Baptism simply means dipping, as per the earlier uses of the language.The Genesis of water Baptism is in the levitical law. It was cleansing ceremony performed on the congregation, on the priests and Levites, to provide for them accessibility to God. The cleansing was done with water, contained in the brass laver. This was before the name of Jesus was given to men by which we are now empowered to ask anything from God. One of the things to ask for, is righteousness. Which in turn is a gift.
By the baptism, the ancients attained a cleansed disposition before God. Priests and Levites had a basin, or a laver, for washing before entering the holy places. For the cleansing of the entire congregation, a pigeon was held under running waters and this resulting purity symbolically transfered to the congregation. This was a form of baptism by water, conducted symbolically on behalf of the entire congregation.
