Col 2:12-13:
Colossians 2:12. buried with Him in baptism,
What he called circumcision, he now calls a tomb, offering an image
more complete than circumcision. For what was cut away did not simply fall away
but perished and decayed. So, too, the baptized with Christ, through triple
immersion depicting the Lord’s three-day burial, dying as the old sinful man.
in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of
God, who raised Him from the dead.
Baptism is for us both tomb and resurrection. How? Through faith. Believing
that God can raise the dead, and having the example of Christ’s resurrection,
we have in this way already risen twice with Him; by the hope of resurrection,
which is so certain it is as though it were already granted though still to
come; and spiritually, having cast off the deadness of sin and received renewal
by the Spirit. (The New Testament Commentaries of Saint Theophylact
of Ohrid, 3 vols. [trans. Dean Marais; Based Books, 2025], 3:104)
Heb 6:6:
Hebrews 6:6, if they fall
away, to renew them again to repentance,
That is, through repentance. What
does this mean? Does it reject repentance? May it never be. But renewal through
a second baptism. For “renewal” is the action of one baptism, as the Prophet
says: “your youth is renewed like the eagle’s” (Psalm 102:5). The action of repentance
is to free from oldness and to strengthen. But it cannot restore to the former
brightness. For in baptism, everything was the work of grace. Thus, by “repentance,”
he means baptism. For first one repents of former life, then is baptized, as he
said above: “repentance from dead works.” From what follows, it is clear that
he denies a second baptism.
since they crucify again for
themselves the Son of God,
Baptism is a crucifixion. “Our
old man was crucified with Him,” and “we are united with Him in the likeness of
His death.” Also: “we were buried with Him in baptism.” For just as Christ died
on the cross in the flesh, so we die to sin in baptism. Therefore, one who is
baptized a second time crucifies Christ again, as much as it depends on him.
But this is absurd. For He died and rose once, and “death no longer has
dominion over Him” (Romans 6:4-9). Therefore, there is no second baptism, just
as there is no second cross. What prevents then a third or a fourth and so on
without end? He does not merely say “crucify again,” and stop there, but adds: “for
themselves,” to show that by living carelessly and assuming there is another
baptism, we are in effect meaning within ourselves that erroneous opinion. (Ibid.,
3:225)
Heb 10:14:
Hebrews 10:14. For by one
offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.
He was completely freed from sins
those being sanctified and anointed with His Blood, through baptism into His
death. Since all the baptized are united with the likeness of His death, it is
evident that they are sanctified by His blood. (Ibid., 3:246)
1 Pet 2:9-10:
1 Peter 2:9. But you are a
chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people,
that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into
His marvelous light;
1 Peter 2:10. who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had
not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Having disapproved of the
behavior of the unbelievers, stating that they were themselves the cause of
their unbelief, the Apostle now turns to praise those who have acted rightly
and says: You who have done rightly are a chosen generation, a royal
priesthood. As if to say: they, through hardness and obstinacy, stumbled against
the cornerstone and did not become part of the structure; but you, by your
willing obedience, have become part of the royal priesthood, a chosen race, a
holy nation. Yet, lest he soften them too much with praise or allow them to the
royal priesthood, a chosen race, a holy nation. Yet, lest he soften the m too
much with praise or allow them to think they become a holy nation by natural
descent, or that they attained this honor because they were descendants of
Abraham and never stumbled, the Apostle, to guard against such thoughts, adds
and says: do not think too highly of your lineage; you are chosen for the royal
priesthood not because of Abraham, for his descendants had a priesthood
separate from kingship; but you are a holy nation and a chosen generation,
appointed to a royal priesthood not because of Abraham, but because of Christ,
who is called both “a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek,”
and “a King, meek and just and bringing salvation.” Thus, from Him who
possesses both—the priesthood and the kingship—you, being reborn through holy
baptism, are rightly called a chosen generation and a royal priesthood. This you
have by His mercy, who called you out of darkness into his Marvelous light;
therefore, by works of light, proclaim His excellencies to others. This, he
says, you have by HIs love for mankind. Therefore, these words apply to you: “who
once were not a people, but are now the people of God; who had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” That this language might not seem too
harsh, he cites the prophet Hosea. Therefore, proclaim His excellencies by your
virtue. And how should they proclaim them? The Lord Himself teaches this when
HE says: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works
and glorify your Father in heaven.” “His own special people,” that is, a people
taken for His own possession or inheritance. For all creation belongs to God,
but His inheritance is only those who are counted worthy of this by their
virtue. (Ibid., 3:297-98)
1 Pet 3:21-22:
1 Peter 3:21. There is also an
antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh,
but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of
Jesus Christ,
1 Peter 3:22. who has gone into heaven
The connection is as follows:
thus also we are now saved by baptism, corresponding to this figure, not the
removal of the filth of the flesh, but the iniquity or the request for a good
conscience before God. For those who are conscious of having done good—that is,
who are committed to a pure life—these are the ones who resort to holy baptism.
And what makes baptism saving? The resurrection of Christ. For before His
sufferings and resurrection, Christ declared: “unless one is born of water and
the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God,” and after the resurrection, He
commanded that all the nations coming to Him be baptized “in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”
is seated at the right hand of
God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.
Who is this “Him”? The man whom He assumed into union with Himself. (Ibid.,
3:3:303-4)
