baptism of fire

Meaning

Noun

• The gift of the Holy Spirit.
• Tribulation endured as spiritual discipline.
• Martyrdom by immolation.
• The first experience of a severe ordeal, especially a first experience of military combat

Origin

• Derived from English translations of the New Testament, namely the Gospels of Matthew (3:11) and of Luke (3:16); from Ancient Greek through Latin; presumably from Aramaic.