Why did John the Baptist baptise everyone in the entire region in water"?

Question

What was the the purpose of baptism and what preceded this requirement?

He got the people ready for Jesus to come and fill them with the Holy Spirit after they had repented and were baptised in water. His job preceded Jesus' job. When Jesus came they were ready for His Spirit.

Answer 1

Baptism by water was a Jewish custom based upon Levitical law. The traditional rules regarding the construction of a mikvah are based on those specified in classical rabbinical literature. According to these rules, a mikvah must be connected to a natural spring or well of naturally occurring water, and thus can be supplied by rivers and lakes which have natural springs as their source[4]. A cistern filled by the rain is also permitted to act as a mikvah's water supply. Similarly snow, ice and hail are allowed to act as the supply of water to a mikvah, as long as it melts in a certain manner[5]. A river that dries up on a regular basis cannot be used because it is presumably rainwater which cannot purify while flowing. Oceans for the most part have the status of natural springs.

Several biblical regulations specify that full immersion in water is required to regain ritual purity after ritually impure incidents have occurred. Most forms of impurity can be nullified through immersion in any natural collection of water. Some, such as a Zav, however require "living water,"[2] such as springs or groundwater wells. Living water has the further advantage of being able to purify even while flowing as opposed to rainwater which must be stationary in order to purify. The mikvah is designed to simplify this requirement, by providing a bathing facility that remains in ritual contact with a natural source of water.

John the Baptist baptized people will the knowledge that it only represented a ritual cleansing according to the law, but it was a permanent solution for salvation. Christians adopted this practice because the earliest believers were Jews. However, the purpose was changed from Jewish ritual cleansing to that of following Christ's example. Baptism among Christians today represents being buried in a like manner with Christ, rising up to newness of life in Christ, and the washing away of sin.

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7 For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8 Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9 Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
Romans 6:3-14

A repentant heart, a contrite spirit and willingness to follow the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ precedes baptism. However no one knows if he baptized the whole region because the total number of those baptized is not revealed in the Bible.

gatita_63109

Answer 2

In Christian baptism, there should be two requirements before a person is baptized: (1) the person being baptized must have trusted in Jesus Christ as Savior, and (2) the person must understand what baptism signifies. If a person knows the Lord Jesus as Savior, understands that Christian baptism is a step of obedience in publicly proclaiming his faith in Christ, and desires to be baptized – then there is no reason to prevent the believer from being baptized. According to the Bible, Christian baptism is simply a step of obedience, a public proclamation of one’s faith in Christ alone for salvation. Christian baptism is important because it is a step of obedience – publicly declaring faith in Christ and commitment to Him, and identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection.

Answer 3

Baptism symbolizes the death and resurrection of Jesus. So when your dunked under, that would represents the death part, and coming back above the water would represent the resurrection. Thats why it's done in water

Answer 4

Baptism was a symbolic gesture of being buried with Christ and rising again...

It is also the washing away of your sins...

It is also a token gesture to signify that you DO accept Jesus Christ as your Savior...

Baptism is ONE of the requirements to enter Heaven.. even Jesus was Baptized.

Answer 5

He was the area preacher... Water cleans the body of dirt and getting baptized represents cleaning your heart... All you needed to do is say you believed in God and your gonna be kind to people.

Answer 6

Because tequila is expensive.