Bring forth the Old and the New; concerning Baptism

Jesus Christ said, ““Then every scribe who has been instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like the head of a household who brings from his storeroom both the new and the old.”” (Matt 13:52).

That is interesting. You see, when I need to find something, I always say, “Babe, where are my old boots?” Or “Babe, have you seen my new tablet?” And she brings them out. My kids rely on her as much as I do. So, who’s the “head” of my household? Hmm?

So, anyway, let’s see if we are good scribes who can bring from the Kingdom of Heaven, something old and something new, concerning Baptism.

This is not meant to be an exhaustive list. Just one example from the Old Testament and the New.

Why?

Well, this is how Jesus said that we should study Scripture. It is in the Old Testament that we are supposed to see the coming of Christ and His Kingdom. That is why He said to the Apostles:

Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

The Old

Naaman

In the Old Testament, we find the story of the great, Naaman. He was a renowned warrior and general in the Aramean army. But he contracted leprosy. We’ll take up his story at that point:

2 Kings 5 (NRSVCE)

The Healing of Naaman

1 Naaman, commander of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man and in high favor with his master, because by him the Lord had given victory to Aram. The man, though a mighty warrior, suffered from leprosy.

So, as I said, the great Naaman has contracted leprosy.

2 Now the Arameans on one of their raids had taken a young girl captive from the land of Israel, and she served Naaman’s wife. 3 She said to her mistress, “If only my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” 4 So Naaman went in and told his lord just what the girl from the land of Israel had said. 5 And the king of Aram said, “Go then, and I will send along a letter to the king of Israel.”….

As Providence would have it, a young maiden advises that Naaman seek out the Prophet in Israel. But the King of Israel was not a very faithful man, so we’ll skip down to the Prophet.

8 But when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, he sent a message to the king, “Why have you torn your clothes? Let him come to me, that he may learn that there is a prophet in Israel.”

So, the Prophet said to the King, “What are you afraid of? Didn’t God appoint you King? Tell him to come down and I will prove that God speaks through your Kingdom.

9 So Naaman came with his horses and chariots, and halted at the entrance of Elisha’s house. 10 Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go, wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored and you shall be clean.”

Now, pay attention. Notice that this great general has come to the Prophet Elisha. But the Prophet doesn’t even come out to greet him. He doesn’t ask him what he wants. He simply sends his messenger to tell him to go wash in the river seven times.

Do you get what I’m saying? This man speaks for God. God speaks through him and he is well aware of that fact. Therefore, he’s not troubled by a petty infirmity of the skin. He simply gives God’s command. Go wash in the river and you will be healed. Do you believe? Do you see the Church in Elisha’s response? The Church has been telling us for 2000 years, be washed in the waters of Baptism and you shall be healed. Same message. Be washed, be healed.

11 But Naaman became angry and went away, saying, “I thought that for me he would surely come out, and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, and would wave his hand over the spot, and cure the leprosy! 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them, and be clean?” He turned and went away in a rage.

And there’s a whole lot of people out there, who react like Namaan. They say, “What? Baptized in water? Water can’t do anything for me! Surely all I need to do is say that I believe!” Never mind that Jesus said, " The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16).

3 But his servants approached and said to him, “Father, if the prophet had commanded you to do something difficult, would you not have done it? How much more, when all he said to you was, ‘Wash, and be clean’?”

I tell you though, Naaman must have been a very humble man. Because very few people take advice from their servants. But Naaman came to Aram because of the advice of his little servant girl and Naaman bathed in the Jordan because of the advice of his servants. Naaman has my complete respect.

14 So he went down and immersed himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; his flesh was restored like the flesh of a young boy, and he was clean.

And God saw his humility and granted him the grace of healing.

15 Then he returned to the man of God, he and all his company; he came and stood before him and said, “Now I know that there is no God in all the earth except in Israel; please accept a present from your servant.” 16 But he said, “As the Lord lives, whom I serve, I will accept nothing!” He urged him to accept, but he refused. 17 Then Naaman said, “If not, please let two mule-loads of earth be given to your servant; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to any god except the Lord. 18 But may the Lord pardon your servant on one count: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, leaning on my arm, and I bow down in the house of Rimmon, when I do bow down in the house of Rimmon, may the Lord pardon your servant on this one count.” 19 He said to him, “Go in peace.”

And Naaman was a man who understood gratitude. He was grateful to God and completely gave himself to God from that day on. It is a beautiful story. I hope it warms your heart as much as it does mine.

I want you to notice several things here which are foreshadowings of the Catholic Church.

1. Naaman came to a man. He didn’t go directly to God. He went to God’s Prophet. The man who speaks for God and who was well aware that God spoke through him. There’s no pride here. There’s no gloating. Elisha is humble enough and obedient enough to accept that God speaks through him.

People frequently complain, “Who does the Catholic Church think that she is?” I’ll tell you who she knows that she is. She is the Agent who through whom God speaks. That’s who. That’s just a fact which she is humble enough and obedient enough to accept.

2. Again, Naaman came to a man to receive God’s blessing. This is a foreshadowing of the Sacraments. Especially the Sacrament of Baptism, since he was washed clean in the washing of the water.

3. This is also a foreshadowing of the Communion of Saints. Notice how Naaman would not have been cured had it not been for his lowly servant girl, who spoke to him through his wife. And he, in turn, spoke to his King, who spoke to the King of Israel, who spoke to the Prophet, who spoke to God.

And that’s not all. Then, God spoke to the Prophet, who sent his messenger to speak to Naaman. And Naaman rejected the message. But God inspired his servants to speak to Naaman also. And Naaman accepted their message. And he washed and was cleansed.

The New

John 9:5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, 7 saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

Jesus instructed the man born blind to wash so that he could see. This man did not object. But straightway went to the pool of Siloam and washed and was cured.

Folks, God works through water. Who can say to God, “No! You can’t do that!” It is a lack of faith to claim that God can’t wash us of our sins by means of water. Because, as Jesus said:

Matt 9:5 For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’?

In other words, it is just as easy for God to cure illness as it is for Him to wash away sins. And it is by Baptism that God washes away sins:

Acts 22:16New Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition (NRSVCE)

16 And now why do you delay? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’

I hope that was helpful Let me know in the comments.