EVANS The Baptism of John in a Typological Context 71
It is not surprising that given the early Church's eschatological orienta-
tion, as well as its evolution toward an increasingly Gentile membership,
the dimension of baptism that eclipsed all other forms and meanings was
the baptism that signified entry into the community of faith. Initiatory,
once-only baptism became Christianity's only point of reference and so
became the lens through which the baptizing activity of John, Jesus, and
their disciples has been often viewed. A broader and more diverse reality
must be recognized if critical interpretation is to reflect appropriate nuance
and historical verisimilitude.