The history of baptism does not actually begin with the New Testament and the baptism of John, but many thousands of years earlier.
Baptism Did not Originate with Christianity
Baptism is not a uniquely Christian rite. Early Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Eastern religions practiced various forms of baptism. A form of baptism is also a central religious rite in Hinduism, various Indigenous American religions, and of course, in Judaism. Other types of washings and purifications by water are practiced in nearly every other religion in the world, including Islam, Buddhism, and Shintoism.
In nearly every case, the washing with water represents purification and a movement toward holiness so that the individual worshipper may approach God to offer sacrifices or pray.
Of great interest to some historians is the fact that the ancient Sumerians, at their temple in the city of Eridu, worshipped the water god Ea. Astrological religions equate this deity with Capricorn, which is the sign of the zodiac that indicates winter solstice, the death of the previous year and the rebirth of the new year.
The same is true of baptism. John the Baptist did not invent baptism, nor did Jesus and the early church. It was a practice which was already widely used among numerous groups in that day and culture, and which already had clear symbolism and significance. John the Baptist and the early church simply took a ceremony which was already in use by the culture and pointed the symbols and significance to Jesus.
