Thomas Aquinas Commentary Matthew 3:13-17

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John would have hindered him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffereth him. And Jesus when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." — Matthew 3:13-17 (ASV)

The Evangelist introduced John baptizing; now he introduces Christ coming to John’s baptism. Regarding this, he does two things:

1. He sets forth those things that preceded baptism.
2. He sets forth the consequences of baptism, where it is said, And Jesus being baptized.

Regarding the first main point (what preceded baptism), the Evangelist relates four things:

1. Christ’s humility.
2. John’s admiration of His humility, as it is said, But John stayed him.
3. Christ’s response satisfying John’s admiration, as it is said, And Jesus answering.
4. John’s consent to this satisfaction, as it is said, Then he suffered him.

Concerning the first of these four things (Christ’s humility), four aspects are detailed: the time, the persons, the places, and the ministry. The Evangelist relates the time when he says, Then, namely, when John had his own light.

For just as the sun rises when the morning star still appears, so Christ comes when John is preaching and baptizing (Luke 1). Can you bring forth the day star in its time, and make the evening star rise upon the ends of the earth? (Job 38:32).

Or, Then was when Christ was in His thirtieth year (Luke 3), to indicate that a man should not take up the ministry of preaching and of governing before reaching a mature age.

Or, Then was when He could have committed many sins in that course of time, as other men had done. Hence, He did not want to be baptized immediately. Instead, He observed the Law for a long time, as though He were subject to the Law. Moreover, this was so that the Jews would not have a cause for scandal, for He did not come to destroy the law (Matthew 5:17). For it might seem to someone that Christ had abolished the Law because He could not fulfill the Law, and for that reason He was not quickly baptized.

The persons are related where it is said, Jesus comes to John—the Lord to the servant, and the Creator to the creature. Learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart (Matthew 11:29).

Then the places are related, first by the words, From Galilee. These words mystically accord with those who have been baptized, because Galilee signifies ‘a passing over’; for those who have been baptized should pass from vices to virtues: Wherefore laying away all malice and all guile and dissimulations and envies and all detractions (1 Peter 2:1). Likewise, he says, To the Jordan. Jordan is interpreted as ‘a descent’ and signifies humility, which should be present in the one being baptized so that he may receive grace: God gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

The ministry is related where he says, To be baptized. God willed to be baptized by John for four reasons:

1. So that John’s baptism would be upheld, because some men were disparaging it (Matthew 21).
2. So that He might consecrate all water by His touch; and thus baptism is said to be performed from the fountains of the Savior: You shall draw waters with joy out of the Savior’s fountains (Isaiah 12:3).
3. So that He might illustrate in Himself the condition of humanity, because as He was in the likeness of sinful flesh (Romans 8:3), so He willed to be cleansed as though He were a sinner.
4. So that He might impose upon others the obligation of being baptized, for He wished to observe beforehand what He imposed: Jesus began to do and to teach (Acts 1:1). This is contrary to those of whom it is said (Matthew 23:4): For they bind heavy and insupportable burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders; but with a finger of their own they will not move them.

Next, John’s admiration is related.

And note three things regarding John's reaction:

1. John refuses the honor offered to him.
2. He confesses his lowliness. This is where he says, But John stayed him; Seek not from the Lord preeminence, nor from the king the seat of honor .
3. He confesses his feebleness. This is where he says, I ought to be baptized by You. For he knew that Christ would baptize inwardly; and therefore he says, to be baptized, that is, to be cleansed from original sin, as the Gloss states.

But this seems contradictory, for John was sanctified in the womb. I answer, however, that before the coming of Christ, some individuals were cleansed in a certain way regarding the stain on their person through circumcision and similar rites. But regarding the guilt and stain of the whole human race, no one was cleansed before Christ’s Passion.

John continues, And do You come to me? Your knowledge has become wonderful to me; it is high, and I cannot reach it (Psalms 138:6). Next, Christ’s satisfying response is related. Note that John had done one thing, in that he was restraining Him, and he had said two things: I ought to be baptized by You, and do You come to me? Nevertheless, Christ does not respond to the first part, namely, I by You. Instead, He responds to the fact that John was restraining Him; hence, He says, Suffer it to be so now.

And He says "now" because, according to Chrysostom, John was later baptized by Christ, not only with the baptism of desire but also of water. Or, He means, Suffer it to be so now, that I may be baptized with the baptism of water, because I have to be baptized with another baptism, namely, with the baptism of the Passion: And I have a baptism with which I am to be baptized. And how am I constrained until it is accomplished? (Luke 12:50). John was also baptized by this baptism, insofar as he died for justice, which is the same as dying for Christ. Or, Suffer it to be so now, while I take the form of a servant, to allow Me to fulfill a role of humility; because when I appear glorious, then I will baptize you with the baptism of glory.

Afterwards, Christ responds to John’s admiration and says, For so it becomes us to fulfill all justice. This is explained in three ways.

1. For so it becomes us to fulfill all justice is explained by baptism: for Christ was to fulfill all justice, both of the Law and of nature. He willed to fulfill it in this way because without baptism it would not be fulfilled: Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).
2. Remigius expounds For so it becomes us to fulfill all justice as follows: ‘It is fitting for me to give an example of receiving this sacrament, in which the fullness of all justice is given, because the fullness of grace and of the other virtues is given’; The river of God is filled with water (Psalms 64:10), that is to say, of graces.
3. Or it is thus: For so it becomes us, etc., meaning, it becomes Me to possess perfect humility. The first degree is not to prefer oneself to an equal, and to subject oneself to one who is greater, which indeed is necessary. The second is when one subjects oneself to an equal. Perfect humility, however, is when a superior subjects himself to an inferior. Thus it is said, For so it becomes us, etc., that is, to fulfill perfect humility.

But although there was such an exchange between them, Christ prevailed; hence, Then he allowed Him, etc., that is, John permitted Christ to be baptized by him. The Gloss reads, “It is true humility that does not relinquish obedience, for to resist stubbornly is a sign of pride.” It is like the crime of idolatry, to refuse to obey (1 Samuel 15:23); for thus Jeremiah and Moses are praised because they eventually consented.

Next, four consequences of His baptism are related when he says, And Jesus being baptized, immediately came out of the water. And know that just as Christ gave an example of being baptized to others, so also in the consequences of His baptism He enabled us to understand what we should look for. Now, there are four consequences:

1. Christ’s rising from the water.
2. The opening of heaven.
3. The Holy Ghost’s appearance.
4. The Father’s testimony.

The first is where it is said, And Jesus being baptized, immediately came out of the water.

Regarding the literal sense, he says this because the river had deep channels. Nevertheless, this signifies that those who are baptized rise by good works. And he says, immediately, because those who are baptized immediately put on Christ: For as many of you as have been baptized in Christ have put on Christ (Galatians 3:27). Again, they acquire a heavenly inheritance—He has regenerated us to a living hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead to an incorruptible inheritance (1 Peter 1:3)—in other words, The heavens were opened. This is not to be understood physically, but as an imaginary vision. The heavens were opened to him. And this signifies that heaven had been closed to the human race by sin: And He placed before the paradise of pleasure Cherubims, and a flaming sword, turning every way, to keep the way of the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). It is said that God stationed Cherubim, but heaven was also opened by Christ.

But the question is raised: Why were the heavens opened to Him, since they were always open to Him?

I answer that, according to Chrysostom, the Evangelist speaks according to the common way of speaking because, by the merit of Christ’s baptism, the heavens were opened to us. It is just as a king says to a friend asking a favor, “I grant this to you.”

And one should know that there are three kinds of people who immediately go to heaven after death:

1. The baptized, as shown here.
2. Martyrs; hence, Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God (Acts 7:55).
3. Those who have completely performed penance; in Acts 10:19 it is said that When Peter was praying heaven was opened (Acts 10:11).

Next, the appearance of the Holy Ghost is related; hence: And he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him. This befits those who are baptized, who receive the Holy Ghost in themselves: That which is born of the Spirit is spirit (John 3:6), that is to say, he is spiritual. And he saw, not by an imaginary vision (otherwise only he would have seen the Spirit of God, that is, a dove). One should know that nothing physical can be attributed to God according to His substance. Instead, something can be attributed to God by an imaginary vision (I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and elevated, Isaiah 6:1), or by signification (And the rock was Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:4), or by assumption into the unity of a person (And the Word was made flesh, John 1:14). However, the Holy Ghost is said to be the dove in none of these ways. It is clear that it was not an imaginary vision because it was commonly seen by all. It was not by signification because the dove had not previously existed in that symbolic role. It was not by assumption into the unity of a person. Thus, there is a fourth way: when some outward appearance is newly formed for the representation of divine effects, just as in Exodus 3:2, when the Lord appeared in the burning bush, and likewise, He appeared at the time of the giving of the Law in lightning and thunder (Exodus 19). Hence, the dove existed to represent the influence of the Holy Ghost, and the passage is, And he saw the Spirit of God descending.

Now He appeared in the form of a dove for four reasons:

1. On account of its charity, for it is a loving animal. Chrysostom says: “A servant of the devil possesses other gifts in a falsely assumed appearance, which gifts the servant of God possesses in truth; only the charity of the Holy Ghost can the unclean spirit not imitate.” Open to me, my sister, my love, my dove, my undefiled (Song of Solomon 5:2).
2. On account of its innocence and simplicity: Be wise as serpents and simple as doves (Matthew 10:16).
3. Because it has a mournful song, and the person sanctified by the Holy Ghost should mourn for his sins: And her bondwomen were led away mourning as doves (Nahum 2:7).
4. On account of its fecundity. For this reason, it was also commanded in the Law that they offer a dove. This is suitable for the baptized because, as He says in John 3:6: That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

The emanation of divine gifts to any creature from God is always by a descent, because a creature cannot receive them except through God’s condescension to it: Every best gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17). And coming upon him.

Note this: A visible mission is always a sign of an invisible mission, and it signifies either newly received grace or an increase of grace. For example, when the Holy Ghost appeared in tongues of fire, it signified an increase of grace in the Apostles. Likewise, such a mission signifies grace either given at that time or previously given. And so in Christ, it did not signify a new effect, because from the moment of His conception He was full of grace and truth. Moreover, the grace that was previously conferred upon Him was possessed insofar as He is human, not insofar as He is God.

Next, when he says, And behold a voice from heaven saying, the Father’s testimony is related: This is My beloved Son. Note that Baptism not only makes people spiritual, but even sons of God: He gave them power to be made the sons of God (John 1:12). And know that this voice, in a way, expresses what the dove signified. He is beloved, not as other creatures (Wisdom 2), but as His natural Son: For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself does; and greater works than these will He show Him, that you may wonder (John 5:20). The Lord has said to me: You are My Son, this day have I begotten You (Psalms 2:7). But because holy people are also loved by Him, He adds, Son, by which He distinguishes His Son, according to one meaning, from the others. In whom I am well pleased. For in whatever the good of someone shines forth, in that is a thing pleasing to one; just as a worker is well pleased in the beauty of his own work, or as if a man were to see his own beautiful appearance in a mirror. The Divine goodness is in every single creature, but it is never completely perfect except in the Son and the Holy Ghost. Thus, the whole world does not please Him, except in the Son, who possesses as much goodness as the Father. And so the phrase is, In whom, that is, I am well pleased in Him: The Father loves the Son, and He has given all things into His hand (John 3:35).

But note that there seems to be a contradiction between this Evangelist and other Evangelists. Mark (Mark 1) and Luke (Luke 3) say, You are My beloved Son, whereas Matthew says, This is My beloved Son. Also, Luke uses the phrase In You [I am well pleased], while Matthew uses In whom I am well pleased. But the meaning is the same. What is said is, You are, and this was perceived as being said to Christ; but it was said for the sake of others, because Christ was sure of His Father’s love. Thus Matthew expresses the speaker's intention when he says, This is, etc. Hence, he presents the phrase as if it were said to others, as Augustine stated.

Likewise, the question arises why Matthew and Mark say, In whom I am [well pleased], but Luke says, In You [I am well pleased]. Augustine says that the Father is pleased with Himself in the Son and in people. Therefore, because of this it is said, In whom, and it signifies that He is well pleased in people. Hence, ‘He is pleased with others for My sake,’ that is, for My honor, because some seeing the Son have glorified the Father. Or, according to both meanings: In whom I am well pleased means, ‘My pleasure was to accomplish the salvation of humanity.’ And this is expressed by In You, that is to say, through You.

And note that in this baptism, not only the purpose and the fruit are represented, but also the form of baptism, which is, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, etc. (Matthew 28:19). For the Son was in the flesh, the Father in the voice, and the Holy Ghost in the form of a dove. And note that the fact that they were manifested separately does not imply a division of operations of the Persons of the Trinity, since just as there is a common essence, so there is a common operation. This is related, however, due to a certain appropriation, because the entire Trinity created the voice, the dove, and the flesh, but these manifestations are referred to different Persons.