Luke 3
v.1
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar—when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene—
v.3
He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
v.8
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
v.9
The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”
v.10
“What should we do then?” the crowd asked.
John’s preaching elicited a response from the crowd. That’s hunger. That’s anointing.
v.16-17
John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Fire is an ancient symbol of judgement, refinement, and purification (cg. Ge 19:26; Am 7:4; Mal 3:2). John is thus portraying the Holy Spirit as being active in saving, purifying, and judging. The Spirit had definitely, though not frequently, been associated with the Messiah (Isaiah 11:1-2), whose coming would mean the availability of the Spirit’s ministry.