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“And Jesus Himself was about thirty years old” (cf. Luke 3:23) when he came to receive baptism from John - which he did in order to shame the Marcionites. For if he had not put on flesh, why would he have begun to be baptized? After all, the Divine nature does not need baptism. Further, the fact that He was thirty years old also confirms us of His humanity. And he says: “Leave now, so that we may fulfill all righteousness.” (cf. Matt. 3:15), - for the liberators and kings received the anointing and the law from the priests. Just as he was clothed with flesh and revealed himself, (becoming) subject to the needs (of the body), he began to be baptized in order to testify to the truth of his humanity, - mainly in order to put an end to the baptism of John with His baptism, since He again baptized those who were baptized by John. By this he showed and made it clear that John. only before His coming did he perform baptism, for true baptism was revealed by our Lord, Who made him free from the penalties of the law 69 . And he says: “Leave now” (Matthew 3:15), so as not to enter the sheepfold as a thief and to shame the Pharisees, who out of pride despised the baptism of John, and at the same time honor the humility of their messenger, as it is said: “Everyone who humbles himself will be exalted” (cf. Matthew 23:12, Luke 14:11, 18:14). And since John declared: “I am not worthy... to untie the thong of His sandals” (Mark 1:7, Luke 3:16, John 1:27), our Lord took his right hand and laid it on His head. “Leave... that we may fulfill all righteousness” (cf. Matt. 3:15), for John was, as it were, the heel of the law: “the law and the prophets until John” (Luke 16:16), and Christ was the beginning of the New Testament. So, Christ, through baptism, put on the truth of the Old Testament in order to receive the perfect anointing and convey it to His disciples complete and intact; He put an end to John's baptism along with the law. Christ was baptized in truth, since he was without sin, but He Himself baptized in grace, since other people were sinners. He abolished the law by His righteousness, and He stopped the baptism (of John) by His baptism. Next. (Therefore he says): “(so that) we may fulfill all righteousness” (cf. Matt. 3:15) - that John was the doorkeeper of the sheep, in whom the flock of Israel was gathered and united. So, the Lord entered the flock not by force, but by truth. And the Holy Spirit, Who rested on Him at the time of baptism, testified that He (precisely) is the Shepherd: for through John He received prophetic and priestly dignity. He received the royal dignity of the house of David through birth, since he was born from the house of David, but he received the priesthood of the house of Levi through his second birth in the baptism of the son of Aaron. Whoever already believes that He had a second birth on earth, let him not doubt that through this second birth in the baptism of John, He received the priesthood of John. Although many were baptized that day, (however) the Spirit descended on One and (on Him) rested, so that He, who by appearance was not distinguished from others, would be separated from all by this sign. And since the Spirit descended in His baptism, therefore the Spirit was given through His baptism. “Immediately the Holy Spirit led Him up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (cf. Matt. 4:1). Why did (the devil) not tempt Him until he was thirty years old? Since there was no clear sign of His Divinity from heaven, and since He revealed himself in a humble form, like every other person, and did not yet have majestic testimonies among the people, Satan put off tempting Him until all this was revealed. And when he heard: “Behold, the Lamb of God is coming, and He will take away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), - he was greatly amazed, of course, but waited for His baptism to see whether He would be baptized, as one in need of baptism. When, because of the light that appeared over the water 70 and the voice that fell from heaven, I learned that He descended into the water as one who fulfilled needs, and not as someone in need who came to baptism, then, reasoning within himself, he said: if I do not test Him in struggle and through temptation, then I will not be able to know who He is. In addition, this happened (also) because the Benefactor should not have resisted the desire of the one who came to tempt Him. Otherwise, he would not have dared to touch Him and lead (Him), since he did not know how to tempt Him. Satan did not begin temptation before the Lord Himself prepared Himself for the fight and clothed Himself with the power of the Spirit for battle. “The Holy Spirit led Him up into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (cf. Matt. 4:1), which He, as usual, did not want to resist so that those who heard about it would not lose heart, thinking that He did not want to enter into a fight with His tempter because He was unable to overcome (him); especially so that none of the unbelievers would have an excuse to say that the Spirit is later and lower than the Son. If He had been elevated only to struggle and battle, and not to honor and peace, then, perhaps, correct doubt would have seized those disputants who tried to investigate this. But if the Spirit is lower than the Son, then why is the Spirit given the power to lead Him into the wilderness? He revealed Himself to have such power when He led Him up into the wilderness. And that the Spirit led Him into the wilderness (precisely) for temptation from the devil, this is the same as what is said in another place: “no one can ... enter the house of a strong man and steal his treasure, unless he first binds the strong man, and then he will steal his treasure” (cf. Matt. 12:29). So, (first) he bound the strong man and defeated him inside his house, then he began the sermon. Moreover, he opened for us the path of fasting, so that with its help we would defeat the temptations of Satan. “And after he had fasted forty days, he became hungry” (cf. Matt. 4:2) - this happened to defeat the enemy, in order to clearly present him before everyone as accused and condemned; at the same time, (the Lord) taught us with His words that in such circumstances we should hunger for the word of the Lord alone. Why is it nowhere shown that they were hungry about Moses and Elijah, but it is written about the Lord that He was hungry? I think that (this was done), firstly, for the reason that the Scripture itself would crush those who say that He did not take flesh; then, in order to give Satan a reason to begin the temptation and say: “Say... to these stones, that they may become bread” (cf. Matt. 4:3). The Lord did not do this so as not to fulfill the desires of the sinner. What the devil asked regarding the (herd of) pigs, the (Lord) allowed him (Matthew 8:32, Mark 5:13, Luke 8:32) not in order to fulfill his desire in anything, but to give a sign, since none of the (residents) of the city of Gergesin wanted to come out to meet Him until He performed a miracle there. The devil, not embarrassed by the first temptation, “led and placed Him on the wing of the church” (cf. Matt. 4:5). And so, even until now this place is sublime, although the church is destroyed, as (the Lord) Himself said: “there will not be left in it one stone upon another” (cf. Matt. 24:2). But the place where he stood was preserved as a (certain) sign. He says to Him: “Throw yourself down to the ground, for it is written that they will preserve You, lest Your feet stumble on a stone” (cf. Matt. 4:6, Ps. 91:11–12). O tempter! (After all) if the psalm is fulfilled in Christ, then isn’t it written there: “He will receive You on his back”? (cf. Ps.90:4). It cannot be that those who can fly fall, since the air under their wings is as solid as the earth 71 . Isn’t it already written: “You will tread on the asp and the basilisk” (Ps. 90:13)? But what he needed, he (the devil) took from Scripture, and what contradicted him, he omitted. Likewise, heretics take from Scripture what they need for their seductive teaching, and omit what contradicts their error, in order to thus clearly show themselves as disciples of this teacher 72 . “Again the devil took Him and brought Him to some very high mountain and said to Him: All kingdoms are mine” (cf. Matthew 4:8, Luke 4:6). Based on these words, the mad people think that the devil has some kind of possession 73. Here also what I said (about heretics) above remains in force: what contradicts them is omitted, and what is favorable to them is accepted. Therefore, if, on the basis of the words: “my essence,” they attribute to him some kind of dominion, then (still) they are so far from teaching us the truth that they themselves are more exposed by the same thing through which they think to win. For let them weigh the words that (the devil) adds: “it has been given to me” (cf. Luke 4:6), which teach that the Creator of the powers of kingdoms is (someone) different, by whom they were given to him. Then he further says: “Over all these things I have power” (cf. Luke 4:6), but not as if by nature he had power, but because the people themselves wanted it, for Scripture says: “to whom you present yourselves in bondage and obedience, you are his servants,” etc. (cf. Rom. 6:16). “Fall on your face and bow down before me” (cf. Luke 4:7), - which words clearly show the pride and audacity of the one who from the beginning wanted to be God. The flesh of our Lord instructs all those clothed with flesh that the one who goes naked into battle will be defeated, for the flesh of Christ first clothed itself with the weapon of self-control, and then (already) began to fight. So, a strong weapon is needed against the one who sends flaming and subtle arrows (Eph. 6:16). “Tell... these stones that they may become bread” (cf. Matt. 4:3). He sent an arrow that stimulated satiation, so that during the hunger that the Lord experienced after fasting, it would confuse Him and thus tempt the Lord. But the Lord did not want hunger to prevail over Him, since His hunger was clothed with fasting, as if it were a shell. Such hunger threw the arrow of satiety at the tempter, so that the one who inclines towards external satiety could be taught that there is also internal satiety, which (outside) is not revealed. “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4, Luke 4:4, Deut. 8:3). So, he fell into temptation who appeared in order to tempt, and was exposed by the same thing with which he wanted to teach. “If you are the Son of God, then speak... to these stones, so that they immediately become bread” (cf. Matt. 4:3). With these words, the mouth of Satan testified that He who came from God can make stones into bread. So, Satan, through his own words, was convicted by the Lord. For if God can turn stones and make bread, then let the tempter know that God can satisfy even without bread. If He can turn stones into bread, then He can also turn hunger into satiety. For for Him who turns inedible matter into food, it is not difficult to turn the nature of hunger into satiety - not so as to fill oneself with some thing, 75 but so as to turn hunger itself into satiety, just as the tempter demanded that He turn the very stone into bread. So, on the mountain, the Lord trampled on the lusts of the tempter and threw them into the abyss, so that those nations who had ever been trampled by them would trample them. Instead of them, He provided the fullness of grace to everyone, so that that which was once trampled upon by everyone would rule over everyone (Rom. 5:17). Just as Pharaoh was drowned in the waters in which he killed the (Jewish) infants, so David cut off the head of Goliath with the sword with which he killed many; Moses trusted the sea with the sacrament of the cross and divided it, and David, with the sacrament of the stone (Acts 4:11), defeated and killed Goliath; when the Lord was tempted by Satan, the word of His mouth condemned Satan. Pharaoh was drowned in the waters in which he drowned (babies), Goliath was killed with the sword with which he killed (himself), and Satan was defeated by His flesh, which he destroyed, and was exposed that he was not God. In the likeness of the three immersions through which the Savior was baptized, He was (three times) tempted. Says (Satan): “Tell... these stones, that they may become bread” (cf. Matt. 4:3), - for bread is a means of nutrition for those born of a woman. Again: “kingdoms... and their glory... I... will give... to You” (cf. Luke 4:6), - for such is the promise of the law. And again: “throw yourself down to the ground” (cf. Matt. 4:6), which means go down (to the ground) through death. But Christ was not embarrassed by any of this: when the devil showed Him luxury, He did not rejoice; when he inspired fear, he did not lose heart, but walking along His path, he fulfilled the will of His Father. So, all this, which one after another was offered by Satan to the Life-Creator, did not cause Him any sorrow. For our sorrows through Christ bring us consolation, and we all find peace in His sufferings. What could Christ be afraid of, knowing that He could not suffer harm? Fear often arises in us, because we know for sure that we can be harmed. Moreover, those who say that our Lord brought uncleanness upon Himself by reason of His birth do not understand that they are in error and cannot be taught, because they are inflated with pride, nor are they afraid, because they remain unrepentant. For the earth to which (the Lord) came does not differ in essence from the womb, since all uncleanness is found on it. And the Lord even entered the tomb, which of all things is the most terrible and unclean. Further, what should be noted first of all: therefore He did not bring uncleanness upon Himself, because, as it is said, bodies are the church of God, and it is clear that for God there is nothing unclean in dwelling in His churches. But since He had to put death to death and erase its traces, He began the work from the very root, because where there is flesh, there is death; The root of the flesh is the womb, for there the flesh begins to form and there (the same) death begins to destroy it. After all, for many women, the fetus dies in the same month in which it is conceived, or in the second, third, fourth, or whatever. So, since death begins with the womb and ends with the coffin, what else should the Pursuer of Death do but (only) begin the fight against it from the womb and continue it to the end in the coffin, which serves as the gates of death? So, consider how the Living One wanted to overcome and crush death in all ages of man. He became a fetus, and death could not destroy Him in the womb. He became a baby, and death could not crush the one who fed on milk. He became a youth, and in the teaching to which He subjected Himself, death was not able to lead Him into disorder. He became a youth, and in the aspirations of His youth, death could not present Him with temptation. He became a disciple, and through deceit, death could not defeat Him. He became a teacher, and death could not convict Him of the truth that He taught. He was a mentor, and in the commandments that He gave, she could not lie in wait for Him. He was at a mature age, and through murder (death) could not frighten Him. He died, and the terrible coffin could not hold Him. He was not captured by the disease, since the Doctor Himself was not mistaken, since he was a Shepherd, did not break the commandments, since he was a Teacher, and did not stumble, since there was Light. This is the path that Christ, from beginning to end, from conception to resurrection, opened and showed to His Church. So, if the Church is His Body, as Paul said (Eph. 1:23, 4:16, Col. 1:18–24, 2, etc.), His witness, then believe that she also passed through all this without any damage. Just as by the condemnation of one Adam all bodies died and will have to die, so by the victory of this one Body of Christ the whole Church has lived and will live (Rom. 5:15). But just as bodies, because they have sinned 76, die, and their mother earth is cursed, so for the sake of this Body, which is the Church itself, inaccessible to destruction, its earth is blessed from the beginning, for the earth of the Church is the body of Mary, in whom it was planted. Note that in fact the Angel, who appeared to put her in Mary’s ears like a seed, began to sow the seed in a clear voice: “Rejoice,” he says, “blessed am I...among women” (cf. Luke 1:28). And then Elizabeth, confirming the word (of the Angel), said: “Blessed am I ... among women” (cf. Luke 1:42), so that it could be seen that for the sake of the first mother, who was cursed, the second Mother was called blessed in clear words. (Scripture) said: “(the devil) retreated from Him for a certain time” (cf. Luke 4:13), that is, he had not yet prepared to prevent the victory of the Lord through the slander and hatred of the scribes. But both at the beginning and at the end he was defeated, since the Lord gloriously triumphed over him by His death. “Get behind me, Satan” (Luke 4:8), - (said the Lord) and rebuked him, since he lied immensely, saying: “The kingdoms are mine” (cf. Luke 4:6), - not being afraid of what Scripture says: “God rules over all the kingdoms of men and, and... to whomever he wants, he gives (them)” (cf. Dan. 4:14). So, this saying reflected the insolence and pride of Satan, and he could no longer resist His word. The Lord did this to show what power the petition of His truth has, and to instruct His faithful that they will undoubtedly receive all benefits according to His gift. “Angels came... and ministered to Him” (cf. Matt. 4:11), in order to show us by example that after baptism we must be tempted and after temptation enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Since John’s disciples heard their teacher’s conversation with the Lord, they left him and followed the Lord (John 1:35–41). since the “voice” could not keep its disciples, it therefore sent them to the “Word”. It was with the appearance of sunlight that it was fitting that the light of the lamp should be hidden. For for this reason John remained alive, in order to complete his baptism with the baptism of Christ; then he died and in the tomb itself was His undaunted messenger, as once in the womb of the mother, which is the image of the tomb. Saying: “they found Christ” (cf. John 1:41), shows 77 that the news of (the birth of) Christ has been continuously preserved since the time of the Magi and was strengthened by John, who baptized Him, and by the testimony of the Spirit. (When) after that the Lord withdrew and disappeared again during His forty-day fast, the contrite souls strongly desired to hear about Him, for they were His (chosen) vessels (Acts 9:15), just as (Himself) said: “I... chose... (you) before the existence of the earth” (cf. John 15:16, 1 Pet.1:20, Eph.1:4, Rev. 17:14). He chose the Galileans, a people without understanding (for the prophets called them a people without understanding and dwelling in darkness), who saw the light, to put to shame those who were skilled in the law. “He chose,” he says, “the foolish of the world, that they might confound the wise” (cf. 1 Cor. 1:27). “Could it be... that... something good could come out of Nazareth?” (cf. John 1:46). 78 answered this way because it was written that Christ would be born from the house of David and from Bethlehem, the same 79 said that He (Christ) appeared from Galilee and was born in Nazareth. “Could it be... that... something good could come out of Nazareth?” (cf. John 1:46) - because the prophet said that a leader and prince would rise in Bethlehem. Nathanael heard that He was from Nazareth, so he asked: “Can a good prince come from Nazareth if Scripture does not say this about Him?” Since the Lord saw that he expressed a good testimony about Him, for he was not like those scribes who, reading the Scripture for insidious and perverse purposes, interpreted it according to their own will, therefore he objected: “here is a true scribe of Israel, in whom is no guile” (cf. John 1:47). For before he knew the Lord, he asked: Can a prince come from Nazareth, like from Bethlehem? - And after he saw Him with his own eyes, he did not reject Him, like the other scribes, and did not ask anything more, as others (did), but confessed: “This is the Christ” (cf. John 1:49), and acknowledged that in Him was fulfilled what was written about Bethlehem and Nazareth, namely: “from... Bethlehem will come a Leader” (cf. Mic. 5:2, Matt. 2:6), and above the light shone upon the Galileans. “The people,” he says, “who walked in darkness, saw a great light” (cf. Is.9:2, Matt.4:16). Those. freed those receiving baptism from the penalties of the law. In the ancient Church there was a legend that during the baptism of the Lord, a miraculous light appeared from John on the Jordan; This legend is mentioned by Saint Justin Martyr (Dial. p. Tryph.c. 88) and some monuments of ancient Christian writing It is written about the Angel: “He will overshadow you with his feathers (or wings)” (Ps. 90:4); therefore, with an Angel supporting you, you will be as safe as a bird and will never fall (according to the Russian Synodal and Church Slavonic translations, this verse means the Lord: ... with His feathers ...). The quotation is based on the Armenian text of the Psalter; in Syriac - as in Hebrew. The context shows that St. Ephraim read it as in Syriac, and not as in Armenian. Probably, of course, the teaching of heretics about two principles, good and evil, between which dominion over people is divided. Those. not in any material way. In the original: “the bodies themselves sinned,” that is, people in bodies sinned. Scripture or the Apostle Andrew, who said these words (John 1:41). You might be interested in: