In a homily, Gregory Thaumaturgus (AKA Gregory of Neocaesrea; AKA The Wonder Worker) relates a conversation between John the Baptist and Jesus concerning Jesus’ request to be baptized by John. John is in a quandary.
John says to Jesus: “When I baptize others, I baptize into Thy name, in order that they may believe on Thee, who comes with glory; but when I baptize Thee, of whom shall I make mention? and into whose name shall I baptize Thee? Into that of the Father? But Thou has the Father altogether in Thyself, and Thou art altogether in the Father. Or into that of the Son? But beside Thee there is no other Son of God by nature. Or into that of the Holy Spirit? But He is ever together with Thee, as being of one substance, and of one will, and of one judgment, and of one power, and of one honour with Thee; and He receives, along with Thee, the same adoration from all.”
(On The Holy Theophany, Or On Christ’s Baptism)
Does anyone see a problem with this?
If you’ve read this far you might want to know what the reply was. According to Gregory, Jesus answers John:
”Suffer it to be so now, for thus becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Suffer it to be so now; grant the favor of silence, O Baptist, to the season of my economy. Learn to will whatever is my will. Learn to minister to me in those things which I am bent, and do not pry curiously into all that I to do. Suffer it to be so now: do not yet proclaim my divinity; do not yet herald my kingdom with thy lips, in order that the tyrant may not learn the fact and give up the counsel he has formed with respect to me. Permit the devil to come upon me, and enter the conflict with me as though I were a common man, and receive thus his mortal wound. Permit me to fulfill the object for which I have come to earth. It is a mystery that is being gone through this day in the Jordan. My mysteries are for myself and my own. There is a mystery here, not for the fulfilling of my own need, but for the designing of a remedy for those who have been wounded. … It becometh me to be baptized with this baptism for the present, and afterwards to bestow the baptism of the consubstantial Trinity upon all men. Lend me, therefore, O Baptist, they right hand for the present economy, even as Mary lent her womb for my birth. Immerse me in the streams of Jordan, even as she who bore me wrapped me in children’s swaddling-clothes. Grant me they baptism even as the Virgin granted me her milk. Lay hold of this head, which nature has made to be touched. Lay hold of this head, which for this very purpose has been formed by myself and and my Father. Lay hold of this head of mine, which, if one does lay hold of it in piety, will save him from ever suffering shipwreck. Baptize me, who am destined to baptize those who believe on me with water, and with the Spirit, and with fire: with water capable of washing away the defilement of sins; with the Spirit, capable of making the earthly spiritual; with fire, naturally fitted to consume the thorns of transgressions.”
Does that sound like Jesus?
John says to Jesus: “When I baptize others, I baptize into Thy name, in order that they may believe on Thee, who comes with glory; but when I baptize Thee, of whom shall I make mention? and into whose name shall I baptize Thee? Into that of the Father? But Thou has the Father altogether in Thyself, and Thou art altogether in the Father. Or into that of the Son? But beside Thee there is no other Son of God by nature. Or into that of the Holy Spirit? But He is ever together with Thee, as being of one substance, and of one will, and of one judgment, and of one power, and of one honour with Thee; and He receives, along with Thee, the same adoration from all.”
(On The Holy Theophany, Or On Christ’s Baptism)
Does anyone see a problem with this?
If you’ve read this far you might want to know what the reply was. According to Gregory, Jesus answers John:
”Suffer it to be so now, for thus becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Suffer it to be so now; grant the favor of silence, O Baptist, to the season of my economy. Learn to will whatever is my will. Learn to minister to me in those things which I am bent, and do not pry curiously into all that I to do. Suffer it to be so now: do not yet proclaim my divinity; do not yet herald my kingdom with thy lips, in order that the tyrant may not learn the fact and give up the counsel he has formed with respect to me. Permit the devil to come upon me, and enter the conflict with me as though I were a common man, and receive thus his mortal wound. Permit me to fulfill the object for which I have come to earth. It is a mystery that is being gone through this day in the Jordan. My mysteries are for myself and my own. There is a mystery here, not for the fulfilling of my own need, but for the designing of a remedy for those who have been wounded. … It becometh me to be baptized with this baptism for the present, and afterwards to bestow the baptism of the consubstantial Trinity upon all men. Lend me, therefore, O Baptist, they right hand for the present economy, even as Mary lent her womb for my birth. Immerse me in the streams of Jordan, even as she who bore me wrapped me in children’s swaddling-clothes. Grant me they baptism even as the Virgin granted me her milk. Lay hold of this head, which nature has made to be touched. Lay hold of this head, which for this very purpose has been formed by myself and and my Father. Lay hold of this head of mine, which, if one does lay hold of it in piety, will save him from ever suffering shipwreck. Baptize me, who am destined to baptize those who believe on me with water, and with the Spirit, and with fire: with water capable of washing away the defilement of sins; with the Spirit, capable of making the earthly spiritual; with fire, naturally fitted to consume the thorns of transgressions.”
Does that sound like Jesus?
