9); that is, with the Ancient of Days. The books were opened: and behold, in the clouds of heaven, one like the Son of man coming: and he reached even unto the Ancient of days (Dan. 7:10, 13). And what happened next? No longer beasts, no longer the sea, no longer the terror of beasts; but he received the principality, and he himself reigned: His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, which shall not be destroyed; and his dominion is from generation to generation (ibid. 14). So far, he says, is the limit of the discourse: and the prophet indeed sees the four kingdoms in this way (ibid. 15 sqq.); for it was fitting for him, as he abstained from worldly things. But the king, just as it was suitable for him, sees the four kingdoms as in gold, silver, bronze, and iron. For if the king had seen the kingdoms in the form of beasts, and Daniel had subsequently interpreted them for him, it would have been absurd to say to him, "You are the first beast"; for he would have seemed to be attacking the one he was addressing with insults. But the king beholds as a king, and the prophet discerns similar things as in another figure. B These things have been narrated by us, beloved, not without cause, nor have we re-spun an old history in vain; but that you might be made certain that the empire of Augustus was filled with and illuminated by glory, honor, and praise, and that it lasted for a long time, because Christ was born while he was reigning; and such honor was that man adorned with, that even his name became a title of dignity. For it is worth your while to understand that he reigned for fifty-six years: but when he had completed forty-two years, Christ is born; and so Christ is raised during the span of fifteen years of his reign. Moreover, Tiberius succeeded Augustus, and in the eighteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, he comes to the cross, and suffers, and rises again, and ascends into heaven: so that there are fifteen years of Augustus, C and eighteen of Tiberius; while Jesus, D under Tiberius Caesar, when he was thirty years old, declared his divinity to the disciples, and preached for three years in succession: for the venerable Trinity meets one everywhere; wherefore, when he had preached for three years, in the eighteenth year of Tiberius he came to the Passion, when he had fulfilled the dispensation in the flesh.
3. It came to pass, therefore, in those days,
that we might return to our reading, a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that the whole world should be enrolled (Luke 2:1). This enrollment is a declaration of the things themselves, it is the first manifestation of the truth, that the human race might not wander astray: this is the first enrollment. Did the prophets keep silent about this? Let us run back to the Old Testament, and search through Jewish matters against the unbelief of the Jews. I call as a witness to myself David, a man worthy of belief, for the Jews venerable by the mere mention of his name, but for the Church worthy of belief. What, then, does David say? The Lord shall declare in the writing of the peoples and of these princes (Ps. 86:6). These are the words of the prophet, these are the facts of the Gospel: This is the first enrollment. And Joseph also went up, he says, from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea into the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David: to be enrolled there with Mary his espoused wife, who was with child (Luke 2:2, 4, 7). For in the betrothal alone the conception occurred. And it came to pass that when they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered, and she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (ibid. 6, 7). Nothing is viler than this thing, nothing poorer than the birth of Christ. Jesus acted the beggar for our sake, he who was rich; Mary laid the Savior in a manger; there was nothing to be spread underneath, nothing to cover him: for he neither required service of this sort or cultivation, nor was there need of that worldly apparatus for him: just as he was not conceived according to the laws of nature. For the ministry of the virgin sufficed; but he himself ordered all things. Therefore, he says, "she laid him in a manger." And there were shepherds in the same region, watching (Luke 2:7). Matthew indeed narrates that the Magi had arrived, but Luke that the shepherds were in the same region: there the Magi, here the shepherds. And an angel came to them, proclaiming great things: I bring you tidings of great joy, for this day a Savior is born to the world in the city of David (ibid. 10, 11); and, the angel speaking, the heavens were opened; and a single chorus of those singing hymns appeared, saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men (ibid. 14). For all things are to be conjoined, heaven and earth are to be connected into one, so that things on earth might become things of heaven, so that there might be peace for those who dwell far away and those who are near. The shepherds, therefore, hear the happy news; for what cause the shepherds? Because, forsooth, we had wandered away like sheep, the pastor Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, came to the world, and the shepherds are evangelized for the sake of the Pastor: and "Glory to God in the highest": for it was to be that men would glorify and give thanks to him who had sent peace upon the earth, because men had been freed from enmities against God. "Good will toward men": for it was to be that men would want the things that are of piety as good, and would judge them as good. The shepherds, therefore, having received the happy news, and having heard this word, saw the thing itself, they came to the cave: they did not see a spread carpet, they did not see a bed, they did not see a table prepared, but Mary sitting and Joseph, and the child reclined. The evangelist does not commemorate the father in the first place, but commemorates Mary first: she indeed is truly the mother: nay, not even the mother herself, since she did not bring forth according to nature, but conceived supernaturally. For she did not know what was happening, but she was the instrument of the Artificer. They saw, therefore, Mary and Joseph and the child: having heard the words, they saw the things themselves; they marveled, they obtained salvation. The little child, therefore, lay there, content meanwhile with that mean clothing of the body, and awaiting his own increase: and just as a certain artificer was waiting, and was constructing a workshop, so that he might use the lyre just as a certain harpist, and that an archer might use a bow and arrow for that which had been needed: so also Jesus, communicating with all, is increased little by little. Why, therefore, not at once? Why did he not arrive in the world as a man already of adult age and a perfect man? He came so as to imitate our nature, so as to sanctify the mass by the taking of it. For indeed if he had arrived in the world already adult in age and a perfect man, heretics would have said that the virgin did not give birth to him, and did not receive the mass from our race. He was born, therefore, from a virgin, when he had taken from the common mass, so that he might sanctify Adam, his creature and figment, and therefore he grows little by little: he converses with men indeed as a man, but since he is the Lord of nature, he lives without sin. When, therefore, you hear of the little child himself, repeat to me that prophecy of Isaiah, which he once said, A child is born to us, whose principality is made upon his shoulder; God the strong, the prince of peace, the father of the world to come (Is. 9:6). When you hear of the little child, do not scorn the name, but admire the clemency of God and the salvation of the dispensation, that you may become worthy to hear the evangelical words, following through faith, exercised through patience, contending through religion, made perfect through charity, made whole through all things in Christ Jesus our Lord: with whom to the Father, together with the holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor and adoration to the ages of ages. Amen.SPURIA.
ON SAINT JOHN THE FORCURSOR
A 1. Let us celebrate the feast of John the Baptist; let us crown with longing this man than whom none greater has arisen among those born of women, according to the voice of the Master. For nothing so dignified the prophet as baptizing the Lord. Let us go, then, to the Master's baptism, which most especially brightened the forerunner of the King of Heaven; and let us traverse in spirit the regions within Judea, from which we have harvested the approach of good things; or rather, let us describe in words these events, and harvest the fruit of what has been read here. Let us imagine that Jordan which received its own Creator when He came in the flesh, flowing in our midst; and let us consider John the Baptist standing on the banks of the river, and let us behold the Master Christ approaching His own servant, and being baptized by him, and pointed out by him from Heaven through the knowledge of the Spirit. And let us, the worshippers of the consubstantial Trinity, worship Him who bore witness, the Father, and Him who was witnessed, the Son, and Him who witnessed, the Holy Spirit. Let us follow the book of the Gospels, which leads us to what we yearn for, and stepping upon the divine words as if they were footprints, let us hasten to the Mystery of the world which is celebrated. Then Jesus says He comes from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. To the Jordan the Master came; for the treasury of wisdom did nothing untimely or irrationally; rather, each thing that He administered for our sake, He performed at the opportune time. For being God and Creator of all time and every interval, He made time, and through the humiliations there at that time, He laid down as if with flowers the origins of what was done by Him. Then Jesus comes. When then? When He had ascended all the steps of age; when He had climbed the entire ladder of nature; when the perfection of His body and of His soul shone forth; when, having become a perfect man in the cycle of thirty years, He then truly reached the Jordan, and sinless with the sinners He approached the baptism, and bowing His own head to this man's hand, He hastened to receive the baptism. But John the Baptist, having understood exactly Him whom he had learned from the Father from his own mother's womb, then with fear and much trembling drew back his right hand from His head. What is this, he says, O Master? What does this paradoxical miracle mean? What is the humble and gentle sight of this coming? Do You bow Your head to me, the head of the Church? Do You bow Your head to me, You who bowed the heavens, and descended upon earth, do You bow Your head to me, You who have God as Your head? Do You bow Your head to me, whom the Cherubim worship? Do You bow Your head to me, whom the Seraphim revere and tremble before? Do You bow Your head to me, You who in Paradise, as if in a bridal chamber, adorned Adam and Eve, and by Your voice placed the crown upon their heads, and added the blessing of good children, and said to them: Increase and multiply, and fill the earth? You who by a word have ordered nature from that time, the structure of nature, You who have waged war against death by the birth, that this one might plant more, as that one prunes; You who roll the wheel of life as You will, You who fill the B heads bowed to You with all sanctification; You who are contained nowhere; You who gush forth rivers of mercies, do You wish to descend into this river? And the Creator of the waters, have You chosen to associate with these? And do You ask for the baptism, which You gave to me to give to those in need? And where do You have need of the baptism of repentance, You who show mercy to those who repent? Whence do You have need of such a remedy, You who heal the wounds of others by a command alone? Whence have You need of repentance, You who do things worthy of praise? Did You not associate with men, as the only friend of man? You wear the form of the slave, which You fashioned for Yourself; and through it You sanctified Your image, which the devil had crushed, renewing it as You willed; You have become the begetter of us all. Is not the exiled Adam recalled in You? Does not the once-subjugated nature reign in You? Did You not raise up the fallen Eve through Mary? Do You not go around, wishing to make men like the angels, do You not chase away lawlessness as a plotter against the race from the earth? Do You not introduce lawfulness as the nurse of humanity into life? Do You not chase away the dark night of deception? Do You not cause the day of the knowledge of God to dawn for those wishing to see its beauty? Do You not spread the light of truth to the souls of all? Do You not dissolve the clouds of impiety like smoke? Do You not, like the Sun of Righteousness clothed in the white cloud of the body, sow the rays of Your divinity everywhere? Are You virgin in look, and step, and form, and thought, and mind, and soul? Did You not fashion for Yourself a virgin body from a virgin? These things do not need thought and contrition? For what reason then do You get baptized by me now, Creator of the river, and granter of the baptism, and man for the sake of philanthropy? C There is no trace of lawlessness in You, nor did any stain of sin pollute Your immaculate flesh, nor did guile ever lie in wait in Your mouth. Their venom is hidden in the Jewish lips; for they are a brood of vipers, and their tongues are deceitful; but in Your mouth flow springs of everlasting life; for being Life, You speak and grant life. How then, O Giver of the present and future life, do You step upon these poor streams? All others baptized by me hear these things from me: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. But when You are being baptized, what shall I speak? What shall I say? Shall I say, Repent? In order that who may accept Your repentance? For who else is a greater God than You? Shall I say, Repent? For / the kingdom of heaven is at hand; and shall I preach the kingdom to the Kingdom? And shall I discuss You about Yourself, for You do not know what You are? Do You not understand the kingdom of heaven, which You have come from heaven bearing for men? Shall I say to You: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Shall I suggest to You to believe in Yourself? And who has ever been counseled to believe in himself? For the one approaching must believe that He is God; but You are God, and You are the Son of God, and though You are man in what is seen, You are worthy to be believed by all. But shall I say to You: Believe in Your Father? For when were You seen a disbeliever and enemy to the Father? And at that time, were You separated from the divinity of the God who begot You? What then shall I say to You? Believe in the Holy Spirit? But D this is in You, and with You. I have need of being baptized by You, and You come to me, the only-begotten Son of God to the son of Zacharias? The One from the Virgin to him from the barren woman, He who did not break the virginity of the mother, to him who broke the barrenness of her who bore him? He who was worshipped from the womb to him who recognized the Mastership from the belly? He who became man to the voice of the wilderness? The so great and high One to the so lowly one, the Lord of all creation to the servant unworthy of Your goodness, the rich by nature to the poor by nature, yet wealthy through Your grace alone? The celestial and earthly One to him who is earthly only; He who has the divinity from above, but the humanity from below, to him who...
appearing, the Master Christ our God; to Him be glory and power together with the Father and His all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
NOTICE
We publish this work—devoid of merit and insipid—on the Theophany not without some disgust. For who would not feel weary of treating of such trifles? But because it had already been published by Savile and Fronto, let it have a place here among the Spuria.ON THE HOLY THEOPHANY
The fountain of evangelical teachings has its streams open; and if anyone who is thirsty drinks from that fountain, he is made alive—he is made alive according to the spirit and the law of the commandments, receiving mirth more than wine. For insatiable is the sweetness of the spiritual oracles; for it does not gladden the belly, but the heart, and it leads the reasonings of the pious unto the love of God. For you heard just now in the Gospel the Baptist John crying out to the multitude of Jews gathered from every side and being baptized: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He who comes after me is mightier than I." "He who comes after me"—after, on account of the succession of birth. "But He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear." And what manner of sandals was the Lord bearing, such that he said, "I am not worthy to bear the sandals"? Here by "sandals" he speaks of the mysteries of the Economy; for the incarnation of the Lord is called "sandals." And witness to this is the Lord crying through the prophet: "Over Edom will I stretch out My sandal." For this reason, the incarnation of the Lord was also called a "footstool," as having appeared upon the earth and reached the end of the earth. Which the prophet, making known the manifestation from both sides, cried out: "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at the footstool of His feet."
"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to bear; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Whose winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly cleanse His threshing floor, and He will gather His wheat into the garner, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." As John was giving these instructions and sounding the trumpet for the mightier Lord, those being baptized by him went against John, saying, "Have you someone mightier than yourself, O prophet? Why do you slander yourself? You are the son of the great Zacharias, you are beloved by men and feared by wild beasts. Have you someone mightier than yourself? Why do you babble? There is no one mightier than you. You were born according to promise, you were announced by Gabriel, you were revealed in the sanctuary, you loosed the tongue of him who begat you which was bound by Gabriel, you were called John, which is interpreted 'the grace of God.' Why then do you slander yourself? You have not anyone mightier than yourself." But John, as a servant witnessing on behalf of the Master, not deigning to usurp divine dignity, cried back to the crowds who were arguing against him, saying: "You say what you do not know; I testify to what I know. One mightier than I is coming. I am for His sake, He is not for mine; I from a barren woman, He from a Virgin; I a soldier, He a King; I a forerunner, He heavenly; I have borrowed the Spirit, He provides life to all men; I a herald of repentance, He a bestower of adoption; I baptize you with water, purifying you beforehand like vessels blackened by sins, He will cast in the ointment of grace. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire—not consuming, but sanctifying. I move the tongue for admonition, He, holding the winnowing fan of justice, will carry away the righteous like fair wheat into the garner of the heavens, but the sinners and those who have not repented He will deliver like chaff to the unquenchable fire. He who comes after me is mightier than I." Wait for Him, receive from Him the perfect baptism; I am a lamp in part, He is the sun everywhere. "He who comes after me is mightier than I." As John was giving these and similar instructions, the crowds baptized by him waited, conferring with one another, saying, "Let us hold out and see the kingdom or phantom that is about to pass by; John has loaded our ears with startling words; he says that one mightier than him is to appear, bearing a winnowing fan and fire and Spirit." While others were expecting the arrival of an earthly kingdom, John saw the Master and God of all passing by from above, see, even the Lord, with the thirst of the incarnation, alone, simple, wearing one tunic, like one of all men, having arrived at the Jordan, and he bowed his head to John, wishing to be baptized by him.
This humble spectacle, therefore, of the coming of Christ, the Baptist John seeing contrary to all expectation, became dizzy, was troubled, and was shocked; he looked about for a place of escape, wishing to flee; and he found none; for he was held and bound by the One who holds all things; he cried out to the Master who held him, saying: "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? What are You doing, Master? Why are You betraying me to the crowds unto death? Now the crowds will stone me as a liar; I have preached great things about You, and You have arrived as one simple and a stranger. What are You doing, Master? Above You are the Son of a King, and below You are the Son of a King; and nowhere a royal scepter? Show Your dignity; why have You arrived alone and simple? Where is Your host of angels? Where is the rank of archangels? Where is Your six-winged liturgy of the Cherubim? Where is the winnowing fan? Where is the fire? Where is Your Holy Spirit? You honored Moses, You set up a luminous cloud, You prepared a pillar of fire to journey with him, You caused his face to shine with angelic glory, You clothed the servant in such glory, and You, the Master, having arrived in a private guise, bow Your head to me? Draw back! You are the head of all; show what You are; You have shown the lowly things, show also the lofty things; baptize those present, and before all, me. What do You wish to be baptized? The Jordan will not receive You; it recognized You the Creator, it turned its streams backward, it does not advance forward, it refuses its order. The elements recognize You, and shall I not recognize You? If You wish to be baptized, baptize Yourself. I do not stretch out my hands; they refuse the contact, they grow numb, they shrink; what they were not taught to hold, they do not receive. I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? I know You; who are..."
[805] ...appeared, the Lord Christ our God: to Him be glory and power, together with the Father and the most holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always, and for ever and ever. Amen.
AD HOMILY ON THE HOLY THEOPHANY
We have rejected the interpretation of Achilles Statius of Lusitania, as it was not accurate and was prepared according to a different and divergent Greek exemplar, and we have prepared a new one.
ON THE HOLY THEOPHANY
The fountain of evangelical documents has open streams, and if anyone thirsting drinks from it, he receives life; he receives life, moreover, according to the spirit and the law of the commandments, and he receives joy more pleasant than wine. For the sweetness of the spiritual oracles brings about no satiety; it does not fill the belly, but rather the heart with joy, and impels the thoughts of the pious toward divine love. We heard just now in the Gospel John the Baptist crying out to the crowd of Jews flocking from everywhere to his baptism: "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He who comes after me is mightier than I." "He who comes after me": after, that is, according to birth. "He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry" (Matt. 3:11). What sandals, pray, was the Lord bearing, that he should say, "I am not worthy to carry sandals"? Here he calls "sandals" the mysteries of the dispensation; for the incarnation of the Lord is called "sandals." The Lord himself is witness to this fact, when He cries through the prophet: "Over Edom will I cast my shoe" (Ps. 59:10). And for this reason, the Incarnation of Christ is also called his footstool, as it was seen on earth and embraced the bounds of the earth; a fact which the prophet, declaring on both sides, cried out: "Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his footstool" (Ps. 98:5). "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Whose winnowing fan is in His hand: and He will gather the wheat into His barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:11-12). To John, who was announcing this and like a trumpet was sounding before the Mightier One, those who had been baptized by him replied: "Is there anyone mightier than you, O prophet? Why do you bring calumny upon your own self? You are the son of the great Zacharias, desirable among men, and terrible to wild beasts. Is there anyone mightier than you? Why do you talk nonsense? There is no one mightier than you. You were born by prior promise, you were announced by Gabriel, you were declared [to be the one] at the very altar, you loosed your father’s bound tongue through Gabriel, you are called John, which signifies the grace of God. Why do you assail yourself with calumny? There is no one mightier than you." But John, as a servant bearing witness to the Lord, and not arrogating to himself divine dignity, cried out against the clamoring crowds: "You speak of that which you do not know; I, however, testify to that which I know. Mightier than I is coming: I am on account of Him, not He on account of me: I, from a barren woman; He, from a virgin: I, a soldier; He, the King: I, a forerunner; He, the Celestial One: I received the spirit by mutual exchange; He bestows life upon all men: I, the herald of repentance; He, the bestower of adoption: I baptize you in water, first cleansing you, as vessels soiled by sins; He will pour out the ointment of grace: He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire, which does not burn, but which makes holy. I apply my tongue to [give] advice, He bears the winnowing fan of just judgment and will carry the just, like mature wheat, into the barn of the heavens, but sinners who do not repent, like chaff, He will hand over to be burned with unquenchable fire. He who comes after me is mightier than I. Wait for Him, [and] receive baptism from Him: I am a lamp in one place, He is everywhere."
A Having John preaching these things and others like them, the crowds baptized by him waited, saying to one another: "Let us remain as spectators of the kingdom that is to come, or of the procession—for John weighed down our ears with terrible words; yet he says that a Mightier One is to come, bearing a winnowing fan, fire, and Spirit." While the crowds waited for the arrival of an earthly kingdom, by which the God of the universe would descend from heaven, behold, the Lord [in] human form, alone, abject, with one garment, as if one of the common people, approaching the Jordan, bowed His head to John that He might receive baptism. Seeing this humble spectacle of Christ approaching, beyond all expectation, John the Baptist hesitated, doubted, was astounded; he sought a place of flight on every side, yet found nowhere to flee; held and restrained by an invisible hand, he addressed the Lord who was holding him, crying out thus: "I ought to be baptized by You, and You are coming to me?" (Matt. 3:14). "What are You doing, Lord? Why do You hand me over to be killed by the crowds? The crowds will soon stone me as a liar: I preached great things about You, and You have arrived as if from the crossroads and [as] a stranger. What are You doing, Lord? Above, the Son of the King; and below, also the Son of the King—and nowhere the royal scepter? Show your dignity: why have You arrived alone and [looking] vile? Where is that host of angels of Yours? Where is the order of archangels? Where is the ministry of the Cherubim, who are equipped with six wings? Where is the winnowing fan? Where is the fire? Where is that Holy Spirit of Yours? You graced Moses with glory, You placed a bright cloud [before him], You ordered a pillar of fire to precede him, You made his face shine with angelic glory, You surrounded a servant with such glory; and do You, the Lord, approach privately and bow Your head to me? Raise Yourself, You are the head of all: show who You are: You have shown the lowly, now show the lofty: baptize those who are present, and me first. What will happen if I wish to baptize You? The Jordan will not bear it: it knows You as its Creator; it turns the currents backward, it flows no longer in its accustomed course, it renounces its order. The elements fear You, and I—should I not recognize You? If You wish to be baptized, baptize Yourself. I do not extend my hand: my hands refuse the task, they are stiff, they are drawn back, and what they have never learned, they are unable to perform. 'I ought to be baptized by You, and You are coming to me?' (Ibid. 14). I know who You are, and You know that I know You. Why do You hide Yourself from me?"
* Some, having attempted to restore the Greek text, which is wanting in this place, have fallen into this sense: "While they were waiting... for His arrival, John saw the Lord of the universe and God arriving, and the Lord, etc."
and dost thou know that I know thee? When I was hidden in my mother's womb, and not having yet found my exit because the time was not complete, I saw thee in the womb of the one who bore thee, whom thou wast bearing; and I recognized thee; and when I was unable to speak, I shouted through the mouth of my mother: "Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" (Luke 1:43). There I did not err, and now shall I not attain to knowledge? I ought to be baptized by thee, and dost thou come to me? The Lord answers, as thou hast just heard: "Suffer it for now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" (Matt. 3:15). Suffer it for now; thou knowest not what thou sayest; I know what I am doing. Thou seekest that the glory of my divinity should be revealed to thee; it is not yet the time for this; all things are good in their proper time. Thou speakest the truth, but faith is not held toward thee; for the nation of the Jews is indeed incredulous; didst thou not call them a generation of vipers? Why, then, dost thou wish me to be revealed to them? They do not accept thy testimony concerning me; they regard thee as suspect regarding the office of the Forerunner. Suffer it for now; they shall receive a greater testimony. Suffer it for now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. John replies: In what way, Master? Then the Lord: Just as I am circumcised that I might fulfill the law, so am I baptized that I might confirm grace. If I fulfill a part and leave a part, I leave the dispensation mangled. I must fulfill all, that hereafter Paul may write: "Christ is the fullness of the law unto righteousness for everyone who believes" (Rom. 10:4). Suffer it for now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Suffer, John, the nature of water to be sanctified; I must fulfill all. If I do not receive baptism from thee, a king will not deign to be baptized by a poor priest. Suffer it for now, suffer that the Father may cry out from on high: "This is my beloved Son," not that the Jews might call me a carpenter’s son, but the Son of the heavenly Father. Suffer it for now, do not oppose Adam; I am the second Adam, who wish to wash away the filth of his sins; if I am not baptized, how shall he be purified? Therefore, I, being thirty years old, am baptized, adopting his age, so that through that which pertained to him, that which is mine might be confirmed. Suffer it for now, that the word of the prophet might be fulfilled: "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters" (Ps. 28:5). And the spectacle was terrible. John trembling touched the head of the Master, and the angels looked on as the heavens were opened; and the Spirit of grace in the form of a dove flying to the head of the Master, was renewing the right hand of John. The multitude stood by, greatly doubting, and saying to one another: "Who is this?" From here, answering the crowd, the Father cried out to him who was asking, "Who is this?" and said: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: listen to him." The Begetter testifies to his love for the Son by crying out, that thou mayest learn the Creator's affection for the world, who for such servants delivered up the Son, for the hateful the beloved, for sinners the sinless, for the inglorious the glorious. Therefore, let us celebrate with glory the Lord who has appeared, with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.