small waterway, lost in the sands and winding among the rocks spurs Lebanese mountains, a natural border between the Muslim and the Jewish world.Two thousand years ago, she became the face of the mystic, had divided human history into "before" and "after."The name of the Palestinian river turned into a common noun."Jordan" means any body of water or a place on the feast of the Baptism performed the rite of the Great Blessing of Water.
What does the word baptism
In Slavic tradition "baptism" means involvement in the life of Christ.In ancient times, the word is so pronounced - hreschenie.This refers to a mystical action relating to Christ and produced with his participation.The first meaning of the word "baptism" is the mystery of the Church (not the rite, namely the sacrament), by which a person becomes a member of the society and the life of the followers of the teachings of Jesus Christ.
In the Hellenic tradition of this action is called word βαπτίζω (vaptiso), which means "immerse" or "dip".Where in the Slavonic translation of the Gospel it is written that John the Baptist performed the baptism in the Jordan River, to be understood, "dive": "... and be baptized (immersed, dipped) all Judea" and so on. D. The Holy Prophet John was not himself invented this ceremony,but these actions are performed based on the Old Testament Jewish religious rite.These rituals can be found in many nations.For example, Hindus make a holy dip in the river.
ancient Jewish custom
Law of Moses enjoined to perform ablutions for any desecration: touch a dead body, the eating of the forbidden food, woman after bleeding and so forth. According to the ancient rites of the Jews to the Jewish faith can join any person gentile blood.Such a person is called a proselyte.This case has been registered in the adoption of a special ritual Judaism infidels, which provided and bath.In modern parlance, it can be called the baptism of proselytes.
In all cases, the washing was performed through the full, with a head dive into the pond.It was a symbolic act and had a mystical sense of cleansing from sin.Cleaning properties had only "water from God": flow from the source, or collected rainwater.
John's baptism
Jewish practices were known to John.At certain times he comes to the shore of the Jordan River, and declares that the time of God's judgment.The righteous will be rewarded with perfect everlasting life in the kingdom of God and sinners - are subject to eternal punishment.John preached that salvation from the punishment can only be repenting and correcting the evils of his life."Come to Jordan - called the Baptist - come who wants to be saved!»
John the traditional Jewish ritual of giving new meaning.Over coming to him by people he does baptism in the River Jordan: immersed in water and does not allow to go as long as a person is not completely cleanse your soul.Having chosen one of God, he had the ability to see the mystery of the inner world.No confession of their crimes demanded a prophet, and a decisive rejection of sinful life.Gradually around John, a whole new community of people who are being saved.
Baptism of Jesus
Imbued with a formidable prophet appeal to repent of our sins, came to him a lot of people from all over Palestine.One day, on the banks of the Jordan he was the Christ.This event is described in detail by all four evangelists.Jesus did not have any sin, I did not need a confession and cleansing.Evangelists write about Christ, immersed in the Jordan, immediately, immediately out of the water.The Prophet felt the holiness of the God-man and asked a puzzling question: "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?".The Savior commands him to perform the rite.
acceptance of Christ is very important to John's baptism.This confirms the validity of the Baptist preaching in the fact that a new era of human morality.After the baptism of Christ went to a secluded place in the Palestinian desert, where he spent forty days in prayer and only then began preaching among the Jews.
Why Jesus was baptized
Some Protestant denominations simplified perceive the meaning of what happened events.According to them, Jesus was baptized to give us an example.An example of what?The meaning of baptism is explained in the Gospel of Matthew.In chapter 5, Jesus says of himself that he came into the world not to destroy the Old Testament law, but to fulfill it.The primary source of the meaning of the verb has a slightly different shade.Christ came to make the law, that is, Himself to complete its action.
Theologians see in the baptism of several mystical moments:
- River Baptism of Christ opened a new knowledge to people about God.Evangelists testify that when you exit the water on the Savior Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and all those present heard a voice from heaven, called Christ the Son, and commanding to fulfill His teachings.Christians this event called Epiphany, because the first time the world had witnessed of God in three persons.
- baptism of Jesus symbolizes the spiritual condition of all the ancient nation of Israel.The Jews departed from God, His commandments, and have forgotten the mass needed to repent.Christ as it makes it clear that the Jewish people must make the transition to a new moral condition.
- waters of the Jordan, figuratively cleaning defects were immersed in these people carry spiritual uncleanness of all mankind.River, where Jesus was baptized, it is also a symbol of restless souls.Christ is immersed in water, sanctified and cleansed them.
- Christ - the victim.The meaning of His ministry on earth - sacrifice Himself for the sins of mankind.According to Jewish custom, a sacrificial animal to be subjected to the liturgical ritual ablutions.
Where did the name "Jordan»
According to popular belief the river where Jesus was baptized, has a Jewish name.In the scientific community on this issue no consensus.
- most logical to assume Semitic names.In this case, Jordan is derived from the Hebrew word "yered" ("down", "falls"), and the name of the source is given - the name of one of the 12 tribes of ancient Israel.
- There is version of Indo-European origin of the word.Since ancient times, these Middle Eastern territories inhabited Indo-Iranians - the ancestors of the Philistines.Danu Indo-European root meaning "moisture", "water", "river".
- Russian religious philosopher Dmitry Merezhkovsky in the "Odyssey" of Homer saw line, speaking of a certain tribe Kidon, who lived near the shores yard.He concluded that the river called Jordan the baptism of Jesus come from Crete.
sacred waters of the Jordan
already 1000 years before our era the water of the Jordan River were venerated as sacred.The chroniclers have preserved a lot of evidence that patients with leprosy were healed after bathing in the river.Some zealots went down into the water in burial shrouds.A piece of cloth kept until the day of death, believing that it will help to resurrect.
After the baptism of Jesus the river was considered holy, and without further ceremonies.Early Christians used the water, considering it miraculous and has healing properties.When Christianity became the state religion of the Byzantine Empire, the faithful were able to freely move around the empire.The river was the baptism of Christ cherished goal for pilgrims.
By the shores of Jordan into a lot of pilgrims, not only to venerate the holy places.In addition there were awed reverence and superstition.The waters of the river began to immerse patients waiting for a miracle of healing and elderly people with belief in rejuvenation.The water began to be used for sprinkling farmland, hoping it will bring a bountiful harvest.Owners of ships recruited large vessels of water, trying to prevent a shipwreck and to arrange safe swimming.
Jordan today
flow of pilgrims does not cease to this day.According to the ancient testimonies, place on the banks of the Jordan, where made his mission John the Baptist, located in present-day Israel.River baptism of Christ in this area takes place on the Palestinian Authority and access to it after the 1967 war impossible.
deference to the wishes of Christians, the Israeli government has allocated a small portion of the coast of Jordan at the exit of Lake Kinneret (Sea of Galilee).With the participation of the Ministry of Tourism was built a complex of buildings.This pilgrimage center is not considered a historical place of evangelical events, but for many believers all over the world it is the only opportunity to immerse themselves in the sacred waters.
Miracles
Epiphany Feast of the Epiphany on January 19 the Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem makes a festive prayer service and the great blessing of the waters.The culmination of this service is a triple immersion of the cross into the water.Many participants indicate annually recurring miracle.At the time of immersion of the cross, Jesus' baptism river stops its run, and the waters begin to move in the opposite direction.This phenomenon has a number of witnesses captured on video.Jordan has quite a strong current, and explain this phenomenon natural factor is not possible.The faithful believe that in this way God shows his power.
true place of baptism of the Savior
If the question is to what river baptized Jesus, is already considered a foregone conclusion, then the definition of the place of the event itself is debatable.For twenty centuries the river bed has changed several times, they have sunk into oblivion states and peoples that existed in biblical times.
in the Jordanian city of Madaba preserved ancient temple of the heyday of the Byzantine Empire.Church of St. George was built in the middle of the VI century.Its mosaic floor is decorated with a map of Palestine.The surviving fragments of the document has a size of 15 by 6 meters.Among other things, the map shown in great detail and place of baptism of the Savior.This led scientists to think to find archaeological evidence of the Gospel events.
in Jordan, not far from where the river flows into the Dead Sea, in 1996, forty meters east of the modern channel of a team of archaeologists discovered the true place of the baptism of the Savior.For nearly a year on the Israeli side of Christ's baptism in the river this place is available for visiting pilgrims.Anyone can get to the water and to bathe or dive.
River
baptism of Rus Prince Vladimir of Kiev decided to make Orthodox Christianity the official religion.In the historiography of both ecclesiastical and secular, sanctifying those events, made mention hosted by Prince Vladimir poll envoys of different religions.Greek preacher was the most convincing.In 988 took place the baptism of Rus.Dnieper River Jordan was the state of Kiev.
Vladimir himself was baptized in the Greek colonies of the Crimea - Chersonesos.Upon arrival in Kiev, he commanded to be baptized all over his court.After that, under pain of reckoning to personal enemies, he made the baptism of Rus.In what will be a massive river ordinance doubts arose.The wooden statue of the worshiped the pagan god Perun was thrown into the river, and the people of Kiev gathered on the banks of the Dnieper River and its tributaries Pochaina.Arriving with Vladimir Chersonesus of priests performed the sacrament, and a new era of our country.
