Theophany - More than Blessing of Waters

On January 6th we celebrate the Theophany, the full manifestation of God, the Holy Trinity revealed to us. Too often we only think about this as the time when we get Holy Water from the Church or when the Priest comes to bless our homes, but the significance of this event is so much more. 

We are fortunate to have commentary from the second century by St Hippolytus [a.d. 170–236.] who was the disciple of Irenæus. We often raise the question, "Why did Jesus have to be baptized if He was sinless?" He explains why John, who resisted baptizing Jesus because he felt unworthy and inferior to Him thinking that he should be baptized by Jesus, baptized Him who was God Himself.
Hyppolytus shows how Christ comforted John,

And what saith the Lord to him?  “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” (Matt 3:15)  “Suffer it to be so now,” John; thou art not wiser than I. Thou seest as man; I foreknow as God. It becomes me to do this first, and thus to teach. I engage in nothing unbecoming, for I am invested with honour. Dost thou marvel, O John, that I am not come in my dignity? The purple robe of kings suits not one in private station, but military splendour suits a king: am I come to a prince, and not to a friend? “Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness:” I am the Fulfiller of the law; I seek to leave nothing wanting to its whole fulfilment, that so after me Paul may exclaim, “Christ is the fulfilling of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.” (Rom 10:4)  “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.”

Saint Hyppolytus tells us why Jesus was baptized, speaking from viewpoint of Jesus,

Baptize me, John, in order that no one may despise baptism. I am baptized by thee, the servant, that no one among kings or dignitaries may scorn to be baptized by the hand of a poor priest. Suffer me to go down into the Jordan, in order that they may hear my Father’s testimony, and recognise the power of the Son. “Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then at length John suffers Him. “And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and the heavens were opened unto Him; and, lo, the Spirit of God descended like a dove, and rested upon Him. And a voice (came) from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:16-17)

Jesus wanted to emphasize the role of the priest in baptizing those who chose to follow Him.  He wanted all to hear the testimony of the Father so others would accept Him as His Son as this was the time He began His public ministry.
Saint Hyppolytus continues uplifting our sight even higher,

Do you see, beloved, how many and how great blessings we would have lost, if the Lord had yielded to the exhortation of John, and declined baptism? For the heavens were shut before this; the region above was inaccessible. We would in that case descend to the lower parts, but we would not ascend to the upper. But was it only that the Lord was baptized? He also renewed the old man, and committed to him again the sceptre of adoption. For straightway “the heavens were opened to Him.” A reconciliation took place of the visible with the invisible; the celestial orders were filled with joy; the diseases of earth were healed; secret things were made known; those at enmity were restored to amity. For you have heard the word of the evangelist, saying, “The heavens were opened to Him,” on account of three wonders. For when Christ the Bridegroom was baptized, it was meet that the bridal-chamber of heaven should open its brilliant gates. And in like manner also, when the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the Father’s voice spread everywhere, it was meet that “the gates of heaven should be lifted up.” (Ps 24: 7) “And, lo, the heavens were opened to Him; and a voice was heard, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Most significantly we see in this event that the heavens are opened for all mankind who follow Him and join with Him through Baptism to become His adopted children. Christ shows us that we begin our Journey with Him through baptism. This is a Holy Sacrament where heavens are opened and we join with The Holy Trinity to be transformed, born again, so we can become like Him and have eternal life in His kingdom as one of His children.

Christ’s baptism in the Jordan was A “theophany,” in that the world was granted a revelation of the Holy Trinity. The Father testified from on high to the divine Sonship of Jesus; the Son received His Father’s testimony; and the Spirit was seen in the form of a dove, descending from the Father and resting upon the Son.

In the hymn of the Feast we sing, “Christ has appeared and enlightened the world.” Thus, January 6 is also known as the Feast of Lights. The Church celebrates on this day the illumination of the world by the light of Christ.

Reference: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol 5, Hyppolytus, Discourse on Holy Theophany

The Day of Theophany

Today all came to know Jesus Christ as one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Today the Holy Trinity is revealed to us without question. "Let us call God to mind."

Saint Gregory the Theologian says,

Since the chief point of the festival is the remembrance of God, let us call God to mind.

But who is God that is revealed this day? It is our Triune God that is revealed. Saint Gregory further explains the nature of our Triune God.

He says,

And when I speak of God you must be illumined at once by one flash of light and by three. Three in Individualities or Hypostases, if any prefer so to call them, or persons, for we will not quarrel about names so long as the syllables amount to the same meaning; but One in respect of the Substance--that is, the Godhead. For they are divided without division, if I may so say; and they are united in division. For the Godhead is one in three, and the three are one, in whim the Godhead is, or to speak more accurately, Who are the Godhead. Excesses and defects we will omit, neither making the Unity a confusion, nor the division a separation.

This festal season is a journey from the Incarnation to the Baptism which is the start of Christ's public ministry when He becomes widely known. The celebration of the Nativity of Jesus is intimately linked with the celebration of Theophany when the God-man was was made known to all as our Savior.

Saint Gregory says,

At His birth we duly kept festival.… With the Star we ran, and with the Magi we worshiped, and with the  Shepherds we were illuminated, and with the Angels we glorified him, and with Simeon we took Him up in our arms, and with Anna the aged and chaste we made our responsive of confession. And thanks be to Him who came to his own in the guise of a stranger, because He glorified the stranger.

Now, we come to another action of Christ, and another mystery. I cannot restrain my pleasure; I am rapt unto God. 

Almost like John I proclaim good tidings... Christ is illumined, let us shine forth with Him. Christ is baptized, let us descend with Him that we may also ascend with Him. Jesus is baptized; but we must attentively consider not only this but somehow other points. Who is He, and by whom is he baptized, and at what time?

He is the all pure; and He is baptized by John; and the time is the beginning of his miracles. What are we to learn and to be taught by this? To purify ourselves first; to be lowly minded; and to preach only in maturity both of spiritual and bodily stature.

This feast shows us an important lesson. Our main task is this task of purification.  Christ purposely began His public ministry with this act of purification before He began His preaching and healing. This is why Christ created the Church and all its sacraments to enable our purification with our Baptism as the starting point.  As we become purified then we too will be able to preach just like Christ and His disciples.  If we try too soon without proper purification we may only mislead. Let's join in the purification through the renewal of our Baptism as we celebrate this Feast of Theophany.  Receive the Holy Waters of purification with repentance and Joy.

Reference: On the Holy Lights - Part 2 by Saint Gregory the Theologian

Holy Day of Light -Theophany

Saint Gregory the Theologian refers to this great time of celebration in the Church as the "Day of Light."

He says,

For the Holy Day of Lights, to which we have come, and which we are celebrating today, has for it's origin the Baptism of my Christ, the True Light That lightens every man that comes into the world, and effects my purification, and assists that light which we received from the beginning from Him above, but which we darkened by sin.

The image of Christ as one who brings light to the world can be a powerful one if we realize that without Him we are in darkness. It is His light that lights the path to His Kingdom, to union with God. Without it the path is impossible to find and we are left wandering in darkness seeking what we cannot find.


Saint Gregory says,

Therefore listen to the voice of God, which sounds so exceeding clearly to me, who am both disciple and master of these mysteries, as would to God it may sound to you; I am the Light Of The World. Therefore approach ye to Him and be enlightened, and let not your faces be ashamed, being signed with the true Light. It is a season of new birth, let us be born again. It is a time of reformation, let us receive again the first Adam. Let us not remain what we are, but let us become what we once were... See the grace of the day; see the power of this mystery...

This event is the establishment of the Sacrament of Baptism where we begin our healing from the sinful natured we have inherited from the fall of Adam and Eve. It is an event celebrating our renewal through our baptism, the time we became Christians with the Holy Spirit within guiding us toward a life like Him, made evermore effect as we participate in the teachings, practices and sacraments of the Church.


Saint Gregory puts it this way,

We were turned into a den of all sorts of passions, which cruelly devour and consume the inner man; but there was this further evil, that man actually made gods the advocates of his passions, so that sin might be reckoned not only irresponsible, but even divine, taking refuge in the objects of his worship as apology.

It is on this day that Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan and submitted to the baptism of John to renew and fulfill it as an act to join us to God, being absolved of all our sins through the grace of the Holy Spirit.


Saint Gregory says,

Jesus goes up out of the water ...for with Himself He carries up the world ... And sees the heaven opened which Adam had shut against himself and all his prosperity, as the gates of Paradise by the flaming sword. And the Spirit bears witness to His Godhead, for he descends upon One that is like Him, as does the Voice from Heaven..., and like a Dove, for He honors the Body... By being seen in a body form...

On this day the divine nature of Christ is revealed as part of the Holy Trinity. He became fully flesh in the Incarnation to renew all of mankind. Today we celebrate the beginning of His actions to help us rejoin in union with Him.


Reference: On The Holy Lights by Saint Gregory the Theologian 

More Thoughts on Theophany from St Hippolytus

We often experience awe when we reflect on the nature of God's Creation. As god says in Genesis after each creation, "And it was good."

Saint Hippolytus of Rome says,

And what form of more blooming fairness than of the earth's surface? And what is there swifter in the course than the chariot of the sun? And what more graceful car than the lunar orb? And what work more wonderful than the compact mosaic of the stars? And what more productive of supplies than the seasonable winds? And what more spotless mirror than the light of day? And what creature more excellent than man?

He then goes on to give us the significance of water.


Very good, then, are all the works of our God and Savior. And what more requisite gift, again, is there than the element of water? For with water all things are washed and nourished, and cleansed and bedewed. Water bears the earth, water produces the dew, water exhilarates the vine; water matures the grain in the ear, water ripens the grape cluster, water softens the olive, water sweetens the palm-date, water reddens the rose and decks the violet, water makes the lilly bloom with it's brilliant cups.


Saint Hippolytus points out the necessity of water in the order of all created things. Why should we have any wonder why Christ chose baptism as the way to enter into the path leading to His kingdom?


Christ came to teach us so we could find our way back to union with Him. When he approached John to be baptized in the Jordan John said, " I have need to be baptized by You, and You come to me?" And the Lord answered, " Suffer it to be so now, for thus it becomes us to fulfill all righteousness."


Saint Hippolytus explains,

"Suffer it to be so now," John; you are not wiser than I. You see as man; I foreknowledge as God. It becomes me to do this first, and thus to teach... Aim the Fulfiller of the law; I seek to leave nothing wanting to it's whole fulfillment, that so after me Paul may proclaim, "Christ is the fulfilling of the law for righteousness to everyone that believes."... Baptize me John, in order that no one may despise baptism. I am baptized by you, the servant, that no one among kings or dignitaries may scorn to be baptized by the hand of a poor priest. Allow me to go down into the Jordan, in order that they may hear my Father's testimony, and recognize the power of the Son.

We also learn in this event that the heavens are now opened to us. There was a reconciliation between the visible and the invisible.


Saint Hippolytus says,

For the heavens we shut before this; the region above was inaccessible. We would in that case descend to the lower parts, but we would not ascend to the upper. But was it only that the Lord was baptized? He also renewed the old man and committed to him again the scepter of adoption.

As it says the Scripture, the Holy Spirit descended as a dove and the Heavens we opened and the Father said, "This is my beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased."

In this event we are shown the purpose of the Incarnation and can see the first works of Jesus as He prepare our way to be reborn and united with Him in His Church so we could participate in the gifts of the Holy Spirit and adopt an Orthodox Way of Life being obedient to His will.


Reference: Discourse On the Holy Theophany by St Hippolytus of Rome

Spirit and Water

Why does water serve as the means for the blessing we receive at Baptism? The obvious one is that we use water as a common thing to cleanse our bodies when solids. There is it logical that we would use it also in a sacramental way.


Also, man is not a simple being being a compound of elements both physical and spiritual.


St Gregory of Nyssa says,

Man, as we know full well, is compound, not simple: and therefore the cognate and similar medicines are assigned for healing to him who is twofold and conglomerate: --for his visible body, water, the sensible element--for his soul, which we cannot see, the Spirit invisible, invoked by faith, present unspeakably.

We must not think lightly of this holy water. The power it contains is most great, no less than that which transforms the wine and bread into the body and blood of Christ. It is common that God uses what is common to us to give us spiritual gifts. Man himself is mostly made of water and it is commingled with spirit in the image and likeness of God. The sacraments of the Church are all great mysteries.


St Gregory says,

Now God and Savior, in fulfilling the Dispensation for our sakes, went beneath the fourth of these, the earth, that He might raise up life from thence. And we in receiving baptism, in imitation of our Lord and Teacher and Guide, are we not indeed buried in the earth..., but coming to the element akin to earth, to water, we conceal ourselves in that as the Savior did in the earth: and by doing this thrice we represent for ourselves that grace of the Resurrection which was wrought in three days: and this we do, not receiving the sacrament in silence, but while there are spoken over us the Names of the Three Sacred Persons on Whom we briefed, in Whom we also hope, from Whom comes to us both the fact of our present and the fact of our future existence.

We do as Jesus commanded, 

"Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 28:19).

Reference: A Sermon for the Theophany, St Gregory of Nyssa

Theophany - Work of Spirit

Most think of Theophany as that day we bless the waters and then have the priest come to bless our homes. But, it is much more important than this. It is the initiation of one of the important mysteries of the Church. On this day God established for our salvation the sacrament of Baptism which is how all who call themselves Christian are freed to walk the path to union with God. Those who have been baptized live in the hope of a life in close relationship with God, freed of all sins through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

St. Gregory of Nyssa tells us the following about this sacred event,

Today He is baptized by John that He might cleanse him who was defiled, that He might bring the Spirit from above, and exalted man to heaven, that he who had fallen might be raised up and he who had cast him down might be put to shame... And this gift it is not the water that bestows... But the command of God, and the visitation of the Spirit that comes sacramentally to set us free. But water serves to express the cleansing.

Reference: A Sermon for the Theophany, St Gregory of Nyssa

Rejoice, Theophany is Approaching

We now approach the day of Theophany, the day in which the divinity of Jesus is revealed to us through His baptism by John in the Jordan River. On this day we know Him as the Son of God who came for our salvation. Although one could argue that His birth should be seen as Theophany, up to this time Jesus was not known by many. As John the Baptist says at this event, "Amidst you stands Him Whom you know not of" (John 1:26). Therefore, we call the day He was baptized Theophany because He became known to many at this time.


We can also see that this was the beginning of His work to create the path for our salvation with Baptism being the first step. Later He would establish the Church with its clergy where those who were joined with Him in baptism could continue to benefit from the grace filled sacraments.


Prior to this time there was a Jewish baptism which cleansed the body from impurities such as touching the bones of the dead, eating unclean foods, or being with lepers, but it did not remove sins. In Scripture it says, "Let one wash his body in pure water--and he will unclean until evening, and then he will be clean." (Lev 15:5, 22:4) This Jewish practice was a preparation of what was to come. The baptism that was established by Christ was much more as it was for the forgiveness of sins though the Holy Sprit and they were more than forgiven, they were absolved through grace. John the Baptist baptized those who repented of their sins but did not grant forgiveness through grace. Sins were not absolved through his baptism. John says, "I baptize you with water...That one however will baptize you with the Holy Sprit and with fire." (Mat 3:11)


Jesus came to be baptized by John not because he needed to be forgiven His sins, being sinless, nor to receive the Holy Spirit, being one with the Sprit already, but to show us the path we are to take to be relieved of our sinfulness and to receive the Holy Spirit to abide within us. John's baptism in water was also a preparation so Christ would be known and so we could receive this sacrament. Because John was known as a prophet, his baptism of Christ had great meaning to the people so they would believe that Jesus was the Son of God.


On this day, as John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit visibly descended in the form of a dove. St. John Chrysostom tells us that this descent as a dove was like a pointer. He says, "Did you see, that the Holy Spirit did not descend as in a first time then coming down upon Him, but in order to point out that preached by His inspiration--as though by a finger, it pointed Him out to all."


We rejoice at this Theophany for Jesus showed us the way for our renewal to begin. He was announced as the Son of God for all to see, submitting to John's baptism with humility.


Jesus says,
"Except you be converted and becomes children, you shall not enter into the Heavenly Kingdom." (Mat 18:3)


Reference: On the Day of Christ's Baptism by John Chrysostom

Blessing of Homes

Why we bless our homes

We, as Christians, are engaged in a struggle to reclaim fallen nature for the Kingdom of God. We often talk about this in terms of our own salvation, but the Church, addressing all of creation in a wholistic manner, also reaches out and reclaims a bit here and a bit there of creation in general. We do this in order that we might restore the usefulness of creation for working out our own salvation. Hence we bless anything that might help us in our salvation - and by blessing it we reclaim it for the Kingdom of God.

There are few things more vital to our lives than our homes. In our homes we pray, we work, we talk to others, we order our lives, we work out our marriages, etc. What more important place to reclaim for the Kingdom of God - or is it better to continue living in a place which is occupied by the enemy. For the most effective working out of our salvation, we must drive the enemy out of our homes, and keep him at bay by our prayers, our righteous life, and the annual sprinkling by Holy Water at Theophany.
Source: http://www.orthodox.net/articles/whybless.html

OrthodoxWiki on Blessing the Home

Sanctification of the home
The sanctification of the home takes place with prayer and the sprinkling of holy water. The priest, at this annual visit, asks God to have mercy on the house, to rid it of every evil and to fill if with every blessing. Everyone of the house, prays together for the living and the dead of the family, and all who live and have lived in the house. They all sing the hymn of salvation and process from room to room while the priest blesses the house.

Preparation
Traditions of the ceremony differ according to local custom, but these general guidelines should are observed:
A candle with an icon and some holy water should be placed in a suitable place, such as kitchen or dining room table, or a home altar.
Also, a list of first names for whom prayers are to be offered, including members of the family and all those living in the house. The list should have a clear distinction between the living an the dead.
If it is the practice to give the priest a gift, it should not be placed with the holy objects on the table. It can be prepared in advanced, but given at the conclusion of the service.

The ceremony
When the priest comes, all who are present in the house should gather around the icon with the candle. They should, if they are able to join in, say theTrisagion Prayers and sing of the Troparion of the Feast of Epiphany. Then a family member leads the priest through the house with the candle. As he goes, he sprinkles holy water, and prays for a blessing upon each room and the activity that goes on there. When they have gone through the entire house, the family gathers again around the table and the priest blesses each person present.

Prayer for Blessing of Homes
Priest:
Blessed is our God always, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages.

Reader:
Amen. Trisagion Prayer. All Holy Trinity ... Our Father. (see page 32).

Priest:
For Yours is the Kingdom. . . Amen. Troparion, Tone I
When You in Jordan for Your baptism were come, O Lord, then was revealed unto us to worship the Trinity, for lo, the Father's voice spoke to bear witness of You, by Name, declaring You His well-beloved Son; and the Spirit in form like a dove appeared to confirm the sure truth of the spoken Word; O Lord made manifest and light of the world, we give glory to You, O Christ our God.

Priest:
Let us pray to the Lord. Lord have mercy.
O God our Savior, the True Light, Who was baptized *in the Jordan by the Prophet John, and Who did deign to enter under the roof-tree of Zacchaeus, bringing salvation unto him and unto his house: do You, the same Lord, keep safe also from harm those who dwell herein; grant to them Your blessing, purification and bodily health, and all their petitions that are unto salvation and Life everlasting; for blessed are You, as also Your Father Who is from everlasting, and Your All; Holy, Good and Life; creating Spirit, both now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

And the Priest shall bless the whole house with Holy Water, saying:
When You in Jordan ...

Apolysis
May He Who condescended to be baptized in the river Jordan by the Forerunner and Prophet John, for our salvation, through the intercessions of His immaculate Mother, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, and of all the Saints, have mercy on us and save us, for He is our good and loving Lord.

The Priest proclaims:
Grant, O Lord, a prosperous and peaceful life, health and salvation, and the furtherance of all good things to all Your servants (Names)who dwell herein, and preserve them for many years.

Reader: Many years! (3)

Source: http://www.goarch.org/en/chapel/liturgical_texts/home_bless.asp

The Blessing of Water

In the Book of Genesis, we read that creation began when the Spirit of God moved over the face of the waters. (Gen. 1:2) Throughout the Bible, water plays an important and a 'mystical role' in human existence and in man's relationship with God the Creator.

Water has the capacity to produce death, as recounted in the story of Noah and the ark (Gen. 6); or to produce life, as noted in the story of Moses' striking the rock in the desert to produce water for the parched wanderers (Numbers 20). While the waters of the Red Sea parted to allow the Hebrews to pass over in safety (and thus preserve life), the same waters came rushing upon the Pharoah and his army drowning them.

In the New Testament, we see water becoming the means by which the Trinity was revealed during the Baptism of Jesus, which we celebrate on the Feast of Theophany on January 6 each year. In the Baptism of Jesus, at the hands of John the Baptist, the spiritual significance and potential of water as the source of life is again revealed and reaffirmed just as in Genesis, the first book of the Bible.
In a sermon on Theophany, St. John Chrysostom says: "On this day Christ was baptized; through His Baptism He sanctified the element of water. There let us all draw of the water and store it in homes, because on this day the water is consecrated."

In blessing water on the Feast Day, we ask and pray that the original purpose of water, as a source of life, blessing and holiness be revealed to us as we drink it. In the Garden of Eden, Adam enjoyed a unique and lordly relationship with Creation. After the Fall as he was expelled from Paradise, he heard the words, "Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life." (Genesis 3:17) From that point Adam would be subject to Creation, and not a master. Yet through Christ, the curse is lifted, just as the curse of death is lifted from the human race through the Resurrection. Because of Christ's coming and His work of salvation and redemption (as the hymns say, "dispensation"), Man and Creation are reconciled. Creation is able once more to meet not only the physical needs of man, but the elements of creation can be, and are, sources of grace and healing as we worship the Lord of Life.

When we bless water - or any other material object - and when we celebrate the Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, we reverently and gratefully proclaim that Christ Himself (in the words of the Divine Liturgy) "offers and is offered" blesses and sanctifies the world (cosmos) as the Great High Priest.

The celebration of the Great Blessing of Water is an affirmation that through Christ's own baptism, He who is our loving Lord has lifted the curse of Adam's sin, and given the creative goodness of God's creation back to mankind once again.

Source: http://www.holy-trinity.org/feasts/blesswater.html

Why Did Christ Need To Be Baptized?

A question asked by many is, “Why did Jesus need to be baptized?” To answer this, let’s first explore the nature of baptism as explained by Saint John Chrysostom.

Jewish Baptism

Saint John Chrrysostom points out that the Jewish Baptism was one of cleansing. He says,

There was a Jewish baptism, which cleansed from bodily impurities, but not to remove sins. Thus, whoever committed adultery, or decided on thievery, or who did some other kind of misdeed, it did not free him from guilt. But whoever touched the bones of the dead, whoever tasted food forbidden by the law, whoever approached from contamination, whoever consorted with lepers -- that one washed, and until evening was impure, and then cleansed. "Let one wash his body in pure water -- it says in the Scriptures, -- and he will be unclean until evening, and then he will be clean" (Lev 15:5, 22:4).

Baptism of John

John the Baptist's baptism was more than the Jewish rite but less than a Christian baptism. Saint John Chrysostom sees it as a bridge between the Jewish form and the Christian baptism. He writes,

“the baptism of John did not impart the Holy Spirit and it did not grant forgiveness by grace: it gave the commandment to repent, but it was powerless to absolve sins. Wherefore John did also say: "I baptize you with water...That One however will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Mt 3:11). Obviously, he did not baptize with the Spirit.” This is the key aspect of a Christian baptism is that it includes baptism by the Holy Spirit. Paul advised those who had been baptized by John to be baptized again. He said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance," -- repentance, but not remission of sins; for whom did he baptize? "Having proclaimed to the people, that they should believe in the One coming after him, namely, Christ Jesus. Having heard this, they were baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus: and Paul laying his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them" (Acts 19:1-6)

Christ’s Baptism

Christ’s baptism was something different from John’s or the Jewish Baptism. He had no need for cleansing or remission of sins and did not need the gift of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, He could not have come to the Jordan for this purpose. Saint John Chrysostom points out there were two reasons why He came for baptism.

The First Reason - to become known as God made flesh.

"Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." (Acts 19:4)  The consequence of the baptism to proclaim the arrival of the Son of God.
Saint John writes,

...when all the people thronged out from all the cities to Jordan and remained on the banks of the river, and when He Himself came to be baptized and received the testimony of the Father by a voice from above and by the coming-upon of the Spirit in the form of a dove, then the testimony of John about Him was made beyond all questioning. And since he said: "and I knew Him not" (Jn 1:31), his testimony put forth is trustworthy.

They were kindred after the flesh between themselves "wherefore Elizabeth, thy kinswoman, hath also conceived a son" -- said the Angel to Mary about the mother of John (Lk. 1: 36); if however the mothers were relatives, then obviously so also were the children. Thus, since they were kinsmen -- in order that it should not seem that John would testify concerning Christ because of kinship, the grace of the Spirit organized it such, that John spent all his early years in the wilderness, so that it should not seem that John had declared his testimony out of friendship or some similar reason. But John, as he was instructed of God, thus also announced about Him, wherein also he did say: "and I knew Him not." From whence didst thou find out? "He having sent me that sayeth to baptize with water, That One did tell me" What did He tell thee? "Over Him thou shalt see the Spirit descending, like to a dove, and abiding over Him, That One is baptized by the Holy Spirit" (Jn 1:32-33). Dost thou see, that the Holy Spirit did not descend as in a first time then coming down upon Him, but in order to point out that preached by His inspiration -- as though by a finger, it pointed Him out to all. For this reason He came to baptism.

The Second Reason - to fulfill every righteousness

Again we turn to the sermon by Saint John,

When John said: "“I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:14-15). Dost thou see the meekness of the servant? Dost thou see the humility of the Master? What does He mean: "to fulfill every righteousness?" By righteousness is meant the fulfillment of all the commandments, as is said: “both were righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Lk 1:6). Since fulfilling this righteousness was necessary for all people -- but no one of them kept it or fulfilled it -- Christ came then and fulfilled this righteousness.

And what righteousness is there, someone will say, in being baptized? Obedience for a prophet was righteous. As Christ was circumcised, offered sacrifice, kept the sabbath and observed the Jewish feasts, so also He added this remaining thing, that He was obedient to having been baptized by a prophet. It was the will of God then, that all should be baptized -- about which listen, as John speaks: "He having sent me to baptize with water" (Jn 1:33); so also Christ: "the publicans and the people do justify God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; the pharisees and the lawyers reject the counsel of God concerning themselves, not having been baptized by him" (Lk 7:29-30). Thus, if obedience to God constitutes righteousness, and God sent John to baptize the nation, then Christ has also fulfilled this along with all the other commandments. (Chrysostom)

Theophany

At that time, Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. And immediately as he was coming up from the water, he saw the heavens being parted and the Spirit like a dove coming down upon him. And there was a voice from heaven, You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (Mark 1,9-11)

This is the Great Feast of the Orthodox Church celebrating the revelation of the Trinitarian God and the beginning of the public work of Jesus Christ. When He was thirty years old he began his teaching with His baptism in the Jordan river by Saint John the Baptist (Forerunner). It was at this time that the the Holy Trinity, as prophesied in the Old Testament, was fully made known to the world. The Father was revealed through sense of hearing by His voice. The Spirit was revealed through the sense of sight with the appearance of the dove. And the Son, Jesus Himself, was revealed to the sense of touch. The Father uttered His witness about the Son, the Son was baptized in the water, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove hovered above the water. It is when John the Baptist witnessed and said about Christ, “Behold, the Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29). When John immersed and baptized the Lord in the Jordan, the mission of Christ in the world and the path of our salvation was shown.

Saint John Chrysostom points out that it was not at His birth that He made Himself known to all but at His Baptism. He writes,
“Until this time He was not known to the people. And that the people did not know Him, Who He was, listen about this to John the Baptist, who says: "there stands One among you whom you do not know." (Jn.1:26). And is it surprising that others did not know Him, when even the Baptist did not know Him until that day? "I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’" (Jn 1:33).” (Chrysostom)

What is the meaning of Theophany?
Theophany means the showing forth of God or the manifestation of God. At His Baptism Jesus Christ was revealed as truly God, one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We can think of there being two Theophanies. His Baptism being the first and the second coming the second.

Historically
This feast was the first major feast celebrated by the Church. It was considered to be one of the most important events in the history of our salvation because it made known God as the the Holy Trinity. The Orthodox Theophany hymn states: “When you O Lord were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest. The voice of the Father bore witness to you, calling you His beloved Son. And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truthfulness of His word….” The trinitarian nature of God is a foundation of the Christian faith. If God is not God in Trinity, then Jesus is not who He claimed to be and there is no salvation. It is important because it proclaims the truth of the Gospel that God is rightly defined as Father, Son and Holy Spirit.


Complete sermon by Saint John Chrysostom

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