HERSCHEL H. HOBBS, or A Short Critique on a former Pastor's approach

(The late Herschel H. Hobbs was my pastor when I was a youth in Oklahoma. If I recall correctly, he was the one who (water) baptized me.) A typical exposition from Hobbs is found in his book What Baptists Believe:

The word "baptism" does not appear in the New Testament with reference to either baptism or the Lord's Supper. "Ordinances" in 1 Corinthians 11:2 should be translated "traditions," or the teaching which Paul declared to the Corinthian Christians...

"Baptism" comes from the Greek word baptizo, meaning "to dip, submerge, or immerse." ... There are two different nouns [from this same Greek root word] in the New Testament which are translated "baptism." Baptismos ... appears only twice (not genuine in Mark 7:4,8)... John's baptism was not synonymous with Christian baptism... (Acts 19:3-5)...

Christian baptism, then, symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ... Baptism in the New Testament is never by sprinkling or pouring.

• On preservation and translation:
  1. Hobbs critique of "ordinances" was unnecessary. The text is plain enough:

     I Corinthians 11:2

     Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you.

  2. Mark 7:4,8 "not genuine"? So what else is corrupted?
• On the Pauline Distinctive:

  Christian (water) baptism symbolizes the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ? So what is the (water) baptism performed by Christ's disciples in John 3:22, 4:1-2 ? It's clear the disciples were pretty clueless as to his death, burial and resurrection (e.g. Matthew 16:21) until well after those events were past ... else why were they surprised at the report of the empty tomb?

  John 3:22

  After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.

  John 4:1-2

  When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples)

  Matthew 16:21

  From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

  Scriptural baptism doesn't always involve water, nor did it require immersion when water was required. In my opinion, Hobbs' exposition is designed to retain (water) baptism practices in Baptist churches by

  • muddying the distinction between baptism with water and baptism with the Holy Spirit, and
  • arguing that water baptism requires submersion, primarily by the mere assertion that it is performed in a vastly different manner than Jewish purification rituals.

  REFERENCE: What Baptists Believe, Herschel H. Hobbs, (c) 1964, Broadman Press.

  Back to the Bible rootpage. Updated May 09, 1997