Note: This translation is a work of the Coptic Church, based on the English translation.

introduction:

The province of Cappadocia (Turkey) produced a generation of great fathers, namely Saint Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, his brother Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, and his friend Saint Gregory of Nazianzus. These great fathers had an effective influence on Christian theological thought, as their thought was considered an extension of the thought and writings of Saint Athanasius the Apostolic, who defended the correct faith against the Arians.

Saint Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa, whom we are talking about, was born around the year 329 AD, to pious Christian parents. Among his brothers were Saint Basil the Great, Bishop of Caesarea, Saint Peter, Bishop of Sebastia, and also Saint Macrina, who founded a famous monastic monastery for girls that attracted many to it.

Gregory's father died when he was young, leaving his children in the care of their grandmother Macrina, their mother Emilia, their elder brother Basil, and their sister Macrina, who was named after her grandmother. Gregory was not inclined toward religious life at first, until he agreed - under pressure - to participate with his mother and brothers in the celebration of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste. While he was sleeping during the celebration in church, he saw a beautiful garden and wanted to enter it, but the Forty Martyrs prevented him. Then he woke up from his sleep regretting the life he had spent away from God, and he decided to begin his life with God, seeking the intercession of these Forty Martyrs.

In the early years of his life, Saint Gregory was very attached to rhetoric, literature and various philosophies. It also seems that he married a pious woman, as many people praise her for. One day, he received a letter from his friend Saint Gregory Nazianzus, urging him to abandon his preoccupation with philosophy and devote his life to God, as his brother Basil and his sister Macrina had done. He was deeply moved by this letter and decided to devote his life entirely to God. Some say that he sent his wife to the monastery founded by his sister, Saint Macrina. Others say that she continued to serve with him as a deaconess sister when he began his monastic and ascetic life.

In the year 370, Saint Basil was ordained bishop of Caesarea. As the Arian Emperor Valens was waging war against Orthodoxy, Saint Basil resorted to ordaining as many bishops as possible, whom he trusted to be sound in their faith, so that they would help him defend the faith. He ordained his brother Saint Gregory bishop of Nyssa, which was a small and unknown city. Even Eusebius of Samosata, who was a friend of Basil, sent him a message to reproach him because with this ordination, he said, “He is burying a famous person in an unknown diocese.” However, Saint Basil replied that “the diocese will gain fame through its bishop, not the bishop through his diocese.”

Indeed, his words came true, as Nyssa became famous thanks to its bishop, Saint Gregory.

The saint was inclined to study and calm, so much so that the Arians were very afraid of him, considering his writings an enemy they could not resist.

So they resorted to intrigues until he was exiled in 375 AD until the death of the Arian Emperor Valens and was replaced by Gratian, who restored the exiled bishops in 375 AD. The saint continued to take care of his people in the best possible way until he apparently passed away around 394 AD.

His ideas and writings:

Saint Gregory gained wide fame due to his sound mind and the depth of his theological writings, which honestly expressed the purity of the apostolic teaching as placed by Christ in the Church. Therefore, we find that he participated in many councils that were held in his time and greatly helped in refuting many heresies. The most famous council he attended was the First Ecumenical Council of Constantinople (the Second Ecumenical Council) in 381 AD, in which he played an active role.

The saint's writings varied between doctrinal, interpretive and educational. For example, we find his books that he wrote in opposition to Anomius the Arian who denied the divinity of the Son and the Holy Spirit. He also wrote against Paulinarius who denied the complete humanity of Christ and against Macedonius who considered the Holy Spirit to be merely a divine energy and not a complete hypostasis like the Father and the Son.

As for the interpretive books, we find his writings on interpreting parts of the Book of Genesis, the Book of Songs, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes, as well as interpreting parts of the Gospel and a group of Paul’s letters, such as First Corinthians, for example.

His sermons:

Saint Gregory was also famous for his sermons, which were known for their great eloquence, variety of topics, and spiritual depth. The book in our hands is originally a sermon that the saint delivered on the Feast of Epiphany, entitled: “Sermon on the Day of Lights.” In it, the saint took advantage of the opportunity of the Feast of Epiphany (the Feast of the Divine Manifestation) and began to talk about the basic concepts of the sacrament of baptism. His main topic in that sermon is to explain how we obtain the grace of spiritual renewal through water.

We can divide this sermon into:

1. Introduction: In it, the saint speaks about the importance of regular attendance at church, always, and not only during feast days. Then he briefly touches on the Feast of Epiphany, explaining how Christ was baptized for our sake in order, as he put it, “to sanctify the first fruits of every work.”
2. Baptism: Then he moves on to talk about baptism as a divine sacrament through which we obtain new birth in a way that surpasses our understanding and comprehension.
3. God’s use of simple material things: After the saint spoke about baptism, he began to talk about how this sacrament is accomplished by means of water, explaining the reasons for using water, and presenting examples of God’s use of material things to accomplish spiritual matters from the Old Testament.
4. The Holy Spirit: Then the saint spoke about the Holy Spirit who works in the water and gives new birth to man through it. The saint took advantage of the opportunity to speak about the Holy Spirit and presented a brief defense of the divinity of the Holy Spirit and His equality with the Father and the Son, which are matters denied by Anomius the Arian and Macedonius, whose deviant ideas the saint was very busy attacking.
5. Baptismal waters: The saint then presented many prophecies from the Old Testament about the use of water, dividing them into two types: the first type is a group of Old Testament events that symbolized and prophesied about the use of water in baptism, and the second type: direct prophecies mentioned by the prophets on this same subject.
6. Conclusion: Then the saint concluded this sermon by talking about the necessity of a person’s behavior in a manner befitting his receipt of this great sacrament, since we have all become children of God through baptism.

This book was translated from:

Nicene & Post-Nicene Fathers

Series II, Volume V

St. Gregory of Nyssa, On the Baptism of Christ

Sermon on the Day of Lights

Saint Gregory of Nyssa

Attend church

Now I see My flock! Today I see the familiar sight of the church, for I see you have rejected the concerns of the flesh and have come together in large numbers to serve God. When the church is crowded with people to approach the holy temple, the multitudes who cannot find a place inside are forced to stand outside and fill the courtyard like bees. In a beehive we see a group of bees working inside and another group buzzing outside. This is what My children do, and they do not abandon their zeal.

I confess to you that I feel like a shepherd, for when I stand in the pulpit I love to see the flock gathered together as at the foot of a mountain. When that happens I am filled with all enthusiasm and energy and speak with joy in the sermon as the shepherds sing their simple songs. But you did it before last on the Lord’s Day. ⁽¹⁾ I am very upset and prefer silence. I think of running away from here and looking for Mount Carmel where Elijah the prophet lived or any other cave without an inhabitant. Those who feel frustrated usually prefer solitude and isolation. But now when I see you all gathered here with all your families, I remember the words of the prophet Isaiah, which he prophesied long ago, addressing the church about her many righteous children, saying: “Who are these who fly like clouds, like doves with their young to me?” (Isaiah 60:8) ⁽²⁾. And he also adds: “The place is too narrow for me; make room for me to dwell” (Isaiah 49:20). This was the prophecy, by the power of the Holy Spirit, about the Church of God, which was filled and which later filled the earth from one end of the inhabited world to the other.

Epiphany:

So let us now put aside the rest of the Bible for other occasions and stick to the topic we have decided on. ⁽³⁾We offer, to the best of our ability, the offerings that are appropriate and fitting for the feast, since each feast has its own treatment. We welcome every marriage with wedding tunes, and at a funeral we offer what is appropriate from the funeral tunes. At work times our speech is characterized by seriousness, while at times of joy we do not strain our thoughts and we relax our concentration. In all these cases we avoid affecting the occasion we are in with matters that are foreign to the spirit of that occasion.

So Christ was born as if he had been born for several days. ⁽⁴⁾While he is the one born before all material and mental creation. (5)Today, by the hand of John, He purifies fallen man who has been defiled, so that He may bring the Holy Spirit from above and exalt man to the heavens, so that He may raise up the fallen and shame the one who has cast him down. And marvel not if God has shown great concern for our cause. While the enemy plotted against us to bring us down, our salvation was prepared by the foreordained plan of God. This evil seducer who wove his new weapon—sin—against our race dwelt in the serpent, an image that was suitable to his evil intention. He, with his filth, entered into that which was like him, and dwelt in that creeping animal as an earthly and earthly dwelling, just as his earthly and earthly will was. But Christ, the repairer of Satan’s evil, took on the humanity of man in its entirety and saved man, and became the image and pattern of us all, in order to sanctify the first fruits of every work, so as not to leave His servants any room for stumbling in their commitment to “surrender.” ⁽⁶⁾ Which Christ gave them.

The work of the sacrament of baptism:

So baptism is a cleansing from sins, a removal of transgressions, and a foundation for renewal and new birth. We must understand that new birth is something that is perceived on the level of thought and not on the level of the body. ⁽⁷⁾ For we cannot, as Nicodemus unwisely thought, turn an old man back into a child, nor can we restore an old man who has grown old and gray-haired to the freshness of youth by returning him to his mother’s womb. But we can by divine grace restore to the innocence of a child one who bears the wounds of sin and has grown old in evil habits. For just as a newborn child is free from accusation and punishment, ⁽⁸⁾Thus, whoever has a new birth from baptism has nothing to do with him, as he has been freed by divine grace from condemnation.

The role of water in the sacrament of baptism:

Water does not give this gift of its own accord, otherwise water would become a substance with a status above all creation. Rather, this gift is by the command of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit, who comes in a mystical way in order to liberate us.

But water serves to express purification because just as we are accustomed to washing our bodies with water when they become soiled with dirt or mud, we also use it in this mystical act and express the beauty of the spiritual meaning with that material that is tangible to us.

But if you think it right, let us endeavor to enter more deeply and precisely into baptism and begin as from the source of the fountain, that is, from the scriptural declaration: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). But why did he mention both, that is, both water and the Spirit? And why did he not consider the Spirit alone sufficient to complete baptism?

For we know very well that man is a compound being and not a simple being, and for this reason compound medicines are also prescribed for him. For his visible body we offer water, the tangible substance, and for his invisible soul we offer the invisible Spirit called up by faith, whose existence is indescribable. For “the wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes” (John 3:8). The Spirit blesses the body that is baptized and the water in which it is baptized. For this reason we must not despise the divine font or underestimate it, thinking it to be something ordinary because of the use of water. For the power that works in the water is very great and the things that happen in this sacrament are very wonderful.

Using some material things as a means to accomplish spiritual matters:

This holy altar before which I stand is also made of stone, which is an ordinary material in its nature, and is no different from the pieces of stone with which we build our houses and streets. But since it has been consecrated and dedicated to the service of God, it has become a holy table, an immaculate altar, which no hand may touch, except the hands of priests only, who touch it with all reverence. The bread also is considered ordinary bread at first, but after it has been sanctified by the sacramental act, it becomes the body of Christ and is called so. And so also with the sacramental oil and wine. ⁽⁹⁾Although neither of them has much value before sanctification, after the sanctification of the Holy Spirit they have their different functions. The same power of the word ⁽¹⁰⁾ It is this which gives the priest his dignity and honor and separates him from the rest of the people by the new grace that has been given to him. While he was previously one of the common people, we find him suddenly becoming a ruler, a leader, a teacher of righteousness, and a guide to the hidden mysteries. And he does all this without any change in body or form; he is, as to his outward appearance, the same man that he was before, except that by the work of grace and hidden power, his invisible soul has been raised to a higher rank. Thus there are many things which, if you contemplate them, seem to you from the outside to be worthless, but the works which they accomplish are great.

Written examples:

This is exactly the situation if you look at ancient history; you will find similar situations. Moses’ staff was a staff of “almonds,” and almonds are a kind of ordinary wood that any hand can cut, carry, shape as it pleases, and throw into the fire if it wishes. But when God was pleased to work with this staff all those high wonders that surpass the power of speech, this staff turned into a snake. Another time Moses struck the waters with it and turned them into blood, and brought forth an innumerable number of frogs. Another time He split the sea and divided it from the depths, stopping the waters from moving. And so also the cloak of one of the prophets was made ⁽¹¹⁾ Elisha was a man known throughout the world, although he was made of a mere goatskin. Likewise, the wood of the cross has saving power for all people, although, as I know, it is a piece of wood from a humble tree, less valuable than other trees. Through the bush, the revelation of God’s presence was shown to Moses, the bones of Elisha raised a dead man, and clay gave sight to one who was blind from birth.

Although all these things are matter without spirit or feeling, they have been transformed into instruments for the great miracles that were performed with them when they received power from God. By the same logic, water also, although it is merely water, renews man to spiritual birth when it is sanctified by grace from above.

God's Unfathomable Work:

And here if someone comes to me again to raise problems with his questions and doubts, asking and examining with insistence how water and the sacramental work in it can give birth and renewal, I have no answer to say to him except, “Show me the way in which man is born according to the flesh and I will explain to you the power of the new birth of the soul.” You may say in order to explain this matter that “man is born from the seed of men,” but you must know that holy water purifies and enlightens man. And if you again come to me and ask how? My answer will be with all vehemence: “How can a formless liquid substance become a man?” ⁽¹²⁾Thus we can use the same question about everything in creation if the debate goes on for too long: “How did the sky, the earth, the sea, and the rest of the things come into being?” When the human mind is unable to understand, it resorts to the word “how,” just as someone who is unable to walk resorts to a chair to sit down.

To sum up, we must say that God’s authority and actions are incomprehensible and cannot be placed within the framework of known rules. He does what He wills, hiding from us the details of His work. For this reason, when David contemplated the magnificence of creation with his mind, and his soul was filled with wonder and admiration, he spoke the verse that everyone chants: “How manifold are Your works, O Lord! In wisdom You have made them all!” (Psalm 104:24). The psalmist realized the greatness of God’s wisdom, even if he could not understand it.

Why water purification?:

Therefore, let us leave the search for what is beyond human ability, and rather search for what can be understood, even partially: Why is purification done with water? And what is the purpose of immersion three times?

What we learned from the fathers and accepted with our thoughts is the following: We know the four elements that make up creation, which everyone knows without the need to mention their names, but we mention them for those who do not know them from the simpletons, and they are fire, air, water, and earth. ⁽¹³⁾In order that our God and Savior might complete the plan for us, he was buried in the fourth element, that is, the dust, in order to raise the dead from it. And we, by baptism, imitate our Lord, our Teacher, and our Guide, not by being buried in the dust - which we use to bury dead bodies in order to cover the decay and weakness of our bodies - but we are buried in the element similar to the dust, which is water, and we are buried in it as our Savior was buried in the dust. And in the threefold immersion there is a reference to the grace of the resurrection that took place on the third day. And so we do not do it in silence during the performance of the sacrament, but the name of the Trinity in whom we believe, in whom our hope is, and from whom our present and our future are said.

Theology of the Holy Spirit:

And if you feel that there is blasphemy in these words, you who boldly resist the glory of the Holy Spirit ⁽¹⁴⁾ If you object to giving the Spirit this honor which the pious give Him, do not object to me, but if you can, object to the word of the Lord who gave this law concerning baptism to people. What does the Lord’s commandment say: “Baptize them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). Why is baptism in the name of the Father? Because He is the origin of all things. Why in the name of the Son? Because He is the maker of all creation. Why in the name of the Holy Spirit? Because He is the power that perfects all things.

Therefore we bow down to the Father in order to be sanctified, to the Son in order to obtain the same sanctification, and to the Holy Spirit in order to obtain what is His in nature and name. ⁽¹⁵⁾There is no distinction in sanctification, meaning that the sanctification of the Son is less than the sanctification of the Father and the sanctification of the Spirit is less than both of them. So why then do you divide the three hypostases into parts with different natures, making them three gods different from each other, even though you receive the same grace from all of them?!

But parables usually give the subject more clarity to the hearers, and my aim is to instruct the minds of blasphemers by images, explaining with simple earthly things those great things which are beyond the senses. If, for example, you have fallen into the captivity of your enemies, and are suffering misery and slavery, and are groaning with longing for the old freedom which you once had, and suddenly three men come ⁽¹⁶⁾ These three men of note, citizens of this kingdom, of which you are a captive, have freed you from your bonds, paying your ransom equally, and dividing the price equally among them. If you value the kindness they have done you, will you not look upon them all equally as benefactors to you for that kindness, paying your debt equally to them, because they were equal in paying your debt? Thus we understand, as far as this example makes clear. It is not our purpose now to explain the faith in detail. Now let us return once more to the present feast, and the subject which it raises.

The Old Testament and the waters of baptism:

I find that it is not only the Gospels written after the crucifixion that speak of the grace of baptism, but even before the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ the ancient Scriptures gave symbolic pictures of our new birth, and did not clearly announce the form of this new birth but in a hidden way explained God’s love for man. And just as the sacrifice of the Lamb and the cross were foretold in advance, so baptism was foretold by example and word. ⁽¹⁷⁾Let us now recall together examples of baptism for those who seek good ideas, for the occasion requires recalling these examples.

Examples of references to the use of water in baptism

1. Hagar and Ishmael:
   When Hagar was expelled from her master’s house because of Sarah’s anger and jealousy, she wandered in a barren wilderness, going to a desolate land, carrying her son Ishmael in her bosom. When she became distressed because of her need for the necessities of life and was on the verge of death, and her infant was in pain because of his great need for water, an angel suddenly appeared to her and showed her a spring of living water. When she took some of the water, she was able to save Ishmael. This is an example of the mystery of baptism, how in the beginning salvation was through living water for the child who was on the verge of death, that water that did not exist before but was given as a blessing from the hand of the angel.
2. Isaac:
   Later, too, the time had come for Isaac to marry, so Abraham sent his servant to make the engagement and bring a bride for his master. He found Rebecca by the spring of water, and so the marriage from whose lineage Christ later came had its beginning and first covenant at the water.
   Isaac himself, while tending his flock, dug wells everywhere in the desert, which were later filled up by strangers, and in this way they are an example of those wicked men in later days who stand against the grace of baptism and speak with all boldness against the truth. But the martyrs and priests overcame them by digging wells, and thus baptism flooded the whole world.
3. Yaaqoub:
   In the same way, Jacob met Rachel unexpectedly at the well of water when he was looking for a bride. There was a large stone on the well of water, and it took a group of shepherds to roll it away so they could draw water and water their flocks, but Jacob alone rolled away the stone and watered his wife’s flock. I think this is a foreshadowing of things to come, because what is the stone that was placed but Christ Himself? Isaiah says about Him: “Behold, I lay in Zion a foundation, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16). Daniel also says: “…a stone was cut out of the mountain not made by hands…” (Dan. 2:45), meaning that Christ was born without human seed.
   Just as it is a strange and new thing for a stone to be cut from a rock without human hands or any stone-cutting tools, so it is a thing beyond wonder that a seed should come from an unmarried virgin. For the spiritual stone (that is, Christ) was placed on the well, and hidden in the depths and in a secret way was the basin of the new birth, which needed a long time to come to light, as if a long rope were being pulled. And no one moved the stone except Israel (Jacob), who saw God in the spirit. But he also brought water out of the well and watered Rachel’s sheep, that is, he revealed the hidden mystery, and gave living water to the flock of the believers of the Church.
   We also add to this the story of Jacob’s three rods, because when the three rods were placed by the well, the pagan Laban became poor and Jacob became rich from the sheep. Here Laban can symbolize Satan and Jacob Christ, because after the establishment of baptism Christ took all of Satan’s flock for Himself and became rich with them.
4. Moses and the Law:
   And Moses, too, when he was a beautiful child, and on his mother's breast, the cruel Pharaoh passed a severe sentence against him and against all the male children, and Moses appeared on the bank of the river, not naked, but placed in a box, for it was fitting for the law to be placed in a box of treasures. And as Moses was placed near the water, so the law and the daily washings of the Hebrews, of which Moses is a type, were near grace, for their significance was later made clear by the perfect and supreme baptism.
   Also, according to Paul’s inspired interpretation, the people’s crossing of the Red Sea symbolizes the good news of salvation brought by water. The people crossed and the waters covered the king of Egypt and his soldiers, and this event was a prophecy of this mystery. For when the people enter the waters of renewal, fleeing from Egypt, that is, from the burdens of sin, they receive freedom and salvation. But Satan and his servants are swallowed up with grief and perish, considering man’s salvation to be their loss.
5. Joshua and the crossing of the Jordan: 
   Although these examples are sufficient to confirm what we are saying, yet one who has a good understanding should not ignore the following: that the Hebrews, after much suffering and after completing their difficult journey in the wilderness, did not enter the Promised Land until Joshua, their guide and life leader, had brought them across the Jordan. But it is clear that Joshua, who also placed the twelve stones in the river, was thereby referring to the coming of the twelve disciples, the ministers of the sacrament of baptism.
6. The presentation of the Prophet Elijah:
   Also, the miraculous offering of the elder Elijah, which is beyond human understanding, is nothing but a practical sign of faith in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and also in redemption. Because when the Hebrews left the faith of their fathers and fell into the sin of idolatry, and their king Ahab went astray by worshipping idols with his wicked wife Jezebel, who was urging him to disbelief, whose name became an omen of misfortune ⁽¹⁸⁾The prophet Elijah, filled with the grace of the Spirit, came to meet Ahab, and challenged the priests of Baal in a great and wonderful challenge before the king and all the people. By giving them the task of offering the calf without fire, he made them appear ridiculous and shameful, praying and crying in vain to false gods. At last Elijah achieved his purpose when he cried out to the true God, despite the difficulties which he himself had added to his task, for he not only called down fire from heaven upon dry wood, but he commanded and asked the attendants to bring plenty of water. And after he had poured the water three times upon the pieces of wood, his prayer set the water on fire, thus demonstrating in a most striking manner the power of his God through these two opposite substances—water and fire—working together. Now, by this miraculous sacrifice, Elijah here clearly showed us the mystical rite of baptism which was later established. For the fire was kindled in a sacrifice on which water was poured three times, clearly showing that where the secret water is there is the warm, fiery, burning Spirit who burns up the wicked and enlightens the faithful.
7. Elisha the Prophet and Naaman the Syrian:
   Thus also Elisha, the disciple of Elijah, healed Naaman the Syrian who was afflicted with leprosy by washing him in the Jordan River, when he came to him seeking healing, showing what must be, through the use of water in general and also through immersion in the waters of this river in particular. For the Jordan River, by taking the first fruits of sanctification and blessing, is the only river that has carried between its banks the grace of baptism to the whole world, as if it were the fountainhead of this grace. All these are indications in fact and action of the new birth through baptism.

Direct prophecies about the use of water in the sacrament of baptism:

Let us now examine the prophecies concerning baptism which are given in direct words. Isaiah cried out, “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your doings from before mine eyes” (Isa. 1:16). David also said, “They looked to Him, and were enlightened; their faces were not ashamed” (Ps. 34:5). Ezekiel writes even more clearly and explicitly than them, saying, “I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean. From all your uncleannesses I will cleanse you from all your idols. A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh, and I will put my Spirit within you” (Ezek. 36:25-27). Zechariah also clearly prophesies of Joshua, who was clothed in filthy garments, and the filthy garments were taken away from him, and he was clothed in fine and clean garments, which symbolically teaches us that we are truly in the baptism of Jesus. ⁽¹⁹⁾ We put on the holy and beautiful garment of the new birth, as we cast off our sins like worn-out, tattered garments.

1. Isaiah's prophecy about the dignity of baptism:
   How do we interpret the prophecy of Isaiah, which was spoken concerning the wilderness, “Let the wilderness and the dry land rejoice, and the desert be glad, and blossom like the lily; it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy, and sing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon: they shall see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God” (Isaiah 35:1-2), because it is clear that he is not announcing the joyful good news to places without soul or senses, but that the wilderness is an example of the thirsty and unadorned soul, as the prophet David also says: “My soul is to you like a waterless land” (Psalm 143:6), and also “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Psalm 42:2). And so the Lord says in the Gospels: “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink” (John 7:37). And he said to the Samaritan woman: “Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again. “But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never thirst” (John 4:13). Just as the desert refers to the thirsty soul, so “the splendor of Carmel” (Isaiah 35:2) refers to the grace given to this soul by the Holy Spirit. Just as Mount Carmel became famous and well-known because of the dwelling of the prophet Elijah, so the Jordan River became famous because of the baptism of John the Baptist, who came in the spirit of Elijah.
   In this way, the words of the prophet Isaiah about “the splendor of Carmel” and “the glory of Lebanon” (Isaiah 35:2) apply to the Jordan River. “The glory of Lebanon” refers to the height of the trees of Lebanon, for just as the trees of Lebanon growing there are admirable, so also the Jordan River has gained glory for giving new birth to mankind and planting them in the paradise of God. As the words of the psalmist say, “Their leaves shall not fall” (Psalm 1:4), they are always in blossom and bearing the fruits of virtue, and God is pleased with them, accepting their fruits in due season, and rejoices in their works as a good sower.
2. David's prophecy about Christ's baptism in water:
   The inspired David also wrote in his book, “The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the voice of the Lord thunders” (Ps. 29:3), foretelling the voice with which the Father spoke from heaven concerning the Son at His baptism, in order to lead the hearers to the recognition of the dignity of the nature of the Godhead, who until then had only looked upon the lowliness of His humanity as perceived by their senses. But for now we must content ourselves with the above-mentioned testimony of Scripture concerning baptism. For the search would go on endlessly if one wanted to search out all the verses in detail and put them in a book.

Let us do what is appropriate for this mystery:

But I ask you, as you rejoice in it, to do as befits the grace of the new birth. And to boast, as many do, of the new birth and of this saving renewal, and to show me the change in your ways which must follow your receiving of sacramental grace, and to show in the purity of your conduct the difference which has been made in your change for the better.

As for what we see with our eyes, nothing has changed. The characteristics of the body remain unchanged, as does the form of the apparent nature. But there must be an apparent proof by which we can recognize the man who has been born again, so that we can, by clear proofs, distinguish between the old man and the new. I believe that these things, “proofs,” are found in the inclinations of the soul, where the soul separates itself from its old life and enters into a new behavior and clearly appears to those who know it that it has changed from its old form, and no longer carries within it anything of its old characteristics.

If you are convinced by my words and keep what I say, this is the change. Before baptism, man was lustful, greedy, covetous, ugly, lying, and abusive, and characterized by everything connected with these things and everything that develops from them. But now he has become peaceable, moderate, contented, helpful to the poor, honest, cheerful, and gentle, that is, in short, he has become a person who walks in every praiseworthy behavior. For as darkness is dispelled by light, and as blackness disappears when whiteness overwhelms it, so the old man disappears when he is adorned with righteous deeds.

Examples of change:

You have seen how Zacchaeus, when his life was changed, killed the tax collector in him, returning fourfold to all those he had wronged. He divided with the poor the remaining wealth he had accumulated unjustly from those he had oppressed. Likewise, Matthew the Evangelist, who was a tax collector like Zacchaeus, after his call changed his life as if it were just a mask. Paul was a persecutor, but after receiving grace he was transformed into an apostle, carrying the weight of his chains for Christ's sake as a correction and offering repentance for those unjust chains he had received from the law and used against the gospel.

Children's behavior:

And so you too must be renewed, and give up your habits that tend toward sin, and so we must walk as children of God, for after we have received grace we are called His children. And therefore we must know with all accuracy the character of our Father, so that we may be formed in the image and likeness of the Father and become His true children since He has called us to adoption according to grace. For the false illegitimate son who denies his father’s honor by his deeds is a source of blame and sorrow. For this reason the Lord Himself says to His disciples: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just” (Matthew 5:44), setting for us in the Gospel rules for our lives. Thus He says that sons are those who, in terms of thought, are characterized by love and kindness toward their brothers, following the example of the Father’s goodness.

The dignity of adoption:

And for this reason also we must know that after we have received the dignity of adoption, Satan wiles more fiercely against us, looking at us with envy, as he beholds the beauty of the man who is born again and is earnestly heading toward the heavenly city from which he himself fell. He stirs up strong temptations against us, seeking to corrupt our new form, as he corrupted our first image. But when we perceive what his attacks are, we must repeat to ourselves the words of the apostle: “As many as have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death” (Rom. 6:3). Now that we have been likened to him in his death, sin has undoubtedly become dead in us, having been killed by the spear of baptism, just as the jealous Phinehas pierced the adulterer.

Flee from us, Satan! For you are trying to corrupt a dead body, a body that was once attached to you, but now has lost the sense of pleasure. A dead body is not tempted by the lusts of the flesh, nor does it fall under the power of riches, nor does it act ugly, nor lie, nor covet what belongs to others, nor curse others. My conduct is not of this life. I have learned to hate the things of the world, and to forsake the things of the world, and hasten to acquire heavenly things, just as Paul clearly testifies that the world has been crucified to itself and it to the world. ⁽²⁰⁾These are the words of a soul that has truly enjoyed the new birth! These are the words of a man who has received baptism, who remembers the covenant he made before God when he received the sacrament: to despise all kinds of pain and all kinds of pleasure. ⁽²¹⁾.

Christ is the adorner of our souls:

And now we have spoken enough of the subject of this holy feast which comes to us at a certain season each year. We shall do well to address the end of our discourse to the loving Giver of this grace, offering Him a few words in return for the great things He has given us: For thou art truly, O Lord, the pure and everlasting fountain of goodness, who in righteousness hast forsaken us, and in kindness and love hast had mercy on us. Thou hast contended with us, and then reconciled us; thou hast cursed, and then blessed us. Thou hast cast us out of paradise, and hast brought us back again. Thou hast stripped us of the fig-leaves which were an unseemly garment, and given us a splendid robe. Thou hast opened the prison doors, and set the guilty free. Thou hast washed us with pure water, and cleansed us from our filthiness. No more shall Adam be afraid when thou callst him, nor hide himself among the trees of paradise, condemned by his conscience. No more shall there be a flaming sword round about paradise, preventing the entrance of those who draw near. But all is turned into joy for us who were heirs of sin. Man has now been able to enter Paradise and even the Kingdom itself. The earthly and heavenly creations, which were once at enmity, have become harmonious and at peace. We humans can now join in the praise of the angels, offering worship and thanksgiving to God. For all these things, let us praise God with the song of joy that lips sang long ago when touched by the Spirit: “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul will exult in my God; for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness” (Isa. 61:10).

In fact, the bride's adorner is the Christ who exists.

Which was, and which will be,

Blessed now and forever

Amen.

the reviewer:

(1) The Lord’s Day is Sunday, and the saint here rebukes the people for neglecting the Mass on the Sunday immediately preceding the Feast of Epiphany.

(2) According to the Septuagint.

(3) The fathers of old used to interpret one of the books of the Bible regularly through their periodic sermons, and they would not break that rule except when various holidays and memorials occurred, so they would focus in their sermons on talking about those occasions, and then return to studying the Bible after that.

(4) The saint speaks here on the day of the Epiphany, which of course preceded Christmas by several days.

(5) According to the teachings of the Holy Bible and the Church, the Lord Christ has two births: an eternal birth before all ages from the Father, and a temporal birth in the fullness of time from the Virgin Mary.

(6) Here the saint explains to us how Christ, through his incarnation on earth, presented us with an ideal model of life that we should emulate, and since he himself passed through the different stages of human life, he did not leave room for anyone to doubt or stumble in his teachings, which he himself had first fulfilled.

(7) The saint does not mean that baptism is merely a symbolic matter, but rather he means that this new birth is not understood as a new physical birth, but rather it is a birth that occurs on the level of the spirit, as the human being becomes a new creation.

(8) Of course, the saint does not mean by this parable that young children are free from the effects of serious sin or from a corrupt nature, but he is speaking here about earthly matters. There is no court that accuses an infant of any charge such as murder or theft because of his young age.

(9) The sacramental oil here means the chrism oil or the oil of anointing the sick.

(10) What is meant by the power of the word is the pronunciation of the ordination followed by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the one being ordained to the ranks of the priesthood.

(11) The cloak of the Prophet Elijah.

(12) In the time of St. Gregory, the subject of how man is born and how he is formed was unknown to science. So he uses this matter here as an example to illustrate his idea, for just as man is born in a way that is superior to the knowledge of people, so spiritual birth from water takes place in a way that is superior to their knowledge.

(13) This was an ancient scientific belief that all creation was formed from these four basic elements. Two of them are spiritual elements, “fire and air,” and two of them are material elements, “water and earth.” The saint here used this belief to explain to people how we share in Christ’s death when we are buried in baptism in the element of water, which is similar to the element of earth in which Christ was buried.

(14) Here the saint addresses his words to the followers of Anomius, who denied the divinity of the Holy Spirit, and were widespread in his time.

(15) We obtain what belongs to the Spirit by nature: that is, we obtain from Him the sanctification that is His by nature. He is by nature the source of holiness and righteousness, and in this He is like the Father and the Son. We also obtain what belongs to Him by name: since the hypostasis of the Spirit is “the Holy Spirit,” that is, holiness is also in His name and not only in His nature.

(16) This parable is not an example to explain the doctrine of the Trinity in a comprehensive manner in the Church, but the saint used it to illustrate one very clear principle, which is the equality in glory and honor between the three persons. And he himself said at the end of his explanation of the parable, “Our goal now is not a comprehensive explanation of the faith.”

(17) The saint divided the prophecies that spoke about baptism into two sections:
Prophecies in parables: a collection of examples from Old Testament events that refer to baptism.
Prophecies in words: These are direct prophecies made by the Old Testament prophets to speak about baptism.

(18) Perhaps the saint meant by this that Jezebel became used after the era of Elijah to denote evil and sin as mentioned in the Book of Revelation (Rev. 2:20).

(19) What is meant here is the baptism that the Lord Christ gave us and that we complete in the Church, and what is not meant is the personal baptism of Christ in the Jordan River.

(20) See Galatians 6:14.

(21) The saint here refers to the ritual of denouncing Satan and confessing Christ, which the baptized person performs before baptism if he is an adult, or which the godfather performs on his behalf if he is a young child.