Initially, my response was, who cares. However, it then occurred to me that here may be yet another contradiction in the bible. And guess what, there is. Some parts of the bible say Jesus baptized people, some say he didn't. Lets take a look at these verses. Whether Jesus himself personally baptized with water is not made entirely clear in the New Testament.
John 3:22 says:
"After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea, and there he tarried with them, and baptized."
Again it is related in John 3:25-26:
"Then there arose a question between {some} of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all {men) come to him. "
But John 4:1-3 says:
"When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples,) He left Judaea, and departed again into Galilee. "
Some authorities take these passages to mean that Jesus personally administered the rite of baptism during the early days of his ministry. The Synoptics - Matthew, Mark and Luke - are silent on the subject. Matthew 3:13-17 tells us:
"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, 1 have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him Suffer, {it to be so} now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him.. and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. "
It is amazing that people can say with a straight face that there are no contradictions in the bible. The bible is full of them.
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