Baptism Of Fire
Holman Bible Dictionary [1]
Matthew 3:11 Luke 3:16
Fire is one of the physical manifestations of God's presence. This is illustrated several times in the Bible: the making of the covenant with Abraham ( Genesis 15:17 ), the appearance in the burning bush ( Exodus 3:2 ), God leading the Israelites by a pillar of fire by night ( Exodus 13:21-22; Exodus 14:24; Numbers 9:15-16; Numbers 14:14; etc.), His appearance on Mount Sinai ( Exodus 19:18; Exodus 24:17; Deuteronomy 4:11-36; Deuteronomy 5:4-26; etc.), and others (1Kings 18:24, 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Chronicles 21:26; 2Chronicles 7:1, 2 Chronicles 7:3 ).
Fire was used symbolically in Israel's worship to represent God's constant presence with Israel ( Leviticus 6:12-13 ). God's presence as fire represented both judgment and purification (the words purify and purge come from the Greek word for fire). To be in God's presence is to be in the presence of absolute holiness where no sin or unrighteousness can stand. To be in the presence of God is to have the overwhelming sense of one's uncleanness and the overwhelming desire to be clean (see Isaiah 6:1-6 ). God is able to judge and destroy the sin and purify the repentant sinner.
The Holy Spirit is the gift Jesus gave His disciples ( John 20:22 ) and is the presence of God at work in the life of the believer and in the world. Because the Holy Spirit is God's presence in the life of the believer and in the world, the believer and “the world” are made aware of sin and God's judgment on sin and of the necessity of being righteous in God's presence ( John 16:8 ). The presence of God's Spirit brings the overwhelming sense of one's uncleanness and the overwhelming desire to be clean.
The statement “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire,” means that Jesus had and has the ability to immerse (baptize) people in the presence of God so that they are aware of their sin and the need they have to be cleansed of that sin. To be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire is to be convicted concerning sin and righteousness and judgment ( John 16:8 ).
To be baptized with the Holy Spirit has a wider application than this; but when the Holy Spirit is coupled with fire (as in the phrase in Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16 ), the particular aspect of the Holy Spirit's work as described here is in view. See Baptism Of The Holy Spirit; Holy Spirit for a more complete view of the work of the Holy Spirit.
Phil Logan
Baker's Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology [2]
As John the Baptist preached in the Judean wilderness, he declared, "I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" ( Matthew 3:11; cf. Luke 3:16 ).
Throughout Scripture, fire often represents judgment ( Genesis 19:24; 2 Kings 1:10; Amos 1:4-7; Matthew 7:19; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; James 5:3 ), including everlasting punishment ( Matthew 18:8; Jude 7 ). But it can also have a positive, purifying effect on God's people ( Isaiah 1:25; Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2-3; 1 Corinthians 3:13-15; 1 Peter 1:7; Revelation 3:18 ).
In the context of John's preaching, it is natural to associate the baptism of fire with judgment (cf. Matthew 3:10,12; Luke 3:9,17 ). On the other hand, John is first of all addressing believersthose who are receiving his water-baptism. So some think of the fiery tongues at Pentecost as the fulfillment of his prediction. But the grammatical construction in Greek (the use of one preposition to govern two objects) is most naturally taken as referring to only one baptism that involves both blessing and judgment (cf. esp. Isaiah 4:4 ). Pentecost may well represent the firstfruits of purgation for believers, but the baptism is not complete until all people experience final judgment.
Craig L. Blomberg
See also Baptism Of The Holy Spirit; Holy Spirit; Gifts Of Holy Spirit
Bibliography . J. D. G. Dunn, Baptism in the Holy Spirit; NIDNTT, 1:652-57.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia [3]
(ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί , en pneúmati hagı́ō kaı́ purı́ ): This expression is used in Matthew 3:11 . The copulative και , kai requires that the baptism "in the Holy Ghost and in fire," should be regarded as one and the same thing. It does violence to the construction, therefore, to make this statement refer to the fire of judgment. The difficulty has always been in associating fire with the person of the Holy Ghost. But in the connection of fire with the work or influence of the Holy Ghost the difficulty disappears. The thought of John is that the Saviour would give them the Divine Sanctifier as purifying water to wash away their sins and as a refining fire to consume their dross; to kindle in their hearts the holy flame of Divine love and zeal; to illuminate their souls with heavenly wisdom. The statement, therefore, in this verse indicates the manner in which Christ will admit them to discipleship and prepare them for His service. See Baptism; Fire .
