[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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