Baptism - where did it originate?

This post gives insight into the origin of the ritual of water baptism:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100516012003AAUKkTl

Thoughts on the passover and the lord's supper...

Hi, I'm new.

Here are some of my observations...

* the Passover is not observed by modern Jews because it is only to be observed in Jerusalem, and, I think, they believe that a priest must officiate, and it should be killed at the temple (I'm not sure of some of this, as I am not Jewish);

* instead, they celebrate with a symbolic ritual, called a Seder;

* modern Jews celebrate with a lamb and special crackers, but the scriptures called for an adult flock animal - usually a goat - and Pita bread;

* the synoptics indicate that Jesus ate the Passover with his disciples, but the fourth gospel has Jesus dying on the Preparation day;

* Jesus added to the meal the mandate to commemorate his role as "the death brought in" in the new "testament" [sic] that God was making with the houses of Israel and Judah;

* the Passover and the new "testament" [sic] is only relevant to Jews (as was the first covenant, and the "law");

* Paul said that it was better not to partake of the body and blood of Jesus than to do so unworthily. This he wrote in the context of "denominations" - which he considered the "destruction of Christ's body."

The view from here...