1gr8bldr
Senior Member
By this concept then, your saying that all that came to John were being baptized as "giving their lives to service". In Jesus case, he was being baptized as the first to receive the Spirit, not a sinners baptismal. Acts 2 "he received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit" [first of the New Cov]It is well known by the Jewish sages and as part of the ritual of becoming a Rabbi , that one had to show publically ones intent to go into de service of God by the Mikva ( Baptism) this is the reason Yeshua did it , not as repenting of sin , that would not apply to him, but Giving his life to the service would as prescribed by the Torah.
Been Baptized by fire would be a total new concept , it was the sign from God to the believers of this new Covenant that they were saved"Baptism by fire is not found as a rule in Judaism.