94. Christ's Baptism in the Jordan and the Opening of Heaven

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Lecture Notes

Main Topics #

The Jordan River as the Proper Place of Baptism #

• Typological significance: The Jordan prefigures baptism as entrance into the kingdom of God, just as it was the historical entrance into the Promised Land for Israel
• Contrast with the Red Sea:
  • Red Sea prefigures remission of sins (Egyptians were submerged, just as sins are washed away)
  • Jordan prefigures entrance into the celestial kingdom—identified as the more principal effect of baptism
• The meaning of “Jordan” (descent): The name signifies the descent of humility required for receiving grace, per James 4:6 (“He gives grace to the humble”)
• Reversal of the waters: Just as waters of the Jordan turned back for Israel (Joshua 4), through Christ’s baptism sins are turned back

The Opening of the Heavens #

• Three-fold significance of the heavens opening at Christ’s baptism:
  1. Shows the heavenly power that sanctifies baptism
  2. Demonstrates that faith looks upon celestial things exceeding sense and reason
  3. Opens the road to heaven for the baptized, which was cut off by Adam’s sin
• Spiritual rather than bodily opening: The heavens are “opened” not by physical separation of elements but by spiritual revelation and unveiling (Jerome’s interpretation: unfolding rather than rupture)
• Connection to prayer: Christ’s baptism and prayer together show that prayer is necessary for the faithful to enter heaven after baptism
• Distinction from the Passion:
  • The Passion opens heaven as the common cause (removing obstacles)
  • Baptism applies this effect to each individual through the sacrament

Key Arguments #

Why the Jordan Rather Than the Red Sea? #

Objection: The Red Sea is the more fitting figure since the Egyptians were submerged there, just as sins are washed away in baptism.

Thomas’s Response:

• The Red Sea prefigures remission of sins (destruction of enemies, washing away)
• The Jordan prefigures the opening of the celestial kingdom—the more principal effect of baptism
• Therefore, Christ’s baptism in the Jordan is more appropriate because grace (the opening of the kingdom) is more principal than forgiveness alone

The Paradox of “Descent” in Baptism #

Objection: Jordan means “descent,” but baptism involves an ascent in grace; also, the Israelites turned back at Jordan, but the baptized proceed forward.

Thomas’s Response:

• Ascent in grace requires descent in humility (James 4:6)
• The name Jordan signifies the humility necessary for receiving grace
• The waters turning back prefigures sins being turned back through Christ’s baptism

Why Do the Heavens Open? #

Objection: Christ always existed in heaven; the heavens were never closed to him, so why should they open at his baptism?

Thomas’s Response:

• According to human dispensation (for our instruction), to show:
  • Heavenly power sanctifies baptism
  • Faith accesses celestial realities beyond sense and reason
  • The road to heaven, cut off by Adam’s sin, is now open to the baptized
• The opening is to Christ’s human nature, not his divine nature

Objection: Can the heavens open bodily if they are impassable and unbreakable (Job 37)?

Thomas’s Response:

• The opening is spiritual—a revelation or unveiling—not a physical separation of elements
• Just as Ezekiel “sees” the heavens open, meaning something is revealed to him
• The opening refers to a vision (Christ saw the heavens opened, per Mark 1:10)

Objection: Shouldn’t the heavens open more fully at the Passion than at baptism, since heaven was truly opened through the Passion?

Thomas’s Response:

• The Passion opens heaven as the common cause, removing obstacles (the gates, per Psalm 24)
• Baptism makes known and applies this opening to each individual
• Baptism is the sacramental application of the Passion’s efficacy to the faithful

Important Definitions #

• Typology/Prefiguration (τύπος): Old Testament events and persons that foreshadow New Testament realities. The Jordan crossing prefigures baptism as entrance into the kingdom.
• Appropriation: Attributing works of the whole Trinity to one divine person to make them more intelligible to us, though the work belongs to all three.
• Sensible vision: A visible manifestation to the bodily senses, used by God to lead those unable to understand bodiless realities toward faith.
• Principal effect: The primary or chief effect aimed at by a cause; secondary effects are subordinate to it.

Examples & Illustrations #

• Stephen’s vision: The martyr Stephen saw the heavens open and Christ standing at the right hand (Acts 7). The note that Christ is standing (rather than sitting) signifies his role in assisting martyrs, while sitting signifies contemplation and wisdom.
• Emperor granting petitions: When an emperor grants something to someone petitioning on behalf of another, the benefit is given on account of the petitioner. Similarly, heaven is opened to us on account of Christ’s prayer.
• Cardinal Ratzinger’s observation: The only place in Luke’s gospel where both baptism and transfiguration feature the heavens opening is when Christ was praying—revealing the power of his prayer and its effect on us.

Notable Quotes #

“The transition over the Red Sea prefigures baptism in this respect that baptism takes away sins, right? But the transition of the Jordan prefigures baptism, that it opens the door of the celestial kingdom… more principal effect of baptism.”

“In baptism there is an ascent through the proceeding of progress in grace, right? Which requires a descent of humility.”

“As Jerome says upon Matthew, that the heavens were open to Christ baptized, not by a separation of the elements… but to spiritualize, right? Just as Ezekiel, in the beginning of the volume, commemorates the heavens being opened… that means that something’s being revealed to him.”

Questions Addressed #

Article 4: Why the Jordan Rather Than the Red Sea? #

1. Q: Shouldn’t Christ be baptized in the Red Sea, which more clearly prefigures the washing away of sins?

   • A: The Red Sea prefigures remission of sins; the Jordan prefigures entrance into the kingdom, which is the more principal effect of baptism.

2. Q: Doesn’t the name “Jordan” (descent) contradict baptism, which is an ascent?

   • A: Ascent in grace requires descent in humility; the name signifies the humility necessary for receiving grace.

3. Q: Didn’t the Israelites turn back at the Jordan, whereas the baptized proceed forward?

   • A: Through Christ’s baptism, sins are turned back; the reversal of waters signifies this reversal of sin.

Article 5: Why Do the Heavens Open at Baptism? #

1. Q: Why should the heavens open to Christ, who always existed in heaven?

   • A: According to human dispensation, to show the heavenly power sanctifying baptism and to instruct us about our baptism.

2. Q: Can the heavens open bodily if they are impassable?

   • A: The opening is spiritual—a revelation or unveiling—not a physical separation of elements.

3. Q: Shouldn’t the heavens open more fully at the Passion than at baptism?

   • A: The Passion opens heaven as the common cause; baptism applies this effect to each individual through the sacrament.