Friday, October 14, 2022

Fred A. Malone on Acts 16:30-34 and infant baptism

  

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)