There
was little concern about who administered baptism
Whereas the ritual washings of
Judaism were self-administered, Christian baptism (following the model of John the
Baptist) was received. It was administered to someone and administered by
a person who represented the church. Who may administer baptism became a matter
of regulation and controversy in later centuries, but at this early time there
seems to have been little concern as to who might baptize. The apostles
baptized, of course, but 1 Corinthians 1:14-17 indicates that Paul did not
invariably baptize his own converts, and Acts 10:48 suggests that Peter was
willing to delegate the role of baptizer. Philip baptized (4:12, 38), as
presumably did other evangelists. Ananias baptized Paul (9:18). Was it understood
that any Christian could baptize? Were there some persons who might not
baptize? Nothing in the record answers such questions. (Daniel B. Stevick, By
Water and the Word: The Scriptures of Baptism [New York: Church Publishing
Incorporated, 1997], 205)
