92. John's Baptism and the Cessation of His Ministry

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

Article 5: When Should John’s Baptism Cease? #

The Question: Did John’s baptism need to end immediately after Christ was baptized, or could it continue?

Objections presented:

• Christ was sufficiently made known through John’s testimony, the dove, and the eternal voice at his baptism
• Augustine says Christ’s baptism caused John’s baptism to cease
• John’s baptism was preparatory for Christ’s baptism; once Christ was baptized, its purpose was fulfilled
• Yet Scripture shows John continuing to baptize after Christ’s baptism (John 3:22-23)

Thomas’s Response: John’s baptism should not cease immediately, for four reasons:

1. Avoiding scandal and appearance of evil: If John ceased baptizing when Christ was baptized, it would appear he acted from zeal or anger at being surpassed, revealing human weakness in his disciples
2. Preventing presumption: Continuing to baptize demonstrated humility and avoided giving the false impression that John’s baptism was superior to Christ’s
3. Drawing hearers to Christ: By persisting in baptizing, John sent his hearers toward Christ rather than keeping them attached to himself
4. The shadow of the old law remained: The precursor does not cease entirely until the truth is fully manifested. Just as the manna continued briefly after entering the Promised Land to allow adjustment, so John’s baptism continued to allow transition

When it actually ceased: According to Chrysostom and Augustine, John’s baptism ceased when John was imprisoned, not immediately after Christ’s baptism. This removal allowed Christ’s ministry to fully emerge without divided loyalties among John’s disciples.

Article 6: Must Those Baptized by John Be Rebaptized by Christ? #

The Question: Did people who received John’s baptism need to receive Christ’s baptism, or was John’s baptism sufficient?

Objections presented:

• John was not less than the apostles; those baptized by apostles aren’t rebaptized, only receive imposition of hands
• The apostles themselves were baptized by John (some were his disciples) but apparently not rebaptized by Christ’s baptism
• John himself is not recorded as being baptized by Christ’s baptism, so even less would his followers need to be
• Acts 19 shows those who didn’t know the Holy Spirit needed rebaptism, but some baptized by John did have full knowledge of the Trinity and thus shouldn’t need rebaptism

Critical patristic distinction: Augustine says the power of baptism depends on faith. The form of John’s baptism signified faith in “the one who was to come,” not present grace. Therefore it seems unnecessary to rebaptize those with faith.

Thomas’s Resolution: The Magister (Peter Lombard) held that only those baptized by John who didn’t know the Holy Spirit and placed hope in John’s baptism needed rebaptism; those with full trinitarian faith needed only imposition of hands. Thomas rejects the second part as untenable.

Why all must be rebaptized:

1. John’s baptism conferred neither grace nor character: It was “only in water” (Matthew 3). Faith cannot supply what is essential to a sacrament itself
2. Essential elements missing: Christ’s baptism requires not only water but the Holy Spirit (John 3:5). When essential elements of a sacrament are omitted, the whole sacrament must be renewed, not merely supplemented
3. Different sacraments entirely: John’s baptism was a sacramental (preparatory sign) of the old law, not a true sacrament. Those baptized by Philip (who gave Christ’s baptism) needed only imposition of hands; those baptized by John needed complete rebaptism

Appropriation of the Holy Spirit: The mention of the Holy Spirit in baptismal theology reflects an appropriation—grace is attributed to the Holy Spirit in the context of the Trinity (as in the Apostles’ Creed where sins are forgiven “through the Holy Spirit”).

Key Arguments #

The Anthropological Problem: Human Weakness and Attachment #

Berquist emphasizes that Thomas’s treatment reveals a profound understanding of fallen human nature. When John’s disciples asked why the one John baptized was now baptizing elsewhere, they were attempting to provoke him—this reflects human weakness and the danger of disciples becoming overly attached to their teacher. This is not unique to ancient times; Berquist notes:

• Students attach themselves to professors and “charlatans” in the academic world and “never get out of that”
• Once formed by a particular master or school, people remain committed even when someone greater comes along
• The remedy is to reach young students “who haven’t been exposed to any of these charlatans”
• Yet this is a deeply troubling aspect of human nature: “it’s very hopeless, hopeless that way”

Thomas’s solution for John—having him continue baptizing but directing his followers to Christ—addresses this human weakness by avoiding the appearance that provoked John’s disciples’ jealousy.

Sacramental Efficacy and Intention #

Two key principles emerge:

1. A sacrament is as efficacious as the one in whose power it is given: Peter and Jude give Christ’s baptism because they act in Christ’s power. John gave his own baptism. Therefore those baptized by Philip (in apostolic/Christ’s power) need only imposition of hands, while those baptized by John need full rebaptism

2. Sacramental vs. Sacramental: John’s baptism is to Christ’s baptism as matter is to form in creation. A lower artisan prepares matter; the chief artisan imposes the form. John prepared through penance and disposition; Christ gave grace and the Holy Spirit

Important Definitions #

Sacrament: A sacred sign instituted by Christ that confers grace and (in baptism, confirmation, orders) impresses an indelible character. Christ’s baptism is a true sacrament.

Sacramental: A sacred sign preparing for or disposing toward a sacrament; preparatory in nature. John’s baptism is essentially a sacramental of the old law, not a true sacrament.

Character (Latin: character): An indelible spiritual mark impressed by certain sacraments. John’s baptism impressed no character; Christ’s baptism does.

Appropriation (Latin: appropriatio): The theological practice of attributing to one Person of the Trinity what belongs to all three, based on a fitting connection. Grace is appropriated to the Holy Spirit; so the Holy Spirit “gives” grace in baptism, though all three Persons are involved.

Examples & Illustrations #

The Problem of Transition and Human Attachment #

Berquist uses multiple examples of how people struggle with change:

• The Latin Mass transition: When Mass shifted to the vernacular, a Catholic woman who had debated Protestant neighbors about Latin lost her central argument. She had become so habituated to Latin that it seemed essential to the Mass itself, though it was not
• French-Canadian education: French parents would send children to Quebec specifically to be educated in French, believing faith could not be properly transmitted except in French—a confusion of the accidental with the essential
• Personal prayer experience: Berquist himself struggles to recite certain prayers learned in Latin except in Latin, unable to see them properly in English—despite understanding this is an imperfection of understanding, not a truth about the prayers themselves
• Academic formation: Once a student is “formed by some charlatan,” they remain so for life; this is why reaching young, unformed students is crucial

Sacramental Validity and Understanding #

Berquist clarifies through several illustrations:

• The Eucharist: One receives the body and blood of Christ, but also his soul and divinity—even if one’s understanding is incomplete. Receiving “just the body” from the host and “just the blood” from the chalice suggests a false understanding (implying Christ is dead, his body and blood separated). Yet the sacrament is valid regardless.
• Confession: “The priest forgave you my sins”—but was it the priest or Christ? The priest acts in Christ’s power; the sacrament is Christ’s absolution through the priest’s ministry
• Matrimony: If Catholics marry before a Justice of the Peace, the lack of canonical form invalidates the sacrament. They may later validate it (confirm it before a priest) without repeating the essential matter
• The manna: When Israel entered the Promised Land, manna continued for a time though no longer needed. This allowed people to adjust to the change—a parallel to John’s continued baptizing

Questions Addressed #

Q: Wouldn’t it seem that John acted from anger or zeal if he immediately stopped baptizing? A: Yes, and this would give scandal to his disciples. Even though John knew Christ was greater, continuing to baptize demonstrated humility and gave no appearance of wounded pride—a critical point in spiritual leadership.

Q: But didn’t Augustine say John’s baptism ceased when Christ was baptized? A: Augustine is correct, but Chrysostom clarifies: it ceased not immediately but when John was imprisoned. The removal of John from public ministry allowed Christ’s preaching to fully emerge. This was not John’s choice but divine arrangement.

Q: If John’s disciples had full knowledge of the Trinity, why did they still need rebaptism? A: Because sacramental efficacy depends on the sacrament itself, not merely on the recipient’s faith. John’s baptism lacked the essential element of the Holy Spirit and conferred no grace or character. Knowledge of the Trinity cannot make up for a fundamentally deficient sacrament. When essential elements are missing, the whole sacrament must be renewed.

Q: Weren’t the apostles baptized by John but not rebaptized by Christ? A: Augustine clarifies that the apostles were baptized either by John’s baptism or (more likely) by Christ’s baptism through the apostles. Not all apostles were disciples of John. Moreover, Christ may have baptized them himself after his resurrection, even if this isn’t explicitly recorded—“in some apocryphal books” this is mentioned. In any case, those receiving only John’s baptism would require rebaptism.

Q: How can sacramental grace work on someone with imperfect understanding? A: The efficacy of a sacrament depends on what the sacrament is, not on the depth of the recipient’s understanding of it. Someone may receive the full grace of the Eucharist while having an imperfect understanding of what they’re receiving. However, if essential elements of the sacrament are omitted (as in John’s baptism lacking the Holy Spirit), the whole must be renewed.

Notable Quotes #

“If John ceased to baptize right when Christ was baptized, it would be thought that by zeal or by anger he did this.” — Chrysostom (cited by Thomas)

“The shadow of the old law still remained; the precursor ceases actively altogether until the truth is manifested.” — Bede

“Our sacraments are signs of present grace. The sacraments of the old law were signs of future grace.” — Augustine (cited by Thomas)

“It is of the necessity of the baptism of Christ that it come about not only in water, but also in the Holy Spirit.” — Thomas Aquinas

“The baptism of John was preparatory, not only for this, that Christ himself would be baptized, but that others would exceed to the baptism of Christ.” — Thomas Aquinas

“Once you’ve been formed by some charlatan, then you’re a charlatan for the rest of your life. There’s no way out.” — Duane Berquist (reflecting on human formation and attachment)