Sermons – Faith Unto Ages

Why Christ Entered the Waters: A Doctrinal Study of Revelation and Fulfillment

When our Lord traveled from Galilee to the River Jordan , His cousin St. John the Baptist was preaching the necessity of repentance. Those that accepted the message of St. John would be baptized in water while also publicly confessing their sins (Mt 3:5-6). The rite of immersion in water was something which was shared with a certain Jewish sect known as the Essenes. Though debated, some scholars believe that St. John the Baptist may have been an Essene himself with his own following, or at least influenced by them; given not only their commonality in using water, but the use of apocalyptic language.

Now, with these words in mind: the baptism by which the forerunner was administering was very limited, as it was incapable of regenerating the soul, lacking the Grace of the Holy Spirit. Hence, it was not the Christian Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

To cite the Baptist directly:

“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

– Matthew 3:11

As we know from Divine Inspiration, Jesus was not in need of repentance, as He was without Sin (c.f. 1 Peter 2:22). This explains the objection of the Baptist: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” (Matthew 3:14). These words alone demonstrate the sinlessness of the Lord. Yet, the Lord, in His humility, willfully condescended to the form of a sinner.

Or, to cite St. Gregory of Thaumaturgus:

“He approached him as one of the multitude, and humbled Himself among the captives though He was the Redeemer, and ranged Himself with those under judgment though He was the Judge, and joined Himself with the lost sheep though He was the Good Shepherd who on account of the straying sheep came down from heaven, and yet did not forsake His heavens, and was mingled with the tares though He was that heavenly grain that springs unsown.”

– On the Holy Theophany, or on Christ’s Baptism, Homily IV.

On Moderation of Speech – St. Ambrose of Milan

“Let us then guard our hearts, let us guard our mouths. Both have been written about. In this place we are bidden to take heed to our mouth; in another place you are told: “Keep your heart with all diligence” (Proverbs 4:23).

If David took heed, will you not take heed? If Isaiah had unclean lips — who said: “Woe is me, for I am undone, for I am a man, and have unclean lips” (Isaiah 6:5) — if a prophet of the Lord had unclean lips, how shall we have them clean?

But for whom was it written, unless it was for each one of us: “Hedge your possession about with thorns, and bind up your silver and gold, and make a door and a bar for your mouth, and a yoke and a balance for words” (Sirach 28:24-25)?

The Sins of the Tongue and Eternal Damnation – St. John Chrysostom

“Since then “He hath purged our sins,” (Hebrews 1:3), let us continue pure; and let us receive no stain, but preserve the beauty which He hath implanted in us, and His comeliness undefiled and pure, “not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing.” ( Ephesians 5:27). Even little sins are “a spot and a wrinkle,” such a thing, I mean, as Reproach, Insult, Falsehood.

Nay, rather not even are these small, but on the contrary very great: yea so great as to deprive a man even of the kingdom of Heaven. How, and in what manner? “He that calleth his brother fool, is in danger” (He saith) “of hellfire.” (Matthew 5:22.) But if it be so with him who calls a man “fool,” which seems to be the slightest of all things, and rather mere children’s talk; what sentence of punishment will not he incur, who calleth him malignant and crafty and envious, and casteth at him ten thousand other reproaches? What more fearful than this?