John 3:23

And John was also baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there; and they came and were baptized.

Scholars differ as to the exact location of Aenon; but, true to the Holy Spirit which provided this information, the essential fact that there were "many waters there" is given. It is that truth, rather than exactly where Aenon was, which is important; because, as John Calvin said, "From these words, we may infer that John and Christ administered baptism by plunging the whole body beneath the water."[21] As Lightfoot said:

There are some passages that seem to carry a color of conformity of the one to the other: at Matthew 3:6, "They were baptized of John in Jordan"; Matthew 3:16, "Jesus came straight out of the water"; Acts 8:38, "the eunuch went down into the water"; and the words in hand, "John baptized in Aenon because there was much water there.[22]

Immersion is the ceremony recognized as baptism by Christ and the apostles; and the appearance of other actions called baptism in the historical church should not obscure this fact.

[21] J. W. Shepherd, Handbook on Baptism (Nashville: The Gospel Advocate Company, 1950) p. 91.

[22] Ibid., p. 92