Mt 3:13 Then, while John was preaching and baptizing, Jesus came from Galilee—namely, from the city of Nazareth, in which he had lived up to that time as a young man—with the Virgin Mother: the Bridegroom with the bride, the Creator with the creature, Christ the Savior with Mary, chosen beforehand, incomparably blessed, with whom God chose to converse and dwell on earth for so long, because his delight was to be with her. He came to the Jordan, that is, to the places near the streams of the Jordan, to John the Baptist, so that he might be baptized by him in the Jordan.
Why did the spotless Lamb, why did God and man, come among the common people, lay aside his garments, and submit himself naked to be baptized by the hands of a servant? It is a spectacle astonishing and fearsome, and at the same time lovable. What wonder if John trembled in awe at a sight unheard of until then, when even we tremble by mere intellectual contemplation? Why this was done will be explained shortly.
Mt 3:14 John, however, out of humility—not by way of command, as this belongs to a superior, but by way of most humble refusal—knowing himself unworthy to baptize the Son of God, tried to prevent him, just as Peter also said to Jesus in John 13: “You shall never wash my feet.” For John considered his own littleness and marveled exceedingly at the majesty of Christ and at such great condescension and humiliation of the incarnate God. Therefore he publicly tried to stop him before the people, saying: “I ought, I need, and I am bound by fitting obligation to be baptized by you—by the baptism of the Gospel law, or at least by an interior baptism,” which indeed was done, as Chrysostom says, since Christ later baptized John.
For John ought to have been baptized by Christ for the remission of venial sins, for the increase of grace, and for the approval of his own teaching, so that he himself might do what he exhorted others to do. He also admonished others to receive Christ’s baptism. It is probable as well that the Apostles were baptized by Christ.
“And you come to me, your servant?” as though he were saying: This is altogether wondrous; I do not understand the mystery.
Mt 3:15 But Jesus, answering John, said to him: “Allow it,” that is, cease from this prohibition of yours and permit me to be baptized. “For now,” since this is the time of humiliation, it is fitting—namely, that you baptize me and I baptize you—that we both, and especially I, “fulfill all righteousness,” that is, every perfection of virtue, and above all humility. This is the principal reason for Christ’s baptism: that he might fulfill all righteousness. Here “righteousness” is taken generally, as embracing every virtue.
Thus it was just that Christ should be baptized. First, because he was born for this and came into the world for this—to work human salvation. Just as he was slain to deliver us from death, so he was baptized by John so that by his baptism he might cleanse our souls and, by the touch of his most holy body, grant to the waters a regenerative power. Third, in order to approve John’s baptism. Fourth, to show us a perfect form of humility. Fifth, so that he might first do what he would immediately teach. For Christ taught others that they should be baptized.
Then John let him be—that is, having understood the reason for so great a mystery, he allowed Christ to place himself under his hands, preparing himself to baptize the Lord of the universe.
Mt 3:16 “And when Jesus had been baptized, he immediately went up from the water.” That is, he came out of the Jordan, standing on the bank or nearby. “And behold, the heavens were opened”—not by a division of the heavenly bodies, which are incorruptible, but by a certain effect: something heavenly appearing from above.
For although the Father and the Holy Spirit are said to dwell and to be in heaven, then the heavens are said to be opened when they appear to human beings through a created sign, according to the manner in which the Psalmist prays: “Lord, incline your heavens and come down” (Psalm 143). Isaiah likewise says: “Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down.” For this reason Jerome says: “The heavens were opened,” not by the breaking apart of the elements. Chrysostom understands this not of the elements, but even of the heavenly spheres. And Chrysostom also says: “The heavenly creation was not broken; rather, a certain abundant light poured down from above and appeared around Christ, because of which there seemed to be a kind of opening or appearance in heaven, as in Ezekiel at the time of the great brightness.” Hence Ezekiel, when describing visions of God, affirms that the heavens were opened (Acts 6). Saint Stephen likewise speaks of the opening of the heavens.
Thus the heavens were opened to him, that is, to Christ, in order to manifest his glory—all the heavens. “And he saw”—either Christ himself, or John; for both saw what follows—“the Spirit of God,” that is, the Holy Spirit, “descending like a dove,” that is, in the form of a dove, “and coming upon him,” resting upon Christ’s head, just as he later rested upon the Apostles in tongues of fire. Hence John the Baptist says: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained upon him.”
An angel formed this dove from elemental matter and moved it, but it represented the Holy Spirit, which, its ministry having been fulfilled, returned the underlying matter to its prior state.
Mt 3:17 “And behold, a voice from heaven thundered, saying…” According to Matthew, this voice was formed by an angel in the person of God the Father, who is said to have appeared in the voice—not because he was seen, but because he was heard. “This is my Son,” natural, coeternal, and only-begotten, not adopted. “Beloved,” whom I love as myself, indeed with most sweet delight, altogether infinite love. And with respect to his humanity, assumed and united to the Word, I love him more than the whole universe, because I have conferred upon him a greater good than upon all others together—namely, the personal union with the Word and grace without measure. “In whom I am well pleased,” that is, in him and in his perfection I have complacency and delight in myself, as one who has begotten such a Son—beautiful, holy, and altogether like me. For if God rejoices in his works, and if “the Lord is well pleased in his people,” how much more does he delight and take pleasure in his only-begotten Son, in whom he finds nothing dissimilar, nothing contrary, nothing evil?
Finally, with respect to Christ’s divinity, the Father is pleased in him with infinite complacency; with respect to his assumed humanity, he has a singular complacency in him as in a most obedient Son. Hence this may also be explained thus: “In whom I am well pleased,” that is, in whom my will shall be fulfilled with regard to the restoration of the human race, as Christ himself testifies in John 7: “I always do the things that please him.”
A question arises whether those baptized with John’s baptism were to be rebaptized with Christ’s baptism. On this there were two opinions. One opinion held that John’s baptism was preparatory for Christ, and therefore, if one received that baptism with reference to Christ, placing one’s hope in his grace, one did not need to be baptized again. This is the opinion of the Master in Book IV. Thomas, however, and many others say that because the sacraments of the New Law confer grace ex opere operato, rebaptism was required, since Christ’s baptism is necessary for salvation. Therefore John’s baptism, even with reference to Christ as foretold, was not sufficient, but those baptized with John’s baptism had to be baptized with Christ’s baptism, as Paul is said to have done in Acts 18. This opinion is strengthened by the words of Augustine, who says: “John baptized, and the Holy Spirit did not baptize; Judas baptized, and the Holy Spirit baptized.”
Again, it is asked why the Holy Spirit appeared in the form of a dove at the baptism. It must be said that the dove signifies innocence, purity, and simplicity, because these pertain to goodness and approach spiritual things. Therefore it was fitting that the Holy Spirit be shown in the form of a dove to signify that in Christ there was true innocence, supreme purity, and prudent simplicity. Thirdly, to indicate that baptism restores man to original innocence, purity, and simplicity, cleansing him from every stain of sin and adorning him with every infused virtue through Christ.
It is asked why the Holy Spirit descended upon Christ when he was baptized. It must be answered, first, that the Holy Spirit descended so that John might be more fully instructed about Christ and the efficacy of his baptism. Hence John 1 says: “I did not know him; but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me: ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” Secondly, so that John might announce Christ’s dignity and glory to the people, as he indeed did, according to the words: “John bore witness, saying: I saw the Spirit descending and remaining upon him; and again I saw and bore witness that this is the Son of God.” Thirdly, to show the fullness of grace in Christ, whose grace was not increased by baptism. Fourthly, for the sake of the mystery: to suggest that the Holy Spirit is infused into those baptized with Christ’s baptism and that the kingdom of heaven is opened to them. For this reason the heavens were opened then, and the blessed Trinity was manifested, in whose name Christ’s baptism is conferred—something that had never before been revealed so aptly and distinctly to any of the preceding patriarchs or prophets, as it was to John, in whom this excellence is declared.
Then the Father appeared in the voice, which was formed in the air, to indicate that by speaking he begot his only Son, who is the Word eternally and intellectually uttered from the Father’s mouth, according to Ecclesiasticus: “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,” and “the firstborn before all creatures.” The Son appeared in assumed humanity; the Holy Spirit in the dove—not as assumed, but as represented by a sign.
Finally, it is asked whether only John saw the dove descending upon Christ, and whether he alone heard the voice of the Father. It is presupposed that Christ both saw and heard both signs. Of this I read nothing explicitly, but it seems fitting; otherwise John would not have been able to bear witness to the people in the manner in which he testified that he saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Christ.
CONTINUE.
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