What is a Winnowing Fork?

"I (John) baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire." Matthew 3:11-12 

Meditate on Jesus’ role in coming to earth.

 

What is a “winnowing fork,” and how is Jesus going to use it? A winnowing fork is an implement that farmers in ancient times used on the threshing floor to separate the chaff from the kernels of grain. Matthew records John’s words that the grain and chaff will be separated. The grain would be gathered and saved. The chaff would be burned up in an eternal fire.

Is the grain those who would believe in the Son of God, the Christians, and the chaff, the unbelievers, those who would be condemned to a final death in an eternal fire? I think that would be a logical, good guess. The winnowing fork was essential for separating the parts of the wheat—the grain kernels and the chaff. Spiritually, what could the winnowing fork be attributed to? Who…or what…separates the grain from the chaff? In this scripture passage, we are told that “someone” is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. That “someone” is Jesus. He is the one that John was referring to as not being worthy to be His slave and carry His sandals. Yes. Jesus is the one with the winnowing fork. We can be sure that He will one day be separating the grain and the chaff—those who believe and those who don’t. Where will you be? On the pile of chaff headed to the eternal fire or gathered with the kernels of grain?

 

Prayer – Lord Jesus, I believe in You as my Lord and Savior. I know that one day you will winnow the harvest of souls. The good ones in one pile…and the chaff to be discarded in the fire.

 

Verse of Salvation ~ Who among you fears the LORD and obeys his servant? If you are walking in darkness, without a ray of light, trust in the LORD and rely on your God. But watch out, you who live in your own light and warm yourselves by your own fires. This is the reward you will receive from me: You will soon fall down in great torment. Isaiah 50:10-11

 

© 2026 Text, photos, and illustrations by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved. 

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted. 

New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. 

Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Biblical search from Blue Letter Bible - http://v3.blueletterbible.org/search.cfm. 

 

Books by Mickey M. Hunacek

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