15 As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, 16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Luke 3:15-17, ESV

Ekspek’ ta SH(e)n...

There was something about John the Baptist that drew people in and created a spirit of expectation among the people of Judea. What was it? John’s bold preaching may have gained the admiration of some, but that boldness was an offense to others. His famously rugged clothing and inglorious diet of locusts were a spectacle for sure, but there was an expectation of hope in God’s ancient promises to Israel among the people. Why were people responding to the Baptist with revived hope in the middle of Roman occupation? The answer is invisible to the naked eye, and that is why secular opinions fall short of uncovering the truth. There was a growing expectation of hope in the nearness of God’s anointed King and kingdom because the Holy Spirit filled John and was working to prepare men to receive their approaching King.

You’ve got the wrong guy...

John was careful to redirect those who mistakenly assumed that he was the Christ. John’s words were direct but mysterious. His teaching to correct the error was a contrast of baptisms. John said, “I baptize you with water, but… He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John’s baptism was most definitely less dramatic than a baptism of fire, yet that water baptism was radical. John’s baptism of repentance would prove to be less revolutionary than the coming Christ’s baptism. John added to his contrast of baptisms a footnote about personal unworthiness before the coming King.

Baptisms of What?…

Water baptism is simple enough to understand. John stood in the Jordan river and plunged repentant Jews under the water one at a time to symbolize repentance and cleansing. The act was observable and repeatable, but what did John mean by the words, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire”? It is my understanding that these are two different baptisms. Let’s consider these both one at a time.

First, what did John mean by his teaching that Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit? In the Old Testament, there are many examples of people whom the Holy Spirit “came upon.” In those pages, you will find the Holy Spirit that came upon men and also removed Himself from some of them. The most famous example was King Saul when he received the Holy Spirit in 1 Samuel 10 and later in 1 Samuel 16 God’s Spirit departed from the King. That phenomenon is different than Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit. Old Testament prophets like Amos (Am 2) foretold of a time in the future when God’s Spirit will be “poured out” upon men and women, rich and poor, young and old. Prophets like Jeremiah (Jer 31) and Ezekiel ( Ez 36) foretold of a time in the future when God would establish a new covenant that could not waste away like the old covenant because the Holy Spirit would be “put within” those covenant people. Christ’s baptism with the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of those prophecies.

Second, what did John mean by his teaching that Christ will baptize with fire? The element of fire is used frequently as a symbol of judgment throughout the Scriptures. John’s use of “fire” is also referring to the judgment of God. “His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshingfloor and to gather the wheat into this barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire,” John said. Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit was, as it were, creating the wheat and His baptism with fire was, as it were, damning the chaff. Here He comes to the threshing floor with His harvesting tool in hand. The metaphor here has a quality that J.I. Packer calls “pregnant brevity.” There is far more meaning within the metaphor than I have uncovered here, but the necessary teaching is clear enough. Christ’s baptism with fire is damnation to all who will not believe.