Luke 12:50

But our Lord was hastening the kindling of the fire, and hence it follows, And what will I, save that it be kindled? (nisi ut accendatur) For already some of the Jews believed, of whom the first were the holy Apostles, but the fire once lighted in Judaea was about to take possession of the whole world, yet not till after the dispensation of His Passion had been accomplished. Hence it follows, But I have a baptism to be baptized with. For before the holy cross and His resurrection from the dead, in Judaea only was the news told of His preaching and miracles; but after that the Jews in their rage had slain the Prince of life, then commanded He His Apostles, saying, Go and teach all nations. (Matt. 28:19.)

He teaches us this by saying, "I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished!" By his baptism, he means his death in the flesh. By being constrained because of it, he means that he was saddened and troubled until it was accomplished. What was to happen when it was accomplished? The saving message of the gospel would not be proclaimed only in Judea. Comparing it with fire, he said, "I have come to send fire upon earth—but that now it should be published even to the whole world." Before the precious cross and his resurrection from the dead, his commandments and the glory of his divine miracles were spoken of in Judea only.

On which place some, as if by human reasoning they were able to make void the truth of the Gospel declaration, object to us the case of catechumens; asking if any one of these, before he is baptized in the Church, should be apprehended and slain on confession of the name, whether he would lose the hope of salvation and the reward of confession, because he had not previously been born again of water? Let men of this kind, who are aiders and favourers of heretics, know therefore, first, that those catechumens hold the sound faith and truth of the Church, and advance from the divine camp to do battle with the devil, with a full and sincere acknowledgment of God the Father, and of Christ, and of the Holy Ghost; then, that they certainly are not deprived of the sacrament of baptism who are baptized with the most glorious and greatest baptism of blood, concerning which the Lord also said, that He had "another baptism to be baptized with." But the same Lord declares in the Gospel, that those who are baptized in their own blood, and sanctified by suffering, are perfected, and obtain the grace of the divine promise, when He speaks to the thief believing and confessing in His very passion, and promises that he should be with Himself in paradise. Wherefore we who are set over the faith and truth ought not to deceive and mislead those who come to the faith and truth, and repent, and beg that their sins should be remitted to them; but to instruct them when corrected by us, and reformed for the kingdom of heaven by celestial discipline.

Why is it "fire"? It is because the descent of the Holy Spirit was in fiery tongues. Concerning this the Lord says with joy, "I came to cast fire upon the earth, and would that it were already kindled!"

Therefore, good charity having the wings of a burning fire, which flies through the chests and hearts of the saints, and consumes whatever is material and earthly: it tests whatever is sincere, and improves whatever it touches with its fire. This fire the Lord Jesus sent upon the earth, and faith shone forth, devotion was kindled, charity was illuminated, justice shone brightly. With this fire, he inflamed the hearts of his apostles, as Cleophas testifies, saying: Was not our heart burning within us, while he opened the Scriptures? Therefore, the flames of the scriptures are divine.

But I have a baptism to be baptized with. With the staining (he says) of my own blood I must first be washed, and thus inflame the hearts of the believers with the fire of the Spirit, by which they are able to despise or …

And how am I distressed until it is accomplished? Some manuscripts have, And how am I anguished. Thus, the Lord's dignity is so great that he testifies that the zeal for infusing devotion in us, for completing perfection in us, and for ripening the passion's …

He calls His death "baptism." Since this fire was to be kindled in no other way than after His death, for from there the preaching and zeal grew, He adds a word about death, calling it a baptism. Strongly desiring it, He says: "how I …

Some manuscripts have, "And how am I anguished," (coangor) that is, grieved. For though He had in Himself nothing to grieve Him, yet was He afflicted by our woes, and at the time of death He betrayed the anguish which He underwent not from the fear of His death, but from the delay of our redemption. For he who is troubled until he reaches perfection, is secure of perfection, for the condition of bodily affections not the dread of death offends him. For ho who has put on the body must suffer all things which are of the body, hunger, thirst, vexation, sorrow; but the Divine nature knows no change from such feelings. At the same time He also shows, that in the conflict of suffering consists the death of the body, peace of mind has no struggle with grief.

A first baptism was by the flood for the cutting away of sin. A second baptism was by the sea and the cloud, because the cloud is a symbol of the Spirit, while the sea is a symbol of the water. A third baptism is that of the law, because every unclean person washed himself with water and also washed his garments and then entered the camp. A fourth is that of John, which was an introductory baptism leading those thus baptized into repentance so that they might believe in Christ. "I indeed," he says, "baptize you in water, but he that will come after me, he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire." John purified with water in advance to prepare for the Spirit. A fifth baptism is the Lord's baptism with which he was baptized. He was not baptized because he needed purification. He was baptized so that by making my purification his own, he might "crush the heads of the dragons in the waters," wash away the sin and bury all of the old Adam in the water, sanctify the baptizer, fulfill the law, reveal the mystery of the Trinity and become for us a model and example for the reception of baptism. We also are baptized with the perfect baptism of the Lord, which is by water and the Spirit. It is said that Christ baptizes in fire because he poured out the grace of the Spirit on the holy apostles in the form of tongues of fire. The Lord says, "John indeed baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, not many days from now." It may also be that he is said to baptize with fire because of the chastising baptism of the fire to come. A sixth baptism is that which is by repentance and tears, which is truly painful. A seventh baptism is that which is by blood and martyrdom. Christ was also baptized with this for our sake. This baptism is exceedingly sublime and blessed because second stains do not pollute it. […]

But He adds, I have a baptism to be baptized with, that is, I have first to be sprinkled with the drops of My own Blood, and then to inflame the hearts of believers by the fire of the Spirit.

Secondly, as to the perfection of the remedy of the passion it is added: But I have a baptism to be baptized with. Note that the passion of Christ is called a baptism, because in his blood they are purified as in the bath of …

But I have a baptism to be baptized with,....

But I have a baptism - The fire, though already kindled, cannot burn up till after the Jews have put me to death: then the Roman sword shall come, and the Spirit of judgment, burning, and purification shall be poured out.

The sayings of the Lord Jesus in these five verses are particularly weighty and suggestive. They unfold truths which every true Christian would do well to mark and digest. They explain things in the Church, and in the world—which at first sight, are hard to be understood. We learn for one thing from these verses—how thoroughly the heart of Christ was set on finishing the work which He came into the world to do. He says, "I have a baptism to undergo"—a baptism of suffering, of wounds, of agony, of blood, and of death!

But . . . a baptism, &c.--clearly, His own bloody baptism, first to take place. how . . . straitened--not, "how do I long for its accomplishment," as many understand it, thus making it but a repetition of Lu 12:49; but "what a pressure of spirit is upon Me." till it be accomplished--till it be over.

To cause this element of life to take up its abode on earth, and wholly to pervade human hearts with its warmth, was the lofty destiny of the Redeemer" [OLSHAUSEN: so CALVIN, STIER, ALFORD, &c.]. what will I, &c.--an obscure expression, uttered under deep and half-smothered emotion.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

The sayings of the Lord Jesus in these five verses are particularly weighty and suggestive. They unfold truths which every true Christian would do well to mark and digest. They explain things in the Church, and in the world—which at first sight, are hard to be understood. We learn for one thing from these verses—how thoroughly the heart of Christ was set on finishing the work which He came into the world to do. He says, "I have a baptism to undergo"—a baptism of suffering, of wounds, of agony, of blood, and of death! Yet none of these things moved Him. He adds, "How distressed I am—until this baptism is accomplished!" The prospect of coming trouble, did not deter Him for a moment. He was ready and willing to endure all things—in order to provide eternal redemption for His people. Zeal for the cause He had taken in hand—was like a burning fire within Him. To advance His Father's glory, to open the door of life to a lost world, to provide a fountain for all sin and impurity by the sacrifice of Himself—were continually the uppermost thoughts of His mind. He was distressed in spirit—until this mighty work was finished. Forever let us bear in mind that all Christ's sufferings on our behalf—were endured willingly, voluntarily, and of His own free choice. They were not submitted to patiently—merely because He could not avoid them. They were not borne without a murmur—merely because He could not escape them. He lived a humble life for thirty-three years—simply because He loved to do so. He died an agonizing death—with a willing and a ready mind. Both in life and death, He was carrying out the eternal counsel—whereby God was to be glorified and sinners were to be saved. He carried it out with all His heart—as mighty as the struggle was, which it entailed upon His flesh and blood. He delighted to do God's will.

A baptism - See the notes at Mat 20:22. Am I straitened - How do I earnestly desire that it were passed! Since these sufferings “must” be endured, how anxious am I that the time should come! Such were the feelings of the Redeemer in view of his approaching dying hour. We may learn from this: 1. That it is not improper to “feel deeply” at the prospect of dying. It is a sad, awful, terrible event; and it is impossible that we should look at it aright “without” feeling - scarcely without trembling. 2. It is not improper to desire that the time should come, and that the day of our release should draw nigh, Php 1:23. To the Christian, death is but the entrance to life; and since the pains of death “must” be endured, and since they lead to heaven, it matters little how soon he passes through these sorrows, and rises to his eternal rest.