Sunday after Theophany, January 11, 2004
(Tone Five) Theodosios the Great
Kellia: Joshua 3:7-8, 15-17 Epistle: Ephesians 4:7-13 Gospel: St. Matthew 4:12-17
Joshua 3:7-8, 15-17 LXX, especially vs. 17, "And 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...." What a contrast there is between the
crossing of the Jordan and the earlier passage through the Red Sea! Forty years apart, the two
events were markedly different for the ancient People of Israel. At Jordan, Joshua led the people
instead of Moses. Israel was not fleeing but advancing to receive the land promised to them as an
inheritance. They came to the shores of Jordan with neither fear nor threat driving them. They
came with expectation, a free people, not fugitive slaves, stepping into a dry watercourse. This
was no mob, but an army with its divisions, leaders, chain of command, a seasoned force.
Let us look upon our Baptism through the lens of this triumphant crossing of the Jordan. Let us
learn from our ancient forefathers in the Spirit to press forward toward the goal that God has
achieved, to advance toward the 'land,' the Kingdom He has set before us. Let us reflect on the
example of ancient Israel as a reminder that we depend wholly on the power of 'Joshua,' the One
Who saves, for He is with us to restrain the floods of this life. Finally, let our consideration of
this crossing of the ancient People of God make us ever mindful of the need to maintain our place
within the ranks of the Saints, so that we and all the Faithful may pass over dry shod.
"All the children of Israel went through on dry land" (vs. 17). Take note of how that happened:
God directed Joshua to have the Priests march forward; and they lifted the Ark of the Covenant,
stepped into the rushing waters of Jordan, up well over its banks (vs. 15), and they never
hesitated to obey. How readily the flesh wants to hold back when there is 'objective evidence' of
a threatening flood of events! Logic screams at us not to go forward against the insurmountable,
to settle for second best, and to forego our claim on the "heavenly calling" (Heb. 3:1). How
tragic to let the "persuasive words of human wisdom" (1 Cor. 2:4) defeat us! We were Baptized
into Him Who rose from the dead, Beloved, and united to Him Who stilled the raging of the
winds and waves. Let us not define defeat, loss, and shame as this world does. Let us step into
certain difficulties knowing that God has commanded us, for God is with us.
It may not be evident in reading this account of the great son of Nun, that Joshua, his given name,
is the same name which was given to our Lord Jesus Christ by angelic command (Mt. 1:21; Lk.
1:31). Observe: the name Joshua would transliterate precisely from Hebrew into English as
Yeshua. In Greek, however, the name transliterated as Iesous. In turn, this name transliterated
into English as Jesus. Both the son of Nun and the son of the Theotokos have the same name in
Hebrew! Most of all note: the name means, the One Who Saves, Savior.
How is it that in Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition God can urge us, as Baptized members of
Christ, to step without hesitation into impossible circumstances in this life? It is simply because
He knows that we cannot be defeated in Him except by our sin, fear, and despair. As God said to
Joshua, "This day do I begin to exalt thee before all the children of Israel" (Jos. 3:7). The world
may call us "losers, stupid, narrow-minded," but in Baptism God promised to exalt us in Jesus
our Savior before the Angels, the Church on earth and in heaven, and the world. Baptism was
our initiation; let us advance that God may save us through Jesus our Savior.
Finally, let us ever remember that "all the children of Israel" went forward. Our yielding to
worldly wisdom will break ranks and weaken the resolve of others. "The Church is revealed to all
as a brilliantly lit heaven, leading the Faithful in the way of light. Standing therein, we cry:
Make firm the foundation of this Thy household, O Lord!"
