THE POSSIBILITY OF BAPTISM This book started by revealing the main fact in ministry, which is that God is the One who works in His ministers (Chapter 1), to bring them together with His people to His inheritance; Then came the episode of Rahab the harlot with the two spies, to confirm that faith in God the Savior, is practically the way to achieve that divine inheritance, and to enjoy God’s promises -- Now, standing on the bank of the River Jordan, we discover the possibilities of Baptism in crossing over; namely, the possibility of God’s salvation work by Baptism for the enjoyment of the inheritance. The scholar Origen says: [The events of the Jordan is a portrait of the secret that takes place in Baptism] 1. 1- Waiting for three days 1 -- 4 2- Preparations for the crossing over 5 -- 6 3- Joshua exalted in the Jordan 7 -- 8 4- The Ark in the Jordan 9 -- 12 5- The water standing as one heap 13 -- 17 1- Waiting for three days: After the two spies presented their report about God’s work with them, the whole procession set forth to the Jordan: “Then Joshua rose early in the morning; and they set out from Acacia Grove (Shittim), and came to the Jordan, he and all the children of Israel, and lodged there before they crossed over. So it was, after three days, that the officers went through the camp ... etc.” (Joshua 3: 1, 2) If the two spies presented Joshua with an actual report, that all Jericho was fainthearted and terrified; and that Rahab has received them and brought them to the roof, from where they set forth to the mountains and then came to him; That was a reference to the word of preaching among the (Catechumens), to realize that, by Jesus Christ the Savior, all the fortresses of evil will be destroyed, the ruler of darkness will be terrified, and the salvation will be realized to him who embraces the mission and gospel of Jesus Christ. ... That would not be realized to them unless they set forth to the Jordan, under the leadership of the “true Joshua” Himself! Faith has to be sealed by Baptism, to be able to 1 In Jos. Hom 5: 1. 65 crossover to the inheritance, and to enjoy God’s promises and free gifts! The departure from Shittim to the Jordan, under the leadership of Joshua, is the commitment of the Catechumens to crossover to Baptism. They departed from Shittim -- that means (Acacia trees), the location where Balaam tried to curse the people of Israel (Numbers 22 -- 24); and where the people committed harlotry with the girls of Moab, Midian, and Baal of Peor (Numbers 25) -- to set forth through the Jordan to the land of promise. They departed from the curse and harlotry (Baal Peor) to the new life, sanctified by Baptism. Yet that setting forth needed their waiting, together with Joshua, for three days, before crossing over the Jordan. Here we enter again into the secret of the three days, of which we have profusely spoken, and we shall go on speaking; being the secret of the resurrection with Christ on the third day. There would be no crossing over of the Jordan, and no enjoyment of the possibilities of Baptism, except through burial with the Lord for three days, and resurrection by and with Him! The apostle Paul says: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through Baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life” (Romans 6: 3, 4). And he also says, that Baptism is the cross; what happened with Christ in crucifixion and burial, is done to us in Baptism, even if not by the same way. Christ died in flesh and was buried; but we die to sin and are buried ... If you partake of His death and burial, you will also partake of His resurrection and life1. The three days, as we saw in the first chapter2, refer to the Holy Trinity; There is no crossing over in the waters of Baptism, except after proclaiming our faith in the Holy Trinity, when we receive sonhood to the Father, through our membership in the body of His only-begotten Son, and our abidance in the Son by the Holy Spirit. In other words, Baptism is the enjoyment of the work of the Holy Trinity in our life. Without faith in Him, Baptism would be of no avail! After the three days; namely, after receiving the power of Christ’s resurrection, and proclaiming the faith in the Holy Trinity, the officers of the thousands, hundreds, and tens, went through the camp, and they commanded the people saying: 1 De Sacr. 51: 1. .11 : 2 راجع تفسير يش 1 66 “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, the Levites, bearing it, then you shall set out from your place and go after it. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cubits by measure. Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before.” (Joshua 3: 3, 4) St. Augustine says: [The Jordan implies (descent). Therefore, you should descend in order to ascend; and should not ascend so as not to fall] 1. If Baptism is a descent for the sake of ascent; its way is strange for mankind who fell to pride, and do not wish to descend; and even if they do wish to descend, they are unable to. It is a new way that must be inaugurated by Him, who alone could get humble, though He is the great incarnate Word of God. The crossing over of the ark of the covenant of the Lord God, carried by the Priests and Levites before the people, implies that the Lord Christ Himself inaugurates the way of Baptism; approaching it through His humility, to lift us up to His sonhood to God. The Son became a slave, so that, in the waters of Baptism, He lifts the slaves up to sonhood to God! If the Lord Christ did not sanctify the water of the Jordan, the water of Baptism would be without activity. That is why St. Ambrose says: [It carries the grace of Christ] 2. According to the Coptic rite the water is signed by the cross and the cross is dipped into the water, as a proclamation that the crucified -- the true Ark of the Covenant -- has entered into and sanctified the Jordan. The officers commanded the people to keep a distance between them and the ark, about two thousand cubits by measure; as the figure 2 refer to love, that makes the two -- the one who loves and the one beloved --as one; Love came in the first and the second commandments of the law; the good Samaritan gave two denarii to the innkeeper, because of his love of God and of his wounded brother; and the widow offered two cents, as a token of her love of God and the people. As the figure 1000 refers to the heavenly life; so the figure 2000 refers to love on a spiritual heavenly level -- both love of God and of people. It is as though a Catechumen is committed, in order to gain the blessings of Baptism, to receive the new love in the water of Baptism. By that he enjoys the blessing of God who dwells in him, He who only dwells in hearts, wide with love. St. Augustine says: [Wherever love is, there is 1 On Ps. 42. 2 De Sacr. 51: 1. 67 the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13: 10), where God dwells in you, and where you are a throne to Him] 1. If we, in the water of Baptism, become holy members in the body of Christ, we would actually carry His attribute, expressed by St. John as: “God is love” (1 John 4: 8). And if Baptism is a new birth, the apostle confirms: “Everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love” (1 John 4: 7, 8). It is as though, whoever closes his heart to God and to people, will benefit nothing from the water of Baptism, but it will be the secret of judging him... He gained the possibility of love through the new birth, yet he did not practice it. And if Baptism is the secret of enlightenment to the soul, without love, man lives in darkness, according to the words of the apostle: “He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now” (1 John 2; 9)... Thus, it is not possible to isolate the Jordan from the nature of heavenly love, granted to us by the Holy Spirit. As to his saying: “Do not come near it, that you may know the way by which you must go, for you have not passed this way before” (Joshua 3: 4), This refers to the fact that this way is new for us that we haven’t experienced before; and it was not possible for us to approach nor enjoy it, before the Lord enters it first and inaugurate it! If the crossing over of Joshua represents that of the Lord Christ as our Savior -- as the word ‘Joshua’ means (Jehovah salvation) -- the crossing over of the ark, refers to Him as the Word of God; carrying inside it the two tablets of law; And the crossing over of the priests, refers to Him as a supreme High Priest. It is as though, in the water of Baptism, we encounter our Jesus, the Savior, the Word of God, the Grantor of life; and the High Priest who intercedes for us before the Father, through His Holy blood. In it, we abide in His holy body, to gain our salvation, to enjoy His life in us, and to have audacity before the Father through Him. 2- Preparations for the crossing over: “And Joshua said to the people, ‘Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3: 5) Joshua demanded their sanctification, to behold God’s wonders among them. Indeed, those wonders are not a price of their sanctifying themselves; as they are free gifts, given to whoever proclaims his 1 On Ps. 99. 68 longing and his belief in God’s work, through seriousness, and readiness to receive God’s gifts and graces. In our interpretation of the rite of Baptism, we dealt with the necessary preparations that Catechumens should take, in order to be worthy of gaining that secret1. The Catechumens in the early Church were committed to certain studies, and to precise investigation of their faith and behavior; beside their commitment to fasting, praying, and watching before Baptism. The scholar Tertullian says: [Those seeking Baptism, should preoccupy themselves with fasting, praying, watching, and prostrating; together with confessing all their previous sins] 2. And St. Cyril the Great, has a marvelous talk to the Catechumens, saying: [If your wedding day is approaching, wouldn’t you forsake everything and dedicate yourself to the task of preparing for the banquet?! The day of dedicating your soul to its heavenly Groom is approaching; would you not stop preoccupying yourself with the worldly affairs, for the sake of gaining the spiritual?! Let your mind be purified, as though with fire! Let your soul melt as though a mineral, to get rid of impurities’ ... Pray more persistently, so that God would make you worthy of the eternal heavenly secrets...] 3. 3- Joshua exalted in the Jordan: “And the Lord said to Joshua, ‘This day, I will (exalt) you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. You shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, saying, ‘When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan’. “ (Joshua 3: 7, 8) It is fitting for man to exalt God through his worship, his inner behavior, and his dealing with others; but here, we find God Himself confirming to Joshua: “This day, I will exalt you” (Joshua 3: 7). How does God exalt Joshua? The greatness of Joshua in the eyes of God and of people has been connected to the crossing over of the Jordan (Joshua 4: 14); as though it is an allegoric portrait for the beginning of the proclamation of the greatness of our Lord Jesus Christ through the Jordan. The following are the aspects of comparison in this concern: (1) He says to him, “that they may know that, as I was with Moses, so I will be with you” (Joshua 3: 7). That was what the crossing over of the Jordan revealed: God’s companionship with Joshua. As to our Lord Jesus, His crossing over of the Jordan, namely His Baptism, .151- 1 راجع: الروح القدس بين الميلاد الجديد والتجديد المستمر 1981 . ص 139 2 De Baptismo 20. 3 Protech. 6: 16. 69 has revealed His relationship with the Father, being His only-begotten Son, and the object of His pleasure, “the heaven were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’ “ (Matthew 3: 16, 17). The feast of the Lord’s Baptism is called the Epiphany, through which not only have the Holy Trinity appeared by the Son being in the water, the Spirit coming down over Him and the Father speaking about Him from heaven; but also the work of the Holy Trinity appeared clearly in our life. Through Baptism, the Holy Spirit grants us the new life, that becomes ours in Jesus Christ; opens our inner insight to realize our new position as children to the Father, enjoying His sonhood and His pleasure; having become members of the body of His beloved Son. (2) Joshua might have been exalted through the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant, and their going before the people, until all of them crossed over the Jordan. That was the first time for the Ark of the Covenant, to be carried by the priests, and to take the role of leading the people, who were committed to keep a space of 2000 cubits by measure between them and it (Joshua 3: 4) ... That situation demonstrated several aspects of the work of our true ‘Joshua’ in the water of Baptism, of which we mention the following: a- Our true Joshua, was not exalted by our carrying the ark of the covenant, but by what He granted us in the new Jordan, having become carriers of the Holy Spirit Himself. We have become ourselves, the Holy temple of God; receiving His Holy Spirit in us through the Sacrament of the Anointment (Myron). The Kingdom of God became “within us” (Luke 17: 21), where God dwells and reigns. b- The priests carrying the ark of the covenant refer to God’s gift to man; and the ark refers to His divine presence; and carrying it implies man’s approach to God after such a long time of animosity. Man used to look at God as though an unapproachable consuming fire; but once our Joshua entered the Jordan, He brought us up, not only to approach Him, but also to unite with the Father in Him. In the holy water, the fiery Spirit works in us, not to consume our souls, but to abolish our old man and to consume the animosity, granting us a spiritual enlightenment, through which we realize our sonhood to God the Father and our union with Him. That is why the scholar Origen says: [Blessed are those who became near and close to the fire that enlighten, yet does not consume 70 them] 1. If in the divine incarnation, Godhead united with Humanity, and we saw the Son of God descends to us and dwells in our midst, close to us, and even became as though One of us; In the Jordan He granted us to rise up to Him, and to approach Him, to bear His divine life in us, and to lift us up to His heavens. That is what exalts our true Joshua, not by our approaching the Ark of the Covenant together with the priests of the Old Testament, but by our being lifted up to heavens, and our existence with God, united with Him in His Son, by His fiery Spirit. St. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa says about the work of the Jordan in our life: [The Jordan was exalted, as it renews men, and plants them in God’s paradise] 2. And again, inviting us to enjoy Baptism, in which our Joshua is glorified, through His work in our life; he says: [You, who have been so long in mud, hasten to the Jordan, not in response to an invitation from John the Baptist, but through the voice of Christ. As a matter of fact, the river of grace runs everywhere; it does not originate in Palestine, then to disappear in the neighboring Sea, but it covers the whole world, enters into paradise, floods over the four rivers that descend from there, and restores to paradise the precious things, more than what the other rivers bring on; While those rivers offer nice fragrance, plants and fruits; this river brings on people that are born by the Holy Spirit! Follow the example of Joshua the Son of Nun, and carry the Bible, as he carried the Ark! Forsake the wilderness, namely, the sin, and crossover the Jordan. Hasten toward life according to Christ, and toward the land flooding with the fruits of joy, like rivers of milk and honey. Destroy Jericho, the old dwelling place, and do not leave it fertile] 3. We have already dealt with the activity of Baptism in our life, in some detail; something that truly glorifies our Jesus, who crossed over that holy river] 4. c- The people, committed to keep a space of 2000 cubits between them and the ark, refer to the believers of the Old Testament as a whole, who, even though enjoyed salvation, yet from afar, through symbols and prophesies, namely, through shadows and the likeness of heaven; While believers of the New Testament, are symbolized by the priests, bearers of the ark. In this and that, our Joshua is glorified and exalted. 1 In Jos 4: 3. 2 In Baptis. Christu PG 49: 293 D. 3 De Bap. PG 46: 420 D0 421 A. 4 راجع كتابنا عن الروح القدس. 71 (3) Joshua the son of Nun was also exalted; as by his crossing over the Jordan, the priests appeared as leaders of the people through their carrying the ark; being like the lamp stands that carry the divine light to give light to all. The ark, carrying the two tablets of the law, symbolizes the preaching of the divine word, without which nobody can crossover to the land of promise, and enjoy the eternal inheritance. The scholar Origen says: [Those were the hosts of priests and Levites who used to stand close to the Ark of the Covenant, that embraced the law; having been committed to enlighten the people with God’s commandments; according to the words of the prophet: “Your word is a lamp to my feet, and a light to my path” (Psalm 119: 105). That light is emitted through the work of priests and Levites, some of whom had the task to “put the lamp on a lampstand, to give light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5: 15) 1. In our new Jordan, on the other hand, the priests do not carry an ark, that include the law, engraved on two stone tablets, but they carry the “word of God”, written by the Spirit in their hearts (2 Corinthians 3: 3); and Christ is manifested with His attributes in their inner life and apparent behavior; that they present, not only by words of preaching, but by the Holy Spirit, that makes the word enter the hearts of hearers. The apostle Paul says: “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men, we were among you for your sake” (1Thessalonians 1:5). (4) Joshua was also exalted by the crossing over of the people, following the lead of the Ark of the Covenant; They could never crossover, unless preceded by Joshua and the priests, carrying the ark, and standing in the Jordan; as it was said to Joshua: “When you have come to the edge of the water of the Jordan, you shall stand in the Jordan” (Joshua 3: 8). It is an allegoric portrait of the truth of salvation; we would not enjoy the new life, nor strongly cross the Jordan, unless our life-giving Jesus Himself enters the Jordan, and stands in it, to carry us on His shoulders to bring us over to His Kingdom. Indeed the water of Baptism, without Christ, would be just ordinary water, capable of cleansing the body, yet without sanctifying it; unable to enter to the depths of the soul. Joshua and the priests were commanded to stand in the Jordan; What a marvelous allegoric portrait of the greatness of our true Joshua, who brought us to the water of the Jordan, to behold Him standing, and 1 In Jos Hom 4: 2. 72 to stand with and in Him. He was indeed buried in the water as if in the tomb; yet it was not possible for death to keep Him, nor for the tomb to lock Him up; But He stood risen from the dead, granting us the risen life. “We (are) buried with Him through Baptism” (Romans 6: 4), not to remain buried, but to rise with and in Him. This is the secret of the exaltation of the true Joshua; the secret of the cross, burial, and resurrection, having been proclaimed in the water of Baptism, as one melded secret. (5) Joshua is exalted through receiving the leadership, as a symbol of the true Joshua receiving the leadership of our souls, as we crossover the new Jordan, and also after it. St. Ambrose says about how the Lord Himself works during Baptism: [Do not look at the worthiness of individuals ... Believe that the Lord Jesus Himself is present, when the priest prays for the invocation of the Holy Spirit; He who says: “For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the middle of them” (Matthew 18: 21); How much more would He grant us, the proclamation of His presence when all the congregation are there in the Church, and the Sacraments are present?] 1. In more than one occasion, St. John Chrysostom asks us not to look at the priest during the Sacrament service, but to the Lord Christ Himself working secretly in it. As to the leadership of the Lord Christ of our souls after Baptism, the scholar Origen says: [If you crossover the Jordan through the priests, you will enter into the land of promise, that land where Joshua, after Moses, will take care of you, and will be your guide in your new way] 2. 4- The ark in the Jordan: “And Joshua said, ‘By this you shall know that the living God is among you, and that He will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Hivites and the Perizzites and the Girgashites and the Amorites and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is crossing over before you into the Jordan.”(Joshua 3: 10, 11) In this phrase, two main lines are clearly apparent and integrated together in the Liturgy of Baptism: The existence of the kingdom of the devil, symbolized by those pagan nations; and its destruction by God’s appearance and His dwelling among His children. We have already dealt with these two lines in our study of Baptism3. 1 On Myst. S. 2 In Jos 4: 1. 3 راجع كتابنا عن الروح القدس (جحد الشيطان). 73 It is to be noticed that the crossover of the Jordan, has demonstrated the dwelling of God among His people, granting them triumph over the kingdom of darkness; and from another aspect, it revealed how God submitted nature to them. As long as we bear the Creator in us, all creation will submit to us, and will obediently work for us. The scholar Origen compares between the submission of nature to the believers for their benefit, and its opposition to the wicked; saying: [The wicked harbors hatred toward all creation; as the animosity the Egyptians used to feel toward the land, the water, the air, and the heaven. The righteous, on the other hand, even what seems coarse, would be transformed for him to valleys and gentle slopes. The righteous would cross the Red Sea, as though walking on dry ground; while the Egyptian, who intends to crossover it, would be swallowed by it. For the righteous, water would be for him, “a wall, on his right hand and on his left hand” (Exodus 14: 22 -- 29); he would go into the fearsome wilderness, and there, finds for himself food from heaven (Psalm 78: 24). Such was the case in the Jordan, where the ark of the covenant was leading the people of God; The priests and Levites were standing, while the water was, as though taken by surprise, stood in awe before the sacraments of God, gathered in one heap, to present to the people a way without obstacles (Joshua 3: 15). Do not get amazed, O Christian, when you hear what had taken place to the old people; The Word of God promises to grant you, when you crossover the Jordan -- through Baptism -- much more exalted goods; He promises to grant you a way through the air. Hear what St. Paul says: “We shall be caught up together with them (the righteous) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and thus we shall always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4: 17); the righteous should never fear anything, as all creation would be at his service. Listen also to God’s promises through His prophet: “When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you; For I am the Lord your God” (Isaiah 43: 2, 3). So, it would be with the righteous, as though lying in comfort in his bed; wherever he may be, all creation would submit to him (Genesis 1: 26; Psalm 8: 7) ... Therefore, recalling these incredible signs concerning the greatness of God: the sea, divided into two because of you, and the waters of the river that stopped as a heap; you would cry out: “What ails you, O sea, that you fled? O Jordan, that you turned back? O mountains that you skipped like rams? O little hills like lambs? “ (Psalm 114: 5, 6); Then, the Word of God would answer you, saying: “Tremble O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the 74 presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool of water; the flint into a fountain of waters” (Psalm 114: 7, 8)]. Realizing that, St. Augustine, whispered to God saying: [You dedicated all your creation to my service, in order that I become wholly dedicated to Your service] 1. And he also says: [You have put all things under man’s feet (Psalm 8: 6); in order that he may become wholly dedicated to You. That is why You did not let anyone but You have authority over him; but gave him the authority over Your creation] 2. 5- The water standing as one heap: Crossing over the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua totally differed than that of the Red Sea under the leadership of the prophet Moses. Then, the division of the Sea was realized to let the people pass; the salty water was like a wall on both sides. But here, “The waters that come down from upstream shall be cut off, and shall stand as a heap” (Joshua 3: 13); namely, that the waters coming down from high up, stopped on that side; while, on the other side, the waters flowed into the salty Dead Sea, leaving its place dry; On one side there would be sweet water in one heap, and not on the two sides as it was in the crossover of the Red Sea. That was not realized without significance, but carried a symbol of the New Testament, that we can comprehend, by comparing concisely between the two crossovers, with a clarification of the symbolism in the details of each of them: (1) In our interpretation of the book of Exodus, we dealt with the crossover of the Red Sea under the leadership of the prophet Moses, as being a symbol of Baptism. So what are the differences between it and the crossover of the Jordan under the leadership of Joshua the Son of Nun?! I wish to confirm here, that the two crossovers represent actually two integrated aspects of Baptism: The first refers to taking off the old man, while the other refers to the enjoyment of the gift of the new man; the two of them are actually one integrated work; as there is no enjoyment of the new man, unless the old man is taken off; and the old man as well, could not be taken off unless we put on the new man. That is why, although we are comparing between the two crossovers, yet, the two are in fact one extending process, in which the Catechumen takes off the old man, proclaimed and exposed by the law (Moses), revealing its fruit, namely, the eternal death; and puts on the new man, presented, 1 In Jos Hom 4: 1. .20 ، 2 مناجاة 19 75 through the divine grace, by our true Joshua; according to the words of the evangelist: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1: 17). The first represents the crucifixion with Christ, and the second represents the resurrection with Him. That is why; the first was realized by striking the sea with the rod (the cross), while the second, by the priests, carrying the ark (the resurrection), standing on the bed of the river. (2) In the crossover of the Red Sea under the leadership of Moses, the water divided into two, and became a wall on both sides; while here, water stopped at the upper side, and flew down at the other side to the Dead Sea, leaving a dry pathway for the people. The scholar Origen looks at that as a living portrait of the work of Baptism, that [made the two as one, pulling down the middle wall, making the water accumulate on one side] 1. Through Moses, namely the law, humanity got divided into Jews and Gentiles; but in Jesus Christ, we gained, through Baptism, one Spirit, not only between us and heaven, but also in between each others ... where the Church from all peoples, nations, and tongues gathered together, and all became members of one body. The way of the law is a narrow one, wide enough for one people to pass, confining it between two walls on the right side and on the left. The way of the new Joshua, on the other hand, is spacious, through the accumulation of water on one side; wide enough for the entire world to pass; open before all with no discrimination. From another aspect, it was not without reason that the water remained sweet on the right hand side; while it flowed on the other side down to the Dead Sea (Joshua 3: 16). The scholar Origen says: [If all those baptized keep the sweetness of the divine Spirit they gained, and do not turn back to the bitterness of sin, it, certainly, would not have been written, that a part of the river water flows down to the salty Dead Sea. There is a difference between the baptized: those who, after gaining the holy Baptism, would go back to deliver themselves to the worldly interests, and drink again from the salty cup of lust; who are symbolized by that part of the water, which flows down on the salty water of the Dead Sea. As to that part of the water, which stays steadfast and retains its sweetness, it refers to those who keep the gift they got from God. It is natural to refer to those saved by being (whole); “For the bread of God 1 In Jos Hom 4: 1. 76 is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6: 33); as there is one faith, one Baptism, and one Spirit (Ephesians 4: 4) 1. (3) The crossover under the leadership of Moses leads us to a way between two walls of salty water; while, under the leadership of Joshua, the water is sweet and the way is spacious. ... The first refers to the law that brings us to bitterness, and makes us as though confined and in danger; while the other refers to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the sweet and abundant, that gives the soul joy while we crossover this world. (4) The first crossover has been chaotic: an enemy on the back, and salty water on both sides; while the second crossover was peaceful; no enemy chasing, nor salty water around. It is the way, that is (Our true Jesus), in which we find rest, would not be afraid of an enemy, nor of salty water, to approach us. (5) In the first crossover, the people had to enter into a barren wilderness, that took them 40 years to cross; although God did not forsake them there, but personally took care of them, and provided them with all their spiritual and physical needs. In the second crossover, on the other hand, the believer sees the land of Canaan not far away, and Jerusalem so very close. In the Lord Christ, by faith, we clearly see the higher Jerusalem, and the heavenly promises, not far away; and enjoy its pledge. It is amazing that, in the second crossover, the water of the Jordan stopped on its higher side, as though referring to the believing soul, that exalts up to live in the heavenly places, and does not descends down to the Dead Sea. (6) The scholar Origen says: [When Moses brought the people out of the land of Egypt, there was no organization of the multitude, nor rituals for the priests; and so they crossed the Red Sea ... While in the second crossover under the leadership of Joshua, the priests walked ahead of the people, carrying the ark of the covenant on their shoulders, that accommodated inside it the tablets of the law and the holy food (the manna) 2]. (7) During the first crossover, everyone was quiet; while in the second one, the priests were carrying the horns, a sign of conquest and triumph. (8) In the first crossover, the people did not take something to remind them of that incident; while in the second crossover, they took 1 Ibid 4: 1. 2 Ibid 4: 1. 77 over twelve stones, as a reference to the holy Church, that was established in the depths of the Jordan; namely, that mystically set forth through Baptism. (9) The crossover was realized when the soles of feet of the priests who carried the ark of the covenant rested in the waters of the Jordan; a reference to the Lord Christ, the Mighty High Priest, crushing the devil under His feet; Our crossover is a fruit of His crushing of the forces of darkness. (10) The timing of the crossover of the Jordan had been precise; We know that the Jordan close to Jericho is 150 to 180 feet deep; and the crossover took place during the flood season, between the months of April and May, when the water is at its highest level, and the river at its maximum width and velocity; as a reference to the abundant and exalted work of God in Baptism.
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