While baptism hasn't always been a tenet of Christianity, the notion of using water to purify the body goes way back, branching out into other religions and cultures dating back to the ancient Mesopotamians, according to Encylopedia.com. But the first time it reaches the waters of the Jordan isn't actually the baptism of Jesus but further back in the Old Testament. And while not an actual baptism, the parallels are definitely there to make this something of a pseudo-baptism.

The story goes, according to the Bible, that the Syrian army commander Naaman suffered from leprosy and, despite being an enemy of the Israelites, contacted the prophet Elisha for healing. Elisha told Naaman to wash himself seven times in the waters of the Jordan. This didn't sit well with Naaman, who thought any river would do, but after some convincing from his in-house advisors, he did go forward with Elisha's advice and washed himself in the Jordan seven times. To his surprise, he emerged a new man, cured, and singing the praises of the Christian God.

Again, while this isn't technically a baptism, Christiany.com defines baptism as turning from an old life to a new life in Jesus Christ. Which is almost exactly what happened to Naaman in the book of 2 Kings. As such, this may well be the very first baptism associated with the Jordan River, or at least the first time the waters of the Jordan are used to purify.

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