Etymology

“Baptist,” or “baptizer,” was the surname given to John in reference to his activity. There are four primary uses of this root in the Greek New Testament:

(1) βάπτισμα (baptisma), “baptism.” The water rite practiced to renew or establish a relationship with God.

(2) βαπτισμός (baptismos), “washing, baptism.” This also can refer to the general act of immersing or dipping an object in the process of ritual purification.

(3) βαπτιστὴς (baptistēs), “the Baptist, baptizer.” The surname given to John.

(4) βάπτω (baptō), “to dip something in a liquid/water” (compare BDAG for exhaustive list of references in early Jewish and Christian sources).

In the Gospels, we are given different names for John:

• Mark 1:4—Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτίζων (Iōannēs ho baptizōn), “John the Baptizer,” with the participle form of βάπτω (baptō).

• Matt 3:1—Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς (Iōannēs ho baptistēs), “John the Baptist” surname.

• Luke 3:2—Ἰωάννην τὸν Ζαχαρίου υἱὸν (Iōannēn ton Zachariou huion), “John the son of Zechariah.”

• John 1:19—Simply refers to “the testimony given by John.”

While there is a historic debate in the Church over the type of washing baptism describes, the meaning of baptism clearly points to an association between the use of water and a type of symbolic transformation or transition. The terms used in the New Testament push the semantic boundaries of mere immersion or dipping. Each context clearly colors the term with various shades. “Baptism” can refer to the exodus experience of Israel from Egypt and also appears as a symbol for crucifixion (1 Cor 10:2; compare Luke 12:50). The word usually relates either to John’s baptism, the early practice of Christ followers, or the metaphoric uses mentioned above.

In the Septuagint, the verb βάπτω (baptō) usually translates the Hebrew טָבַל (taval), “dip,” and refers to ritual purification (Judith 12:7). Alternatively, the verb βαπτίζω (baptizō) occurs four times with somewhat more nuance. In Isaiah 21:4 it is used metaphorically of destruction, but in 2 Kgs 5:14 it is used in the middle voice (i.e., an aspect of the Greek verbal system) to describe Naaman’s baptism in the Jordan. “This is significant because in this case, there is no suggestion of Naaman’s destruction. The use of βαπτίζω (baptizō) in the story of Naaman may have been decisive for its later use in the middle to signify taking a ritual bath for cleansing” (Ysebaert, Greek Baptismal Terminology).

In the New Testament, the verb βαπτίζω (baptizō), “to baptize,” can refer to both ritual purification before eating and to the forgiveness of sins (Luke 11:38). The parallel in Matt 15:2 to Luke 11:38 changes βαπτίζω (baptizō) to νίπτω (niptō), which is the normal Greek word for “hand washing.”