Lichtenberger SF 1992

This essay by Hermann Lichtenberger, is his attempt to show that there were sectarian groups of Jewish and Jewish-Christians, who practiced baptism as a rite of purification and even salvation as the main or one of the main ingredients of their syncretistic religion. These groups included the Qumran-Essenes, the Ebionites, the Elkesaites, and the Mandaeans. The origins of these baptism rites are from the Old Testament purification ordinances along with those practiced by the Qumran community (1QS 2.25ff)and those as preached and practiced by John the Baptist (Mark 1:4). Lichtenberger's assessment of these groups practices were that they understood baptism as being a double rite: (1)"the Old Testament-Jewish praxis of self-immersion for the attainment of cultic purity after ritual defilement;" and (2)a one-time baptism as a "baptism of penitence for the forgiveness of sins."