Water, Spirit, Fire, pt. 3

In the previous essay, we saw that fire is a work of the Holy Spirit. The two are related so closely that they cannot be separated. Now we turn our attention to the Spirit’s relationship to water. Many have understood Spirit baptism to be a dry baptism, one that is of a spiritual nature only. John the Baptist does set up a contrast between himself and Jesus: John baptizes with water but Jesus will baptize “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11; Luke 3:16).

This is interpreted to mean that Jesus will baptize with the Spirit and fire and nothing else. James Dunn maintains that the Greek baptizo [to baptize] does not specify water as the element of baptism, and that its use in relation to Spirit baptism is “obviously a metaphor.” Spirit baptism does not refer to any performed ritual. Dunn goes so far as to say that baptizo isn’t an essential description of Spirit baptism and that “other metaphors might just as well have been used.”[1] He continues:

He [John] certainly gives no indication that he thought the latter [Spirit and fire baptism] was a form of water baptism, or involved such. The assumption must be that he too took it merely as a metaphor…Water is set over against Spirit as that which distinguishes John’s baptism from the future baptism…Christ’s baptism will not be in water but in Spirit and fire.[2]

Dunn’s view is common among baptistic and charismatic Christians, whereas sacramental Christians see water baptism and Spirit baptism as two sides of the same coin. They are linked together so closely that it may be said, “Water baptism is Spirit baptism.” Scripturally, both positions have strengths and weaknesses. When mining the book of Acts, Dunn’s position appears to have the upper hand. The baptism of the Spirit sometimes occurs before water baptism or after an additional ritual, the laying on of hands. At the very least, one would not conclude that Spirit and water necessarily function together.

Sacramentalists, on the other hand, see Spirit and water spoken of together in numerous passages, including the Pauline epistles. The language of Jesus and the apostles repeatedly imply the indwelling of Spirit and water together. Can the data be reconciled?

John the Baptist announces that “one mightier” will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). Jesus comes to be baptized by John in water, but this baptism results in the receiving of the Spirit: “And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove” (Mark 1:10). Notice how close in proximity the ritual is to the receiving of the Spirit. The Spirit descends “immediately” as Jesus comes up from the water.

The image of the Spirit as a dove is relevant, as it follows a repeated theme in Scripture. The Spirit is first mentioned in Genesis 1:2 as “hovering” over the face of the waters. The Spirit is in flight. Later, Noah will send a dove from the ark to search for dry land (Genesis 8:8-12). The world is back to its original watery state and a dove hovers over the waters. This is a picture of the Spirit beginning his work of re-creation; he hovers over the waters once again. The Spirit hovers over the waters of Jesus’ baptism “like a dove,” beginning the creation of a new Israel and a new cosmos. Furthermore, Isaiah 44:2-3 alludes to the Spirit as water for the thirsty, which is reinforced by Jesus and Paul:

“If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he [Jesus] said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive (John 7:37-39).

We were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).

From the opening pages of Scripture up through the New Testament, the Spirit is not only associated with water but is described as water.

Continue at Theopolis Institute

baptism, fire, Pentecost, Spirit, water