We have been told here that at least one of the requirements for one to be able to perform baptism is for the one baptising to have been baptised himself. That sounds pretty fair , reasonable and honest . After all, who would have the audacity to call others to have their sins washed away yet not have had their own sins washed away first?
And we can with some confidence assume this to be correct because John the Baptist was baptising well before Jesus appeared to John on the banks of the river Jordan where it is said John had been baptising and calling multitudes to "repent their sins"! As the bible explains often enough.
"And he [John] came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins"Luke 3:3
" repentance for the forgiveness of sins"(Mark 1:4-5) .
"a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins" . (Luke 3:3)
"in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins". (Acts 2:38)
"baptized and wash your sins away". (Acts 22:16)
But this raises so many questions that it is hard to know where to start.
It is not known who gave John the authority to perform this baptismal rite of washing away sins and it seems no one else knew either except for maybe Jesus, and he wasn't saying ?
What he did appear to do though was confirm, in a fashion, that John himself was indeed baptised or was he only confirming that John had only the qualifications to baptise? Or was this just fancy word play from a man that specialised in the non answer?
The temple priest had approached Jesus asking "where he had got his authority to go around healing the sick and curing the blind?" ( when they were perfectly happy begging).
Read for yourself>>
23 And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority does thou these things? and who gave thee this authority?
24 And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things.
25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? Matthew 21:23-25..
So are we to take this as John being qualified? Or does this mean that John had himself been baptised thereby qualified to perform the baptismal rite ?