What is the contrast between John's water baptism and the baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:5?
Acts 1:5 contrasts John's baptism with water and the coming baptism with the Holy Ghost. Jesus told the assembled disciples that John truly baptized with water, but they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days hence. The word 'but' marks the flip side: a different baptism was promised.
In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus commands the assembled disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which they had heard of Him. He then says, "John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Les explains that whenever you see the word "but," it signals the flip side. So John's baptism was with water, but the flip side is that they would be baptized differently—with the Holy Ghost, not many days later. This contrast sets John's water baptism over against the promised Holy Spirit baptism.
For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
More Questions
What contrast did Jesus make in Acts 1:5 between John's baptism and what the disciples would experience?
In Acts 1:5, Jesus contrasts John's baptism with water with the coming baptism in the Holy Spirit, which would happen in the future, not many days hence.