Baptism on Fire

by peacefulpete 4 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  peacefulpete

  Going through Justin Martyr's Dialogue with Trypho yesterday, I found a variation on the baptism scene :

  88. And let this be a proof to you, namely, what I told you was done by the Magi from Arabia, who as soon as the Child was born came to worship Him, for even at His birth He was in possession of His power; and as He grew up like all other men, by using the fitting means, He assigned its own [requirements] to each development, and was sustained by all kinds of nourishment, and w
  aited for thirty years, more or less, until John appeared before Him as the herald of His approach, and preceded Him in the way of baptism, as I have already shown. And then, when Jesus had gone to the river Jordan, where John was baptizing, and when He had stepped into the water, a fire was kindled in the Jordan; and when He came out of the water, the Holy Ghost lighted on Him like a dove, [as] the apostles of this very Christ of ours wrote.

  Justin's baptism scene is certainly more exciting than the usual Canonical version. A little digging online revealed similar traditions were evidenced from the 2nd century and continued for centuries.

  A 6th century hymn on the Epiphany by Romanos Melodos, XVI.14.7-10

  "and fire in the Jordan shining"

  Ephrem's commentary on the Diatessaron and Ishodad of Merv both declared that in an early version of the Diatessaron the words appeared:

  "... light shone forth, and over the Jordan was spread a vail of white clouds, and there appeared many hosts of spiritual beings who were praising God in the air; and quietly Jordan stood still from its flowing, its waters being at rest; and a sweet odor was wafted from thence.

  
  

  Kerygma Pauli (Preachings of Paul) "...when he was baptized, fire appeared upon the water."

  
  

  The 3 century "De rebaptismate" describes a group of Christians who included fire in their baptism ceremony following the above Kerygma Pauli.

  The Gospel of the Ebionites: "and immediately a great light shone around the place"

  Gregory of Antioch (6th CE) notes the fire on the Jordan in his Homilia in S. Theophania.

  And two Old Latin mss (ita vgms) of Matthew 13:

  And when Jesus was being baptized a great light flashed (a tremendous light flashed around) from the water, so that all who had gathered there were afraid

  
  

  There are apparently many more examples.

  Obviously, the symbolism of light and fire are in play.
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  Touchofgrey

  Thanks again peacefulpete

  Does this have any connection to the classical elements of earth air fire and water.

  Greek philosophy and Astrology also used these four elements, and like many other things have these been adopted and grafted into religious beliefs.
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  peacefulpete

  TofG.....Light and fire as universal topoi for knowledge, purity, goodness and by association deity, are as old as man.

  I find the literary nature of these stories fascinating. there was an active free creative process in those early years. I.e. until institutional conformity froze certain versions of the legends into canon.

  The recurring reuse of motif and metaphor is another aspect of this. Fire/water, Light/dark, Crop sowing/harvesting, tree fertility/barrenness, water flowing/parting. spirit/bird wings etc. Leolaia did a neat thread years ago demonstrating how parables were reused as narrative and narrative as parable, they were two sides of the same coin.

  Jesus and the Fig Tree.

  In this case a corollary use of the imagery is seen in Matt 3:11 where this revisor of Mark takes the line, "I have been baptizing with water, he will baptize you with holy spirit" and adds "and fire". This then serves as segue for another parable featuring fire as a method of cleansing the threshing floor. Luke follows that pattern. It's impossible to say if there is a direct link between Matt's baptism with 'fire' and the baptism scene accompanied by fire but they come from the same milieu of popular topoi.
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  Touchofgrey

  Thanks for the link ,very interesting and leolaia research much appreciated and well explained.

  Young Jesus being a little snot.
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  peacefulpete

  I ran across another interesting tradition in a fragmentary liturgical text of the 5th century in which the ground shakes as Jesus rises from the water.

  (P.Berol. 11633, lines 29-45):

  (29) We were filled with great joy (30) upon seeing the Jordan (31) when the one born upon earth as a man (32–34) appeared in it and the forerunner himself listened to your voice saying, “Let us (35) complete the plans of the Father.” (36) “Like the Lord wanted,” (37) said John. You, Christ, came down (38) into the water, The mountains leaped (39) like rams and the hills like a lamb (40) of the sheep. As you arose (41) from the Jordan a voice has (42) come from the sky to you (43) “This one is my beloved (44) Son in whom I am well pleased. (45) Fear him.”