Question
Why was Christ Baptized? And why was He led into the wilderness by the Spirit immediately following His Baptism in the Jordan?
Answer
As Fr. Zacharias says, “Christ is the measure of all things, both divine and human”.
The greatest miracle and mystery in the history of the universe is the Incarnation of the Son and Word of God - Jesus Christ the God-man.
By uniting our human nature to His divine person-hypostasis, not only did He restore it to its Paradisiac state, in which it was first created, but sanctified and deified it, fulfilling thereby the original divine purpose of the creation of man in Himself.
Thus, the appearance of God in the world (Theophany), and specifically the appearance of the God-man at the Jordan marks a significant stage in the Divine Economy. For it is the prelude to His public ministry - His saving work - and His triumph over the Enemy in such a way as to give us His creatures a model and pattern of life by which we also may overcome the devil, Hell, and death.
By entering the world according to the flesh - by His birth - and then by entering the waters (water signifies life) - this world and all creation is imbued with new life, being filled with His presence in a new way - and so recreated and renewed.
In and through the assumed human nature of the Son and Word of God, who is the New Adam, our reconciliation with God is inaugurated, for the Way back to God for us human beings is revealed in His Person and example.
So, we can say that Christ Himself, as the divine Logos existing in two perfect natures, divine and human, had no need of baptism. He is baptized rather in order to signify the sanctification and salvation of the world, and the granting of the Light of true knowledge and true worship of God, the Holy Trinity.
And Christ is “led by the Spirit” into the wilderness to do battle with Satan, in order to reveal to us, His disciples of all generations, that when we are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ - and become members of His Body, the Church - and have received the seal of the Holy Spirit, then we are also called upon to do battle with the Enemy as good soldiers of Jesus Christ, by following the example of Christ’s humble obedience to the heavenly Father.
Note: It is by perfect and humble obedience to God the Father that Christ “fulfilled all righteousness”.
For more details, see Homs. 59 and 60, and cf. Hom. 5, Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies.
Dr. Christopher Veniamin
President
Mount Thabor Publishing