Meaning
A fan is a device or implement used to create or direct moving air. It may be a mechanical device with rotating blades, a handheld object waved to produce a breeze, or an agricultural implement used to separate grain from chaff.
Biblical Usage
In the Bible, a fan refers to an agricultural implement used in winnowing grain. The grain was tossed into the air, allowing the wind to carry away the lighter chaff while the heavier grain fell to the threshing floor.
John the Baptist used the illustration of a man with a fan in his hand to describe the separation of wheat from chaff.
Matthew 3:12 and Luke 3:17.
Key References
- Matthew 3:11-12
- Luke 3:15-17
Related Terms
- Wheat
- Chaff
- Threshing Floor
- Harvest
- Judgment