The Philippian Jailer’s Household
The
Philippian jailer’s baptism (Acts 16:30-34) is probably the best possibility
for including infants in the household baptism:
And
they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and all your
household.” And they spoke the word of the Lord to him together with all who
were in his house. And he took them that very hour of the night and
washed their wounds, and immediately he was baptized, he and all his household.
And he brought them into his house and set food before them, and rejoiced
greatly, having believed in God with all his household (Acts 16:31-34).
There
is no question that all in the jailor’s household were baptized. However,
paedobaptists relying on this passage to prove their case illicitly apply the
promise of verse 31 to the covenantal baptism of the household based upon the
jailer’s faith. Luke records that Paul and Silas preached the gospel to “all
who were in his house” (v. 32) and that his “whole household” (v. 34) believed
in God with him.
It
should be pointed out that there is a translation problem with this text that
needs to be examined. J. A. Alexander agrees that verse 31 is simply a promise
of salvation by faith to the jailer and to his household upon belief by both.
Verse 34 is more complicated. The NASB, NIV, KJV, Williams and Beck translations
indicate that faith evidenced in the whole household was the basis for their rejoicing:
“ . . . having believed in God with his whole household.” However, the
participle “having believed” is masculine singular and seems to describe the
faith of the jailer only: “He greatly rejoiced with his whole household, having
believed [the jailer] in God.” The emphasis seems to be that the household
rejoiced with him because he had found faith (RSV, NEB).
If
this is true, we will still have the problem of infants rejoicing upon their
father’s faith. It is true that infants in a household can detect joy and
participate in it, but I do not believe that infants can rejoice because they
realize their father has found faith in God. This seems to be the basis for the
whole household’s rejoicing. However, because of the context of preaching the
word to all in the house, and because all were ultimately baptized, I believe their
rejoicing was the same as the jailer’s rejoicing—the evidence of a newfound
faith and redemption expressed in the joy of the Holy Spirit’s regeneration.
Because
they all heard the gospel, were baptized, and rejoiced, it is a legitimate
conclusion that they all repented and believed. Or were older children and
household servants baptized upon his faith as well? He and his “whole household”
were baptized because they all believed. Can infants hear the word and respond
in repentance and faith? I can think not. If infants were resent, for which
there is no proof, the context denies that they were baptized. In fact, the
context seems to define no infants present. This case of household baptism
could actually support confessor’s baptism. (Fred A. Malone, The Baptism of
Disciples Alone: A Covenantal Argument for Credobaptism Versus Paedobaptism [rev
ed.; Cape Coral, Fla.: Founders Press,
2008], 132-33)
