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a voice to overcome the Word, not a lamp to withstand the rays of the sun, but having diminished its own light, it yielded to the victorious ray of righteousness. Thus the Savior gives grace to baptism, thus the pure and sinless body of the Lord wiped away the filth abiding in the waters, so that henceforth the nature of the waters might have not only cleansing by nature, but also illumination by grace. Therefore, those who are baptized henceforth are baptized in spirit and in truth, and this John the Baptist himself clearly proclaimed, saying: “I indeed baptize you in water; but among you stands one whom you do not know, he will baptize you in spirit and in truth.” You see the baptist, after such great honor and worth, still diminishing his own work, but marveling at the gift of the Savior. For he always yielded what was fitting to Christ; therefore he also receives the testimony that came upon him from heaven, being worthy of the heavenly words and deeds. For he saw, it says, the heaven opened and the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming towards him and a voice testifying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. The words are equal to the deeds; for John both sees and hears while baptizing. This one made the wilderness a heaven, this one showed the inhabited world to be God's paradise, being watered by the grace of baptism. Truly the Law and the Prophets were until John; from that time the kingdom of heaven is proclaimed. For from him the preachings of the prophets ceased, as he pointed out the one of whom they had spoken. The burden of the Law ceased, for he preached a repentance that proclaimed God's long-suffering. The many baptisms of the Jews ceased, for one baptism was shown through him, which he himself began to give for repentance, but which Christ bestowed for the remission of sins and eternal life, to whom is due the glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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φωνὴ περιγενέσθαι τοῦ λόγου, οὐχ ὁ λύχνος ταῖς αὐγαῖς ἀντισχεῖν τοῦ ἡλίου, ἀλλὰ συστείλας τὸ οἰκεῖον φῶς παρεχώρησε τῇ νικώσῃ τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐγῇ. Οὕτως δίδωσιν ὁ σωτὴρ τῷ βαπτίσματι χάριν, οὕτως τὸ καθαρὸν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀναρμάρτητον σῶμα τὸν ἐμμένοντα τοῖς ὕδασιν ἀπέσμηξε ῥύπον, ὡς ἔχειν λοιπὸν τῶν ὑδάτων τὴν φύσιν οὐ μόνον τὸ καθαίρειν ἐκ φύσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ φωτίζειν ἐκ χάριτος. Ὅθεν οἱ βαπτιζόμενοι λοιπὸν ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ βαπτίζονται, καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ὁ βαπτιστὴς Ἰωάννης σαφῶς κέκραγε λέγων· «Ἐγὼ μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ἐν ὕδατι· μέσος δὲ ὑμῶν ἕστηκεν ὃν ὑμεῖς οὐκ οἴδατε, αὐτὸς ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι καὶ ἀληθείᾳ.» Ὁρᾷς τὸν βαπτιστὴν μετὰ τοσαύτην τιμὴν καὶ ἀξίαν ἔτι σμικρύνοντα μὲν τὸ οἰκεῖον ἔργον, θαυμάζοντα δὲ τοῦ σωτῆρος τὸ δῶρον. Καὶ γὰρ ἀεὶ τὸ πρέπον τῷ Χριστῷ παρεχώρει· διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς δέχεται τὴν ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἐπ' αὐτὸν ἐλθοῦσαν μαρτυρίαν, ἄξιος ὢν τῶν ἐπουρανίων ῥημάτων τε καὶ πραγμάτων. Εἶδε γάρ φησιν, τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀνεῳχθέντα καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τοῦ θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν καὶ ἐρχόμενον πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φωνῆς μαρτυρούσης· οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα. Ἴσα τῶν πραγμάτων τὰ ῥήματα· καὶ θεωρεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἀκούει Ἰωάννης βαπτίζων. Οὗτος τὴν ἔρημον οὐρανὸν κατεσκεύασεν, οὗτος τὴν οἰκουμένην θεοῦ παράδεισον ἔδειξε τῇ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ποτιζόμενον χάριτι. Ὄντως ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται μέχρις Ἰωάννου, ἀπὸ τότε ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν εὐαγγελίζεται. Ἐξ ἐκείνου γὰρ ἔστη τῶν προφητῶν τὰ κηρύγματα, ἐκείνου ὑποδείξαντος ὃν ἐκεῖνοι προειρήκασιν. Ἔστη τοῦ νόμου τὸ βάρος, ἐκήρυξε γὰρ μετάνοιαν θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν καταγγέλλουσαν. Ἔστη τὰ πολλὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων βαπτίσματα, ἓν γὰρ ἐδείχθη δι' ἐκείνου τὸ βάπτισμα, ὃ αὐτὸς παρέχειν εἰς μετάνοιαν ἤρξατο, ὃ δὲ Χριστὸς εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐδωρήσατο καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον, ᾧ πρέπει ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.