LECTION 8 - The Baptism of Iesu Maria The Christ

The Baptism of Iesu Maria The Christ


1. AND it was in the midst of the summer (the tenth month). Then cometh Iesus from Galilee to Jordan unto Iohn, to be baptized of him. But Iohn forbade him, saying, 

I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 

And Iesus answering said unto him, 

Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. 

Then he suffered him.

2. And Iesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water; and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and a bright cloud stood over him, and from behind the cloud Twelve Rays of light, and thence in the form of a Dove, the Spirit (of God) descending and lighting upon him. And, lo, a voice from heaven saying, 

This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; this day have I begotten thee.

3. And Iohn bare witness of him ,saying, 

This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was in part given by Moses, but grace and truth cometh in fulness by Iesus Christ[1].

4. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten (which cometh from the bosom of the Eternal) in the same is God revealed. 

And this is the record of Iohn, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, 

Who art I thou ? 

And he deified not, but confessed 

I am not the Christ.

5. And they asked him, 

What then? Art thou Elias? 

And he saith, 

I am not, 

Art thou that prophet of whom Moses spake? 

And he answered, 

No. 

Then said they unto him, 

Who art thou ? That we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? 

And he said, 

I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way (of the Holy One) as said the Prophet Esaias.

6. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees, and they asked him and said unto  him, 

Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet of whom Moses spake?

7. Iohn answered them, saying, 

I baptize with water; but there standeth One among you, whom ye know not, He shall baptize with water and with fire. He it is who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

8. These things were done in Bethabara, beyond Jordan, where Iohn was baptizing. And Iesus began at this time to be thirty years of age, being after the flesh indeed the Son (of Ioseph and Mary); but after the Spirit (the Christ) the Son of God (the Father and Mother Eternal) as was declared by the Spirit (of holiness) with power.

9. AND Ioseph was the son (of Jacob and Elisheba) and Mary was the daughter (of Eli called Joachim and Anna) who were the children (of David and Bathsheba) of Judah and Shela (of Jacob and Leah) of Isaac and Rebecca (of Abraham and Sarah) of Seth and Maat[2] (of Adam and Eve) who were the children of God.


LECTION 9 

LECTION 8. 2. -This "bright light" at his baptism is mentioned in the "Gospel of the Hebrews," which is undoubtedly the original Gospel of S. Matthew, and the one used in the primitive Church of Ierusalem, and identical with this. 

   Iustin Martyn quotes this Gospel as the original Gospel of Matthew, and endeavours to explain away the supposed "heresy" in the words, "This day have I begotten thee," which shows that the present Gospel of Matthew could not have been extant in his time, else he would have quoted it with gladness as omitting these words. 

   v. 7.-The earthly ministry of Iesus, beginning at thirty years of age, complete and continuing till his death at the age of forty-nine, must therefore have lasted much longer than is generally supposed, even eighteen years. During the latter part of it, the Iews who knew him attested that he was then " not fifty years old."