Jesus, in being himself baptized, hallowed baptism. If the Son of God was baptized, who any longer can claim to be godly and yet think lightly of baptism? He was not baptized that he might receive pardon for his sins, for he knew no sin; but being without sin he was baptized to impart divine grace and dignity to those who are baptized. For just as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part [Heb. 2, 14] with them, so that we, by partaking in his presence after the flesh, may also become partakers of his divine grace. Jesus was baptized for that reason further also, that besides salvation, and through our partaking with him, we may receive the dignity. The dragon in the waters, according to Job, trusted that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. [40, 23] When, then, Jesus must break the heads of the dragons [Ps. 74, 14], he went down and bound the mighty one in the waters, so that we might receive the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions. [Lk. 10, 19] The beast was no ordinary monster, but a dread one. No ship of fishers could bear one scale of his tail: before him ran destruction [Job 40, 26], that laid waste all it met. But life ran to meet him, to muzzle death henceforth, that all we, the saved, may cry, O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? [1 Cor. 15, 55] Baptism destroys the sting of death. .
Jesus Christ was Son of God, but he did not preach the gospel till he had been baptized. Now if the Master himself pursued his course in regular order, ought we his servants to venture before the proper time? From that moment when the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him [Lk. 3, 221 began Jesus to preach. [Mt. 4, 17] This was not so that Jesus should, for the first time, behold the Spirit, for he knew him before coming to earth in the body, but that John the Baptist should behold it. For said John, as I would have you note, I knew him not; but he who sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom you shall see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him, the same is he. [Jn. 1, 33] And if you have a sincere devotion, the Holy Spirit will descend also upon you, and the Father's voice will sound forth from on high: not to say "This is my Son," but to say "This is now become my son." "Is my Son" was said over him only, since In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [Jn. 1, 1] To him applies the "is," since he is always Son of God, but to you applies the phrase "is now become," since you have not natural sonship, but receive the status of son by adoption. Word is Son eternally. You receive the grace of sonship progressively. Therefore, to be made son of God, an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ [Rom. 8, 17], make ready the soul's vessel.
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