What is Baptism for the Dead? Five interpretations of 1 Corinthians 15:29

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This episode is kind of a break from the series through the Book of Mormon.

1 Corinthians 15:29 is a verse that has confounded many Christians and spawned up to 30 possible interpretations. It is the only verse that mentions people being “baptized for the dead.”

This episode will explain five interpretations for “baptized for the dead”:

  1. submitting to the “baptism” of suffering and death itself for Jesus
  2. a ritual of being baptized over/on behalf of a dead body or as a proxy for a dead person
  3. being baptized for one’s own dead body that will never be resurrected
  4. being baptized into the church to replace saints who have died
  5. being baptized in the name of Christ who is still dead

I present which one of these I currently hold.

Sources Cited:

John Chrysostom’s Homily 40 on 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 15 in Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible by John Wesley [1754-65]

1 Corinthians 15 in Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible by Matthew Henry

Scriptures Referenced:

1 Corinthians 15:1,3-4,12,16-19,29-30,32

Acts 17:18,32

Matthew 20:22

Galatians 6:17; 2:20

John 1:25; 4:1-2

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