Thereforethere arosea discussionon the part of John'sdiscipleswith a Jewaboutpurification.
"As for me, I baptizeyou with waterfor repentance,but He who is comingafterme is mightierthan I, and I amnot fitto removeHis sandals;He will baptizeyou with the HolySpiritand fire.
"Neglectingthe commandmentof God,you holdto the traditionof men."
Nowthere were sixstonewaterpotssettherefor the Jewishcustom of purification,containingtwentyorthirtygallonseach.
of instructionabout washingsand layingon of hands,and the resurrectionof the deadand eternaljudgment.
since they [relate] onlyto foodand drinkand variouswashings,regulationsfor the bodyimposeduntila timeof reformation.
Thereforeit was necessaryfor the copiesof the things in the heavensto be cleansedwith these,but the heavenly thingsthemselveswith bettersacrificesthanthese.
Correspondingto that, baptismnowsavesyou-- not the removalof dirtfrom the flesh,but an appealto Godfor a goodconscience--throughthe resurrectionof JesusChrist,
