Fathers

Homilies on Joshua, Homilia IV · §3

Jesus exalted at the Jordan

How much came before! Red Sea crossed, manna given, springs opened, law given — and nowhere is Jesus said to be exalted. When the Jordan is crossed, God says: This day I begin to exalt you in the sight of the people. Jesus is not exalted before baptism’s mystery; all who are baptized into Christ Jesus are baptized into his death, and that death is completed in the cross’s lifting up. God exalted him and gave him the name above every name. Part of Jordan’s water runs to the salt sea, part stays sweet — a figure of the baptized: those who return to the world’s salt perish in bitter waves; those who keep God’s gift hold their sweetness. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. When do we come to Jordan’s crossing? When priests bear the ark and the people hasten — then Jesus is exalted in the people’s sight. To him be glory. Amen.

Latin

Quanta ante gesta! Mare transitum, manna, fontes, lex — et nusquam exaltatus Iesus. Ubi Iordanis transitur: In hac die incipio exaltare te. Neque enim ante mysterium baptismi exaltatur Iesus; baptizati in morte ipsius baptizantur, mors in crucis exaltatione completur. Exaltavit illum Deus et donavit nomen super omne nomen. Pars aquarum in mare salsum, pars dulcis permanet — baptizatorum varietas: qui ad saeculi salsum redeunt pereunt; qui munus Dei tenent dulcedinem servant. Unus Dominus, una fides, unum baptisma. Quando ad transitum Iordanis? Cum sacerdotes arcam portant et populus festinat — tunc Iesus exaltatur in conspectu populi. Cui gloria. Amen.

About this text

Origen’s Homilia IV on Joshua (Rufinus’s Latin). Complete on this page: §§1–3.

English follows Baehrens, Origenes Werke VII (GCS 30, 1921), Rufinus’s Latin of Homilia IV. Bruce FOTC 105 was not used as wording. This page is Homilia IV §§1–3 (closeout).

Witnesses

  • Copy-text Baehrens, Origenes Werke VII = GCS 30 (1921) (Latin · Homilia IV §§1–3)

English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Latin on each section (or the Latin source witness link) for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.