4. As John says these things to the multitude, and as the people watch in eager expectation of seeing some strange spectacle with their bodily eyes, and the devil25    It was a common opinion among the ancient theologians that the devil was ignorant of the mystery of the economy, founding on such passages as Matt. iv. 3, 1 Cor. ii. 8. (Fabricius.)  [See Ignatius, vol. i. p. 57, this series.] is struck with amazement at such a testimony from John, lo, the Lord appears, plain, solitary, uncovered,26    γυμνός. without escort,27    ἀπροστάτευτος. having on Him the body of man like a garment, and hiding the dignity of the Divinity, that He may elude the snares of the dragon. And not only did He approach John as Lord without royal retinue; but even like a mere man, and one involved in sin, He bent His head to be baptized by John. Wherefore John, on seeing so great a humbling of Himself, was struck with astonishment at the affair, and began to prevent Him, saying, as ye have just heard, “I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?”28    Matt. iii. 14. What doest Thou, O Lord? Thou teachest things not according to rule.29    ἀκανόνιστα δογματίζεις. I have preached one thing (regarding Thee), and Thou performest another; the devil has heard one thing, and perceives another. Baptize me with the fire of Divinity; why waitest Thou for water? Enlighten me with the Spirit; why dost Thou attend upon a creature? Baptize me, the Baptist, that Thy pre-eminence may be known. I, O Lord, baptize with the baptism of repentance, and I cannot baptize those who come to me unless they first confess fully their sins. Be it so then that I baptize Thee, what hast Thou to confess? Thou art the Remover of sins, and wilt Thou be baptized with the baptism of repentance? Though I should venture to baptize Thee, the Jordan dares not to come near Thee. “I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?”

[4] ταῦτα τοῦ Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὸν ὄχλον λέγοντος καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ παραδοκοῦντος ξένον τι θέαμα τοῖς σωματικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς θεάσασθαι καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου καταπληττομένου ἐπὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ τοῦ Ἰωάννου μαρτυρίᾳ, ἰδοὺ ὁ κύριος παραγίνεται λιτός, μόνος, γυμνός, ἀπροστάτευτος, ἔνδυμα ἔχων τὸ ἀνθρώπινον σῶμα, κρύπτων δὲ τὸ τῆς θεότητος ἀξίωμα, ἵνα λάθῃ τοῦ δράκοντος τὸ πανούργευμα. καὶ οὐ μόνον ὡς κύριος ἐκτὸς τῆς βασιλικῆς δορυφορίας πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην παραγέγονεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἄνθρωπος λιτὸς καὶ ὑπόχρεως ἁμαρτιῶν ἔκλινε τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου. ὅθεν ὁ Ἰωάννης θεασάμενος τὴν τοσαύτην ταπεινοφροσύνην θαμβηθεὶς ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι ἤρξατο διακωλύειν αὐτὸν λέγων, καθὼς ἀρτίως ἠκούσατε, „ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρὸς μέ;„ τί ποιεῖς, ὦ δέσποτα; ἀκανόνιστα δογματίζεις. ἄλλα κατήγγειλα καὶ ἄλλα μετέρχῃ. ἄλλα ἤκουσεν ὁ διάβολος καὶ ἄλλα κατανοεῖ. βάπτισόν με τῷ πυρὶ τῆς θεότητος: τί περιμένεις τὸ ὕδωρ; φώτισον τῷ πνεύματι: τί προσανέχεις τῷ κτίσματι; βάπτισόν με τὸν βαπτιστήν, ἵνα γνωσθῇ σου ἡ ὑπεροχή. ἐγώ, δέσποτα, μετανοίας βαπτίζω βάπτισμα καὶ τοὺς προσερχομένους πρὸς μὲ ἀμήχανον βαπτίσαι, ἐὰν μὴ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν ἐξομολογήσωνται. κείσθω ὅτι βαπτίζω σε, τί ἔχεις ἐξομολογήσασθαι; ἁμαρτιῶν ἀφαιρετὴς ὑπάρχεις καὶ τὸ τῆς μετανοίας θέλεις βαπτισθῆναι βάπτισμα; εἰ καὶ ἐγώ σε τολμήσω βαπτίσαι, ὁ Ἰορδάνης οὐ τολμᾷ πλησιάσαι. ”ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρὸς μέ;”