Who was John the Baptist?
"He is the lamp in the presence of the Sun; he is the Voice in the presence of the Word; he is the friend in the presence of the Bridegroom; he is the greatest of all born of woman in the presence of the Firstborn of all Creation; he is the one who leapt in his mother's womb in the presence of the One who was adored in his mother's womb; he is the forerunner of the One who has come and will come again."
Why was Jesus baptized by John?
"Jesus comes to sanctify the baptizer...to cleanse the waters...to bury sinful humanity and begin a new creation in water and Spirit...Jesus rises from the waters and the world rises with him. The heavens, like Paradise with its flaming sword closed by Adam for himself and his descendants, are rent open."
- Gregory of Nazianzus
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