Luke 12:49

I am come to send fire on the earth St John had preached "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" and that "He should burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire." The metaphor is probably to be taken in all its meanings; fire as a spiritual baptism; the refining fire to purge gold from dross, and bum up the chaff of all evil in every imperfect character; and the fire of retributive justice. There is a remarkable -unwritten saying" of Christ, "He who is near me is near the fire,"which is preserved in Ignatius, Origen, and Didymus.

what will, if it be already kindled? Rather, how I would that it had been already kindled! (as in Sir 23:14). It may also be punctuated -what will I? O that it were already kindled!" For the fire is salutary as well as retributive; it warms and purifies as well as consumes.