, when John said, 'I ought to
be baptized by Thee,' Christ answered, 'Suffer it to be so now': it
follows that afterwards Christ did baptize John." Moreover, he
asserts that "this is distinctly set down in some of the apocryphal
books." At any rate, it is certain, as Jerome says on Matt. 3:13,
that, "as Christ was baptized in water by John, so had John to be
baptized in the Spirit by Christ."

Reply Obj. 4: The reason why these persons were baptized after being
baptized by John was not only because they knew not of the Holy
Ghost, but also because they had not received the baptism of Christ.

Reply Obj. 5: As Augustine says (Contra Faust. xix), our sacraments
are signs of present grace, whereas the sacraments of the Old Law
were signs of future grace. Wherefore the very fact that John
baptized in the name of one who was to come, shows that he did not
give the baptism of Christ, which is a sacrament of the New Law.
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QUESTION 39

OF THE BAPTIZING OF CHRIST
(In Eight Articles)

We have now to consider the baptizing of Christ, concerning which
there are eight points of inquiry:

(1) Whether Christ should have been baptized?

(2) Whether He should have been baptized with the baptism of John?

(3) Of the time when He was baptized;

(4) Of the place;

(5) Of the heavens being opened unto Him;

(6) Of the apparition of the Holy Ghost under the form of a dove;

(7) Whether that dove was a real animal?

(8) Of the voice of the Father witnessing unto Him.
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FIRST ARTICLE [III, Q. 39, Art. 1]

Whether It Was Fitting That Christ Should Be Baptized?

Objection 1: It would seem that it was not fitting for Christ to be
baptized. For to be baptized is to be washed. But it was not fitting
for Christ to be washed, since there was no uncleanness in Him.
Therefore it seems unfitting for Christ to be baptized.

Obj. 2: Further, Christ was circumcised in order to fulfil the law.
But baptism was not prescribed by the law. Therefore He should not
have been baptized.

Obj. 3: Further, the first mover in every genus is unmoved in regard
to that movement; thus the heaven, which is the first cause of
alteration, is unalterable. But Christ is the first principle of
baptism, according to John 1:33: "He upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He it is that baptizeth."
Therefore it was unfitting for Christ to be baptized.