If Christ was baptized, and baptism is a Christian ritual, wouldn't that mean that Christianity existed before the birth of Christ?

[KostasKouvalis]

YES, excellent observation

NO, not necessarily (and here's why)

[Anonymous]

Not the case. Immersion in water, to ritually cleanse oneself, existed with the Jews in a tradition called "Tvilah". So, it wasn't a new idea in the time of Jesus.

John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus, was just adopting the idea of ritual cleansing for his Messianic movement. It had nothing to do with Christianity.

[KostasKouvalis]

Thank you

[zeitgeist057]

most of Christianity is adopted from previous practices. From Saturnalia ---> Christmas, on down the line. Even the virgin birth of Jesus was adopted from previous religions. There's not much original to it, its' kind of a Darwin of religions, survival of the fittest mythos.

[Andres77]

@zeitgeist057
Tradition is not doctrine.
When you find out it will be too late.

[zeitgeist057]

@KostasKouvalis that's the cute and ironic thing about religious people. They say things like they know more than you, when really they know less than nothing. It's like visiting a tribe deep in the jungle that never heard of technology like antibiotics, insisting that waving a dead chicken over your head will cure diphtheria.

[Phoenix98]

Christianity began with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in 33 AD. So in reference to the creation of the religion yes the act itself does predate it.

However baptisms are very similar if not almost identical to a Jewish practice called Tvilah. Christianity has Jewish roots. Jesus himself grew up in a Jewish country and was raised in a Jewish household by Jewish parents. So it wouldn't' be out of the question to say that influenced his own idea of baptisms and he/we use them in Christianity and what they represent for us.

[jennifer_bloom]

Jesus said that Christianity is His extended version of Judaism meaning it houses all the teachings of correct and real Judaism while adding new teachings too.

[whereismyjohnny]

Okay, this is an interesting observation ngl.

[KostasKouvalis]

Right? I had to look up what ngl means

[whereismyjohnny]

You made me think haha.

[KostasKouvalis]

That's what I do ;)

[Lionman95]

No because the baptism isn´t a genuiely Christian ritual. It was already there before Christianity for example the priests in the Jewish Temple had to clean themselves before entering it but it was already a ritual in other religions to clean your whole body before entering a holy place or meeting a deity.
Because baptism is similar as an act, it´s possible to say Christianity was already there.

[KostasKouvalis]

Clearly

[Lionman95]

No sorry I meant Christianity wasn´t there because the act as ritual is similar but the whole importance and meaning wasn´t there. In Christianity has a different meaning.

[Lionman95]

There is no Christianity without Christ.

[Guy13]

Actually, Jesu the Christ was foreknown before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:20) SO Jesus Is.
—And the first person who believed in God by Faith Alone is Abraham (Genesis 15:6).
—Christians, during Jesus the Christ earthly ministry as well as today, we’re also chosen unto Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4).
Baptism is a New Testament symbol. It’s got NOTHING to do with being Saved In and Through Christ Jesus.

[strateguy632]

the faith had not existed yet nor the covenant start yet.

[Hispanic-Cool-Guy]

No. Baptism is symbolic Jesus did as an example that he will die and resurrect again and for us when you die we will resurrect again to new life to inherit the new earth to those who are saved.

[Anonymous]

duh

for the word was with GOD
and the word was GOD

[KostasKouvalis]

Huh? What are you talking about?

[Opinion Owner]

who is the word?

CHRIST

but you don't read the bible much to know that

[EnglishEuropean]

So you know Jesus was a Jew, right?

[KostasKouvalis]

Yeah, so?

[EnglishEuropean]

So Christianity grew out of Judaism, whatever the Pope tells you.

[KostasKouvalis]

Yes yes. Judaism was flawed so God created Christianity, and then Christianity was flawed so God created Islam. And now Islam is more flawed then both of them, so God needs to create a fourth Abrahamic religion.