How Can Jesus Baptize With Fire?

This is our Understanding the Scriptures segment, we are in the gospel of Matthew, we’re in Matthew chapter 3, and we’re going to pick up with verse 11, we read it last week, but let’s go over it again, Dave.“I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance:(and of course, this is John the Baptist speaking) but he that cometh after me (referring to Jesus) is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”

Dave:

Well, Tom, that’s a controversial verse.Of course, what does “the fire” mean?Well, I think you would get a hint of it in 1Corinthians chapter 3, “Every man’s works will be tried by fire.”You get a hint of it in Revelation chapter 1, where you see Jesus—this is not some cozy Jesus which you crawl up and sit on his lap like some of the people who have you visualize Jesus, this is—ah his eyes are like a flame of fire, his eyes look right through you.Okay?This is the fire of God’s justice, of God’s truth, you can’t escape it, but we need that to purify us and to bring us to bring us to repentance.So, I think that’s what the fire is—He’s not going to drop you in some fire.But “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”Now, I know nothing about Greek, but in Greek the prepositions are a little bit difficult.Does it mean with, or in, or by?Well, the King James translated it with, with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.Now, I’m going to just point out some comparisons here, and I’m going to leave it up to our listeners to come to their own conclusion, I’m not going to try to force my ideas, but they may find this rather interesting.This is mentioned in all four gospels.

Tom:

Dave, even in the gospel of John, John says that this same is He which baptizes with the Holy Ghost.

Dave:

Yeah, so who is baptizing with the Holy Ghost?Well, it’s Jesus, and baptized into, or however you want to say it.So, Jesus is the baptizer, and the Holy Spirit is the one into whom they are being baptized.Okay.Now Tom, as I mentioned, the prepositions are kind of difficult in Greek.

Tom:

Dave, can I say something first.You always say, “I know nothing about Greek.”Some people—I know that you do know something about Greek but you wouldn’t call yourself an expert, but you have the ability to check the experts out and see if what they are saying makes sense.

Dave:

Well, I go to my concordance.

Tom:

That’s right, but the point is that they will say, well, he doesn’t know anything about Greek, why is he even going there, and so on.No, it’s just the way you talk, just for the sake of our listeners and viewers.

Dave:

Okay. Now, the Bible makes it—it is written in such a way that you couldn’t make a mistake about this Greek preposition.Is it “in” or is it “by” or is it “with?”Well, because, not only does it say the same thing in every gospel, it says—I’ll read it from Matthew again where we are:“I indeed baptize you with water.”So, John is the baptizer, and you’re being baptized into water, “but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:he shall baptize you.”No, not John the baptizer, but Jesus is going to baptize, “he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”We dealt with the fire, but just take that.So apparently, somehow you’re going to be immersed into the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will come upon you.All right, now this is the way, it precisely says it that way in every gospel.Okay, now we are showing how this carries through into the Book of Acts, it is precise.Chapter 1, verse 4:“And being assembled together with them, (this is Jesus after his resurrection) commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.”“For John truly baptized with water; (now I’m being very precise, John was the one who baptized into water) but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”So now, as John baptized you in the water,

similarly you’re going to be baptized into the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit will be like the water.It’s amazing how it is always said that way.Okay, let’s go down—sorry I didn’t look these things up—let’s go down to, in Acts 10, we have Peter, who is led of the Holy Spirit to go into the house of Cornelius, a Gentile.You’re not supposed to do that as a Jew, so they thought, but Jesus had said, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.Okay?The disciples couldn’t understand that.So anyway, “As he spake the word unto them”—well, let’s read it here:Acts:10:44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
See All...:“While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.”Well, it sounds kind of like the Holy Spirit is the one in which they are being immersed.“And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” and so forth.“Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.”Now, you go to chapter 11, he comes back to Jerusalem and the apostles and elders are all over Peter:You went into the home of the Gentiles, how could you do that!The Lord had told them that they should, but Peter had a pretty strong reason for it, but God had to let a sheet down, you know, the whole story of unclean animals, and he relates what we just read in chapter 10, what happened in Cornelius’ household.Chapter 11, verse 16, “Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”In other words, the same as being baptized in the water is being baptized with the Holy Ghost.Then if we go to 1 Corinthians 12, now he is talking about the gifts of the Spirit:Diversities of gifts, same Spirit; Diversities of operations, same God, manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man.So there is going to be a manifestation of the Spirit.And then he goes on and says verse 13: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.”Now we had it all through John, I’m sorry, we had it all through the four gospels made very, very clear, I indeed baptize you with water, someone’s coming along and he’s going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit.And then Jesus repeats it in Acts 1, and then Peter says it, Well, we remember what Jesus had said, as John baptized in water you’ll be baptized in the Holy Ghost, that’s what this is.Then, 1 Corinthians:12:13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
See All...—I can’t think it’s the same thing—“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body.”This is not Christ baptizing us into the Spirit, but this is the Spirit baptizing us into the body of Christ, and that certainly happens to everybody.I believe it happens the moment they are saved.Now, is there something else, Jesus baptizing us into the Holy Spirit?Well, I’m not going to try to tell anyone what I believe, but as I said last week, I’ve shown you the differences, I’ve shown you how precise it is stated, I’ve showed you the difference.This is the Holy Spirit baptizing into the body, and 1 Corinthians 12, is that really Christ baptizing everyone into the Holy Spirit?I’ll let everyone come to their own conclusion, and we’ll move on next week.