vi Destruction and Purification. 107 



Lord's contemporaries; yet the cross is never used 

 as an image of future punishment, and the scourge 

 only once, and that, moreover, in a way which at 

 least strongly suggests that the punishment, however 

 severe, is to be but for a time. "That servant, 

 which knew his lord's will, and made not ready, 

 nor did according to his will, shall be beaten with 

 many stripes ; but he that knew not, and did things 

 worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes." 1 

 In the following passage, which beyond doubt 

 contains Christ's teaching, though the words are 

 those of John the Baptist, the thought of pain is 

 not directly suggested, and the ideas of destruction 

 and of purification are blended : " Even now is the 

 axe laid unto the root of the trees ; every tree there- 

 fore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down 

 and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you in 

 water unto repentance; but he that cometh after 

 me is mightier than I ; he shall baptize you in the 

 Holy Spirit and in fire ; whose winnowing-fan is in 

 his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his thresh- 

 ing-floor, and he will gather his wheat into the 

 garner, but the chaff he will burn up with un- 

 quenchable fire." 2 Here fire is mentioned together 

 with the Holy Spirit, in a way which seems to imply 

 that they are related as the symbol to that which is 

 symbolised an interpretation which is confirmed 

 by the flames of fire in the miracle of Pentecost; 3 



1 Luke xii. 47, 48. 2 Matt. iii. 10-12. 



