectures 3:10, 12).
350 AD Cyril - "When you go down into the water, then, regard not simply the water, but look for
salvation through the power of the Spirit." (Catechetical Lectures 3:4).
360 AD, Cyril - "For as he who plunges into the waters and is baptized is surrounded on all sides by the
waters...."
370 AD, Basil of Cesarea - "How then do we become in the likeness of his death? We were buried with him
through baptism....How then do we accomplish the descent into Hades? We imitate the burial of Christ
through baptism. For the bodies of those being baptized are as it were buried in water."
3
381 AD, Ambrose of Milan "Nor do they observe that we are buried in the element of water that we may
rise again renewed by the Spirit. For in the water is the representation of death, in the Spirit is the pledge of
life, that the body of sin may die through the water, which encloses the body as it were in a kind of
tomb, that we, by the power of the Spirit, may be renewed from the death of sin, being born again in
God." (The Holy Spirit 1:6[75-76]).
a means was found that man might die while living, and while living rise again. What is living? It is the living
life of the body, when it came to the font, and was dipped into the font. What is water, but from the earth?
Therefore, the heavenly sentence is satisfied without the insensibility which death brings. Thy dipping paid
that sentence
Yesterday we discoursed on the font, whose appearance is somewhat like that of a tomb in shape; into
which, believing in the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost, we are received, and plunged, and
emerge, that is, we are raised up.
And your old man plunged into the font was crucified to sin, but rose again unto God.