THEOSISJohn Chrysostom
Initially, Joshua split the waters of the Jordan, and the method of this act is worthy of attention. He did not cease the flow of springs but instead redirected the waters, as the Psalmist affirms, "What ails you, O sea, that you flee? And you, O Jordan, that you turn back?" (Psalm 113:5). What was once behind has transformed into springs of life. The Savior liberated humanity from the relentless march towards death, restoring the flow back to its original source of life, no longer allowing it to dissolve into the Dead Sea. Thus, the nature of humanity is rejuvenated to its original state. Every parting of the Jordan carries a significant symbol. Joshua parts it with the ark, Elijah with the mercy seat, and Elisha likewise cleaves it through the compassion of the master.
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As humanity could not, on its own, halt the flow of the waters, Joshua, bearing the name of the Lord, first entered with the ark, symbolizing the body of the Master. Intriguingly, the Jordan did not acknowledge Jesus merely as a man or reflect upon the presence of the priests. To demonstrate that he was not inferior to the people but elevated the ark, Jesus proclaimed: "Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is to go before you into the Jordan; and when the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord touch the waters of the Jordan, the waters shall be cut off" (Num. 3:11, 13). The honor does not belong to the priests themselves, but to the ark. The reason for this distinction becomes evident as David inquires, "What ails you, O sea, that you flee? And you, O Jordan, that you turn back?" To this, creation responds, "The earth trembles at the presence of the Lord" (Psalm 113:7). The presence of the Lord is embodied in the form of the ark. Just as the ark contained the law, the tablets, and the rod, the flesh of the Lord encompasses the divine essence, mirroring how the deity was enshrined within the ark. The blessed David remarked on this sacred vessel: "Arise, O Lord, into Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength" (Psalm 131:8). Observe the outcome: the Jordan dries up, not losing its springs but retreating to its ancient sources.