"Were the Pharisees baptized by John?" (Alleged Contradiction #E5769)
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? … I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire …
Matthew 3:7-11
And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.
Luke 7:29-30
Response
No, the Pharisees were not baptized of John. This makes sense, too, since John called them a “generation of vipers”; it would be extremely doubtful that they would stay to be baptized after that. When John says, “I indeed baptize you with water” (Matthew 3:11), he is not speaking to the Pharisees any longer.
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