Baptism in water (or water baptism)

5. God commanded the apostles to baptize, does it mean that only the apostles have the divine authority to baptize?

No, the apostles are not the only ones who have this authority, for water baptism may be ministered also by those ministers of the Gospel who are not apostles. Philip, who was not an apostle but an evangelist (Acts 21:8), while he was at Samaria, baptized those who had believed, as it is written: “But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:12-13). Philip baptized also the Eunuch (Acts 8:38). Ananias, who was not an apostle – the Scripture calls him just “a certain disciple” (Acts 9:10) and “a devout man according to the law” (Acts 22:12) -, baptized Saul of Tarsus (Acts. 9:18).

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