01. The baptism of the Holy Spirit (Joh_1:32-33)

(1) The baptism of the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-33) The baptism of the Holy Spirit is found seven times in the New Testament (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; Acts 11:16; 1 Corinthians 12:13). This most significant event is mentioned prophetically in the four gospels (it is one of the few scenes concerning the Lord Jesus which are recorded in all four gospels). The Lord confirms the coming down on earth of the Hoy Spirit and of the baptism therewith to His disciples just before leaving them for heaven (Acts 1:5; Acts 1:8): the fulfillment of "the promise of the Father". This baptism took place effectively on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4), although the word baptism is not formally mentioned as such. The coming down of the Holy Spirit upon the assembly in Jerusalem starts the dispensation of grace, in which we still live. The apostle Peter refers to this baptism when he reports to his brethren in Jerusalem his visit to Cornelius (Acts 11:1-30), to recognize God’s sovereign will to grant "repentance unto life" to the believers from the Nations and to bestow them the same gift of the Spirit that to the believing Jews. The last mention of the baptism of the Spirit (by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:1-31) reveals its true spiritual import: all Christians (regardless of their natural origin or position in the world) have all been baptised by one Spirit into one body, the body of Christ. The seal of this wonderful truth is by the Holy Spirit. This baptism implies the fact of being associated with Christ in His death to be thereafter risen with Him; the two examples of Moses and the Red Sea (1 Corinthians 10:1-33) and of Israel going through the River Jordan (Joshua 4:1-24) confirm this spiritual meaning. The baptism with the Holy Ghost of the Christian company (the 120 believers assembled in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost) took place once and marked the birth of the assembly on earth. It has not been repeated. Henceforth, any believer brought to the Lord as a Saviour is joined to an already baptized body, the body of Christ, of which he becomes a member.

It may be noticed that the four gospels associate the promise of the Spirit’s baptism by Christ with the water baptism for repentance of John the Baptist to which the Lord submitted willingly, when associating Himself with the excellent on earth in whom was all His delight (Psalms 16:3). Death, even the Lord’s death, seen figuratively in the waters of Jordan (through which the Lord passed), opens the way to the earthly blessings of the future repentant Remnant.

Then, on the bank of the River Jordan, the heaven opened and the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon the Lord Jesus at the beginning of His ministry, when He was approximately thirty years of age. The apostle Peter reveals that the Lord Jesus received the Holy Spirit a second time, after His ascension (Acts 2:33). Consequently, Christ, now the glorified Man in heaven, as Head of the church, sends on earth all gifts for the well-being of His assembly. Having received gifts (Psalms 68:18), He gives them in turn to His church (Ephesians 4:8). These spiritual gifts are of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew and Luke, the baptism of the Holy Ghost is associated with the baptism of fire, a symbol of future judgments. Fire is also mentioned on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:3) as a display of glory and power in grace, and not of judgement. This judgement will take place later, at the end of the dispensation of grace. The prophecy of Joel (Joel 2:28-32) mentioned by the apostle Peter (Acts 2:17-21) received only a partial fulfilment at the day of Pentecost: it was the rain of the early season, while the rain of the latter season will take place on earth only after the church has been raptured in heaven and the judgments completed.