Answer
In Matthew 3:11, John the Baptist makes a profound declaration about the coming Messiah: “I baptize you with water, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (ESV). John baptized with water to signify repentance, but he was preparing the way for One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire—a spiritual baptism, not a physical one.
John the Baptist was the forerunner of Jesus (see Mark 1:1–4). John called people to “repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near” (Matthew 3:2). The word repent means to “change one’s mind.” In the Old Testament, repentance involved turning away from sin and turning to God (2 Chronicles 7:14; Ezekiel 33:11). Because the kingdom of heaven was near (or imminent), John preached that all should repent “for the forgiveness of sins” (Mark 1:4) and to show their change of heart by being baptized.
As John baptized and preached, he looked ahead to someone greater than himself (Matthew 3:11). In fact, the words he who is coming after me alludes to the messianic hope that had defined Judaism for generations: “But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days” (Micah 5:2, ESV; cf. Isaiah 9:6–7).
John acknowledges that he is inferior compared to the Coming One who would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). First, he says that the coming one is “more powerful” than he. Indeed, Jesus the Messiah is mightier than John in every respect: Jesus is divine (Colossians 2:9), sinless (Hebrews 4:15), and the Savior of the world (John 3:16). No one can compare to Him.
Second, John states that he is unworthy of carrying the sandals of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:11). In other words, John is unworthy of performing the most menial task in the service of the Messiah. John the Baptist believed that the imminent arrival of the Messiah meant that John would need to step aside (John 3:30).
Last, John compares his water baptism to the Messiah’s baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire (Matthew 3:11). John’s baptism was a symbolic act of repentance, whereas the Messiah would inaugurate two types of spiritual baptism: a baptism with the Holy Spirit and a baptism with fire.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit occurs when a person is born again and made a part of the body of Christ. All believers in Jesus are partakers of the baptism of the Spirit: “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13).
The baptism by fire that John predicts could be seen in two ways:
1. For those who confess their sins and repent, the baptism of fire alludes to the purifying and sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. The same symbol is seen in Acts 2 when the Holy Spirit descends on the disciples with a visible token: “They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them” (Acts 2:3).
2. For those who refuse to repent, the baptism of fire has to do with judgment. “Our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:29, ESV). John the Baptist clearly had judgment in mind when he spoke of the baptism of fire, as he followed up that prediction with these words: “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). Those who continue in sin and unrepentance are destined for the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14–15, ESV).
John the Baptist’s announcement of the coming Messiah reflects the culmination of messianic expectations and the uniqueness of Jesus’ earthly ministry. Now that Jesus has ascended to heaven (Acts 1:9–12), we eagerly await His return (Philippians 3:20). And we continue to worship Him who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire.
