Luke 3:16 (WEB)
John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire.
Catechism · 1
“John the Baptist, who goes "before [the Lord] in the spirit and power of Elijah," proclaims Christ as the one who "will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire."” — Catechism footnote: Lk 1:17; 3:16.
Fathers and councils · 38
Ambrose of Milan
“…is the reason why St. John acknowledged Christ’s priority, that He, Who is His own Father’s eternal Power, may be presented as on that account duly preferred.” — editor's note: The explanation of St. John Baptist’s words in the Fourth Gospel is to be found, indeed, in the same Gospel (i. 27) and in the other three Gospels. See Matt.…
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Augustine of Hippo
“…has told us how, in the days of John’s baptizing, and at the time when the Lord, being then a grown man, was also baptized, Herod was tetrarch of Galilee; whereas Matthew tells us that the boy Jesus returned from Egypt after the death of Herod.” — editor's note: Luke iii. 1–21.
Read the whole comment“For as in Matthew, so also in Luke, the words are the same, and they are given in the same order, “He shall baptize you in the Spirit and in fire,”—with this single exception, that Luke has not added the adjective “Holy,” while Matthew has given it thus: “in the Holy Spirit and in fire.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 3–12; Mark i. 6–8; Luke iii. 7–17.
Read the whole comment“Yet, that the incident referred to here did not, as matter of fact, occur in the order in which it is here recorded, we have already shown elsewhere; and, indeed, Luke himself puts the proof into our hands.” — editor's note: Luke iii. 15–21.
Read the whole comment“For if He had not been shod Himself, John would not have said of Him, “I am not worthy to unloose the latchet of His shoes.”” — editor's note: Luke iii. 16.
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John Chrysostom
“As also Matthew says, that when all came to him, he said, “I indeed baptize you with water, but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 11, and Luke iii. 16.
Read the whole comment“And Luke also says, that when the multitudes supposed him to be the Christ, he again removes their suspicion.” — editor's note: Morel, “in like manner one may see in Luke, (iii. 16 ,) John saying to those who reasoned concerning him whether he was the Christ, that “One mightier than I…
Read the whole comment“And again, “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” ( Luke iii. 16.)” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“So likewise John: “I am not meet to loose the latchet of His shoe;”because of this he was the “friend of the Bridegroom,” and the hand which he affirmed to be unworthy to touch His shoes, this did Christ draw unto His own head.” — editor's note: Mark i. 7; Luke iii. 16; John i. 27, iii. 29.
Read the whole comment“…but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:”implying hereby that considerationonly is needed and faith, not labors and toils; and as it is easy to be baptized, so is it easy to be converted, and to…” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 11. Comp. Luke iii. 16. [In neither passage is the preposition repeated in the Greek text. Chrysostom (see sec. 6) interprets “fire” as part of the…
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Catena Aurea on John
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on John
“(Luke 3:16) Now He had not yet given the Holy Spirit: it was therefore fitting that He should not baptize.” — the author cites it
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Leo the Great
“But the sacrament of baptism He founded in His own person, because “in all things having the pre-eminence,” He taught that He Himself was the Beginning.” — editor's note: Baptismi sui in se condidit sacramentum: the baptism of Christ has very generally been associated with the Epiphany: the record of it, for instance, in S. Luke…
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Basil the Great
“And in harmony with this are the passages: “You shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost,” and “He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”” — editor's note: Luke iii. 16.
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Clement of Alexandria
“As a witness for simplicity in shoes let John suffice, who avowed that “he was not worthy to unloose the latchet of the Lord’s shoes.”” — editor's note: Mark. i. 7; Luke iii. 16. [It was reserved for Chrysostom to give a more terrible counterblast against costly chaussure, in commenting upon Matt. xvi. 13, et…
Read the whole comment“This, then, is the type of “the law and the prophets which were until John;” while he, though speaking more perspicuously as no longer prophesying, but pointing out as now present, Him, who was proclaimed symbolically from the beginning, nevertheless said, “I am not worthy to loose the latchet of the Lord’s shoe.”” — editor's note: Mark i. 7; Luke iii. 16; John i. 27.
Read the whole comment“But we say that the fire sanctifies not flesh, but sinful souls; meaning not the all-devouring vulgar fire but that of wisdom, which pervades the soul passing through the fire.” — editor's note: Consult Matt. iii. 11; Luke iii. 16; Heb. iv. 12. [See what is said of the philosophic ἐκπύρωσις (book v. cap. i. p. 446, supra, this volume) by our author.…
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Catena Aurea on Luke
- OrigenCatena Aurea on Luke
It was meet that more deference should be paid to John than to other men, for he lived such as no other man. Wherefore indeed most rightly did they regard him with affection, only they kept not within due bounds;…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Now what could be more absurd than that he who was fancied to be in another should not be believed in his own person? He whom they thought to have come by a woman, is not believed to have come by a virgin; while in…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Luke
But love is dangerous when it is uncontrolled. For he who loves any one ought to consider the nature and causes of loving, and not to love more than the object deserves. For if he pass the due measure and bounds of…
Read the whole comment - A Greek expositorCatena Aurea on Luke
And hence John gloried not in the estimation in which all held him, nor in any way seemed to desire the deference of others, but embraced the lowest humility. Hence it follows, John answered.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
But how could he answer them who in secret thought that he was Christ, except it was that they not only thought, but also (as another Evangelist declares) sending Priests and Levites to him asked him whether he was…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
Or: John saw into the secrets of the heart; but let us remember by whose grace, for it is of the gift of God to reveal things to man, not of the virtue of man, which is assisted by the Divine blessing, rather than…
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Luke
Matthew says, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. If therefore it is worth while to understand any difference in these expressions, we can only suppose that John said one at one time, another at another, or both…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
By the words, Whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shews that the grace of preaching the Gospel was conferred upon the Apostles, who were shod for the Gospel. (Eph. 6:15.) He seems however to say it, because John…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But John denounces himself as unworthy to loose the latchet of Christ’s shoes: as if he openly said, I am not able to disclose the footsteps of my Redeemer, who do not presume unworthily to take unto myself the name…
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Luke
And having said that his own baptism was only with water, he next shews the excellence of that baptism which was brought by Christ, adding, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and fire, signifying by the very…
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
The Holy Spirit also may be understood by the word fire, for He kindles with love and enlightens with wisdom the hearts which He fills. Hence also the Apostles received the baptism of the Spirit in the appearance of…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Luke
And as John was waiting by the river Jordan for those who came to his baptism, and some he drove away, saying, Generation of vipers, but those who confessed their sins he received, so shall the Lord Jesus stand in…
Read the whole comment - Basil the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But because he says, He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, let no one admit that baptism to be valid in which the name of His Spirit only has been invoked, for we must ever keep undiminished that tradition which…
Read the whole comment - A Greek expositorCatena Aurea on Luke
By these words then, He shall baptize with the Holy Spirit, He signifies the abundance of His grace, the plenteousness of His mercy; but lest any should suppose that while to bestow abundantly is both in the power…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
By the following words, And he shall thoroughly purge his floor, the Baptist signifies that the Church belongs to Christ as her Lord.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Luke
For by the floor is represented the present Church, in which many are called but few are chosen. The purging of which floor is even now carried on individually, when every perverse offender is either cast out of the…
Read the whole comment - Ambrose of MilanCatena Aurea on Luke
By the sign of a fan then the Lord is declared to possess the power of discerning merits, since when the corn is winnowed in the threshing floor, the full cars are separated from the empty by the trial of the wind…
Read the whole comment - Cyril of AlexandriaCatena Aurea on Luke
But the chaff signifies the trifling and empty, blown about and liable to be carried away by every blast of sin.
Read the whole comment - Basil the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
But they are mixed up with those who are worthy of the kingdom of heaven, as the chaff with the wheat. This is not however from consideration of their love of God and their neighbour, nor from their spiritual gifts…
Read the whole comment - OrigenCatena Aurea on Luke
Or, because without the wind the wheat and chaff cannot be separated, therefore He has the fan in His hand, which shews some to be chaff, some wheat; for when you were as the light chaff; (i. e. unbelieving,)…
Read the whole comment - Gregory of NyssaCatena Aurea on Luke
But it is well to know, that the treasures, which according to the promises are laid up for those who live honestly, are such as the words of man cannot express, as eye hath not seen, nor the ear heard, nor hath it…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Luke
The fire of hell is here wonderfully expressed, for our earthly fire is kept up by heaping wood upon it, and cannot live unless supplied with fuel, but on the contrary the fire of hell, though a bodily fire, and…
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Cross-references · 28
Cited together with
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 4:1–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 4:1–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on John 4:1–6 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Ambrose of Milan on Luke 3:15–17 (4) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies VII.6.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies V.8.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies V.8.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Cited together in On the Holy Spirit Chapter 11.
Cited together in The Stromata, or Miscellanies V.8.
Cited together in The Instructor II.12.
Cited together in The Instructor II.12 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Catechism §696.
Parallel passages
Matthew 3:11 and Luke 3:16 share the same wording (23 words).
Mark 1:7 and Luke 3:16 share the same wording (15 words).