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The Epistle of Barnabas
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Chapter 11: Baptism and the Cross Foretold in the Old Testament.
LET US FURTHER EXPLORE WHETHER THE LORD SHOWED ANY CONCERN TO FORESHADOW THE WATER OF BAPTISM AND THE CROSS: Regarding the water, it is written about the Israelites that they should not receive the baptism that leads to the remission of sins, but should seek another for themselves. The prophet therefore says, “Be astonished, O heaven, and let the earth tremble at this, because this people have committed two great evils: they have forsaken Me, a living fountain, and have carved out for themselves broken cisterns.
Is my holy hill Zion a desolate rock? For you shall be like the fledglings of a bird, which fly away when the nest is removed.” And again the prophet says, “I will go before you and make level the mountains, and will break the bronze gates, and shatter the iron bars; and I will give you the secret, hidden, invisible treasures, so that they may know that I am the Lord God.” And “He shall dwell in a lofty cave of the strong rock.” Furthermore, what does He say regarding the Son? “His water is sure; you shall see the King in His glory, and your soul shall meditate on the fear of the Lord.” And again He says in another prophet, “The man who does these things shall be like a tree planted by streams of water, which shall yield its fruit in due season; and his leaf shall not wither, and all that he does shall prosper.
Not so are the ungodly, not so, but like chaff, which the wind sweeps away from the surface of the earth. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the just; for the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.” Notice how He has described both the water and the cross at once. For these words imply, Blessed are they who, placing their trust in the cross, have gone down into the water; for He says, they shall receive their reward in due time: then He declares, I will repay them.
But now He says, “Their leaves shall not fade.” This means that every word which comes from your mouth in faith and love shall tend to bring conversion and hope to many. Again, another prophet says, “And the land of Jacob shall be extolled above every land.” This means the vessel of His Spirit, which He shall glorify. Further, what does He say? “And there was a river flowing on the right, and from it arose beautiful trees; and whoever shall eat of them shall live forever.” This means that we indeed descend into the water full of sins and defilement, but come up, bearing fruit in our heart, having the fear of God and trust in Jesus in our spirit. “And whoever shall eat of these shall live forever,” This means: Whoever, He declares, shall hear you speaking, and believe, shall live forever.
Hear the Scriptures cited in The Epistle of Barnabas
The Epistle of Barnabas quotes or alludes to these Bible chapters more than any others. Each link opens the free audio Bible, where the chapter is read aloud alongside the text, cross-references, and what other early Christian writers said about it.
- Hear James 1 (audio Bible) — cited 3 times in this work
- Hear Psalms 22 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Psalms 118 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Isaiah 1 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Daniel 7 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear John 12 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Romans 1 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Romans 2 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Hebrews 9 (audio Bible) — cited 2 times in this work
- Hear Genesis 14 (audio Bible)
- Hear Genesis 22 (audio Bible)
- Hear Genesis 25 (audio Bible)