ACC ~ John 4 v2

THE DISCIPLES BAPTIZE THROUGH THE AUTHORITY OF CHRIST

AUGUSTINE: You are not better than John, but the baptism given through you is better than that of John, seeing that the one is Christ’s but the other is that of John. And that which was given by Paul and that which was given by Peter is Christ’s. And if baptism was given by Judas, it was Christ’s too. Judas baptized, and after Judas baptism was not repeated. John baptized, and baptism was repeated after John. Because, if Judas baptized, it was the baptism of Christ. But when John baptized, it was only John’s baptism. We do not prefer Judas to John. But the baptism of Christ, even when given by the hand of Judas, is preferred over the baptism of John, even though John rightly administered it. For it was said of the Lord, before he suffered, that he baptized more than John. Then it was added: “Although Jesus himself did not baptize, but his disciples.” He, and not he: he by power, they by ministry. They performed the service of baptizing. The power of baptizing remained in Christ. His disciples, then, baptized, and Judas was still among his disciples. And were those, then, whom Judas baptized not baptized again and those whom John baptized were baptized again? Plainly there was a repetition, but not a repetition of the same baptism. For those whom John baptized, John baptized; those whom Judas baptized, Christ baptized. In a similar way, then, those whom a drunk baptized, those whom a murderer baptized, those whom an adulterer baptized, if it was the baptism of Christ, they were baptized by Christ. I do not fear the adulterer, the drunk or the murderer because I pay attention to the dove through whom it is said to me, “This is he who baptizes.” TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 5.18. [1]

[1] NPNF 1 7:38*.

THE DISCIPLES WERE ALREADY BAPTIZED

AUGUSTINE: But we must believe that the disciples of Christ were already baptized themselves, either with John’s baptism or, as is more probable, with Christ’s. For he who had stooped to the humble service of washing his disciples’ feet had not failed to administer baptism to his servants, who would thus be enabled in their turn to baptize others. LETTER 265.5. [1]

[1] CSEL 57:642.