More On "Eis"

There has been a lot of debate over the meaning of the Greek preposition "eis" (pronounced like "ice" though some say "ace"), especially as it relates to Acts 2: 38 where it is translated by the English word "for" in the words "for the remission of your sins." (KJV) I have written on "eis" previously (See here). I have also written much on the debate on that text as it relates to whether it teaches that water baptism is "in order to obtain" in that text. (See here and here)

I agree with most Greek scholars that "eis" means "into, to, towards, for, in order to." However, the meaning is more nuanced than that. It generally means: 1. to or into (indicating the point reached or entered), of place, time 2. (figuratively) to or into a purpose (result, etc.)

The larger question is whether "eis" can ever carry the meaning of "because of." Or, whether it can point to something in the past. I think it can. This is because the preposition may also be translated as "with reference to" or "concerning." In fact, in Acts 2: 25 "eis" is translated by the word "concerning" in the KJV. Said the apostle Peter: "For David speaketh concerning him" - Δαυεὶδ γὰρ λέγει εἰς αὐτόν.

Therefore, we may say that people are baptized "with reference to" remission of sins, which translation would not necessarily imply that the remission followed the baptizing. We are baptized in reference to the death of Christ on the cross, which looks back. We could also say that we are baptized concerning the remission of sins, which again would not necessarily mean baptism preceded remission. When David spoke "concerning" Christ, or "with reference to" Christ, he was looking forward, but when we speak "eis Christ" we are often looking backward.

"Eis" is a Pointer

One word that is often used as a translation of "eis" is "towards." In debates on this issue with members of the "Church of Christ" I have stated that "eis" may look forward, backward, or sideways and when I said this I got all kinds of strange looks from those in that sect. If I am pointing "towards" something, that something may be in the past, present, or future. We hear people say all the time "towards the rear" or "to the past." The words "towards" and "to" are words that are often translated from "eis." So we may look towards the cross, a thing of the past, for salvation. When we read that Israelites, when they passed through the Red Sea, were "all were baptized unto Moses" - καὶ πάντες εἰς τὸν Μωϋσῆν ἐβαπτίσαντο (I Cor. 10: 2 kjv), eis was pointing to Moses of the past and present, to what Moses had taught prior to their baptism, and to what he was then teaching when they were baptized "unto" him, or "into" him, or "concerning" him, or "with reference to" him.

Baptism unto Moses was the way the people "identified" themselves with Moses and with his leadership. So too being baptized unto Christ is a way we further identify with Christ.

Notice also Acts 19: 3.

"And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” - εἶπέν τε Εἰς τί οὖν ἐβαπτίσθητε; οἱ δὲ εἶπαν Εἰς τὸ Ἰωάνου βάπτισμα.

A better translation of this verse would be to use the word "concerning" or the words "with reference to" rather than "into." The English preposition does not make much sense in this passage. Nor do the words "in order to obtain" make a lot of sense. "Unto" would make better sense, or the words we just mentioned. People were baptized unto, or with reference to, or concerning, John's baptism. People who were being baptized by John the Baptist were doing it in reference to what John had been doing, and what he was then doing, and people who requested baptism were doing it in regard to what had been done and what was being done, and so "eis" was pointing to the past and present, or looking to something in the past or present. Yes, it often does look to what is future, but not always. Since "eis" is a pointer, a pointer may point towards something in the past, present, or future. Since "eis" may mean "toward" we may say that in baptism we look back to the cross and to Christ' baptism into suffering and of his death, burial, and resurrection, but we also look to the present work of Christ, and also look to the future resurrection.