Who does John the Baptist say will baptize with the Holy Spirit?
John the Baptist declares that the one coming after him—mightier than he, whose shoes he is unworthy to bear—will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The context identifies this promised figure as the Christ, the Lord Jesus, who will baptize the Jews into the Holy Spirit.
Les explains that Matthew quotes John the Baptist by inspiration, saying, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but” the one coming after him is mightier. John says he is not worthy to bear His shoes, and that coming one, identified as the Christ, the Lord Jesus, “shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire.” Les emphasizes that John is addressing Jews, not Gentiles, and says Jesus the Christ will baptize them with, or into, the Holy Spirit. Les also puts it in legal terms: Jesus is the baptizer, and He will baptize the Jews, the crowd John addresses, into the Holy Spirit.
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
What does it mean that Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire?
It means two alternatives: baptism with the Holy Spirit or baptism with the lake of fire. Those are the only options—saved or lost. John’s water baptism was present, but the Holy Spirit baptism was future, and I Corinthians 12 shows members of one body.
Was the Holy Spirit baptism John predicted future or present?
John's prediction of Holy Spirit baptism was future, not present. The context stresses verb tenses: John was presently baptizing in water, but he declared that Christ would at a future time baptize with the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Holy Spirit baptism John foretold belonged to a future day, contrasting with John's present water baptism.
More Questions
What are the two alternatives in John's promise that Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire?
John's statement that Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire presents only two alternatives: baptism with the Holy Spirit or baptism with the lake of fire, so people are either saved or lost.
Was John's promise that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit future or present?
When John the Baptist said that Christ would baptize with the Holy Spirit, he was speaking of a future work; John was then present baptizing in water, not with the Spirit.