OT § 50
Theophany Vespers
Chapter 3
And now charge the priests that bear the ark of the covenant, saying, As soon as ye shall enter on a part of the water of Jordan, then ye shall stand in Jordan.
καὶ νῦν ἔντειλαι τοῖς ἱερεῦσι τοῖς αἴρουσι τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης λέγων· ὡς ἂν εἰσέλθητε ἐπὶ μέρους τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου, καὶ ἐν τῷ ᾿Ιορδάνῃ στήσεσθε.
и҆ нн҃ѣ заповѣ́ждь жерцє́мъ воздвиза́ющымъ кївѡ́тъ завѣ́та, глаго́лѧ: є҆гда̀ вни́дете на ча́сть воды̀ і҆ѻрда́на, и҆ во і҆ѻрда́нѣ ста́нете.
And when the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord entered upon Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord were dipped in part of the water of Jordan; (now Jordan overflowed all its banks about the time of wheat harvest:)
ὡς δὲ εἰσεπορεύοντο οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην καὶ οἱ πόδες τῶν ἱερέων τῶν αἰρόντων τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου ἐβάφησαν εἰς μέρος τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου· ὁ δὲ ᾿Ιορδάνης ἐπληροῦτο καθ’ ὅλην τὴν κρηπίδα αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ ἡμέραι θερισμοῦ πυρῶν·
є҆гда́ же внидо́ша жерцы̀ воздви́жꙋще кївѡ́тъ завѣ́та гдⷭ҇нѧ во і҆ѻрда́нъ, и҆ но́зи жерцє́въ воздвиза́ющихъ кївѡ́тъ завѣ́та гдⷭ҇нѧ ѡ҆мочи́шасѧ въ ча́сти воды̀ і҆ѻрда́на, і҆ѻрда́нъ же наполнѧ́шесѧ во всѧ̑ краи̑ своѧ̑, ꙗ҆́коже во дни̑ жа́твы пшени́цы:
then the waters that came down from above stopped; there stood one solid heap very far off, as far as the region of Kariathiarim, and the lower part came down to the sea of Araba, the salt sea, till it completely failed; and the people stood opposite Jericho.
καὶ ἔστη τὰ ὕδατα τὰ καταβαίνοντα ἄνωθεν, ἔστη πῆγμα ἓν ἀφεστηκὸς μακρὰν σφόδρα σφοδρῶς ἕως μέρους Καριαθιαρίμ, τὸ δὲ καταβαῖνον κατέβη εἰς τὴν θάλασσαν ῎Αραβα, θάλασσαν ἁλός, ἕως εἰς τὸ τέλος ἐξέλιπε· καὶ ὁ λαὸς εἱστήκει ἀπέναντι ῾Ιεριχώ.
и҆ ста́ша во́ды текꙋ́щыѧ свы́ше, ста̀ ѡ҆гꙋстѣ́нїе є҆ди́но ѿлꙋчи́вшеесѧ дале́че ѕѣлѡ̀ ѕѣлѡ̀ ѿ а҆дамѝ гра́да да́же до страны̀ карїаѳїарі́ма: низтекꙋ́щаѧ же низтечѐ въ мо́ре а҆ра́вско, въ мо́ре сла́ное, до́ндеже до конца̀ ѡ҆скꙋдѣ̀.
Still I believe it was not without reference to a mystery that this was written, that part of the waters of the Jordan plunges into the sea and flows into bitterness, while the other part continues on in sweetness. For if all who are baptized maintained the sweetness of the heavenly grace they received and no one were changed into the bitterness of sins, it would never have been written that part of the river was plunged into the abyss of the salty sea. Therefore, it seems to me that the variety of those baptized is designated in these words, a variety we ourselves—I remember with grief—often see occur. When some who receive holy baptism surrender themselves again to the affairs of the world and to the lures of pleasure, and when they drink the salty cup of avarice, they are symbolized by that part of the waters that flows into the sea and perishes in salty billows. But the part that continues steadfast and protects its own sweetness stands for those who unchangeably hold the gift of God they have received.
HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 4.2Then there are the deeds of Joshua, who was marked out with Christ's name; under his guidance the Jordan kept its stream stationary and its waters still as it recoiled from the countenance of the divine ark. A strange power divided the river. One section came to a halt, its stream flowing back, while another section hastened in its gliding course to the sea, leaving the river bed exposed. Where the current surged strongly from its source, it held back and piled high its waves, so that a threatening mountain of water hung poised in quivering formation and looked down to see human feet passing across the dry, deep bed, and grimy soles hastening over the congealed mud, dry-footed in mid-river.
POEM 27.511And the priests that bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood on dry land in the midst of Jordan; and all the children of Israel went through on dry land, until all the people had completely gone over Jordan.
καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς οἱ αἴροντες τὴν κιβωτὸν τῆς διαθήκης Κυρίου ἐπὶ ξηρᾶς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ ᾿Ιορδάνου· καὶ πάντες οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ διέβαινον διὰ ξηρᾶς, ἕως συνετέλεσε πᾶς ὁ λαὸς διαβαίνων τὸν ᾿Ιορδάνην.
И҆ лю́дїе стоѧ́хꙋ прѧ́мѡ і҆ерїхѡ́нꙋ. И҆ ста́ша жерцы̀ воздвиза́ющїи кївѡ́тъ завѣ́та гдⷭ҇нѧ на сꙋ́сѣ посредѣ̀ і҆ѻрда́на: и҆ всѝ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы прехожда́хꙋ по сꙋ́хꙋ, до́ндеже сконча́ша всѝ лю́дїе преходѧ́ще і҆ѻрда́нъ.
Then there are the deeds of Joshua, who was marked out with Christ's name; under his guidance the Jordan kept its stream stationary and its waters still as it recoiled from the countenance of the divine ark. A strange power divided the river. One section came to a halt, its stream flowing back, while another section hastened in its gliding course to the sea, leaving the river bed exposed. Where the current surged strongly from its source, it held back and piled high its waves, so that a threatening mountain of water hung poised in quivering formation and looked down to see human feet passing across the dry, deep bed, and grimy soles hastening over the congealed mud, dry-footed in mid-river.
POEM 27.511
And the Lord said to Joshua, This day do I begin to exalt thee before all the children of Israel, that they may know that as I was with Moses, so will I also be with thee.
καὶ εἶπε Κύριος πρὸς ᾿Ιησοῦν· ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ταύτῃ ἄρχομαι ὑψῶσαί σε κατενώπιον πάντων υἱῶν ᾿Ισραήλ, ἵνα γνῶσιν ὅτι καθότι ἤμην μετὰ Μωυσῆ, οὕτως ἔσομαι καὶ μετὰ σοῦ.
И҆ речѐ гдⷭ҇ь ко і҆исꙋ́сꙋ: въ се́й де́нь начина́ю возвыша́ти тѧ̀ пред̾ всѣ́ми сынмѝ і҆и҃левыми, да ᲂу҆вѣ́дѧтъ, ꙗ҆́коже бѣ́хъ съ мѡѷсе́омъ, та́кѡ бꙋ́дꙋ и҆ съ тобо́ю:
What great things were manifested before! The Red Sea was crossed on foot, manna was given from heaven, springs were burst open in the wilderness, the law was given through Moses. Many signs and marvels were performed in the wilderness, but nowhere is it said that Jesus [Joshua] was "exalted." But where the Jordan is crossed, there it is said to Jesus [Joshua], "In this day I am beginning to exalt you in the sight of the people." Indeed, Jesus is not exalted before the mystery of baptism. But his exaltation, even his exaltation in the sight of the people, assumes a beginning from then on. If "all who are baptized [into Christ Jesus] are baptized into his death," and the death of Jesus is made complete by the exaltation of the cross, deservedly then, Jesus is first exalted for each of the faithful when that person arrives at the mystery of baptism. Because thus it is written that "God exalted him and gave him a name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth, and below the earth."
HOMILIES ON JOSHUA 4.2And he commands the priests to go before the people with the ark of the covenant. It is then, too, that the mystery of the dispensation of the Father with the Son is manifested, since the Son is highly exalted by him who grants "that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."These matters are revealed through the following words which have been recorded in the book of Joshua: "And the Lord said to Jesus [Joshua], 'In this day I will begin to exalt you before the sons of Israel.' " We must also hear our Lord Jesus saying to the sons of Israel, "Come here and hear the Word of the Lord our God. In this you shall know that the living God is among you." For by being baptized into Jesus we will know that the living God is among us.
COMMENTARY ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 6.231-32