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Seal and Baptism in Early Christianity

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Ablution, Initiation, and Baptism
This chapter is in the book Ablution, Initiation, and Baptism
Seal and Baptism in Early ChristianityKarl Olav Sandnes1. Introductory CommentsIn The Shepherd, Hermas says “the seal is the water (ἡ σφραγὶς οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ)” Herm. 93.4 [= Sim. 9.16.4]. In this statement, the seal is baptism; the two are equal. This is the first extant example which testifies that the metaphor for a seal and the ritual of baptism are somehow related, if not identical. This metonymic statement has paved the way for a reading back into New Testament times of later liturgical practises, thus arriving at conclusions which are either assumed or circuitous.1 From the 2nd century onwards the identity between the two is amply attested to. This is crucial when it comes to evaluating the earliest witnesses on “seal” in the New Testament. Paul speaks about God’s sealing and giving the Spirit in tandem (2 Cor 1:21–22). Seal and Spirit are juxtaposed in Eph 1:13–14 and 4:30 as well. Is some type of baptismal ritual lurking in the background here, or is that a view implying an anachronistic procedure of reading later evidence back into the sources? The Book of Revelation speaks of the believers being marked or sealed on their foreheads (Rev 7:3; 9:4 cf. 13:15–17; 14:1, 9–12). These texts are interesting since they represent a transposition of Ezek 9:4, 6, which itself is a transposition of the story about the protecting blood on the doorposts (Exod 12),2 thereby attesting to the presence of scriptural exegesis and the combina-tion of texts in the concept of sealing from early on. Together, these examples raise questions addressed by the Form-Critical School on the relevance of Sitz im Leben and the ritual for the reading of New Testament passages. Can we at all imagine that the water ritual was performed without some kind of additional elements or metaphors joined to it?3This paper surveys texts pertaining to the question of sealing and baptism, scattered from the New Testament to the Acts of Thomas. Sources of different 1 P. F. Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship, 51–52.2 The σημεῖον of LXX is in Rev replaced by σφραγίς κτλ. In some later liturgical traditions, the marking of the forehead is mentioned as one of the elements that embellished the water ritual of baptism; see, e.g. Const. App. 3.16.3 This is rightly pointed out by Chr. Strecker, “Taufrituale in frühen Christentum und in der Alten Kirche” in the present publication, 1381–1438.

Seal and Baptism in Early ChristianityKarl Olav Sandnes1. Introductory CommentsIn The Shepherd, Hermas says “the seal is the water (ἡ σφραγὶς οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ)” Herm. 93.4 [= Sim. 9.16.4]. In this statement, the seal is baptism; the two are equal. This is the first extant example which testifies that the metaphor for a seal and the ritual of baptism are somehow related, if not identical. This metonymic statement has paved the way for a reading back into New Testament times of later liturgical practises, thus arriving at conclusions which are either assumed or circuitous.1 From the 2nd century onwards the identity between the two is amply attested to. This is crucial when it comes to evaluating the earliest witnesses on “seal” in the New Testament. Paul speaks about God’s sealing and giving the Spirit in tandem (2 Cor 1:21–22). Seal and Spirit are juxtaposed in Eph 1:13–14 and 4:30 as well. Is some type of baptismal ritual lurking in the background here, or is that a view implying an anachronistic procedure of reading later evidence back into the sources? The Book of Revelation speaks of the believers being marked or sealed on their foreheads (Rev 7:3; 9:4 cf. 13:15–17; 14:1, 9–12). These texts are interesting since they represent a transposition of Ezek 9:4, 6, which itself is a transposition of the story about the protecting blood on the doorposts (Exod 12),2 thereby attesting to the presence of scriptural exegesis and the combina-tion of texts in the concept of sealing from early on. Together, these examples raise questions addressed by the Form-Critical School on the relevance of Sitz im Leben and the ritual for the reading of New Testament passages. Can we at all imagine that the water ritual was performed without some kind of additional elements or metaphors joined to it?3This paper surveys texts pertaining to the question of sealing and baptism, scattered from the New Testament to the Acts of Thomas. Sources of different 1 P. F. Bradshaw, The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship, 51–52.2 The σημεῖον of LXX is in Rev replaced by σφραγίς κτλ. In some later liturgical traditions, the marking of the forehead is mentioned as one of the elements that embellished the water ritual of baptism; see, e.g. Const. App. 3.16.3 This is rightly pointed out by Chr. Strecker, “Taufrituale in frühen Christentum und in der Alten Kirche” in the present publication, 1381–1438.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Introduction/Einführung
  3. Preface XLV
  4. Einführung XLIX
  5. Part/Teil I: Methodological Considerations/Methodische Überlegungen
  6. Rituals of Purification, Rituals of Initiation. Phenomenological, Taxonomical and Culturally Evolutionary Reflections 3
  7. Part/Teil II: Religions of Late Antiquity – Outside of Judaism and Christianity/Religionen in der Spätantike – Außerhalb von Judentum und Christentum
  8. Wasserriten im Alten Ägypten 43
  9. The Mandean Water Ritual in Late Antiquity 69
  10. Baptism and Graeco-Roman Mystery Cults 101
  11. Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts 119
  12. Initiationsriten im Manichäismus 145
  13. Part/Teil III: Early Judaism/Frühjudentum
  14. Aus dem Wasser kommt das Leben. Waschungen und Reinigungsriten in frühjüdischen Texten 157
  15. Jewish Immersion and Christian. Baptism Continuity on the Margins? 221
  16. “Echo of a Whisper”. The Uncertain Authenticity of Josephus’ Witness to John the Baptist 255
  17. „Ist er heraufgestiegen, gilt er in jeder Hinsicht als ein Israelit“ (bYev 47b). Das Proselytentauchbad im frühen Judentum 291
  18. Part/Teil IV: Earliest Christianity/Urchristentum
  19. Kreative Erinnerung als nachösterliche Nachschöpfung. Der Ursprung der christlichen Taufe 337
  20. Jesus’ Baptism and the Origins of the Christian Ritual 377
  21. Usages — Some Notes on the Baptismal Name-Formulae 397
  22. Vorgeformte Tauftraditionen und deren Benutzung in den Paulusbriefen 415
  23. Baptismal Phrases in the Deuteropauline Epistles 497
  24. Die Taufe in der Apostelgeschichte 557
  25. Baptism in the Letter to the Hebrews 587
  26. Because of “The Name of Christ”. Baptism and the Location of Identity in 1 Peter 605
  27. Salbung, Geist und Taufe im 1. Johannesbrief 629
  28. Matthew 28:9–20 and Mark 16:9–20. Different Ways of Relating Baptism to the Joint Mission of God, John the Baptist, Jesus, and their Adherents 655
  29. Baptismal Reflections in the Fourth Gospel 717
  30. Hermeneutische Aspekte der Taufe im Neuen Testament 735
  31. Part/Teil V: The Patristic Period/Die patristische Periode
  32. Zur frühchristlichen Taufpraxis. Die Taufe in der Didache, bei Justin und in der Didaskalia 767
  33. Taufinterpretationen bei Ignatius und im Barnabasbrief. Christologische und soteriologische Deutungen 817
  34. The Teaching on Baptism in the Shepherd of Hermas 849
  35. Taufe bei Marcion – eine Spurensuche 871
  36. Baptism among the Valentinians 895
  37. Initiation/Baptism in the Montanist Movement 917
  38. Simplicity and Power. Tertullian’s De Baptismo 947
  39. Baptism in Clement of Alexandria 973
  40. More Than Initiation? Baptism According to Origen of Alexandria 989
  41. Initiation in the Apostolic Tradition 1011
  42. Die Tauftheologie Cyprians. Beobachtungen zu ihrer Entwicklungsgeschichte und schrifthermeneutischen Begründung 1051
  43. Taufvorstellungen in den Pseudoklementinen 1071
  44. „Taufe“ und „untertauchen“ in Aphrahats taḥwyāṯā 1115
  45. Baptismal Mystery in St. Ephrem the Syrian and Hymnen de Epiphania 1139
  46. The Catechetical Lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem. A Source for the Baptismal Liturgy of Mid-Fourth Century Jerusalem 1179
  47. Baptism in Gregory of Nyssa’s Theology and Its Orientation to Eschatology 1205
  48. Johannes Chrysostomus: Die zehn Gaben (τιμαί oder δωρεαί) der Taufe 1233
  49. Ambrose and Augustine. Two Bishops on Baptism and Christian Identity 1253
  50. The Efficacy of Baptism in Augustine’s Theology 1283
  51. Der Streit über die Wirkung der Taufe im frühen Mönchtum. Die Taufe bei Makarios/Symeon, Markos Eremites und den Messalianern 1305
  52. Baptism in the Monasteries of Upper Egypt. The Pachomian Corpus and the Writings of Shenoute 1347
  53. Part/Teil VI: Thematic Surveys/Thematische Darstellungen
  54. Taufrituale im frühen Christentum und in der Alten Kirche. Historische und ritualwissenschaftliche Perspektiven 1383
  55. Seal and Baptism in Early Christianity 1441
  56. Taufe und Taufeucharistie. Die postbaptismale Mahlgemeinschaft in Quellen des 2. und 3. Jahrhunderts 1483
  57. Kindertaufe im frühen Christentum. Beobachtungen an den neutestamentlichen Apokryphen 1531
  58. Das Taufbekenntnis in der frühen Kirche 1553
  59. Part/Teil VII: Archaeology and Art History/Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte
  60. Understanding the Structures of Early Christian Baptisteries 1587
  61. Neues zu den alt- und neutestamentlichen Darstellungen im Baptisterium von Dura-Europos 1611
  62. Baptismal Practices at North African Martyrs’ Shrines 1673
  63. Die Entwicklung der Taufbecken in der Spätantike 1697
  64. ‘I understand the mystery, and I recognize the sacrament.’ On the Iconology of Ablution, Baptism, and Initiation 1721
  65. The Poetics and Politics of Christian Baptism in the Abercius Monument 1743
  66. Part/Teil VIII: Appendix
  67. Images and Illustrations/Abbildungen und Illustrationen 1785
  68. Abbreviations 1887
  69. List of Technical Terms 1889
  70. Index 1893
  71. Editors and Contributors 2019
Readers are also interested in:
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110247534.1441

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Introduction/Einführung
  3. Preface XLV
  4. Einführung XLIX
  5. Part/Teil I: Methodological Considerations/Methodische Überlegungen
  6. Rituals of Purification, Rituals of Initiation. Phenomenological, Taxonomical and Culturally Evolutionary Reflections 3
  7. Part/Teil II: Religions of Late Antiquity – Outside of Judaism and Christianity/Religionen in der Spätantike – Außerhalb von Judentum und Christentum
  8. Wasserriten im Alten Ägypten 43
  9. The Mandean Water Ritual in Late Antiquity 69
  10. Baptism and Graeco-Roman Mystery Cults 101
  11. Baptism in Sethian Gnostic Texts 119
  12. Initiationsriten im Manichäismus 145
  13. Part/Teil III: Early Judaism/Frühjudentum
  14. Aus dem Wasser kommt das Leben. Waschungen und Reinigungsriten in frühjüdischen Texten 157
  15. Jewish Immersion and Christian. Baptism Continuity on the Margins? 221
  16. “Echo of a Whisper”. The Uncertain Authenticity of Josephus’ Witness to John the Baptist 255
  17. „Ist er heraufgestiegen, gilt er in jeder Hinsicht als ein Israelit“ (bYev 47b). Das Proselytentauchbad im frühen Judentum 291
  18. Part/Teil IV: Earliest Christianity/Urchristentum
  19. Kreative Erinnerung als nachösterliche Nachschöpfung. Der Ursprung der christlichen Taufe 337
  20. Jesus’ Baptism and the Origins of the Christian Ritual 377
  21. Usages — Some Notes on the Baptismal Name-Formulae 397
  22. Vorgeformte Tauftraditionen und deren Benutzung in den Paulusbriefen 415
  23. Baptismal Phrases in the Deuteropauline Epistles 497
  24. Die Taufe in der Apostelgeschichte 557
  25. Baptism in the Letter to the Hebrews 587
  26. Because of “The Name of Christ”. Baptism and the Location of Identity in 1 Peter 605
  27. Salbung, Geist und Taufe im 1. Johannesbrief 629
  28. Matthew 28:9–20 and Mark 16:9–20. Different Ways of Relating Baptism to the Joint Mission of God, John the Baptist, Jesus, and their Adherents 655
  29. Baptismal Reflections in the Fourth Gospel 717
  30. Hermeneutische Aspekte der Taufe im Neuen Testament 735
  31. Part/Teil V: The Patristic Period/Die patristische Periode
  32. Zur frühchristlichen Taufpraxis. Die Taufe in der Didache, bei Justin und in der Didaskalia 767
  33. Taufinterpretationen bei Ignatius und im Barnabasbrief. Christologische und soteriologische Deutungen 817
  34. The Teaching on Baptism in the Shepherd of Hermas 849
  35. Taufe bei Marcion – eine Spurensuche 871
  36. Baptism among the Valentinians 895
  37. Initiation/Baptism in the Montanist Movement 917
  38. Simplicity and Power. Tertullian’s De Baptismo 947
  39. Baptism in Clement of Alexandria 973
  40. More Than Initiation? Baptism According to Origen of Alexandria 989
  41. Initiation in the Apostolic Tradition 1011
  42. Die Tauftheologie Cyprians. Beobachtungen zu ihrer Entwicklungsgeschichte und schrifthermeneutischen Begründung 1051
  43. Taufvorstellungen in den Pseudoklementinen 1071
  44. „Taufe“ und „untertauchen“ in Aphrahats taḥwyāṯā 1115
  45. Baptismal Mystery in St. Ephrem the Syrian and Hymnen de Epiphania 1139
  46. The Catechetical Lectures of Cyril of Jerusalem. A Source for the Baptismal Liturgy of Mid-Fourth Century Jerusalem 1179
  47. Baptism in Gregory of Nyssa’s Theology and Its Orientation to Eschatology 1205
  48. Johannes Chrysostomus: Die zehn Gaben (τιμαί oder δωρεαί) der Taufe 1233
  49. Ambrose and Augustine. Two Bishops on Baptism and Christian Identity 1253
  50. The Efficacy of Baptism in Augustine’s Theology 1283
  51. Der Streit über die Wirkung der Taufe im frühen Mönchtum. Die Taufe bei Makarios/Symeon, Markos Eremites und den Messalianern 1305
  52. Baptism in the Monasteries of Upper Egypt. The Pachomian Corpus and the Writings of Shenoute 1347
  53. Part/Teil VI: Thematic Surveys/Thematische Darstellungen
  54. Taufrituale im frühen Christentum und in der Alten Kirche. Historische und ritualwissenschaftliche Perspektiven 1383
  55. Seal and Baptism in Early Christianity 1441
  56. Taufe und Taufeucharistie. Die postbaptismale Mahlgemeinschaft in Quellen des 2. und 3. Jahrhunderts 1483
  57. Kindertaufe im frühen Christentum. Beobachtungen an den neutestamentlichen Apokryphen 1531
  58. Das Taufbekenntnis in der frühen Kirche 1553
  59. Part/Teil VII: Archaeology and Art History/Archäologie und Kunstgeschichte
  60. Understanding the Structures of Early Christian Baptisteries 1587
  61. Neues zu den alt- und neutestamentlichen Darstellungen im Baptisterium von Dura-Europos 1611
  62. Baptismal Practices at North African Martyrs’ Shrines 1673
  63. Die Entwicklung der Taufbecken in der Spätantike 1697
  64. ‘I understand the mystery, and I recognize the sacrament.’ On the Iconology of Ablution, Baptism, and Initiation 1721
  65. The Poetics and Politics of Christian Baptism in the Abercius Monument 1743
  66. Part/Teil VIII: Appendix
  67. Images and Illustrations/Abbildungen und Illustrationen 1785
  68. Abbreviations 1887
  69. List of Technical Terms 1889
  70. Index 1893
  71. Editors and Contributors 2019
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