Grigg Thompson on Mode of Baptism

Elder Grigg Thompson wrote in his book "The Measuring Rod" (pg. 159-160; See here)

"There is no resemblance between immersion, and sprinkling, and pouring; one is something done with the person, the others are something done to the person. If sprinkling means something done with the person as does immersion, then our Pædo-Baptists do not sprinkle or pour, for they sprinkle or pour the water, and not the person."

I saw this fact many years ago. When you read in the Bible that a person was "baptized" it cannot mean that the person was sprinkled with water or that water was poured upon that person. Why? Because that would mean that the person was sprinkled or poured. But how can you sprinkle or pour a person? You would have to grind him to powder or liquefy him in order to sprinkle or pour him. The word "baptize" is a verb and the direct object of that verb is a person (his body). So, when an administrator of baptism says "I baptize you" he cannot mean "I sprinkle you" or "I pour you." If sprinkling or pouring were the mode of baptism, the administrator would need to say "I sprinkle (or pour) water upon you." In that case the direct object of the verb is water, and not the person. So, baptizing a person cannot mean sprinkling a person with water. Notice this text:

"Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols." (Eze. 36: 25 nkjv)

The direct object of the verb "sprinkle" is "clean water," and the indirect object is "you." 

Not only that, but water baptism is a picture of being "buried" as Paul said:

"Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life." (Rom. 6: 4 nkjv)

Baptism pictures being buried (a liquid grave) and being raised out of it, an immersion and an emersion. But, sprinkling or pouring is no burial. I recall John Wesley, in response to this line of reasoning, say "yes, but in burial dirt is sprinkled on the body." Ridiculous. Paul says that the ancient Israelites, when leaving the land of Egypt, were "baptized in the cloud and in the sea" (I Cor. 10: 2), meaning that they were immersed in water, water being above and all around them.