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+ The Five Types of Baptism

According to Saint Gregory of Nazianzus

Who was Saint Gregory? Saint Gregory of Nazianzus is also known as “the Theologian.” He is one of the Three Cappadocian fathers along with Saint Basil the Great (c. 329 – 379 A.D.) and Saint Gregory of Nyssa (c. 335- 395 A.D). He is also one of the Three Great Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers together with Saint Basil and Saint John Chrysostom (c. 347 – 407 A.D.). In addition to receiving the honored title of theologian, Saint Gregory is one of the great orators among the Fathers of the Church. Saint Gregory was born near Nazianzus in Cappadocia of a wealthy aristocratic family. His father, Gregory the Elder was a landowner and civic leader, who converted to Christianity in middle age through the influence of his wife, Nonna. Gregory the Elder soon became the priest of the local community. They had three children: a daughter Gorgonia and two sons, Gregory and Caesarius. All five are recognized as saints in the Orthodox Church. Saint Gregory was highly educated. He had traveled to the Caesarea in Palestine, where the Scholar Origen’s library and teachings remained, and then to Alexandria, a multicultural center of philosophical, Jewish, and Christian learning. It was in these two places that Saint Gregory probably learned a rich heritage of theology, biblical interpretation, and the spiritual life. While Saint Gregory’s brother remained in Alexandria to study medicine, Saint Gregory moved on to Athens and remained ten years in his graduate work studying rhetoric, the art of education and advocacy, of finely crafted writing and public speaking. He also learned philosophy, classical literature, and literary criticism. It was in Athens that Saint Gregory met and roomed with Saint Basil, a fellow Cappadocian student and close friend. They both excelled n their studies, were devoted to the church, and vowed to dedicate their lives to God’s service. Saint Gregory’s education proved to be invaluable in his work as a pastor, preacher, theologian, and poet. Saint Gregory returned home in 358 or 359 A.D.

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When he returned home, Saint Gregory lived in semi-seclusion. He may have taught rhetoric briefly, and, from time-to-time, visited Saint Basil’s monastic community in Pontus. In 361 A.D., Saint Gregory was ordained priest much against his will. He immediately went to Pontus to retreat and study with Saint Basil. He then returned and assumed his pastoral duties at Pascha on 362 A.D. In the sermon delivered on this feast, he cements reconciliation with his father and the congregation. Saint Gregory was known as a loving and a beloved pastor, especially in smaller congregations. He achieved a balance between action and contemplation in his service. He alternated between active periods of ministry and the solitary life. From 362 – 372 A.D., Saint Gregory served as priest assisting his father in Nazianzus. When Saint Basil became archbishop of Caesarea in 372, he ordained Saint Gregory the bishop of Sasima. However, it appears that Saint Basil was in dispute over this small city with another metropolitan bishop, and Saint Gregory was upset that his ordination was politically motivated. Saint Gregory remained in Nazianzus, and after both his parents died in 374, he went to Seleucia (just south of Antioch) to live a monastic life near a large convent dedicated to Saint Thecla, the companion of Saint Paul and first woman martyr. From 379 – 381 A.D., Saint Gregory was asked by Emperor Theodosius to come to Constantinople, to preach against the Arians who remained there and to strengthen the community that followed the Nicene Creed. Many of Saint Gregory’s important Orations and Homilies come from this period. Saint Gregory attended part of the council of Constantinople, but returned to Nazianzus where he took up his responsibility as bishop until his retirement in 383 A.D. He continued to preach Orthodox Theology through his writings, especially in letters to influential people and wrote many poems with theological, moral, and even autobiographical themes. He reposed in 390 A.D.

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Saint Gregory of Nazianzus on “The Holy Lights” On the Feast of Epiphany in 381 A.D., Saint Gregory of Nazianzus (or the Theologian) delivered two beautiful homilies on baptism. At that time, the feast had also been known as the “Holy Lights,” a festival that lasted two days, as it still does today on the Coptic Calendar (January 19 and 20/11 and 12 Tobi). Not only do we commemorate the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, the True Light, but we remember that in baptism we find spiritual illumination: the Lord’s pure light casts out Satan’s darkness; the baptized believer dies and resurrects with Christ, born anew through water and the Spirit. In his first homily, Saint Gregory briefly mentions five types of baptism from the Old Testament through the New, which will serve as the basis for our contemplation. The Baptism of Moses

Saint Gregory first says, “Moses baptized but it was in water, and before that in the cloud and in the sea…” When Moses and the children of Israel escaped their slavery in Egypt, they passed through the Red Sea (Exodus 14, 15). The Church has always seen this as a symbol of baptism. Saint Paul wrote, “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea” (1 Corinthians 10:1-2). As Israel escaped the bondage of Pharaoh by crossing the sea, we also escape the slavery of Satan and death and corruption by entering the waters of baptism. Also, as Israel started its wilderness journey toward the Promised Land, baptism marks the start of a new life, a new spiritual journey toward heaven. The Exodus serves as a sober reminder that baptism does not grant an automatic pass to heaven. Of all those who left Egypt, only two (Joshua and Caleb) were worthy to see the Promised Land. Saint John Chrysostom (4th Century) reminds us that baptism profits nothing, unless we go on and demonstrate a life worthy of this gift (Homilies on First Corinthians XXIII, 3). On our own wilderness journey, grace follows baptism in receiving the other sacraments regularly; namely, eating the True Manna and drinking from the Rock (the Lord’s Body and Blood) in the Eucharist.

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The Baptism of Saint John the Baptist Saint Gregory continues, “John also baptized; but this was not only in water, but also ‘unto repentance.’ Still it was not wholly spiritual…” Saint John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord saying, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11).

The baptism of Saint John marked the transition from the Old Testament to the New. In the Old Testament, baptism was performed on Gentiles who accepted the Jewish faith. After a Gentile family stated its intention to become Jewish and to keep the Law, the males were circumcised, and the whole family baptized. Just as the Jews bathed themselves to wash away the stain of ceremonial uncleanness (e.g., Leviticus 14:8), in baptism, the Gentiles would wash away the stain of their pagan world.

Now, Saint John came preaching a baptism of repentance and applied this rite to the Jews as well. With the coming of Christ, everyone, both Jew and Gentile, was in need of God’s mercy and of salvation from death. The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ Saint Gregory says, “Jesus also baptized, but in the Spirit. This is the perfect Baptism.” While Saint John baptized with water unto repentance, the ‘perfect baptism’ was by water and the Spirit (John 3:5). On the Day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and disciples as tongues of fire (Acts 2:1-4). He has since guided the Church and is received by all her members after baptism through the Mystery of Chrismation. As our Lord came out of the baptismal waters with the Holy Spirit alighting upon Him in the form of a dove (Matthew 3:16), we too, after baptism, are anointed with the oil of Holy Chrism (Myroun) and sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In baptism, we are also anointed with the oil of joy and gladness (ghaliloun) as we participate in Christ’s death and resurrection (Romans 6:3-14). Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (4th Century) says, “And as Christ was in reality crucified, and buried, and raised, and you are in Baptism accounted worthy of being crucified, buried, and raised together with Him in a likeness, so is it with the unction also.

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As He was anointed with an ideal oil of gladness, that is, with the Holy Ghost, called oil of gladness . . . so you were anointed with the ointment, having been made partakers and fellows of Christ” (Lecture XXI; On the Mysteries III, On Chrism). The Baptism of Martyrdom

Saint Gregory says, “I know also a Fourth Baptism – that by Martyrdom and blood, which also Christ himself underwent; - and this one is far more august than all the others, inasmuch as it cannot be defiled by after-stains.” If baptism is sharing in the death of Christ, then martyrdom seems the ultimate form of baptism. Saint Gregory calls this far more “august,” more majestic and admirable. Unlike the person who struggles against sin after baptism, the martyr receives the heavenly crown and cannot commit any sins thereafter. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem explains, “If any man does not receive Baptism, he does not have salvation; except only Martyrs, who even without water receive the kingdom. For when the Savior, in redeeming the world by His Cross was pierced in the side, He shed forth blood and water; that men, living in times of peace, might be baptized in water, and, in times of persecution in their own blood. For martyrdom also the Savior is willing to call a baptism, saying, Can ye drink the cup which I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with (Catechetical Lectures III, 10)? The Baptism of Tears Finally, Saint Gregory says, “Yes, and I know of a Fifth also, which is that of tears, and is much more laborious, received by him who washes his bed every night and his couch with tears…” As much as we might wish for a clean slate and a new baptism every time we sin, the Church only administers this sacrament once for each of her members. However, we can regularly experience baptism through the work of tears and repentance. When our Lord Jesus Christ washed the feet of His disciples, He said to them, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean” (John 13:10). As we continue walking in this life, we do not need to re-wash the entire body, but only the members that become filthy as a consequence of this difficult trek; namely, washing the ‘feet,’ through the work of repentance.

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In baptism, we put on Christ (Galatians 3:27), but we tarnish our spiritual garment whenever we sin. The baptism of tears and repentance makes it beautiful again. We can only find inner comfort and spiritual rest in constantly fleeing to Christ in repentance and confession. To ask for His mercy and to have a part with Him once again (John 13:8) is to find perfect peace and joy.

On this Feast of Epiphany, let us not simply commemorate a past historical event. Let us re-experience our own baptism daily through repentance, remembering that we have shared in the Lord’s death and resurrection, and have received the Holy Spirit as our guide in this life, eagerly anticipating our heavenly and joyful reunion with Him, to Whom is due all glory forever. Amen.