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Christ Was Baptized!
In the Jordan river!
Happy Epiphany, Baptism of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ!
Today's readings are dedicated to the holiday itself.
The apostle emphasizes three things – the manifestation of grace and the meaning of the Sacrament of Baptism on the one hand, the need to live in renewal for the glory of God – on the other, and also the fact that life in God, although it may seem not exciting from the outside, is actually filled with a special meaning and depth. The reference to the rock of Christ in the Old Testament in connection with the spiritual drink – the reference to the repeated miraculous healing of water for drinking in the desert, the water extracted from the rock and the springs in the desert – all these both taught faith and represented grace in the Sacrament of Baptism.
The Gospel was briefly read about the very event of Baptism. Judging by the texts of the synoptics, the appearance of the Trinity was between
Jesus and John – John thus became a witness of the event. According to the Gospel of John, this was a sign for him to know the dignity of Jesus and testified to others.
Many people understand that after the womb he already knew Christ (remember how he rejoiced with the Holy Spirit in Elizabeth's womb), so he did not want to baptize Him out of humility. At the same time, the Gospel of John directly says that the appearance of the Holy Spirit was a sign for John himself, who is the Christ – Jesus of Galilee. I think that the two truths can be reconciled in the way that John humbled himself, feeling the wind of God's grace
from Jesus of Galilee, but finally received assurance in the very Baptism and Epiphany. One can also think that the sign itself was a sign of God's dignity of Jesus baptized by John – that is, John believed that He was the Christ, but in the event he received a sign of the Divinity of Jesus (which is why we have the celebration of the manifestation of the Trinity). I think the last one is the best explanation of everything.
It must be said that the story was recorded, most likely, from the words of the disciples of John the Baptist, who followed Jesus, and to whom John pointed to the Messiah (that is, Andrew and John the Theologian).
I will also add that in the Gospels, the voice of the Father from heaven is addressed to Jesus Himself, that is, by witnessing the Epiphany, we also become to some extent participants in this communication in the Trinity Themselves.
The action of the Sacrament of Baptism on the person himself can be briefly described in six words of Simeon Metaphrastus from his prayer before Communion – Cleanse, wash and beautify me; decorate, lead to knowledge and enlighten me.
The sacrament is also called Enlightenment
.
Glory be to Thee, our God, glory be to Thee!