208 Dimensions of Baptism
teacher, and seemingly well-known to his readers (the ascription to
Barnabas is secondary).^9
The central section of Barnabas is a contrast of Jewish and Christian
practices. Issues in the conflict include sacrifices (chs. 7-8), circumcision
(ch. 9), food laws (ch. 10), baptism (ch. 11), covenant and people (chs.
13-14), sabbath (ch. 15), and temple (ch. 16). In the last group of topicsthe author uses nepi TOU as a divider (11.1; 12.1; 13.2; 15.1; 16.1), as
does the New Testament^10 and other writings. The baptismal associations
in Barnabas are sufficiently evident that Barnard even proposed that it
might be a paschal homily, and Schiller argues that the author was writing
to the newly baptized and that the contents follow a catechetical scheme.^11
This paper discusses the treatment of baptism in ch. 11. The author of
Barnabas writes:
(1) Let us inquire if the Lord was careful to give a revelation in
advance concerning the water and the cross. It was written con-
cerning the water with regard to Israel how they will not receive
the baptism that brings forgiveness of sins but will establish
[another] for themselves.
(2) For the prophet says, 'Be astonished, Oh heaven, and let the
earth shudder even more at this, because this people did two evil
things. They abandoned me, the fountain of life, and they dug for
themselves a cistern of death' [Jer. 2.12-13]. (3) 'Is my holy
mount Sinai a barren rock? For you will be as young birds
fluttering about when taken from the nest' [Isa. 16.1-2, LXX].
(4) Again, the prophet says, 'I will go before you; I will level the
mountains; and I will break the bronze gates and shatter iron
bars; and I will give you treasures lying in darkness, hidden and- Prostmeier, Der Barnabasbrief, pp. 130-34. Was the ascription to Barnabas due
to his association with Mark? To my mind the most plausible hypothesis is that the
author was actually named Barnabas, later confused with the companion of Paul. - 1 Cor. 7.1, 25; 8.1,4; 12.1; 16.1.
- The only article known to me devoted to baptism in Barnabas is by Georges
Saber, TeBaptemedansrEpitredeBamabe^,M?/fo4(1968),pp. 194-214 [inArabic
and known to me through its French summary]. The subject is well discussed in Andre
Benoit, Le bapteme chretien au second siecle (Paris: Presses Universitaires de France,
1953), pp. 34-57; L.W. Barnard, The Epistle of Barnabas—A Paschal Homily?', VC
15 (1961), pp. 8-22 (16-21 on baptismal setting of the Epistle); Gottfried Schiller, 'Zur
urchristlichen Tauflehre: Stilistische Beobachtungen am Barnabasbrief, ZNW 49
(1958), pp. 31-52.