[B-Greek] Re: meaning of BAPTIZW
Harold R. Holmyard III
hholmyard at ont.com
Sun Apr 25 07:50:29 EDT 2004
Dear Morgan,
>my question is concerning the meaning of the word BAPTIZW -
>in the secular world did the word mean immerse and is that how original
>readers would have understood it in the GNT?
The LSJ lexicon gives a number of meanings for BAPTIZW. They begin
with "dip, plunge." In the passive it can have the ideas of "drowned,
flooded, drenched, or soaked." It can refer metaphorically to a city
being flooded with people. One can be drowning over head and ears in
debt. The verb can describe drawing wine by dipping a cup in it. It
can indicate "baptize," and can refer in the passive to performing
ablutions. Another lexicon, BAGD, gives "immerse" as a main meaning.
In the middle the verb can mean "dip oneself, wash," and in
non-Christian literature also "sink" or "overwhelm." In Christian
literature it is only used in a ritual sense. It applied to Jewish
ritual washings.
Yours,
Harold Holmyard
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