Scripture Meaning Help: "He will baptize...with fire"

[4gospels]

Similar threads in search were quite convoluted and devolved in focus for my understanding, so I wanted to ask what the Prophet meant when he said “One is coming after me who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.” Was this John’s vision of Pentecost and confirmation after baptism? Thank you all.

 

[catholic4ever]

I’ve always taken this verse to refer to Pentecost and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as you’ve said. Full disclosure, though: I’m no biblical scholar.

 

[4gospels]

I’ve always thought the same, but I always pause when reading that line and think–wait a second, I want this clarified.

 

[catholic4ever]

Always good to ask those questions

 

[Zach]

Just a guess but fire here might symbolize the complete purification from original sin at Baptism. Similar to its symbolic meaning in describing the all consuming fire of purification that takes place in Purgatory.

 

[1Lord1Faith]

“One is coming after me who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." Was this John’s vision of Pentecost and confirmation after baptism? Thank you all.

John’s gospel doesn’t use the phrase, “and with fire”. Neither does Mark’s gospel use that phrase. John and Mark use different wording from each other’s gospel to describe this event, but Mt and Lk use nearly, if not completely, identical phrasing for this event, and they are the gospels that use the phrase, “and with fire”.

 

[TheLittleLady]

That we Christians will have the amazing joy of the Sacrament of Confirmation.

 

[Edwyn]

 

[Dan_Defender]

I take it to mean God’s purifying judgement.
‘when the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion and cleansed the bloodstains of Jerusalem from its midst by a spirit of judgment and by a spirit of burning.’ Isaiah 4:4

 

[sheepovrep]

I believe this has to do with the second coming. In order for everyone to be saved, then someone might have to be reborn as an “angel birthed in fire”. If they cannot crawl out of their endless cycle of lies, treachery and deceit, then they would be in the hellfire for… well you know.