Chips In Salsa

“Another mode of baptizing in the New Testament is that of dipping. Dipping is sometimes thought of as ‘quick immersion’ but it can also be seen as partial immersion. In [Matt. 26:23; Jn. 13:26] . . . the word that is used in these passages is bapto, a word related closely to baptizo — and both words can refer to the partial immersion of dipping . . . in both these usages that total immersion is not in view. When a dip for food is used at a meal it has never been customary to immerse one’s entire hand in the dish as Matthew describes. Nor has it been the practice to submerge the food entirely in the dip as John describes . . . And though we have all seen people immerse chips in salsa, we have probably not seen it done on purpose” (To a Thousand Generations, p. 103).