De baptismo Christi

To those who absent themselves from the divine assemblies, and on the holy and saving baptism of our Savior Jesus Christ, and concerning those who commune unworthily, and that those who leave the divine liturgy unfinished and depart before the final prayer imitate Judas, a discourse. 1. All of you are in good cheer today, but I alone am in pain. For when I look out upon this spiritual sea and behold the boundless wealth of the Church, and then consider that when the feast has passed, this multitude will again depart and vanish, I am stung and grieved in my soul, that the Church, having borne so many children, cannot enjoy them at every assembly, but only at a feast. How great would be the spiritual joy, how great the delight, how great the glory of God, how great the benefit to souls, if at every assembly we saw the precincts of the church so filled! But now, sailors and helmsmen do everything to cross the sea and reach the harbor; we, however, strive to be tossed about on every sea, constantly drowning in the billows of worldly affairs, turning about in marketplaces and lawcourts, and here we appear barely once or twice in the whole year. Or do you not know that just as harbors in the sea, so God has planted the churches in the cities, so that fleeing here from the storm of worldly tumults, we may enjoy the greatest calm?

For here there is no fear of a triple wave of billows, nor of attacks of robbers, nor of the assault of malefactors, nor of the force of winds, nor of the plots of wild beasts; for it is a harbor free from all these things, it is a spiritual harbor of souls. And you are witnesses of what is said. For if any of you were now to unfold your conscience, you would find great tranquility within; for anger does not trouble, desire does not burn, envy does not waste, arrogance does not puff up, nor does the love of vainglory corrupt, but all these beasts are subdued, as by some divine incantation, by the hearing of the divine Scriptures, entering through each one's ear into the soul, and lulling these irrational passions to sleep. How great, then, would be the wretchedness, when about to enjoy such philosophy, not to frequent and attend constantly the common mother of all, I mean the Church? For what more necessary occupation than this could you name to me? What more profitable association? What hinders your attendance here? You will surely tell me that poverty is an obstacle for you to this good assembly; but the excuse is not reasonable. The week has seven days; God has divided these seven between us; and he did not give the greater part to himself and the lesser to us, nor indeed did he divide them equally, taking three and giving three, but he allotted six to you and kept only one for himself.

And not even in this entire respite are you free from worldly affairs, but what those who plunder sacred funds do, that you also dare to do on this day, snatching it, though it is sacred and set apart for the spiritual hearing of divine oracles, and misusing it for worldly concerns. But what am I saying about a whole day? What the widow did with almsgiving, do that also with the time of the day: just as she deposited two obols and drew down much goodwill from God, so also lend two hours to God, and you will bring into your house the profit of countless days. But if you cannot bear it, consider whether, by not being willing to withdraw yourself even for a small part of the day from earthly gains, you might lose the labors of whole years. For God, when scorned, knows how to empty even the wealth that has been amassed; just as He said, threatening the Jews when they neglected care for the temple: "You brought these into your houses, and I blew them away," says the Lord. For tell me, what of the necessary things shall we be able to teach you, if you come to us once or twice a year, about the soul, about the body, about immortality, about the kingdom of heaven, about punishment, about Gehenna, about the forbearance of God, about forgiveness, about repentance, about baptism, about the remission of sins, about this creation above and below, about the nature of human beings, about angels, about the malice of demons, about the wiles of the devil, about conduct, about doctrines, about right faith, about corrupt heresies?

For it is necessary for the Christian to know these things and many more than these, and to give an account of all of them to those who question you. But you will not be able to know even the smallest part of these things, gathering here once and that in a perfunctory manner, and out of habit for the feast, not out of reverence of soul. For it would be a blessing if someone attending each assembly here could retain all these things with precision. Many of you present here have servants and sons, and when you are about to entrust them to the overseers of the crafts you choose, you make your own house completely inaccessible to them, and having prepared for them bedding, food, and all other service, you settle them with the teacher, barring them from setting foot in your house, so that their continuous stay there may render the teaching more precise, with no care interrupting their leisure. But now, when you are about to learn not just any craft, but the greatest of all—how one must please God and attain the heavenly things—you think you can accomplish this in a perfunctory manner. And what great folly is this? For that this matter is a learning requiring great attention, hear what he says: "Learn from me that I am meek and lowly in heart." And again the prophet: "Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." And again: "Be at leisure and know that I am God." So there is need of much leisure for the one who is to enjoy this philosophy.

But in order that we may not consume all our time in accusation of those who are remiss, being content with what has been said for the correction of their negligence, come, let us philosophize a little about the present feast. For many keep the feasts and know their names, but they are ignorant of the reasons from which they arose. That the present feast is called Epiphany is clear to all; but what this epiphany is, and whether it is one or two, this they no longer know—which would be a matter of extreme shame and great ridicule, to keep this feast each year and be ignorant of its reason. First, then, it is necessary to say to your love that there is not one epiphany, but two: one is this present one, which has already occurred, and the second is the future one, which will take place gloriously at the consummation. And concerning each of them you have heard today Paul discoursing with Titus and speaking thus: concerning the present one: "The grace of God, saving for all men, has appeared, teaching us that, having renounced impiety and worldly desires, we may live temperately, justly, and piously in the present age"; and concerning the future one: "Awaiting the blessed hope and epiphany of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ." And the prophet also spoke about that same one thus: "The sun will be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and manifest day of the Lord." But why is it that not the day on which he was born, but the day on which he was baptized, is called Epiphany?

This is the day on which he was baptized and sanctified the nature of the waters. For this reason, on this feast, at midnight, everyone draws water and stores it at home, and keeps it for a whole year, since today the waters are sanctified. And the sign is evident: the nature of that water is not corrupted by the passage of time, but remains pure and fresh for a whole year, and often for two or three years, the water drawn today competing with water just taken from springs. Why then is this called Epiphany? Because it was not at his birth that he became manifest to all, but when he was baptized; for until this day he was unknown to the many. And that the many were ignorant of him and did not know who he was, hear the Baptist John saying: "There stands among you one whom you do not know." And what wonder if others were ignorant, when even the Baptist himself was ignorant of him until that day? For he says, "I did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize in water told me: 'On whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining, that is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'" That there are two Epiphanies, then, is clear from these things. But why Christ comes to baptism, and to what baptism he comes, it is necessary to say; for this too must be known, just as that. And first it is necessary to teach your love; for from this we shall know that as well.

The Jewish baptism was one that cleansed from bodily stains, not from the sins of the conscience. For if someone had committed adultery, or if someone had dared to steal, or if someone had transgressed in any other such way, it did not release him from the charges; but if someone touched the bones of the dead, if someone tasted forbidden food, if someone came from a state of defilement, if someone associated with lepers, he bathed, and was unclean until evening, and then was purified. For it says, "He shall wash his body with clean water, and he shall be unclean until evening, and he shall be purified." For these were not truly sin nor impurity, but God, by making them more reverent through such things while they were less perfect, prepared them from above to be more precise in the observance of greater matters. 3. The Jewish purification, then, did not release from sins, but only from bodily stains; but ours is not like that, but far greater and full of much grace: for it releases from sins, and cleanses the soul, and bestows the gift of the Spirit. John's baptism was far higher than the Jewish one, but lower than ours, being like a bridge between these two baptisms, leading from that one to this one through itself; for it did not lead them into the observance of bodily purifications, but urged them to depart from those and advised them to change from vice to virtue, and to place the hopes of salvation in the accomplishments of works, not in various baptisms and purifications of waters. For it is not

He said, "Wash your clothes, and bathe your body, and you will be clean." But what? "Produce fruit worthy of repentance." And in this respect it was higher than the Jewish baptism, but lower than ours, since John's baptism neither gave the Holy Spirit nor provided remission through grace; for it commanded repentance, but it was not authorized to grant forgiveness. That is why he also said, "I baptize you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire." Clearly he himself did not baptize with the Spirit. And what is "in the Holy Spirit and fire"? Recall for me that day when tongues as of fire were seen distributed to the apostles and settled upon each one of them. And that John's baptism was incomplete, having neither the provision of the Spirit nor the remission of sins, is clear from this: Paul, finding some disciples, says to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" And they said to him, "But we have not even heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." And he said to them, "Then into what were you baptized?" And they said, "Into John's baptism." And Paul said, "John baptized a baptism of repentance—of repentance, not of remission." And why did he baptize? Saying to the people, "For the one coming after me, so that they might believe," that is, in the Lord Jesus. And upon hearing, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them. Do you see how incomplete John's baptism was? For if it were not incomplete, Paul would not have baptized them again, nor would he have laid his hands on them.

Now having done both of these things, he revealed the superiority of the apostolic baptism, and that the former was far inferior to this one. But we have learned the difference between the baptisms from these things; it is now necessary to say why Christ is baptized, and what kind of baptism. It is neither the Jewish one earlier, nor ours afterward; for he had no need of remission of sins—how could he, who had no sin? For it says, "He committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in his mouth"; and again, "Which of you convicts me of sin?" Nor was that flesh devoid of the Spirit; for how could it be, having been originally constituted from the Holy Spirit? If, then, that flesh was neither devoid of the Holy Spirit nor subject to sins, why was he baptized? But first it is necessary to learn what baptism he was baptized with, and then this too will become clearer to us. What kind, then, was he baptized with? Neither the Jewish nor ours, but John's. Why? So that even from the very nature of the baptism you may learn that he was not baptized on account of sins, nor as needing the supply of the Spirit; for that baptism was devoid of both of these, as we have indeed demonstrated. And that he came to the Jordan neither for remission of sins nor for the supply of the Spirit is clear from these things; but so that no one among those present at that time might think that he came for repentance, like the rest, listen to how John corrected this beforehand. For to the others he said, "Produce fruit worthy of repentance"; listen to what he says to him:

I have need to be baptized by you; and you come to me? He said this to show that he had not come to him for the same need as the many, and that he was so far from being baptized for this reason that he was much greater than the Baptist himself and incomparably purer. For what purpose then was he baptized, if he did this neither for repentance, nor for remission of sins, nor for the conferral of the Spirit? For two other reasons: one which the disciple states, and another which he himself said to John. What then does John say is the reason for this baptism? That it might be made known to the many, as Paul also said, that John baptized a baptism of repentance, for the one coming after him, so that they might believe; this was the achievement of the baptism. For going around to each person's house, approaching the doors, calling out, and holding Christ and saying, "This is the Son of God," made the testimony suspect and was exceedingly laborious; and again, entering the synagogue and pointing him out made the testimony similarly suspect; but with all the crowds from every city pouring out to the Jordan and spending time on the riverbanks, and his coming to be baptized, receiving the confirmation from above through the voice of the Father, through the descent of the Spirit in the form of a dove, made John's testimony concerning him free from suspicion. For this reason, he says, "I too did not know him," making his own testimony credible.

For they were relatives of one another by blood. "For behold," he says, "Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son," the angel says to Mary concerning John's mother. And if the mothers were relatives, it is evident that the children were as well. Since they were relatives, therefore, in order that his testimony to Christ might not seem to be due to their kinship, the grace of the Spirit arranged that John spend his entire early life in the wilderness, so that his testimony might not appear to arise from friendship or some such contrivance, but that he might proclaim him as one who had learned from God. For this reason he says, "I myself did not know him." "How then did you learn?" "The one who sent me," he says, "to baptize in water told me." "What did he tell you?" "Whoever you see the Spirit descending like a dove and remaining upon him, that is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit." Do you see that the Holy Spirit came for this reason, not as if visiting for the first time then, but to point out the one being proclaimed, making him known to all by its flight as if by a finger? For this reason, then, he came to the baptism. And for another reason as well, which he himself states. What is this? When John said, "I have need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?" he answered, saying, "Let it be for now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Do you see the servant's good will? Do you see the master's humility? What is "to fulfill all righteousness"? Righteousness is called the fulfillment of all the commandments, as when it says, "They were both righteous, walking blamelessly in the commandments of the Lord.

Since, then, it was necessary for all people to fulfill this justice, but no one had completed or fulfilled it, Christ came and fulfills this justice. 4. And what justice, someone says, is it to be baptized? To obey the prophet was justice. Just as he was circumcised, offered sacrifice, kept the Sabbath, and observed Jewish feasts, so he added this remaining element, obedience to a baptizing prophet. For that it was God's will for all to be baptized at that time, listen to what John says: "The one who sent me to baptize in water." And again Christ says, "The tax collectors and the crowd justified God, having received John's baptism; but the Pharisees and scribes rejected God's will by not being baptized by him." If, then, obedience to God is justice, and God sent John to baptize the people, Christ fulfilled this along with all the other legal requirements. Suppose, then, that the commandments of the law are two hundred denarii. This debt the human race had to pay. We did not pay it. Death held us, being liable for these charges. Christ came and, finding us held in custody, paid the debt, discharged the obligation, and rescued those who did not have

give. For this reason he did not say, “It is fitting for us to do such and such,” but, “To fulfill all justice.” “It is fitting for me,” he says, “the Master, who has, to pay on behalf of those who do not have.” This is the reason for the baptism, that he might appear to fulfill the entire law, and this, and the one mentioned before it. For this reason also the Spirit descends in the form of a dove; for where there is reconciliation with God, there is a dove. For also in the case of the ark in the time of Noah, the dove came bearing an olive branch, a symbol of God’s love for humanity and of the end of the storm; and now in the form of a dove, not in a body—for one must know these things securely—the Spirit comes, proclaiming God’s mercy to the world, and at the same time indicating that the spiritual man must be something free from evil, simple, and guileless; just as Christ says, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.” That ark, then, when the storm was ended, remained on the earth; but this ark, when the wrath was ended, was snatched up to heaven, and now that immaculate and pure body is at the right hand of the Father. But since I have mentioned the Lord’s body, it is necessary, after discussing this a little with you, to bring the discourse to a close. I know that many among us, because of the custom of the feast, will run to this holy table. It was necessary, then, as I have often said before, not to observe feasts to determine when one ought to commune, but to purify one’s conscience, and then to touch the sacred sacrifice.

For the polluted and unclean person would not be just to partake of that holy and awe-inspiring flesh even at a festival; but the pure person, who has wiped away his transgressions through precise repentance, would be just to partake of the divine mysteries both at a festival and always, and would be worthy to enjoy the gifts of God. But since I do not know how this is overlooked by some, and many, laden with countless evils, when they see the festival approaching, as if impelled by the day itself, they touch the sacred mysteries, which it is not even lawful for them to behold in such a state—those known to us we will certainly ourselves debar, but those unknown to us we will leave to God, who knows the hidden things of each person's mind; at least we will attempt today to correct the sin that is openly committed by all. What then is this sin? It is approaching without awe, but kicking, striking, full of rage, shouting, reviling, pushing one's neighbors, filled with turmoil. These things I have said many times, and I will not cease saying them. Do you not see at the Olympic games, when the umpire walks through the agora, having a crown on his head, wearing a robe, holding a staff in his hand, how great the order is, with the herald proclaiming silence with good discipline? How then is it not absurd that where the devil parades, there is such silence, but where Christ calls to himself, there is so much uproar? Silence in the marketplace, and shouting in the church? Calm on the sea, and waves in the harbor? Why do you make a disturbance, tell me, man? And why are you in a hurry? Surely some necessity of business calls you?

Do you not know at all that you have matters to attend to at that hour? Do you not remember at all that you are on earth? Do you think you are among men? And how could it not be of a stony mind to think that at that time you stand on earth, and not that you dance with angels, with whom you sent up that mystical hymn, with whom you offered that victory song to God? For this reason Christ also called us eagles, saying, "Where the corpse is, there the eagles will gather," so that we might walk in heaven, so that we might fly high, lifted by the wings of the spirit. But we, like serpents, crawl on the ground and eat earth. Do you want me to say whence the uproar and shouting arise? That we do not always close the doors for you, but allow you to leap away and depart home before the final thanksgiving, which itself would be of great contempt. What are you doing, man? With Christ present, with angels standing by, with this awe-inspiring table set before you, with your brothers still being initiated, do you yourself abandon and leap away? And if invited to dinner, even if you are sated first, you do not dare to depart before your friends while others are reclining; but here, while the awesome mysteries of Christ are being celebrated, while the sacred rite is still in progress, do you abandon everything in the midst and depart? And are these things worthy of forgiveness? What defense is there? Do you want me to say what work those do who depart before the completion and do not add the thanksgiving hymns at the end of the table?

Perhaps what is about to be said will seem burdensome, but it is nevertheless necessary to say it because of the indifference of the many. When Judas partook of the last supper on that final night, while all the others were reclining, he leaped up and went out. These people, then, imitate him—those who leap away before the final thanksgiving. For if he had not gone out, he would not have become a traitor; if he had not abandoned his fellow disciples, he would not have been lost; if he had not torn himself away from the flock, the wolf would not have found him alone and devoured him; if he had not separated himself from the shepherd, he would not have become prey to the beast. For this reason, he went out after singing with the Jews, while these go out after singing with the Lord. Do you see that the final prayer after the sacrifice follows that pattern? And now, beloved, let us consider these things, let us ponder them, fearing the judgment appointed for this. He himself gives you of his flesh, and you do not even repay him with words, nor do you give thanks for what you have received; but when you partake of bodily food, after the meal you turn to prayer, yet when you partake of spiritual food, which surpasses all creation both visible and invisible, being a human being of humble nature, do you not remain giving thanks both in word and deed? And how are these things not worthy of the ultimate punishment? I say these things not so that you may only applaud, nor so that you may make a commotion and shout, but so that, remembering these words at the moment, you may show the proper order. They are called mysteries, and they are mysteries; and where there are mysteries, there is great silence.

With great silence, therefore, with great orderliness, with the fitting reverence, let us touch this sacred sacrifice, so that we may draw down greater goodwill from God, and cleanse the soul, and obtain the eternal goods; may it be that we all obtain them, by the grace and love for humanity of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father together with the Holy Spirit belong the glory, the power, and the adoration, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.