Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/478

 But Satan  made  another  attempt. He took  our  Lord  to  a very  high  mountain,  and  showed  Him  all  the  kingdoms  of  the world, and  the  glory  thereof,  and  said: “All  these  will  I give Thee, if,  falling  down,  Thou  wilt  adore  me.”  Jesus  answered: “Begone, Satan ;  for  it  is  written :  The  Lord  thy  God  thou shalt adore,  and  Him  only  shalt  thou  serve.”  Then  the  devil  left Jesus : and,  behold,  angels  came  and  ministered  to  Him.

Why Jesus  let  Himself  be  baptized  by  John. 1. He did  not  require to do  penance,  because  He  was  without  sin; but  He  had  taken  our  sins upon Him  to  atone  for  them;  therefore  He  humbled  Himself,  placed Himself on  a level  with  sinners,  and  obediently  subjected  Himself  to be  baptized,  as  He  had  submitted  before  to  be  circumcised,  and  presented in the  Temple. 2. He  gave  us  thereby  a lesson  in  humility  and  obedience, and  has  taught  us  that  we  too  must  fulfil  all  justice,  i.  e. promptly  obey  all  the  ordinances  of  God. 3. By  His  baptism  He sanctified  water,  and  gave  to  it  the  power  of  purifying  and  sanctifying the soul  of  man. In other  words,  He  instituted  the  Sacrament  of Baptism  by  which,  under  the  outward  sign  of  water,  we  receive  remission of  our  sins.

The testimony  of  heaven.  The  opening  of  heaven,  the  appearance of the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the  voice  from  above  all  served  to  place  Jesus before the  people  as  the  promised  Redeemer,  and  to  give  them  faith in His  divine  mission.

The opening  of  heaven  signified  that  Heaven, which  had  been closed to  man  since  the  Fall,  was  now  once  more  opened  by  Jesus. The visible  apparition  of  the  Holy  Ghost  proclaimed  that  in  Jesus  dwelt the  fulness  of  divine  grace  and  wisdom,  and  that  He  it  was  who  would