Abstract

Historically, theologies of atonement have neglected the Holy Spirit. Luke provides us with an important canonical voice for addressing this neglect. Luke locates Christ’s salvific work within his mission to baptize all flesh in the Holy Spirit and fire. He is to occasion a “river” of the Spirit through which all must pass, either unto destruction or salvation. Christ must himself pass through this river to be the Spirit Baptizer. He must pass through the baptism of fire on the cross so as to bring others into the blessings of the Spirit.

Highlights

  • The Baptist’s AnnouncementOur point of departure is this announcement by John the Baptist:. I baptize you with water

  • Theologies of atonement have neglected the Holy Spirit

  • Luke is unique among the evangelists in describing the larger significance of Christ’s death as a passage to Pentecost or the outpouring of the Spirit

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Summary

The Baptist’s Announcement

Our point of departure is this announcement by John the Baptist:. I baptize you with water. It seems that John’s baptism was a drama of a new Israel leaving its sins behind and re-emerging from the Jordan in hopes of renewal as a people (Brown 1997) This baptismal drama was symbolic of a people welcoming the coming era of the Spirit, even to the degree that John the Baptist would make it part of his proclamation of the kingdom of God (Luke 3:3). Though “Spirit” seems to accent the renewal and “fire” the judgment, Dunn helpfully views the messianic baptizing “in Spirit-and-fire” as a single baptism with two very different effects It is the “Spirit-and-fire” baptism of which John speaks that results in either covenant renewal or alienation and destruction. The baptism in “Spirit-and-fire” is key to Luke’s theology of atonement

Jesus’ Baptism in Fire
Luke’s Pneumatological Theory of Atonement

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