by St. John Chrysostom
We shall now say something about the
present feast. Many celebrate the feastdays and know their designations,
but the cause for which they were established they know not. Thus
concerning this, that the present feast is called Theophany -- everyone
knows; but what this is -- Theophany, and whether it be one thing or
another, they know not. And this is shameful -- every year to celebrate
the feastday and not know its reason.
First of all therefore, it
is necessary to say that there is not one Theophany, but two: the one
actual, which already has occurred, and the second in future, which will
happen with glory at the end of the world. About this one and about the
other you will hear today from Paul, who in conversing with Titus,
speaks thus about the present: "The grace of God hath revealed itself,
having saved all mankind, decreeing, that we reject iniquity and worldly
desires, and dwell in the present age in prudence and in righteousness
and piety" -- and about the future: "awaiting the blessed hope and
glorious appearance of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ" (Tit
2:11-13). And a prophet speaks thus about this latter: "the sun shalt
turn to darkness, and the moon to blood at first, then shalt come the
great and illuminating Day of the Lord" (Joel 2:31). Why is not that
day, on which the Lord was born, considered Theophany -- but rather this
day on which He was baptised? This present day it is, on which He was
baptised and sanctified the nature of water. Because on this day all,
having obtained the waters, do carry it home and keep it all year, since
today the waters are sanctified; and an obvious phenomenon occurs:
these waters in their essence do not spoil with the passage of time, but
obtained today, for one whole year and often for two or three years,
they remain unharmed and fresh, and afterwards for a long time do not
stop being water, just as that obtained from the fountains.
Why
then is this day called Theophany? Because Christ made Himself known to
all -- not then when He was born -- but then when He was baptised. Until
this time He was not known to the people. And that the people did not
know Him, Who He was, listen about this to John the Baptist, who says:
"Amidst you standeth, Him Whom ye know not of" (Jn.1:26). And is it
surprising that others did not know Him, when even the Baptist did not
know Him until that day? "And I -- said he -- knew Him not: but He that
did send me to baptise with water, about This One did tell unto me: over
Him that shalt see the Spirit descending and abiding upon Him, This One
it is Who baptiseth in the Holy Spirit" (Jn. 1:33). Thus from this it
is evident, that -- there are two Theophanies, and why Christ comes at
baptism and on whichever baptism He comes, about this it is necessary to
say: it is therefore necessary to know both the one and equally the
other. And first it is necessary to speak your love about the latter, so
that we might learn about the former. There was a Jewish baptism, which
cleansed from bodily impurities, but not to remove sins. Thus, whoever
committed adultery, or decided on thievery, or who did some other kind
of misdeed, it did not free him from guilt. But whoever touched the
bones of the dead, whoever tasted food forbidden by the law, whoever
approached from contamination, whoever consorted with lepers -- that one
washed, and until evening was impure, and then cleansed. "Let one wash
his body in pure water -- it says in the Scriptures, -- and he will be
unclean until evening, and then he will be clean" (Lev 15:5, 22:4). This
was not truly of sins or impurities, but since the Jews lacked
perfection, then God, accomplishing it by means of this greater piety,
prepared them by their beginnings for a precise observance of important
things.
Thus, Jewish cleansings did not free from sins, but only
from bodily impurities. Not so with ours: it is far more sublime and it
manifests a great grace, whereby it sets free from sin, it cleanses the
spirit and bestows the gifts of the Spirit. And the baptism of John was
far more sublime than the Jewish, but less so than ours: it was like a
bridge between both baptisms, leading across itself from the first to
the last. Wherefore John did not give guidance for observance of bodily
purifications, but together with them he exhorted and advised to be
converted from vice to good deeds and to trust in the hope of salvation
and the accomplishing of good deeds, rather than in different washings
and purifications by water. John did not say: wash your clothes, wash
your body, and ye will be pure, but what? -- "bear ye fruits worthy of
repentance" (Mt 3:8). Since it was more than of the Jews, but less than
ours: the baptism of John did not impart the Holy Spirit and it did not
grant forgiveness by grace: it gave the commandment to repent, but it
was powerless to absolve sins. Wherefore John did also say: "I baptise
you with water...That One however will baptise you with the Holy Spirit
and with fire" (Mt 3:11). Obviously, he did not baptise with the Spirit.
But what does this mean: "with the Holy Spirit and with fire?" Call to
mind that day, on which for the Apostles "there appeared disparate
tongues like fire, and sat over each one of them" (Acts 2:3). And that
the baptism of John did not impart the Spirit and remission of sins is
evident from the following: Paul "found certain disciples, and said to
them: received ye the Holy Spirit since ye have believed? They said to
him: but furthermore whether it be of the Holy Spirit, we shall hear. He
said to them: into what were ye baptised? They answered: into the
baptism of John. Paul then said: John indeed baptised with the baptism
of repentance," -- repentance, but not remission of sins; for whom did
he baptise? "Having proclaimed to the people, that they should believe
in the One coming after him, namely, Christ Jesus. Having heard this,
they were baptised in the Name of the Lord Jesus: and Paul laying his
hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them" (Acts 19:1-6). Do you
see, how incomplete was the baptism of John? If the one were not
incomplete, would then Paul have baptised them again, and placed his
hands on them; having performed also the second, he shew the superiority
of the apostolic Baptism and that the baptism of John was far less than
his. Thus, from this we recognise the difference of the baptisms.
Now
it is necessary to say, for whom was Christ baptised and by which
baptism? Neither the former the Jewish, nor the last -- ours. Whence
hath He need for remission of sins, how is this possible for Him, Who
hath not any sins? "Of sin, -- it says in the Scriptures, -- worked He
not, nor was there deceit found in His mouth" (1 Pet 2:22); and further,
"who of you convicteth Me of Sin?" (Jn 8:46). And His flesh was privy
to the Holy Spirit; how might this be possible, when it in the beginning
was fashioned by the Holy Spirit? And so, if His flesh was privy to the
Holy Spirit, and He was not subject to sins, then for whom was He
baptised? But first of all it is necessary for us to recognise, by which
baptism He was baptised, and then it will be clear for us. By which
baptism indeed was He baptised? -- Not the Jewish, nor ours, nor John's.
For whom, since thou from thine own aspect of baptism dost perceive,
that He was baptised not by reason of sin and not having need of the
gift of the Spirit; therefore, as we have demonstrated, this baptism was
alien to the one and to the other. Hence it is evident, that He came to
Jordan not for the forgiveness of sins and not for receiving the gifts
of the Spirit. But so that some from those present then should not
think, that He came for repentance like others, listen to how John
precluded this. What he then spoke to the others then was: "Bear ye
fruits worthy of repentance"; but listen what he said to Him: "I have
need to be baptised of Thee, and Thou art come to me?" (Mt 3:8, 14).
With these words he demonstrated, that Christ came to him not through
that need with which people came, and that He was so far from the need
to be baptised for this reason -- so much more sublime and perfectly
purer than Baptism itself. For whom was He baptised, if this was done
not for repentance, nor for the remission of sins, nor for receiving the
gifts of the Spirit? Through the other two reasons, of which about the
one the disciple speaks, and about the other He Himself spoke to John.
Which reason of this baptism did John declare? Namely, that Christ
should become known to the people, as Paul also mentions: "John
therefore baptised with the baptism of repentance, so that through him
they should believe on Him that cometh" (Acts 19:4); this was the
consequence of the baptism. If John had gone to the home of each and,
standing at the door, had spoken out for Christ and said: "He is the Son
of God," such a testimony would have been suspicious, and this deed
would have been extremely perplexing. So too, if he in advocating Christ
had gone into the synagogues and witnessed to Him, this testimony of
his might be suspiciously fabricated. But when all the people thronged
out from all the cities to Jordan and remained on the banks of the
river, and when He Himself came to be baptised and received the
testimony of the Father by a voice from above and by the coming-upon of
the Spirit in the form of a dove, then the testimony of John about Him
was made beyond all questioning. And since he said: "and I knew Him not"
(Jn 1:31), his testimony put forth is trustworthy. They were kindred
after the flesh between themselves "wherefore Elizabeth, thy kinswoman,
hath also conceived a son" -- said the Angel to Mary about the mother of
John (Lk. 1: 36); if however the mothers were relatives, then obviously
so also were the children. Thus, since they were kinsmen -- in order
that it should not seem that John would testify concerning Christ
because of kinship, the grace of the Spirit organised it such, that John
spent all his early years in the wilderness, so that it should not seem
that John had declared his testimony out of friendship or some similar
reason. But John, as he was instructed of God, thus also announced about
Him, wherein also he did say: "and I knew Him not." From whence didst
thou find out? "He having sent me that sayeth to baptise with water,
That One did tell me" What did He tell thee? "Over Him thou shalt see
the Spirit descending, like to a dove, and abiding over Him, That One is
baptised by the Holy Spirit" (Jn 1:32-33). Dost thou see, that the Holy
Spirit did not descend as in a first time then coming down upon Him,
but in order to point out that preached by His inspiration -- as though
by a finger, it pointed Him out to all. For this reason He came to
baptism.
And there is a second reason, about which He Himself
spoke -- what exactly is it? When John said: "I have need to be baptised
of Thee, and Thou art come to me?" -- He answered thus: "stay now, for
thus it becometh us to fulfill every righteousness" (Mt 3:14-15). Dost
thou see the meekness of the servant? Dost thou see the humility of the
Master? What does He mean: "to fulfill every righteousness?" By
righteousness is meant the fulfillment of all the commandments, as is
said: "both were righteous, walking faultlessly in the commandments of
the Lord" (Lk 1:6). Since fulfilling this righteousness was necessary
for all people -- but no one of them kept it or fulfilled it -- Christ
came then and fulfilled this righteousness.
And what
righteousness is there, someone will say, in being baptised? Obedience
for a prophet was righteous. As Christ was circumcised, offered
sacrifice, kept the sabbath and observed the Jewish feasts, so also He
added this remaining thing, that He was obedient to having been baptised
by a prophet. It was the will of God then, that all should be baptised
-- about which listen, as John speaks: "He having sent me to baptise
with water" (Jn 1:33); so also Christ: "the publicans and the people do
justify God, having been baptised with the baptism of John; the
pharisees and the lawyers reject the counsel of God concerning
themselves, not having been baptised by him" (Lk 7:29-30). Thus, if
obedience to God constitutes righteousness, and God sent John to baptise
the nation, then Christ has also fulfilled this along with all the
other commandments.
Consider, that the commandments of the law is
the main point of the two denarii: this -- debt, which our race has
needed to pay; but we did not pay it, and we, falling under such an
accusation, are embraced by death. Christ came, and finding us afflicted
by it -- He paid the debt, fulfilled the necessary and seized from it
those, who were not able to pay. Wherefore He does not say: "it is
necessary for us to do this or that," but rather "to fulfill every
righteousness." "It is for Me, being the Master, -- says He, -- proper
to make payment for the needy." Such was the reason for His baptism --
wherefore they should see, that He had fulfilled all the law -- both
this reason and also that, about which was spoken of before. Wherefore
also the Spirit did descend as a dove: because where there is
reconciliation with God -- there also is the dove. So also in the ark of
Noah the dove did bring the branch of olive -- a sign of God's love of
mankind and of the cessation of the flood. And now in the form of a
dove, and not in a body -- this particularly deserves to be noted -- the
Spirit descended, announcing the universal mercy of God and showing
with it, that the spiritual man needs to be gentle, simple and innocent,
as Christ also says: "Except ye be converted and become as children, ye
shalt not enter into the Heavenly Kingdom" (Mt 18:3). But that ark,
after the cessation of the flood, remained upon the earth; this ark,
after the cessation of wrath, is taken to heaven, and now this
Immaculate and Imperishable Body is situated at the right hand of the
Father.
Having made mention about the Body of the Lord, I shall
also say a little about this, and then the conclusion of the talk. Many
now will approach the Holy Table on the occasion of the feast. But some
approach not with trembling, but shoving, hitting others, blazing with
anger, shouting, cursing, roughing it up with their fellows with great
confusion. What, tell me, art thou troubled by, my fellow? What
disturbeth thee? Do urgent affairs, for certain, summon thee? At this
hour art thou particularly aware, that these affairs of thine that thou
particularly rememberest, that thou art situated upon the earth, and
dost thou think to mix about with people? But is it not with a soul of
stone naturally to think, that in such a time thou stand upon the earth,
and not exult with the Angels with whom to raise up victorious song to
God? For this Christ also did describe us with eagles, saying: "where
the corpse is, there are the eagles gathered" (Mt 24:28) -- so that we
might have risen to heaven and soared to the heights, having ascended on
the wings of the spirit; but we, like snakes, crawl upon the earth and
eat dirt. Having been invited to supper, thou, although satiated before
others, would not dare to leave before others while others are still
reclining. But here, when the sacred doings are going on, thou at the
very middle would pass by everything and leave? Is it for a worthy
excuse? What excuse might it be? Judas, having communed that last
evening on that final night, left hastily then as all the others were
still reclining.
Here these also are in imitation of him, who
leave before the final blessing! If he had not gone, then he would not
have made the betrayal; if he did not leave his co-disciples, then he
would not have perished; if he had not removed himself from the flock,
then the wolf would not have seized and devoured him alone; if he had
separated himself from the Pastor, then he would not have made himself
the prey of wild beasts. Wherefore he (Judas) was with the Jews, and
those (the apostles) went out with the Lord. Dost thou see, by what
manner the final prayer after the offering of the sacrifice is
accomplished? We should, beloved, stand forth for this, we should ponder
this, fearful of the coming judgement for this. We should approach the
Holy Sacrifice with great decorum, with proper piety, so as to merit us
more of God's benevolence, to cleanse one's soul and to receive eternal
blessings, of which may we all be worthy by the grace and love for
mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, to with Whom the Father, together with
the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, and worship now and ever and unto
ages of ages. Amen.
