In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul includes an odd phrase:“they were all baptized into Moses” (10:2). What did he mean?
To answer this question, let’s begin by quoting the larger passage:
For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3They all ate the same spiritual food 4and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” – 1 Corinthians 10:1-6
Paul is describing the experiences of Israel as the people left Egypt and trod in the wilderness. The apostle cites these events as lessons for the believers at Corinth. He’s concerned that by copying the misbehavior of the Israelites, the church would end up paying a similar price.
Verse 1
It may seem counter-intuitive, but we can learn about our future by looking back at the past of other people. There doesn’t appear to be much in common between Jews of the fifteenth century BC and Greeks of the first century AD, but Paul connects them. Those whom God delivered from Egyptian bondage are the forebears of the Christians living in Corinth. They’re our ancestors, too. This isn’t a matter of genes; it’s a matter of God’s choosing.
The Lord rescued His people from Egypt; the cloud of His presence was with them and He led them through the Red Sea.
So also God saved the Corinthian Christians from sin and death. His presence, through Christ and the Spirit, set them free.
Verse 2
Here’s the verse with the unusual phrase. In a technical sense, the Israelites weren’t baptized at all! They entered the Red Sea, but only after the waters had already parted. The people walked on dry ground and stayed dry themselves. The sea didn’t collapse on them; it swallowed up the Egyptian army instead.
Our baptisms involved real water, so how does this pertain to followers of Christ? Why does Paul even mention baptism into Moses?
Hang on, we’ll get there!
But first, let’s finish the passage.
Verses 3-4
These verses point to God providing manna and water in the desert. But the people didn’t get these blessings until after they’d crossed the Red Sea, journeyed to Mt. Sinai, and received the Law.
And again, Paul stresses the relevance of Israel’s experiences for Christians. The God whom the church serves is the God who sojourned with Israel. The details vary, but the principle of His relationship with His people remains.
Verses 5-6
God values His people and He expects them to honor Him. Yet the Israelites were ambivalent. They were committed to the Lord here and there, but they were quick to complain. They also drifted to idolatry rather than maintain steadfast loyalty to their Deliverer. Such disobedience cost many people their lives.
Paul doesn’t want the Corinthian Christians to disappoint Jesus like the Jews let down God. Believers have the advantage of hindsight. We can learn from the past to repeat successes and avoid mistakes. Israel let the Lord down, but we don’t have to. We can take advantage of the opportunities we have to please our Father.
Baptisms
Now that we’ve covered the context, let’s look at the meaning and significance of baptism into Moses.
The preposition Paul uses in this phrase (eis) often means “into” in the sense of identifying a direction or location. But it can also be understood as “unto” as in expressing a purpose or aim.
The Exodus was not a baptismal ceremony, but it did establish Israel as a nation under the authority of Moses. Having received the covenant which he received from God, the Jewish people came under the jurisdiction of Moses. They had the responsibility to live according to the Mosaic laws. They were to be faithful to the Lord.
Likewise, when Christians undergo baptism, we come under the dominion of Jesus Christ. He becomes our Lord; He is our Master and we are His disciples.
This isn’t a one-time event; it’s a lifelong process of faithfulness and growth. God didn’t free Israel from Egypt so they could do their own thing. He saved them for Himself. In the same way, Jesus liberates us from sin for His purposes. He has plans for us and He spells them out in His Word. By the Holy Spirit, we explore the Scriptures, wrestle with them, and put them into practice.
When Israel was baptized into Moses, it was dedicated to fulfilling the call of God and living out His instruction. When we are baptized into Christ, we are committing ourselves to growing in the gospel and realizing all the Lord’s designs for us.
Baptism into Moses is baptism unto Moses; it’s the commitment of Israel to walking in the ways of the Lord. For Christians, baptism is our entry point into a life of discipleship. We follow Jesus wherever He leads us, we do what He says, and we glorify Him always.
Baptism introduces us to the Christian life. As a result, we have the privilege of knowing the will of God through Jesus Christ. And we have the possibility of fulfilling His wishes by avoiding the failings of the Israelites and pursuing the Lord with zeal and wisdom.
God saved us and baptized us for a purpose: life together in the family of God under the authority of Jesus Christ. By His Word and His Spirit, we can and will please our Father.
Praise the name of the Lord!
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