Chapter XI.—Answer to the Objection that “The Lord Did Not Baptize.”

“But behold, “say some, “the Lord came, and baptized not; for we read, ‘And yet He used not to baptize, but His disciples!’”113    John iv. 2. As if, in truth, John had preached that He would baptize with His own hands! Of course, his words are not so to be understood, but as simply spoken after an ordinary manner; just as, for instance, we say, “The emperor set forth an edict,” or, “The prefect cudgelled him.”  Pray does the emperor in person set forth, or the prefect in person cudgel? One whose ministers do a thing is always said to do it.114    For instances of this, compare Matt. viii. 5 with Luke vii. 3, 7; and Mark x. 35 with Matt. xx. 20. So “He will baptize you” will have to be understood as standing for, “Through Him,” or “Into Him,” “you will be baptized.” But let not (the fact) that “He Himself baptized not” trouble any.  For into whom should He baptize?  Into repentance? Of what use, then, do you make His forerunner? Into remission of sins, which He used to give by a word? Into Himself, whom by humility He was concealing? Into the Holy Spirit, who had not yet descended from the Father?  Into the Church, which His apostles had not yet founded? And thus it was with the selfsame “baptism of John” that His disciples used to baptize, as ministers, with which John before had baptized as forerunner. Let none think it was with some other, because no other exists, except that of Christ subsequently; which at that time, of course, could not be given by His disciples, inasmuch as the glory of the Lord had not yet been fully attained,115    Cf. 1 Pet. i. 11, ad fin. nor the efficacy of the font116    Lavacri. established through the passion and the resurrection; because neither can our death see dissolution except by the Lord’s passion, nor our life be restored without His resurrection.

CAPUT 11. 'Sed ecce', inquiunt, 'venit dominus et non tinxit: legimus enim, Et tamen Iesus non ipse tinguebat verum discipuli eius.' quasi revera ipsum suis manibus tincturum Ioannes praedicasset. non utique sic intelligendum est, sed simpliciter dictum more communi, sicut est verbi gratia 'imperator proposuit edictum' aut 'praefectus fustibus cecidit'. numquid ipse proponit aut numquid ipse caedit? semper is dicitur facere cui praeministratur. ita erit accipiendum Ipse vos tinguet pro eo quod est 'per ipsum tinguemini', vel 'in ipsum'. sed nec moveat quosdam quod non ipse tinguebat. in quem enim tingueret? in paenitentiam? quo ergo illi praecursorem? in peccatorum remissionem, quam verbo dabat? in semetipsum, quem in humilitate celabat? in spiritum sanctum, qui nondum ad patrem ascenderat? in ecclesiam, quam nondum apostolis struxerat? itaque tinguebant discipuli eius ut ministri, ut Ioannes antepraecursor, eodem baptismo Ioannis, ne quo alio putes : quia nec extat alias nisi postea Christi, qui tunc utique a discentibus dari non poterat utpote nondum adimpleta gloria domini nec instructa efficacia lavacri per passionem et resurrectionem, quia nec mors nostra dissolvi posset nisi domini passione nec vita restitui sine resurrectione ipsius.