rstood in a spiritual
sense, because the heavens were not previously closed to the eyes of
the Son of God. Therefore it seems unbecoming to say that when Christ
was baptized "the heavens were opened."

Obj. 3: Further, heaven was opened to the faithful through Christ's
Passion, according to Heb. 10:19: "We have [Vulg.: 'Having'] a
confidence in the entering into the holies by the blood of Christ."
Wherefore not even those who were baptized with Christ's baptism, and
died before His Passion, could enter heaven. Therefore the heavens
should have been opened when Christ was suffering rather than when He
was baptized.

_On the contrary,_ It is written (Luke 3:21): "Jesus being baptized
and praying, heaven was opened."

_I answer that,_ As stated above (A. 1; Q. 38, A. 1), Christ wished
to be baptized in order to consecrate the baptism wherewith we were
to be baptized. And therefore it behooved those things to be shown
forth which belong to the efficacy of our baptism: concerning which
efficacy three points are to be considered. First, the principal
power from which it is derived; and this, indeed, is a heavenly
power. For which reason, when Christ was baptized, heaven was opened,
to show that in future the heavenly power would sanctify baptism.

Secondly, the faith of the Church and of the person baptized conduces
to the efficacy of baptism: wherefore those who are baptized make a
profession of faith, and baptism is called the "sacrament of faith."
Now by faith we gaze on heavenly things, which surpass the senses and
human reason. And in order to signify this, the heavens were opened
when Christ was baptized.

Thirdly, because the entrance to the heavenly kingdom was opened to
us by the baptism of Christ in a special manner, which entrance had
been closed to the first man through sin. Hence, when Christ was
baptized, the heavens were opened, to show that the way to heaven is
open to the baptized.

Now after baptism man needs to pray continually, in order to enter
heaven: for though sins are remitted through baptism, there still
remain the fomes of sin assailing us from within, and the world and
the devils assailing us from without. And therefore it is said
pointedly (Luke 3:21) that "Jesus being baptized and praying, heaven
was opened": because, to wit, the faithful after baptism stand in
need of prayer. Or else, that we may be led to understand that the
very fact that through baptism heaven is opened to believers i