Joshua 4:3Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The Israelites, who had faced numerous trials and wandered in the desert, quickly crossed the Jordan River to enter the promised land, guided by Jesus, the steward of their lives. By positioning twelve stones in the river, Jesus symbolically anticipated the twelve disciples, who would serve as the ministers of baptism.

The expression "two dozen men" along with an equal number of stones is emblematic of the divine favor upon the Apostles, who serve as both builders and foundations of the faith. Scripture states, "the Apostle and the Prophet were called the foundation" (Eph. 2:20). The same Apostle further declared, "as the wise Architect, I have laid the foundation" (1 Cor. 3:10).

From the depths of the Jordan, twelve stones were raised when the waters were parted, symbolizing the firm establishment of Christ, the crowns of the apostles.

The twelve patriarchs, who were meant to establish the twelve tribes (Genesis 49:1-32), along with the twelve springs of water in the desert (Exodus 15:27) and the twelve stones brought up from the depths of the Jordan, are all organized in a way that reflects the number of the apostles. It is left to the scholar of the law to uncover more profound evidence of this connection.