The Activity of John the Baptist's Expected Figure At the Threshing Floor (Matthew 3.12 = Luke 3.17)

Abstract

The picture of John the Baptist's expected figure at the threshing floor does not portray winnowing, as often thought. Rather, winnowing has already taken place, and the expected figure is poised to clean the threshing floor by taking the already separated wheat and chaff to their respective ends. Thus, it is not the expected figure whose ministry separates 'wheat' from 'chaff', but rather John's ministry and people's response to it which accomplishes the separation of the 'repentant' from the 'unrepentant'. It is the expected figure who finalizes the separation by taking these two groups to their respective ends, whether blessing or judgment. In this interpretation the ministries of John and the expected figure closely parallel their portrayal in Mt. 3.11 = Lk. 3.16, though there the imagery used is baptism. It also supports interpreting πνεύμα in Mt. 3.11 = Lk. 3.16 as 'spirit' rather than 'wind'.