Richard asked of Prestor John: Can you give me an example of "household" meaning that in any other context? In other words, it seems that you are possibly leaving yourself open to the charge of special pleading when it comes to the subject of baptism and households.
Richard I don't think I am special pleading here when it comes to the issue of households being baptized. When I look at the examples that I have of the households being baptized I see a pattern there.
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While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word. They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God. Then Peter answered, "Can any man forbid the water, that these who have received the Holy Spirit as well as we should not be baptized?" He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days. (Acts 10:44-48)
and brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" They said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household." They spoke the word of the Lord to him, and to all who were in his house. He took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes, and was immediately baptized, he and all his household. He brought them up into his house, and set food before them, and rejoiced greatly, with all his household, having believed in God. (Acts 16:30-34)
He departed there, and went into the house of a certain man named Justus, one who worshiped God, whose house was next door to the synagogue. Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord with all his house. Many of the Corinthians, when they heard, believed and were baptized. (Acts 18:7-8)
Richard in all of those accounts it tells me that those of the household who heard the Word of God believed and because of that belief were baptized. Now I know that "all" doesn't necessarily mean all but contextually I must say that for those households it does. So to me it means that not only the head of the household believed but also those under the head of the household too. All believed and they believed because they heard the Word of God. Therefore my logical conclusion is that it wasn't because the head of the household believed that the wife was baptized. But it was because the wife believed along with the entire household that they were baptized.
