Baptism And Humility

Vidit eum Joannes, ait evangelista, venientem ad se, et ait: Ecce Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. Vere agnus, vere humilis, vere mansuetus. Ecce, inquit, Agnus Dei, ecce qui tollit peccata mundi. En ipse qui purgationem faciat delictorum, ecce sentinam nostram purgaturus advenit: et tamen post hoc testimonium baptizari vult a Joanne. Tremit ille. Quid mirum? quid, inquam, mirum, si tremit homo, nec audet attingere sanctum Dei verticem, caput adorandum angelis, reverendum Potestatibus, tremendum Principatibus? Baptizari vis, Domine Jesu? Utquid enim, aut quid tibi opus fuit baptismate? Nunquid sano opus est medicina, aut mundatione mundo? Unde tibi peccatum, ut baptisma sit necessarium? Nunquid a patre? At patrem quidem habes, sed Deum; et aequalis es illi, Deus de Deo, lumen de lumine. Nam in Deum peccatum cadere non posse quis nesciat? An vero de Matre? Nam et Matrem habes, sed virgo est. Quod ergo peccatum ex ea trahere potuisti, quae te sine iniquitate concepit, et salva integritate peperit? Quam maculam habere potest Agnus sine macula? Ego, inquit Joannes, a te debeo baptizari, et tu venis ad me? Magna utrimque humilitas, sed nulla comparatio. Quomodo enim non humiliaretur homo coram humili Deo? Sine modo, inquit Dominus: decet enim sic nos implere omnem justitiam. Acquievit Joannes, et obedivit: baptizavit Agnum Dei, et aquas lavit. Nos abluti sumus, non ille: quia nobis lavandis aquae cognoscuntur ablutae. Sanctus Bernardus Clarae Vallensis, In Epiphania Domini, Sermo I, De verbis Apostoli, Apparuit benignitas et humanitas Salvatoris nostri Dei, et de tribus Christi apparitionibus, Sermones de Tempore Source: Migne PL 183.145d-146b

John saw Him, says the Evangelist, coming to him, and He said, Behold the lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sin of the world. 1 Truly a lamb, truly humble, truly meek. Behold, he says, the lamb of God, behold Him who takes away the sins of the world. Behold, He who shall purge faults, behold He comes for the purging of our filthy waters. And yet after this testimony He wishes to be baptised by John. John is fearful. Why wonder? Why, I say, wonder, if a man is fearful, who does not dare touch the holy height of God, that head adored by angels, revered by powers, feared by princes. You wish to be baptised, Lord Jesus? But why, or what need was there for you to be baptised? Does a healthy man need medicine, or a clean man cleansing? How is there sin in you, that baptism is needed? Is it from your father? You have a father, but He is God, and you are equal to Him, God from God, light from light. Who does not know that there can be no sin in God? But is it from your mother? For you have a mother, but she is a virgin. How then were you able to draw sin from her who was conceived without iniquity and gave birth to perfect salvation? What spot has the lamb that is without spot? John says: 'I should be baptised by you, and you come to me?' Both have great humility, but there is no comparison. For what is the humility of man before the humility of God? 'Let it be so,' says the Lord, 'it befits us to fulfill all righteousness. 2 John accedes and obeys. He baptises the lamb of God and he washes Him with water. We have been cleansed, not Him, because to us is made known the washing of cleansing waters. Saint Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Epiphany of the Lord, from Sermon 1, On the words of the Apostle: 'The benevolence and kindness of God our Saviour appeared,' 3 and of the three showings of Christ 1 Jn 1.29 2 Mt 3.14-15 3 Titus 3.4