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Translated by W. Moore and H. A. Wilson
St Gregory of Nyssa Resources Online and in Print
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11 Pages
Page 6
I find that not only do the Gospels, written after the Crucifixion, proclaim the grace of Baptism, but, even before the Incarnation of our Lord, the ancient Scripture everywhere prefigured the likeness of our regeneration; not clearly manifesting its form, but fore-showing, in dark sayings, the love of God to man. And as the Lamb was proclaimed by anticipation, and the Cross was foretold by anticipation, so, too, was Baptism shown forth by action and by word. Let us recall its types to those who love good thoughts--for the festival season of necessity demands their recollection.
Hagar, the handmaid of Abraham (whom Paul treats allegorically in reasoning with the Galatians [2128] ), being sent forth from her master's house by the anger of Sarah--for a servant suspected in regard to her master is a hard thing for lawful wives to bear--was wandering in desolation to a desolate land with her babe Ishmael at her breast. And when she was in straits for the needs of life, and was herself nigh unto death, and her child yet more sore for the water in the skin was spent (since it was not possible that the Synagogue, she who once dwelt among the figures of the perennial Fountain, should have all that was needed to support life), an angel unexpectedly appears, and shows her a well of living water, and drawing thence, she saves Ishmael. Behold, then, a sacramental type: how from the very first it is by the means of living water that salvation comes to him that was perishing--water that was not before, but was given as a boon by an angel's means. Again, at a later time, Isaac--the same for whose sake Ishmael was driven with his mother from his father's home--was to be wedded. Abraham's servant is sent to make the match, so as to secure a bride for his master, and finds Rebekah at the well: and a marriage that was to produce the race of Christ had its beginning and its first covenant in water [2129] . Yes, and Isaac himself also, when he was ruling his flocks, digged wells at all parts of the desert, which the aliens stopped and filled up [2130] , for a type of all those impious men of later days who hindered the grace of Baptism, and talked loudly in their struggle against the truth. Yet the martyrs and the priests overcame them by digging the wells, and the gift of Baptism over-flowed the whole world. According to the same force of the text, Jacob also, hastening to seek a bride, met Rachel unexpectedly at the well. And a great stone lay upon the well, which a multitude of shepherds were wont to roll away when they came together, and then gave water to themselves and to their flocks. But Jacob alone rolls away the stone, and waters the flocks of his spouse [2131] . The thing is, I think, a dark saying, a shadow of what should come. For what is the stone that is laid but Christ Himself? for of Him Isaiah says, "And I will lay in the foundations of Sion a costly stone, precious, elect [2132] :" and Daniel likewise, "A stone was cut out without hands [2133] ," that is, Christ was born without a man.
[2128] Cf. Gal. iv. 22, &c. See Gen. xxi
[2129] See Gen. xxiv
[2130] See Gen. xxvi. 15, sqq.
[2131] See Gen. xxix
[2132] Is. xxviii. 16 (not exactly from LXX.).
[2133] Cf. Dan. ii. 45
Reference address : https://elpenor.org/nyssa/baptism-of-christ.asp?pg=6
