Note Footnotes — Chapter II
Reading edition
[1] See Dr. Miller.
[2] “What,” says Professor Moses Stuart, page 298—“What are the classical meanings of bapto and baptizo? Both these words mean to dip, to immerse, to plunge into any thing liquid. All lexicographers and critics of any note are agreed in this.” And again, on page 288: “The original etymological root of baptizo, bapto, and also of the nouns and adjectives kindred with them, appears plainly to be the Greek monosyllable bap. The leading and original meaning of which seems to have been dipping, immersing, plunging, soaking, drenching in some liquid; and as closely associated with this, the idea of dyeing or coloring, since this was done by dipping.” And again: “The precise difference between bapto and baptizo is, that while they both agree in one common and original meaning, that of immersion or plunging, usage has employed bapto to express the idea of coloring, as well as the idea of dipping or plunging; while baptizo is not employed in the additional sense of coloring.”
[3] For an immense amount of testimony on this point, see Robinson’s History of Baptism.