De Jordane
The Jordan Welcomes the Baptized
The Jordan joyfully receives Christians consecrated to Christ through baptism.
How joyfully the Jordan receives Christians who glory in being consecrated to Christ by baptism!
Naaman's Lie and the Jordan's Witness
Naaman wrongly preferred Damascus waters over Israel's, yet the Jordan has proven its power many times.
That leprous Syrian was clearly lying when he preferred I-don't-know-what waters of Damascus to the waters of Israel (2 Kings✦
Elijah, Elisha, and Joshua at the Jordan
The Jordan appeared to Elijah and Elisha, and earlier gave Joshua and the people a dry crossing.
5:12), since the Jordan—our devoted service to God—has proved itself so many times, whether when it appeared to Elijah or when it appeared to Elisha (2 Kings✦ 2:8), or even—to recall something more ancient—when it offered Joshua and all the people together a dry crossing through itself, miraculously holding back its flood (Joshua✦ 3:17).
The Trinity Sanctifies the Jordan
The Trinity dedicated the Jordan by its own presence: the Father spoke, the Spirit appeared, the Son was baptized.
Finally, what is more eminent in that river than this: that the Trinity itself dedicated it by its own evident presence?✦ The Father was heard, the Holy Spirit was seen, the Son was baptized.✦
From Naaman's Body to the Soul of the Faithful
Naaman experienced the Jordan's power in his body, and at Christ's command the whole community of believers experiences the same power in the soul.
Rightly, then, Naaman felt its power in his body when the prophet advised him (2 Kings✦1 At Christ's command, the whole community of the faithful experiences this same power in the soul.✦
Read the original Latin
Quam laeto sinu Jordanis excipit Christianos, qui se Christi gloriatur consecratum baptismate! Mentitus est plane Syrus ille leprosus, qui nescio quas Damasci aquas aquis praetulit Israelis (IV Reg. V, 12), cum Jordanis nostri devotus Deo famulatus toties probatus exstiterit, sive quando Eliae, sive quando Elisaeo (IV Reg. II), sive etiam (ut antiquius aliquid recolam) quando Josue et omni populo simul, impetum mirabiliter inhibens, siccum in se transitum praebuit (Josue. III). Denique quid in fluminibus isto eminentius, quod ipsa sui Trinitas quadam evidenti praesentia dedicavit? Pater auditus, visus Spiritus sanctus, Filius est et baptizatus. Merito proinde 552 ipsam ejus virtutem, quam Naaman ille consulente propheta sensit in corpore (IV Reg.
V, 14), jubente Christo universus quoque fidelis populus in anima experitur.
Scripture echoes
- ↩2Kgs.5.10-2Kgs.5.12 — And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." 2Kgs.5.11 — But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, 'Look, I thought he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.' 2Kgs.5.12 — Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.
- ↩2Kgs.2.6-2Kgs.2.14 — Then Elijah said to him, 'Please stay here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan.' And he said, 'As the LORD lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.' So the two of them went on. 2Kgs.2.7 — Fifty men from among the sons of the prophets went and stood at a distance, and the two of them stood by the Jordan. 2Kgs.2.8 — Then Elijah took his cloak, rolled it up, and struck the water; and it was divided here and there, so that the two of them crossed over on dry ground. 2Kgs.2.9 — And it came to pass, when they had crossed over, that Elijah said to Elisha, Ask what I shall do for you, before I am taken from you. And Elisha said, Let a double portion of your spirit be upon me. 2Kgs.2.10 — And he said, 'You have asked a hard thing. If you see me taken from you, it will be so for you; but if not, it will not be.' 2Kgs.2.11 — And it came to pass, as they were walking along and talking, that behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. 2Kgs.2.12 — And Elisha saw it, and he was crying out, 'My father, my father! The chariotry of Israel and its horsemen!' And he saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garments and tore them in two pieces. 2Kgs.2.13 — He picked up the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 2Kgs.2.14 — He took the cloak of Elijah that had fallen from him, and struck the water and said, 'Where is the LORD, the God of Elijah?' When he also had struck the water, it parted this way and that, and Elisha crossed over.
- ↩Josh.3.14-Josh.3.17 — And it came to pass, when the people set out from their tents to cross the Jordan, that the priests bearing the ark of the covenant went before the people. Josh.3.15 — And when the bearers of the ark came to the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark dipped into the edge of the water — the Jordan was full over all its banks, all the days of harvest — Josh.3.16 — the waters flowing down from above rose up in a single heap, standing far off at the city of Adam, which is beside Zarethan, while the waters flowing down toward the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people crossed over opposite Jericho. Josh.3.17 — And the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel was crossing on dry ground, until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
- ↩Matt.3.16-Matt.3.17 — And when Jesus had been baptized, he immediately went up from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. Matt.3.17 — And behold, a voice from the heavens said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
- ↩Matt.3.16-Matt.3.17 — And when Jesus had been baptized, he immediately went up from the water. And behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. Matt.3.17 — And behold, a voice from the heavens said, 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
- ↩2Kgs.5.10-2Kgs.5.14 — And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, "Go and wash seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean." 2Kgs.5.11 — But Naaman was angry, and went away, and said, 'Look, I thought he would surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place, and heal the leper.' 2Kgs.5.12 — Are not the Abana and the Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage. 2Kgs.5.13 — Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, 'My father, if the prophet had told you to do something great, would you not do it? How much more, then, when he says to you, "Wash and be clean"?' 2Kgs.5.14 — Then he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
- ↩2Kgs.5.14 — Then he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.
Notes
- 1 ↩The numeral 552 appears to be a page or section reference from the source edition, not part of the Latin text.
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