Knowing The Word in Luke 3:15-17, The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

A rabbinic saying from AD 250 reads: Every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher except the loosing of his sandal-thong. That is too lowly a task for a disciple. John places himself lower than a slave in regard to Jesus. John makes two points: he is inferior to the One who is to come and, likewise, his baptism is inferior. Jesus’ baptism of fire and Spirit is metaphorical. What seems best in understanding John is that those who accept Jesus will be purified as by fire and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.

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.”

Prayer: O Lord God, destroy and root out whatever the adversary plants in me, that with my sins destroyed you may sow understanding and good work in my mouth and heart; so that in act and in truth I may serve only you and know how to fulfil the commandments of Christ and to seek yourself. Give me love, give me chastity, give me faith, give me all things which you know belong to the profit of my soul. O Lord, work good in me, and provide me with what you know that I need. Columbanus, c. 550-615