Baptism in the New Testament [Paperback]

Mr. G.R. Beasley-Murray (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1973

This enduring study of Christian baptism by G. R. Beasley-Murray presents a critical defense of the doctrine of believers' baptism on the basis of the New Testament evidence. / Beasley-Murray first discusses the various rites that precede Christian baptism historically, then analyzes the relationship between these earlier rites and baptism. From these antecedents — Old Testament ritual washings, Jewish proselyte baptism, the lustrations practiced at Qumran, and the baptism of John the Baptist — Beasley-Murray proceeds to the foundations of Christian baptism in the career of Jesus, its emergence as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, and its development in the New Testament epistolary literature. / Throughout this work, Beasley-Murray continually focuses on the necessity of baptism and its relationship to grace, faith, the Spirit, the church, ethics, and hope. He also presents a careful, well-balanced examination of the rise and significance of infant baptism — one of the most debated elements in the doctrine of baptism today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

G.R. Beasley-Murray is professor emeritus of New Testament Interpretation at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky, and former principal of Spurgeon’s College, London. His other books include Jesus and the Kingdom of God and the commentary on Revelation in the New Century Bible Commentary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 436 pages
• Publisher: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company (March 15, 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 080281493X
• ISBN-13: 978-0802814937
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,171,714 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An indispensable work for grasping the truth about baptism., September 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Baptism in the New Testament (Paperback)

Beasley-Murray thoroughly lays out the New Testament understanding of Baptism, beginning with a lengthy discussion of the antecedants (e.g., proselyte baptism, etc) and foundations of baptism. Beasley-Murray then offers a thorough, intelligent (if somewhat difficult) and scholarly exegesis of several Biblical passages speaking on baptism, beginning with the primitive community in Acts. I found his treatment of Romans 6 most helpful and insightful in an in-depth study on this subject. Baptism is an extremely important subject in our modern churches that is often times ignored or downplayed due to "faith-only" tradition. Beasley-Murray offers the most thorough and insightful work to help Pastors, students, and laymen bring to light the wonderful freedom and hope found in the New Testament's (and especially Paul's) explanation of baptism. Bring your full attention and be ready to work through this read, but it's worth it, as Beasley-Murray's work is the best available.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very impressed!, January 2, 2000

By 

"mrg2" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baptism in the New Testament (Paperback)

This is the most thorough and scholarly study of the subject of baptism I've ever seen. It is particularly noteworthy that the author, a Baptist, challenges the doctrines of his church at several points. Unfortunately, at the end of the book, he fails to maintain his earlier conclusions when discussing the question "Is baptism necessary for salvation?" In spite of this inconsistency, this is an outstanding work.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprising treatment of Baptism by a Baptist!, April 2, 2005

By 

THX138 (Butler, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baptism in the New Testament (Paperback)

I found the author while trying to research Baptist views on baptism, and found Beasley-Murray far different from the faith-only Calvinism I was expecting. Later in a seminar, he spoke of undertaking a project to address the Eschatological Discourse of Mark 13, saying that scholars had for too long "played ducks and drakes" with the passage. Surely the same applies to this subject!

I found many of my own views supported (baptism has a salvific role) and had other views thoroughly changed and elevated by this important book. His understanding of the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" was enlightening and convincing, causing me to depart from the dominant view in my fellowship.

Other reviewers have, however, noted the author's inconsistency on some points. Most disturbing was the treatment of infant baptism which was upheld in spite of earlier insistence on the sole suitability for believer's baptism as an application of Scripture on the subject of baptism. In his seminar, the author also attributed salvation to non-baptized, wrongly-baptized among the denominations on the visible activity of the Holy Spirit among them. Could not a similarly false argument be made for non-Christian religions?

In the seminar he also addressed the puzzling matter of why many evangelicals dodge the plain meaning of Scriptures relevant to baptism. He suprised me again by declaring that Baptists of Europe differ from their American counterparts by upholding baptism's role in salvation. Why not in America? He suggests the current standoff goes back to debates with Alexander Campbell and others from the 18th century on who were intent on throwing off denominational entanglements and restoring the NT church. Many evangelical scholars are now acknowledging the error and accepting the truth, even if filtering this down into their churches remains problematic.

Baptism's salvific role should cause no affront to Reformed believers. We see nothing meritorious, and have no pretentions of saving ourselves or adding to the finished cross-work of Jesus. Baptism is salvific along with other required "works" (believing, repentance, confession of Jesus's Lordship, calling on the Name, etc.) only because they are the means of ushering people into relationship with Him. Salvation is found in Jesus, and in the relationship with Him.