By Father Garabed Kochakian
“And straightway, coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: and there came a voice from heaven, saying, ‘Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased’” (Mark 1: 10-11)
The Baptism of Jesus is recorded in all three Synoptic Gospels: Matthew 3:13–17, Mark 1:9–11 and Luke 3:21–22. Their narratives clearly describe the Spirit of God in the form of a dove [or some radiance] descending upon Jesus and the voice of the Father from heaven proclaiming Jesus as God's Son.
This feast annually marks the anniversary of the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ. He was born in a manger in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem City, later baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist.
The Armenian Church celebrates both birth and baptism on the same day, January 6th. Luke (3:23) notes that Jesus was baptized when He was almost thirty years old according to early church tradition. It is believed that this occurred approximately the same day as His birth. For this reason, this feast is called birth and baptism, or Nativity and Theophany / The Revelation of God.
From the earliest centuries to the present the Armenian Church remains faithful to this tradition celebrating the two together on the same day. The Feast also includes a liturgical rite to bless water. This service dates from the 5th century, recalling the baptism of Jesus Christ. In every Armenian Orthodox Church an Icon of the Heirophany [the manifestation of the sacred or Divine Godhead as written in the Gospels] is always placed nearby the Baptismal font.
The Icon helps define for the viewer, the dogma of The Holy Trinity- Father Son and Holy Spirit.
But why January 6th?
The early church observed this date of January 6th, until the mid-fourth century dictum of
Constantine the Great who moved it to December 25th. However, the Armenian Church has
remained faithful to the dual celebration called Asdvadzahaydnootiun in Armenian, or the
Revelation of God- in Greek Theophany.
Before the day of His baptism Jesus, the Christ, was not known to all the people. St. John
Chrysostom, in his theological homilies describes the identity of Jesus stating. . . not through His birth did He become known to all, but through His baptism.
There are two fundamental aspects of the Divine miracle of the Incarnation: God becoming man and living among humankind and the inauguration of His Messianic mission. Jesus [in Hebrew Yeshua] at his birth was announced and heralded by the angels, but it was His Baptism by John in the Jordan, was his Divinity declared by God the Father who proclaimed him as My beloved.
St. Basil the Great’s prayer from the Blessing of water service describes this manifestation of God:
Today the Triune Godhead has revealed Himself on earth and the entire world is full of his glory.
The Father testifies from heaven saying, “that is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased”.
And the Holy Spirit comes down upon Him in the likeness of a dove.
Baptism is a Jewish ritual grounded in the Old Testament theology offers purification for the soul by repentance; a ritual much before the time of Christ but with his own was somewhat different. It was a pathway to Heaven and to one’s salvation assured by the power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to Nicodemus, unless one is born of both the water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the Kingdom of God [Jn.3:5]. Thus, Jesus has transformed the Old Testament Baptism to the way to see and enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
The entire story visually unfolds in the Icon of the Incarnation beautifully painted through form and color. An image that is worth a thousand words and more. Let us take a closer look.
At the very top there is a shape of a semi-circle of concentric colors called in artistic language a mandurla or a radiance, symbolizing the opening of the heavens. As a fourth century saint Gregory the Theologian describes . . . the opening of the heavens which Adam had closed for himself and his descendants, just as he had closed the Garden of Eden by the flaming sword.
The circular mandorla appears acknowledging the presence of the Eternal Being and Power of God the Father who is portrayed by the shape of a hand. Though God is in truth pure Spirit [John 4:24], only the human hand indicates his presence. In many Icons of Jesus and specifically here in this iconography, the extended hand from a cloud emphasizes that the Creator was at hand. The Son the Father’s Co-Creator has come to save the world. The direction of the hand of God pointing downward approves the Baptism event. Above the figure of the Lord, standing at the center, God’s Holy Spirit appears in the form of a dove hovering and resting upon and above his head.
This is the very same Spirit of God mentioned in the Old Testament and the Creation story where God’s Spirit was hovering over the waters [Genesis 1:2] and that announced the end of the great Flood after 40 days to inaugurate and Peace in a world now purified by the waters of the great Flood.
The Saviour Christ who stands at the center in the waters of the Jordan river takes upon himself sins of the world. Christ is immersed in the waters and surrounded by the flowing waves of the living waters. The waters are living as shown by the swirling design. He is [ as scripture describes, "living water”; a metaphor for the spiritual sustenance and eternal life which Jesus offers [ John 4:14]. Standing erect against the background of darkness in the river itself, He is now the life giver. The color of deep blue and the waterscape evokes the mystery and memory of the place where He was born, in a darkened cave, in a manger.
Being fully immersed into the waters portends his future, when His body would be buried in a new and Virgin Cave or Tomb. Thus, the Christian theology of Birth, Death and Rebirth is fully represented in the Theophanic event. It is through Baptism in the living water that we die and are reborn with Christ, in hope of the Resurrection.
Nearby, the Baptizer John, the Forerunner stands touching the head of Christ. Though he
acknowledges Jesus to be Master and Lord, and asked to be baptized by him, nonetheless he followed the command of Christ and Baptized Him to fulfill the scripture- "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". Matthew 3:11-15
St. John the Baptist is depicted with his head upward, in awe, hearing and listening to the command of God the Father, telling him that this is my Beloved Son. His position, posture and action officiate in similarity to a priest’s during the Church’s rite of Christian Initiation. His left hand also, displays in an open position, prayer and humility, and the trembling fear that seized him at this sacred event.
The Angels- heaven’s witnesses also take a part in Jesus’ Baptism. The angelic powers point us toward of our own relationship with God. Angles exist to serve God and likewise we too are called to serve and honor the Lord God. We always ask him to guard and protect us here on earth under their watchful care. The angels appear ready to receive Jesus whom they celebrate and serve. The number of angels varies from one icon to another. Holding material cloth in their hands they represent those of us, who stand as attendants at Baptisms, ready to cover the nakedness of the newly baptized with a white towel when taken out of the water and then clothed in a robe of gladness. The fact remains that through them, heaven was witness as well.
The texts from the Divine Services mention them as St. Basil who writes:
“Today, the ranks of heavenly bodiless powers [the Angels] from above serve Christ our God on earth and in Heaven praise unceasingly in worship, the Father.”
“Aysor verin zorootiunk zoratz, anmarmnaganatz hergri sbasavoren Krisdosi Asdoodzoh meroh, yev hergins parabanootiun madootzanen Hor.”
The miniature Icon also presents the theology and doctrine of the Holy Trinity, the relationship of the Creator Father and Saviour Son and the Holy Spirit. The Armenian hymn Ov Zarmanali sung on The Feast of Theophany during the Blessing of the Water service describes Christ as Creator Son, speaking to the Jordan River and says, "River [ whom I have created] don’t be afraid of me, I am your Creator and have come to be baptized and washed sins away." (Ked mi zarhourhir, ko araritch yem yes, yegyal mgrdim, yev luvanum uzmeghs)
Finally, we see the near fully exposed body of Jesus. In Christian iconography this always raises questions. Is it shameful or not, as we so often may presume? In icons of Our Lord’s Baptism, His body is not fully clothed as it reflects the reality of the event.
Nakedness itself takes us to the first Adam /man who was naked in paradise and discovered and suffered the ills of sinful disobedience. Adam’s nakedness cost him eternal life with God because his sinfulness corrupted his humanity and flesh. But with Christ, the New Adam, notwithstanding his naked appearance, is the hope -of restoration - to be with God and be clothed in his glory. This becomes evident through Baptism, that opens the door to salvation.
There is a mysterious figure catching our gaze and located at the bottom of the Icon is that of a His inclusion is an allegory of the purified waters of the Jordan River. This is explained in Fourth Kings 2:19-22. . . And Elisha said, bring me a pitcher and put it there. And they brought it to him, And Elisha went to the spring of the waters [the Jordan] and cast in salt there, and said, ‘I have healed these waters, there shall be death no more or bareness.’ And the waters were healed to this day. This is the passage refers to this male figure represented who is pouring into the water the salted libation for purification.
The Icon of our Lord’s Baptism becomes like a hymn in the rhythm of our lives. With its images all functioning in harmony together they tell Jesus’ story and our own story as well. The colors and forms together creates a song of Faith, of Hope and a tempo and cadence of movement floating on the waters toward our own Salvation. For it is through Faith, Hope and Love we come to Baptism and are given the promise of Eternal Life.
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