Questions About Baptism

Et ego nesciebam eum, sed ut manifestetur in Israël, propterea veni ego in aqua baptizans. Et testimonium perhibuit Joannes, dicens: Quia vidi Spiritum descendentem quasi columbam de cælo, et mansit super eum. Sed dubitatio est hic: Cum minoris sit ire ad maiorem, non e converso; videtur, quod loannes debuit ire ad Christum. Item, cum in Christo nulla fuerit macula; et baptismus significet ablutionem a sorde: ergo falsum significavit in ipso: ergo si veritas Christi non recipit falsitatem, non debuit baptizari a loanne. Respondeo: Dicendum, quod aliquid debito vel congruo modo fit , aut quia necessitatis, aut quia supererogations. Quod minor vadat ad maiorem, hoc est debitum necessitatis; unde dixit loannes Domino: Ego a te debeo baptizari. Quod vero maior vadat ad minorem, hoc est perfectionis et supererogationis. Sic Dominus venit ad loannem; unde ipse dixit loanni: Sic decet nos implere omnem iustitiam, Matthaei tertio. Quod ergo venit, fuit condescensionis et in commendationem humiitatis. Quod quaeritur: quare voluit baptizari? Respondeo: Dicendum, quod sicut verbo significativo aliquid dicitur de capite ratione membrorum, sic actu exercito aliquid signifleatur in capite pro membris. Unde baptismus ille nullam significabat ablulionem interiorem in Christo, sed solum in membris. Ratio autem, quare Chiistus voiuit baptizari, fuil tripler: ut daret exemplum humilitatis; ut vim regenerativam conferret aquis; ut per baptismum loannis manifestaret se universis. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput I Source: Here, p250

'And I did not know Him, but that He may be made manifest in Israel, therefore I have come baptising with water.' And John gave testimony, saying: 'I saw the Spirit coming down, as a dove from heaven, and it remained upon Him.' 1 But there is a doubt here, in that the greater goes to the less and not the opposite, for it seems that John should go to Christ. Similarly, when there was no fault in Christ, and baptism signifies a cleansing from soiling, therefore it signifies falsely about Him, and as the truth of Christ receives no falsity, then he should not have been baptised by John. I answer that it must be said that something may be done as a matter of debt or because it is fitting, either because of necessity or as a matter of supererogation. That the less goes to the greater is a debt of necessity, whence John said to the Lord, 'I should be baptised by you.' However, because the greater goes to the less, this is a matter of perfection and supererogation. So the Lord comes to John and says to him, 'So it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness,' in the third chapter of Matthew. 2 Therefore that He came was a matter of condescension and a commendation of humility. Because it is asked, 'Why did He wish to be baptised?' I answer that it must be said that as the word signifies something about the rational head of the members, so the external act signifies something about the head for the members. Whence that baptism did not signify anything about the cleansing of the interior in Christ, but only about the members. Thus the reason why Christ was baptised was threefold, that He give an example of humility, that He confer on the waters the power of regeneration, and that by the baptism of John He manifest Himself to all. Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 1 1 Jn 1.31-32 2 Mt 3.14-15