Yesterday’s sermon tackled 1 Corinthians 15:29, which mentions baptism “on behalf of the dead” (!!!???). Four chapters earlier in 11:10, we dealt with the surprising argument “because of the angels”. Other examples of passages that give people headaches could include the likes of Genesis 6:1-2, Exodus 4:24-26, Jeremiah 31:22, Luke 22:35-36, and 1 John 5:16-17.
It’s important that we not be unduly hung up on or discouraged by such puzzles. One of the convictions about the Bible celebrated by all Protestants is the perspicuity of Scripture. The Westminster Confession of Faith articulates: “All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all. Yet, those things that are necessary to be known, believed, and observed for salvation are so clearly propounded, and opened in some place of Scripture or another, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of the ordinary means, may attain unto a sufficient understanding of them.” This is because our God has deigned to make Himself accessible to His people. Though transcendent in being, majestic in holiness, and inscrutable in wisdom, He amazingly wants us to know Him more and more each day.
The perspicuity of Scripture and the promised illuminating work of the Holy Spirit are great comforts to us as we approach the Bible for ourselves. Still, it doesn’t mean there aren’t hiccups, or that no hard work is required. Here are four steps to keep in mind for the obscure passages:
1) Interpret the unclear and anomalous statements in light of the clear and common ones. This is basic logic that we bring really to everything we read, and actually every conversation. For example, imagine that I was a foreigner who didn’t understand English idioms, and my friend responded to something unexpected I said by exclaiming, “Get out of town!” Even though I didn’t understand his meaning, I wouldn’t literally get up and leave. Why? Because many times this same friend had expressed warmth and welcome toward me. Whatever this exclamation meant, I would intuit that it isn’t the statement of rejection that I might first assume from the literal words. In the same way, all that we see clearly about God and his ways in the rest of Scripture must control this one baffling statement. Everywhere else we see that it is new followers of Christ who are to be baptized, for their own benefit. And whatever this practice in Corinth meant, we also know that it couldn’t have been intended to somehow win salvation for dead non-Christians, both because salvation is “not of works,” and because “it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment.” The many clear passages about salvation, death, and baptism prohibit that Paul could in any way be suggesting that we have baptisms on behalf of the unsaved dead.
2) Don’t lose sight of what the surrounding context is all about. If the argument or narrative before and after the confusing verses seems to not actually rely upon some radical new doctrine that isn’t taught anywhere else, then it probably doesn’t! Likely we’re simply not understanding a nuance or symbolism or historical situation that would have been more readily apparent to the original audience. For example, perhaps the church at Corinth had adopted a unique tradition of having symbolic vicarious baptisms to celebrate the coming to faith of believers who had subsequently died before they had the chance to be baptized. This could be a way to celebrate those who had become Christians shortly before their deaths. Also, sometimes close attention to detail may soften the jarring nature of what you’re reading. For example, in 1 Corinthians 15:29 we saw that Paul has shifted from language about the hope that we share to the question, “why are people baptized” in this way? He’s using the existence of this practice to support his statement that the dead in Christ are raised. But he’s not necessarily claiming ownership of the practice for himself. And so, even if such had become a “folk practice” perceived helpful by some, we need not assume from this one reference that it was in any way commanded or taught for general usage.
3) Look at how this passage was taught and lived out (or not) in church history. The writings of church fathers even in the first few centuries also showed disagreement and some confusion over 1 Corinthians 15:29. Additionally, there is no evidence anywhere from church history that early Christians based any practice on this verse. These observations reassure us that we’re not neglecting an important doctrine or letting some cultural blind spot in our day dominate our reading of the text.
4) When possible, consider if there could be a better translation. Most of us don’t know Greek and Hebrew, but Bible commentaries, online tools, and even comparing a variety of English translations could get after this. In the case of 1 Corinthians 15:29, the preposition normally translated “on behalf of” could also be translated “with respect to”. What could it mean for someone to be baptized “with respect to the dead”? That sounds clunky in English but it wouldn’t necessarily in Greek. Perhaps this verse envisions the situation where God works through the funeral of a believer to convert others who respond to this dead saint’s life through desiring baptism for themselves. You can imagine God’s grace coming to someone as they respond to the death of a relative or friend by coming to faith themselves. Perhaps on the deathbed this person even said something to anticipate their faith like, “I’ll be looking down on your baptism! We’ll be together again in the resurrection!” Wouldn’t it be great if baptisms “with respect to” the dead were common in our churches? That would certainly be a testimony to the reality of the coming resurrection.
In the end, we perhaps can’t be totally confident about our interpretation of 1 Corinthians 15:29. But we observe enough at least to keep us from running with it in a dangerous direction or focusing on it to an inordinate degree. As you come across the few but often troubling puzzles in Scripture, may the Holy Spirit open your eyes to see what’s there and what’s not there, and may He also motivate you to work toward greater understanding – for your sake and for the sake of others.