Peter claimed authority from Christ for the Holy Spirit baptism, but no authority for the water baptism only the silence of the six Jewish brethren who were with him from Jerusalem.[190]

Upon another occasion Peter, with others, pronounced it necessary that Gentile believers abstain from certain meats as Jews did.[191]

We recognize no distinction in Peter’s authority, whether he restrained Gentile believers from the use of certain meats or had them baptized with water.  In both cases Peter’s Jewish education was his impulse and not Christ.

As the Eunuch rode in his chariot he read from Esaias the prophet.  Philip went up into the chariot and preached unto him Jesus.  The Eunuch was baptized by the wayside.  The Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip.  The Eunuch went on his way rejoicing.[192]

This appears to have been John’s decreasing water baptism without formula, but nevertheless to have been blessed to the Eunuch’s dawning condition of belief.  Had the Eunuch been reading Christ’s Sermon on the Mount with the veil which was rent on Calvary clear lifted from his eyes, he might not have stopped that chariot to baptize with water.  But he did not so read.  The New Testament was not written at that time.  He read from the Old Testament, from Esaias the prophet.

Many years after Paul said, until that day the veil remained upon the hearts of some when the Old Testament was read.[193]

Divine condescension to the dawning belief of this Jewish proselyte in those transition times established no precedent which should induce us to linger in the border land of Judaism.

We hear some wonder why many apostles and believers adhered so tenaciously to circumcision, abstinence from certain meats, etc.

Future generations may still more wonder why many believers in our day hold so persistently to water baptism, etc.

The day is surely dawning, the ranks are filling with those who realize that these shadows are all foreign to the Christian dispensation.

There is less excuse for now baptizing with water than there was for those Jewish believers continuing to observe the law of Moses generally.  The law was given to Moses amid the thunders of Sinai.  When Israel obeyed that law they triumphed over their enemies.  When they disobeyed they fell before them.[194]

How could they abandon that time-honored law of Moses and their fathers and at once embrace Christianity in its fulness?

John the Baptist foretold that this transition would be gradual when he said, “He must increase, but I must decrease."[195]

Our Saviour was very tender of his disciples in their transition state and is yet equally mindful of his sincere children who are still in the same condition.[196] He said, I have many things to say unto you but you cannot bear them now.  Some things which he did say few can bear even yet; still, we long to know what were those suppressed and holy things which he did not say because his disciples could not bear them.