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Translated by Ch. Browne and J. Swallow.
Gregory Theologian Bilingual Anthology, Resources Online and in Print
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23 Pages
Page 7
13. After a short interval, wonder succeeded wonder. I will commend the account of it to the ears of the faithful, for to profane minds nothing that is good is trustworthy. He was approaching that regeneration by water and the Spirit, by which we confess to God the formation and completion of the Christlike man, and the transformation and reformation from the earthy to the Spirit. He was approaching the laver with warm desire and bright hope, after all the purgation possible, and a far greater purification of soul and body than that of the men who were to receive the tables from Moses. Their purification extended only to their dress, and a slight restriction of the belly, and a temporary continence. [3211] The whole of his past life had been a preparation for the enlightenment, and a preliminary purification making sure the gift, in order that perfection might be entrusted to purity, and that the blessing might incur no risk in a soul which was confident in its possession of the grace. And as he was ascending out of the water, there flashed around him a light and a glory worthy of the disposition with which he approached the gift of faith; [3212] this was manifest even to some others, who for the time concealed the wonder, from fear of speaking of a sight which each one thought had been only his own, but shortly afterwards communicated it to one another. To the baptiser [3213] and initiator, however, it was so clear and visible, that he could not even hold back the mystery, but publicly cried out that he was anointing with the Spirit his own successor.
14. Nor indeed would anyone disbelieve this who has heard and knows that Moses, when little in the eyes of men, and not yet of any account, was called from the bush which burned but was not consumed, or rather by Him who appeared in the bush, [3214] and was encouraged by that first wonder: Moses, I say, for whom the sea was divided, [3215] and manna rained down, [3216] and the rock poured out a fountain, [3217] and the pillar of fire and cloud led the way in turn, and the stretching out of his hands gained a victory, and the representation of the cross overcame tens of thousands. Isaiah, again, who beheld the glory of the Seraphim, [3218] and after him Jeremiah, who was entrusted with great power against nations and kings; [3219] the one heard the divine voice and was cleansed by a live coal for his prophetic office, and the other was known before his formation and sanctified before his birth. Paul, also, while yet a persecutor, who became the great herald of the truth and teacher of the Gentiles in faith, [3220] was surrounded by a light [3221] and acknowledged Him whom he was persecuting, and was entrusted with his great ministry, and filled every ear and mind with the gospel.
[3211] Exod. xix. 10, 15.
[3212] The gift of faith. One of the questions in some ancient rites of administering Holy Baptism was, "What seekest thou of the Church?" to which the answer was "Faith."
[3213] The baptiser. The Bishop of Nazianzus—not Leontius of Caesarea, who had much to do with Gregory's instruction and had, possibly, admitted him to the order of Catechumens.
[3214] Exod. iii. 4.
[3215] Ib. xiv. 22.
[3216] Ib. xvi. 4.
[3217] Ib. xvii. 6.
[3218] Isai. vi. 1 et seq.
[3219] Jer. i. 10.
[3220] 1 Tim. ii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 11.
[3221] Acts ix. 3.
Reference address : https://www.elpenor.org/gregory-nazianzen/death-father.asp?pg=7
